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

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

Secondary education

G&L vs KGS vs LEH - would like to make decision and release 2 offers...

46 replies

NeedToDecideSoon · 25/02/2014 19:24

Been reading the threads for a few months and it has been incredibly helpful. We are lucky enough to have the above 3 offers at 11+ and would like to decide very soon to release 2 of them to others. DD is bright but not stellar, needs a bit of a push to achieve and we are worried she may not be stretched enough at KGS which is her preference. We would prefer single sex education for her and her two brothers are at independent boys schools and doing well. She is also sporty and musical. We really are at a loss to decide: G&L seems a very outward looking and cosmopolitan school, LEH very sporty and more academic and KGS is a good all round school with excellent pastoral care though not as academic as the others. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

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chickydoo · 27/02/2014 17:41

My child yr 5, & is bussed back to school. It is the same for all year groups

irisha · 27/02/2014 18:13

The school documents explicitly say that it's only Yr 7 that is brought back AND it's an additional charge.

singersgirl · 27/02/2014 18:20

Sorry, chickydoo, is that Y5 a typo or are you talking about a different school? There is no Y5 at Kingston Grammar School; there used to be a Y6 class but now it starts at Y7.

chickydoo · 27/02/2014 18:20

I stand corrected apologies!
Just asked DS, the sports coach for year 5 brings him back with some of the team in the mini bus, in return for helping tidy up etc. just shows how much teens tell their parents.
I have never picked him up though.

chickydoo · 27/02/2014 18:22

They call it yr 5 at school. It is in theory yr 11, but everyone calls it 5th form.

tess73 · 28/02/2014 13:12

This was asked at the open day this morning. Due to parent demand they do take any kids back to school that want/require it. Most don't though but the facility is there. No mention of cost, I got the impression it was with the teachers in the minibuses.

CountessDracula · 28/02/2014 13:31

They are bussed back if they want to be defo

Where do you live? KGS has buses from Chiswick and just S of hammersmith bridge now...

tess73 · 28/02/2014 14:35

Countess, chi kudos can you clarify the KGS uniform?
Do 1st-3rd wear the new check skirt & red jumper.
Then 4th-5th wear black skirt & jumper
And 6th form wear suits?
Is that right? Am confused with the new uniform...

tess73 · 28/02/2014 14:36

Chi kudos?? That should say chickydoo!

TeenAndTween · 28/02/2014 14:48

Two suggestions given that it seems to be finely matched.

Go with the closest school. It will add considerably to your DD's quality of life if she isn't commuting. She will have more time for out of school activities.
Toss a coin. Honestly this isn't as stupid or flipant as it sounds.
Toss a coin, see how you feel when the coin lands. If you are relieved it is the right answer. If you are disappointed it is the wrong one, so go with the right one instead.

nmonkandmmonk · 28/02/2014 14:53

1st-3rd year girls wear checked skirt and red jumper, 4th-5th year girls wear charcoal skirt and red jumper and 6th form wear suits. I rather like the new uniform although the girls' blazers definitely need an inside pocket! I was at the talk/look round yesterday with my DS and glancing about wondering who I'd been communicating with on MN!

Shooting4themoon · 28/02/2014 15:31

Re: KGS uniform
I've just returned from Bentalls to collect some uniform for DS2 (different school entirely) but did take a quick peek at the KGS uniform too! The really lovely assistant there did say that the supplier was making up a girls blazer with an inside pocket, so maybe it's a case of watch this space?

CountessDracula · 03/03/2014 09:28

DD wants to know if they are allowed to wear trousers!
I hope not, she refuses to wear skirts/dresses and has done for ages so I think it would be good if she had to wear one.

tess73 · 03/03/2014 10:28

This was asked on Friday. A definite no was the response. Apparently this always comes up but you can't get a trouser that looks good on the different shapes and sizes of girls.
They are allowed to wear trouser suits in the sixth form but I get the impression mrs fletcher isn't that keen on that!
May all change with new head of course...

tess73 · 03/03/2014 10:29

I was surprised that the girls aren't made to tie their hair up... Quite straggly considering how hot they seem to be on uniform.

Shootingatpigeons · 03/03/2014 11:34

I think it comes as a surprise to parents with lovely relaxed 11year old girls how matters of appearance at secondary school become a matter for negotiation. Teenage girls and their norms are a tough nut to crack. I think Sarah Fletcher has done an amazing job smartening up the girls, just look at how no Head, not even the indomitable Miss Candy, has ever succeeded in tidying up the LEH girls?

Apparently she (age 60, over 6ft, very angular and gay) appeared at the first assembly of term wearing a skirt that barely covered her underwear, laddered black tights, the saggy sweatshirt with thumbs pushed through the obligatory holes made in the cuffs and a pashmina (the then obligatory non official version of the official uniform ) the school fell about laughing, she waited a few minutes and then fixed them with a stare that said silence, waited and then said "I think I have made my point"

The sixth form girls at KGS did go in for wearing trousers at one point but they were black Jeans with a certain label (which may explain why Mrs Fletcher isn't keen) and when they tightened up on the no jeans rule they went back to very short skirts.

KGS is one of the schools, really only with St Catherine's, in Twickenham who really are quite strict in an old fashioned way about uniforms.

CountessDracula · 03/03/2014 12:46

It seems very odd to me that they can prevent girls wearing trousers. Oh well.

Shootingatpigeons · 03/03/2014 12:55

countess as someone who always wore trousers to work I agree but I suspect that teenage girls would not be seen dead in those sorts of trousers. Teachers are experienced in what works with their pupils. And I suspect that the comment about them not looking right for every pupil is based on that. Mrs Fletcher does actually wear trousers herself, very nice smart ones!

tess73 · 03/03/2014 17:00

Surbiton high uniform seems quite smart and even more controlled. Hair up, minimum make up, specific dark charcoal pleated skirt, terrible waitrose-sequel stripe blouse etc...

Eastpoint · 03/03/2014 18:30

St James's in West Kensington is very strict/respectable. The girls there always look well turned out and have to have suits in the 6th form (but don't have to wear them everyday). I think they are currently changing the uniform skirt at G&L to make it harder to roll up at the waist. I think the Latymer Upper girls usually look smart too, but they do enforce this with detentions if the skirt is worn too short.

tess73 · 04/03/2014 12:00

Needtodecidesoon what did you decide? Have you turned down the other places?

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