Have offers from Hockerill and Royal Alexandra & Albert School

[bloomfieldtj]

So, further to my original post about State Boarding Schools in Herts/Surrey, we have been offered boarding places for DD for Yr 7 entry in September 2012 from both Hockerill and RAAS. We are now in a quandry about which one to choose, and we have to do it soon. Aaargh !!!

We liked both schools for different reasons. RAAS seems to have great facilities etc but I'm a little worried about the academic side, whereas Hockerill is acaemically excellent but I wonder if there is a bit too much emphasis on exam results. Does it all really matter, this league table stuff?

At the moment DD lacks application and focus with her school work but I am hoping this may just be an age thing and that she will "wake up and smell the coffee" once she starts senior school (?!).

We currently live overseas but still maintain a home in the UK near family. DD could go home at the weekend to her grandparents if she wanted to.

Have read lots of positive things about both schools. Are there any negative points about either school, which I might know about before we try and decide? For the record, DD doesn't seem to know which school she prefers either and says she liked them both!

Thanks again for reading.

Congratulations on having two offers. As you are an overseas parent like us the other questions I would ask to help make your decision are:

• does either have Saturday school, a plus if you are a full boarder.
• how many full boarders does each school have and how does that figure translate into actual number of year 7 girl boarders at the weekend. Schools are often evasive on these figures. So a good question to ask is how many year 7 girls have you had in on the last two weekends.

Good luck with your choice there are lots of RAAS mumsnetters and they always seem to be very positive.

RAAS but then I have to say that

DD completely lacked application and focus when she went there in year 8 but is now working very hard for her GCSEs (she finishes this summer) and wants to go to Uni and be a history or english teacher. 3 years ago she wanted to be a WAG!

Good luck with your decision

Yay. Good news!
I have no idea on Hockerill v RAAS but wanted to add a

I live in the town where Hockerill is, yes they do have Saturday school. I believe one morning every other Saturday. It's a lovely school.

Hockerill, is lovely! Well rounded, the children i know there are VERY happy, school is also situated in a nice leafy town, but then you now that already. Go for hockerill, you wont regret!

"know"

And yes its academic but not a hot house, i think they get the balance just right.

I agree with goinggetstough to ask about the actual numbers of year 7 girls at weekends.

I am often in Hockerill on a Sunday morning and am not sure I have ever seen a younger girl in breakfast. It all seems to be older children or boys. Maybe the girls just eat earlier/later?

I know families with happy day girls, day boarders and weekly boarders so the school gets a general thumbs up. I know they do put children in for GSCE in year 9 and sometimes the results aren't great so not sure why they do it so early.

Where is your family in the UK? I think if they are more than 2 hours max. from a school it will be difficult to spend the weekend together, so if that is important to you it could be the deciding factor.

My DS left Hockerill quite recently. Transport connections are fantastic (5 minute walk to station, 5 minute drive to Stansted/M11), but most weekends are very short. There are Saturday morning classes most weeks (see calendar on the school website) and they have to be back by 8 pm on Sundays.

I know nothing about the girls' boarding but the boys' boarding was fantastic. Both the junior and senior housemasters were wonderful and my DS had huge respect and affection for them. Among the boys there were definitely more weekly boarders. It was quiet at weekends but not dull, I think. In GCSE years DS sometimes chose to stay for the weekend (he was a weekly boarder) because the atmoshere was much calmer and he could get loads of work done and relax with his friends (weekdays are very busy!). There were frequent trips, and some boarders also went home with more local friends. I got the impression there were quite a lot of music/drama things going on at weekends too, though my DS could never be persuaded to try them. Bishop's Stortford is also a safe, quiet town for them to hang out in.

I would not call it an academic hot-house at all. There was far, far less "spoon-feeding" than at other comprehensives I know well. On the other hand, if you were keen most of the teachers seemed very responsive (e.g. if you wanted extra help). My son did develop excellent independent study skills (cetainly didn't have them when he joined....) though I think it is probably easier to do so at any boarding school.

There is a wide range of ability but the "average" is definitely higher than at other comps. I don't think the school needs to be that pushy as so many of the families seemed to have high expections/ambitions. The school was also VERY hot on discipline (even very minor low level disruption was dealt with immediately, everyone was expected to show respect for teachers etc.) which must make it so much easier to make progress.

Overall we were very happy with it, especially the pastoral care, the many interesting teachers and the boarding staff. If you have any more specific questions I'd be happy to try to help!

I have two happy kids at Hockerill. It is not hot housing, just the right amount. They have three lessons every Saturday with one leave weekend each month plus longer holidays. Cant recommend it highly enough and it is free for day students!

I have a son in weekly boarding at Hockerill. all i can say is that he has been transformed by the school. they know the kids really well and care enormously not just about their academic progress but their ethical and moral development and leadership skills. it is very strict but the kids know the rules. they try to develop global citizens prepared to stand up and be counted....in several languages. after 7 years in the french system it was a revelation to him. music strong and lovely kids/teachers that I have met and a gentle hang out town of Bishops stortford.. miles away from the muggings and over sophistication of west london. christs hospital fab too but dont know it now so well and very fully boarding for boarders and hugely expensive unless truly without funds. good luck

Can i pls ask which one u picked as we r also looking @ these schools? Thks

Thanks to all who responded again. We're just waiting to see if we also get offered one of the state day schools in our home town on offer day this Thursday 1st March before deciding exactly which school to go for, depending on where we're likely to be going forward, with hubby's job here. Oh the stress! Will post an update soon!!

What did you go for in the end OP? Hope it worked out for you and dc.

Named changed since the original thread.

We went with Hockerill. DD has now just finished Yr 11 and GCSEs and will be staying for Sixth Form. DS joined also and will go into Yr 9 in September.

I am very pleased with the school. My two are doing very well there and I would very much recommend it.

Harveypuss, that's great. Are yours weekly borders? We are currently looking into this for dc1.

Do you reckon Brexit will ahem any impact on this school?

Hi CanadaJumper,

Mine are full boarders but may switch to weekly now we're back from overseas. They thoroughly enjoy boarding. It's a good boarding community there and pastoral care is very good.

The school's mantra in the face of Brexit is "business as usual". Who knows how it'll work out years down the line (when Brexit eventually happens!) but for now I am not worried. Indeed, my daughter says there are many overseas students due to join the school's boarding community in September, so it hasn't put off overseas applicants as yet.

Happy to supply further info if you want to PM me.

Happy to hear that Harveypuss 😊. My dd starts in September and so we are in the process of moving to the area.