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Secondary education

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

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Original poster

Anyone got child at ST Johns Leatherhead?

29 replies

timeforsomethingnew · 05/12/2013 16:38

DD been offered place for Sep 2014 and interested to get feedback from anyone with child there.

Please PM me if you'd prefer, but would love to know more about school. TIA

OP posts:

juliemaths · 05/12/2013 20:26

My son didn't go to St John's but my school has sent lots of boys there. The school has been on the up for some time and has a great reputation for looking after and getting the best out of its students. It is particularly good for boys who like sports.

NearTheWindmill · 05/12/2013 22:51

My Godson goes there and it has been brilliant for him. Not hugely academic bur reasonable at sport and a thoroughly nice, rounded and confident young man. My DS played them at rugby and cricket and always said the St John's boys were amongst the nicest of the schools they played. Always looked forward to a trip down there - best teas on the circuit too!

Original poster

timeforsomethingnew · 06/12/2013 07:58

Thanks for your thoughts ... Wondering what kind of environment it is for girls. Think the current ratio is 70:30 and believe they are trying to increase over time. Very interested in any insights on what kind of culture for girls.

DD is hardworking, friendly, team spirited, sporty, arty. She currently has lovely group of girl friends and gets along well with boys at her coed international school. (We are moving from overseas.)

I loved the school and the head and admissions has been joy to work with, but want to be sure it's a school that is ready to support girls. (Unfortunately for at John's when you google among the list of official sites and forums like mumsnet are some pretty unsavoury "gossip pages" from students that are quite sexist and unpleasant - about girls, boys and teachers. My be I would find the same about any school but it did make me wonder).

OP posts:

NearTheWindmill · 06/12/2013 08:50

Unless you really need boarding you could also look at kingston Grammar, surbiton and Notre Dame. Marymount? Intl school in Kingston?

Original poster

timeforsomethingnew · 06/12/2013 09:12

Thanks Nearthewindmill. At this point we've pretty much narrowed down the selection of schools. We've got a few other schools in mix too and she's going through the exams etc.

St Johns is first (maybe only!) to confirm a place. For others she is on wait list, awaiting exam results or waiting to do exams.

St John's does seem to hit the mark ... But now they have confirmed place I just wanted further feedback specifically on St Johs and anyone's personal experience . Really just do g my due diligence to check I'm on the right track.

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Absolutmum · 06/12/2013 21:10

My son has a place for 2015. I know lots of people with older children there, I've never heard a bad word about the school!
We've viewed it a couple of times and have always been impressed.

Original poster

timeforsomethingnew · 07/12/2013 13:55

Thanks Absolutmum. Good to hear. We had a good visit in the summer but school had already broken up and we only got to meet the Head and tour the empty school. DD will get a chance to visit properly in Feb.

Anyone have thoughts or experience re girls?

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Janacek · 07/12/2013 14:33

We went to the Open Days. Was impressed with the staff. Too sporty for my son and bit too posh really. Parents liked it bpys didn't! "Too posh for the likes of us" my 11 yr old said!!!

AChickenCalledKorma · 07/12/2013 22:18

Only anecdotal, but I know someone whose grand-daughter has recently left St John's sixth form. She had some issues with anorexia and I gather that the school was extremely helpful pastorally.

I live in the area and see the boys and girls around town. They look happy, although possibly a tad over-confident when in a big crowd (i.e. need reminding that the whole town is not, in fact, part of their campus LOL) Slight tendency towards extremely short skirts and extremely thick make-up among the older girls .

NearTheWindmill · 07/12/2013 22:28

You have just described the entire adolescent population of SW London and Surrey achickencalledkorma

AChickenCalledKorma · 07/12/2013 22:32

fair point. Perhaps I should have said even shorter and even thicker than the girls at any of the other local secondary schools .

