Schools in South East for geeky/sensitive DS

[lme30005]

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

A few issues re RGS (Guildford):

• It costs money to enter the exam - if you won't pass, it's a waste of money as well as time to even enter.
• Many will be coming from the private prep schools and will be advised that their child won't be accepted so won't enter the exam.
• The most able children will get scholarships at RGS, so it's a certain incentive to go there
• The profile/background of the children entering RGS Guildford will be different because of its location in the middle of Surrey, rather than outer London.

So applicants per place doesn't necessarily prove it's harder to get into one school than another.

"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."

Can I gently suggest that an interest in both is perfectly possible- and expected in many schools?

If you go for a state school you might find one which has sold off most of its grounds no pressure for sport at all

Brycie - not in this part of Surrey. One you do have to catch a coach (as you do for RGS) to the boys sports ground, but then they rival private school ones, in fact were RGS's before it opted to become private in the 70s.

Leighton Park has got a good reputation.

Re scholarships at RGs - you have to be very very very able to get a scholarshp on entry - some of the cleverest most able boys who then get firsts at Oxbridge don't get scholarships - in fact most of them don't.

As an illustration, my sons year (now 21) all the boys who got 10 or more A stars at GCSEs were awarded academic exhibitions to the 6 th form - about 40 boys- which consisted of no money just a speech day mention. And I only know of one boy who got a 3 rd form scholarship ( but as most people don't talk about it it's hard to know for sure). So I wouldn't factor a scholarship worth money into your calculations.

But I've said it before on here - RGS suits a huge range of boys - from England sports men to music scholars to chess and computer geniuses. There is room for all types and support and encouragement for all of them.

RGS is mainly bursaries nowadays. To makeup for the old days when boys from a certain Prep used to get scholarships and then stopped working or had already achieved their best, and so produced disappointing results. The entrance level has also been steadily increasing over the last few years or so.

Sherrardswood school in Herts is a small school, not too focused on sports. Less than 20 in whole year group and less in secondary.

The scholarship for RGS is very hard, for example in French it's at least GCSE standard, the English is probably more A-Level standard! It is no shameful thing to try it and not get one, but not for the faint of heart!

Skippy and Beck - thanks for the info on RGS. DS is not scholarship material - that's not in my mind at all. Even if he was capable of getting a place there, not sure he'd enjoy the pressure. He needs somewhere that will challenge him and stop him getting bored but he is also a big worrier and super competitive so a very pressured atmosphere might not suit him

I didn't mean to give the impression that RGS is pressured. If your DS passes the exam and is offered a place en he will do well there - they pick well and very few boys find it doesn't suit them - maybe only 1 or 2 a year.

It is competitive but in a friendly supportive way, I think.

I would also recommend Reading School - a boys state grammar but if you live out of catchment you can pay for weekly boarding. Lots of bright, geeky boys. :)
There are lots of good grammars in South Bucks, both mixed and single sex. If you lived near High Wycombe you could be in the catchment for a few different ones.

My DS is at RGS (year 8), came from a non-pushy state primary, and does not find it pressured at all. He is worrier, very competitive but not hugely sporty. This evening he has spent about half an hour on homework and about 2 hours on the PS3!
He is more than holding his own academically. I would echo BeckAndCall - they just select very well,boys who will thrive there , and it is competitive in a good way. I think trinity is referring to 13+ scholarships, my DS didn't have to do French.
I also think less people apply to RGS because they just think it's impossibly hard to get in, and of course far too expensive for the vast majority of people. This is not true IMO. My DS has often said that several boys from his old class would have been able enough to get in, and of course there are there are bursaries, which do genuinely open up the school to a more varied mix of boys.
It is a fantastic school.

If private is an option have you considered [http://www.lingfieldnd.co.uk/ Notre dame] in Lingfield or [http://www.caterhamschool.co.uk/ Caterham} school? (Caterham funnily enough grins) Both of them are within close driving area to not overly expensive housing so if it is a matter of saving up for private a slightly cheaper (For SE) mortgage might work in favour there.

Both have good reputations.

eugh
Notre dame in Lingfield or Caterham school? (both the most eastern part of Surrey)

Do you want to move? The cost of moving alone would pay some fees. But if you have other dcs to consider then might be worthwhile.

State schools - successful, large, but apparently good at not making it feel so - Howard of Effingham. I know a good handful of happy geeks !

You would then also have easy access to RGS if your son was successful.

Bucks - I'd love to live in catchment of Howard of Effingham but so hard to find a property there that isn't out of our price range. The Howard does look like a great school though

Thanks Ivysquirrel for the RGS info, it does sound like a lovely school but not holding out my hopes for DS getting in. Even if he does, there's the challenge of getting my other DS's in too

If you are looking at RGS and are also considering the Salesians (I am assuming the one in Chertsey?) does this mean that you can look at Catholic schools? If so, SJB in Woking could be a great school for your son. The HT there is very clear that it is cool to achieve and the kids themselves are, on the whole, very driven and enthusiastic. There are no kudos for slacking in that school! It matches lots of your criteria in terms of location, intake is 180 each year although always seems to go over but still smaller than many other local secondaries, loads of extra-curricular stuff including lots of enthusiasm about sport but no pressure to do particularly well at it or even take part apart from PE, v-good results for state and loads of involved parents. The site itself is a bit scruffy and bursting at the seams but the mood within the school is always very business-like and focused.