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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Schools in South East for geeky/sensitive DS

45 replies

lme30005 · 07/10/2012 08:52

Hi

We went to an open day for Royal Grammar School in Guildford and loved it. It would be perfect for my DS as he is quite individual, a bit geeky, loves to learn and is not sporty at all (the school doesn't seem to go on about sport even though they are excellent at it). He is bright but not sure he would get in from his state school. So we need some backup options

We can move anywhere really but are looking for the following criteria:
In Surrey/Hampshire/Berkshire/Herts/Bucks
Single sex or mixed
A school where it's cool to learn
State or private
Not too large, so DS doesn't get lost in the crowd
Lots of extra curricular activities but not necessarily heavy on sport
A school where there's a high number of parents that actually care about their DCs education (hard to judge I know)
Good results

Lots of these will be met by private schools but would love to know of any state schools anyone could recommend for a geeky boy!

Thanks

OP posts:
marbeth · 07/10/2012 08:58

Have you thought of Kent. Lots of single sex grammar schools.

LadyStark · 07/10/2012 09:21

Have you thought about the other side of Surrey? We have Tiffin Boys, Wilson's, Sutton Grammar and Wallington Boys - all good grammar schools.

City of Freemen's is in Ashtead if you're lookin for private options, Epsom College is quite sporty and very expensive. Charterhouse in Godalming?

seeker · 07/10/2012 09:24

Simon Langton in Canterbury meets lots of your criteria-but it's
selective. And maybe a bit hearty?

LadyPeterWimsey · 07/10/2012 09:24

DS got in to the RGS from his state school, and loved it. Can't help with other schools, though.

mummytime · 07/10/2012 09:36

Salesian?
I would actually advise bigger schools as there is more chance of meeting similar boys, so eg. George abbot, where there is always a nice group of geeky boys.

Original poster
lme30005 · 07/10/2012 10:25

Kent probably too far as we don't want to be too far from family. Are the tests to get into the Surrey Grammars tougher than RGS? We are looking at Salesian but not sure what its like.
I had thought about George Abbot but it does seem huge!

OP posts:
Sympathique · 07/10/2012 10:45

Reading Boys' (grammar) with Reading Bluecoats (indy) as back up? - tho' not sure if latter is sporty. Bucks has grammar schools, so does Slough.

TalkinPeace2 · 07/10/2012 16:09

Mumsnet la la land
only the uber rich can move at a whim at the moment
only the uber pretentious can even assume that their kids will get into a grammar school
only the uber posh settle for other than what the local schools to where they are have to provide
OP
you are the 1%
we 99% watch you slack jawed
Mumsnet La La Land

SkippyYourFriendEverTrue · 07/10/2012 16:19

Er, thanks TalkinPeace2.

I don't think it's necessarily pretentious to assume a child will get into a grammar school. Some children are extremely intelligent, far beyond the grammar school admission hurdle, and it's not that hard to spot tbh.

And yes, private education or moving into the catchment of an oversubscribed school is one of the many benefits of having money. If you have no option other than the local school, you really haven't got a question to ask on here have you?

So yes, there will be a grossly disproportionate number of 'Eton or Winchester', 'private or grammar' posts, because these people are the only ones that have a choice.

catkind · 07/10/2012 16:20

Go on, unless kid is 5 or something i think most parents have a pretty good idea if their kid is grammar school material or not. There could be any number of reasons OP is planning a move but has control over where e.g. own business, working in london.

YouBrokeMySmoulder · 07/10/2012 16:25

Yes those super selectives are all harder to get into than RGS, KCS is easier than those superselectives. Epsom and charter house are not for the geeky non sporty boy. Christs hospital maybe.

SkippyYourFriendEverTrue · 07/10/2012 16:30

Are they harder to get into than RGS? Why does RGS do so much better on exams/Oxbridge then?

gazzalw · 07/10/2012 16:32

We are not in La La Land but did manage to get our DS into a Surrey grammar school without a tutor and without moving. We actually live in a bit of a grotty area (and getting places at primary school for our DCs was a bit of a challenge) but the flip side is that it has good transport links to quite a few boroughs, including the ones with the grammar schools. But we are lucky that we had a DS who was of the right calibre to get in - that's down to good luck and genes rather than judgement!

Do have to say that I get a bit irked about all these people moving around the UK to tap into the very best schools....it's so opportunistic and not really very fair...but sadly the privileged few often don't do 'fair'

Sorry rant over....

LIZS · 07/10/2012 16:38

Harder to get into in terms of no.applications to places. Is Trinity in Croydon or even perhaps Whitgift an option ? However most secondaries have large intakes. Ewell Castle is smaller if not hugely selective or results driven.

Original poster
lme30005 · 07/10/2012 16:44

Ha ha, I really wish I was one of the privileged few! We are looking to move now as we have no roots where we are. We will have the next 2 years or so to either save up to move or try and afford private school fees so we are definitely not posh! We are just trying to find a school where our DS will be happy and fit in, which is definitely not our local school, and will make sacrifices to ensure he is.
He could probably get into a grammar, but not going to push him to do so

Thanks for the suggestions!

OP posts:
BehindLockNumberNine · 07/10/2012 16:52

Hmmm, you have a few years yet, your ds may well change and not be geeky and sensitive forever...

My ds did not fit in at primary school, he abhorred football for a start and was not overly sporty. He was also a bit 'odd' and did not really fit in socially. Probably because he had an interest in drama instead of football / rugby.

Our local secondary school is a huge state school with a specialism in sports. Gasp.

I sent him there, being prepared to pull him out should things go awry for him.

He is now in Y9 and is thriving. Exceeding our expectations. He has grown in maturity, in confidence and in academic ability.
Due to the school's vast size there are many opportunities for finding like minded people. Ds has teamed up with a nice bunch who are all mostly into drama and science like him. He is no longer the odd one out for liking these things.

The school's size has meant greater odds of finding likeminded pals. It has meant it provides a wide variety of afterschool clubs catering for all interests.

He loves it and we are so pleased we sent him there to see how he would get on...

Original poster
lme30005 · 07/10/2012 17:02

Thanks BehindLockNumberNine, I might have a good look at some of the larger schools locally. Would still have to move probably but hopefully not too far.

He is a little eccentric sometimes and hasn't quite found any like minded fellow geeks so hopefully he will at a bigger school. I don't think he is ever going to be sporty though!

OP posts:
YouBrokeMySmoulder · 07/10/2012 20:06

Um the RGS a level results A/A*this year are slightly worse than my nearest superselective at 58% to 62% as far as I can tell. And the comment upthread is correct, there will be a queue of well over 1000 applicants to sit for each of the schools.

binnsandblotwell · 07/10/2012 21:15

Are you sure YouBrokeMySmoulder? The RGS website seems to be saying 79% A/A* at A Level.

YouBrokeMySmoulder · 07/10/2012 21:25

Perfectly possible I am quite dimGrin I took them from here

Colleger · 07/10/2012 21:31

Obviously Winchester College!

Kahlua4me · 07/10/2012 21:39

Wokingham has good schools and recently came up as best place to raise kids in uk

binnsandblotwell · 07/10/2012 21:42

Ah, thanks Smoulder. I was talking about the Guildford RGS. I didn't know about the Reigate one Smile.

Original poster
lme30005 · 07/10/2012 22:01

Would consider Wokingham if MIL didn't live there :) I'm not too bothered about amazing results as long as the school has a culture of working hard and learning is cool. I don't want him to lose his love of learning easily!

OP posts:
YouBrokeMySmoulder · 07/10/2012 22:16

Ah bins that would explain it! So many RGS's! Oh shite I've used two exclamation marks.