Original poster

timeforsomethingnew · 08/12/2013 01:43

Thanks Janacek, Achickencalledkorma and nearthewindmill. Feedback seems consistent re pastoral care, friendly staff etc. And sporty is good in case of my DD! In fact, one of the things I hope about the school is that she'll get to do all the sport she loves but will also be able to do some art and some other things too. She'd like to, but the way it works for her right now, it's just sport and difficult for us to do other stuff other than in holidays.

Thanks for taking the time to respond ... short skirts and thick make up very scary but suspect part of our future anyway ... eek!

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anniesw · 08/12/2013 21:44

My nephew was there a few years ago and was subject to unpleasant bullying/

Loopytiles · 08/12/2013 22:16

That "little gossip" site is really horrible. Cyber bullying.

AChickenCalledKorma · 09/12/2013 10:24

With respect to sport - I do observe that the time commitment for sport seems quite steep. There often appear to be matches going on all day Saturday and the day students don't seem to leave school till after 5pm Monday to Friday.

Don't know if that's an issue for you - maybe it's par for the course at a school which has a lot of boarders. If it was me, I'd want to ask whether they still have prep etc to do after school or whether everything is done when they leave.

Original poster

timeforsomethingnew · 09/12/2013 14:13

Thanks for the additional comments. Sorry to hear about your nephew anniesw.

.The gossip site definitely worries me ... Definitely cyber bullying, but suspect could find similar on public and private forums for many schools. So really just want to check this is not ingrained in culture and that as ex boys school that it has made its transition to accepting and welcoming girls. I definitely want an established coed school.

Achickencalledkorma. Good observation re sport but sport angle doesn't worry me and probably could be said of all the schools on our short list. She loves her sport which was starting point for all schools we picked.

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NearTheWindmill · 09/12/2013 22:49

My Godson isn't sporty and it hasn't been an issue. My DC were both at school doing activities of some sort until 5 or later. DS for sport; dd for drama/singing usually.

andplus · 02/02/2018 22:14

Yes. It is easy to get into St John's Leatherhead. Simply follow the brochure photo guidelines:

be white
be sporty
have a traditional name
avoid foreign family links unless you are loaded
be well connected to the school stakeholders

Wobblypig · 03/02/2018 10:30

Heavens above. At least post your misery on a current thread

JAK101 · 05/02/2018 13:15

Andplus....or you could just be in the top 10% of the 300 people applied for a place.

sazzy5 · 05/02/2018 13:21

I haven't heard of anyone not getting a place at St John's but I am guessing due to its popularity recently it will start to turn away those that would normally have got a yes. I know several that were turned down at Reeds who got a place at St Johns but who knows how they make their choices!

JAK101 · 05/02/2018 13:38

hundreds didn't get a place this year:-) I am told there have been quite a few smaller schools being bought up and closed for land ££££ so demand is really high. Personally, based on my discussions with admissions , it really comes down to the tests/exams performance. Those who have been prepped well and are already at the level they are looking for will be fine.

This notion that interview/personality and extra curricular activities somehow can trump a good test score is outdated. Sure if they have 10 kids all scoring the same metrics they will use that as a deciding factor but other than that you need to do better in the tests than the next kid.

sazzy5 · 05/02/2018 14:10

You're right JAK101 lots will miss out on a place. I was more meaning the level of test was slightly easier. Many took the St J's exam from our school, got scholarships and didn't go but went to Hamptons or RGS.
I didn't hear of any not getting in but of course many must not have got in just not in my 'group'. Sorry!

Sunshine5050 · 05/02/2018 14:19

For St. John's at 11plus it's completely different to before because the Lower School has had 2 years to settle, they are selling a full package many people want, for example everyone gets in a sports team, if you send a dd to Surbiton High only a tiny % of the 160-200 Girls in the year get in competitive sports team and play on a regular basis.

JAK101 · 05/02/2018 16:36

Definitely. From what I saw at the Epsom College exam days they were equally over subscribed (if not more so). Prep schools are having to adapt as well to the 11+ entrance and are extending education until 16 (previously 13). All in all it means, in my opinion, the sooner you can get your child in the system the better.

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