Surbiton High School

[papalazaru]

Is it getting too big? 2015's intake will run to 8 forms of 20-24 girls in each. Given its site, which fell compact already, I just wonder if its success might actually adversely affect the girls......??

As most United Learning schools are now academies, I wonder if it's time SHS looked to convert. There is no all girls school option this side of Kingston. There are 24,sometimes 25, girls in each class which now gives a year group of nearly 200 - that's a lot of revenue. When you factor in that many girls are paying reduced fees, staff discounts, a big bursary scheme as well as loads of scholarships offered you probably don't have to increase the class size by many to make this feasible. Increasing the class size to 30 could give local parents a Coombe Girls type option and open up many more state school places.

Thanks cake and thanks for your PM too. I can't help feeling that it is growing too big too quickly. It seems that the UCST is doing this with a number of their schools and parents aren't too happy with it.

I am a parent with a daughter at the school and have been extremely pleased with the school. It doesn't feel like a big school at all as they are divided into sets for certain subjects so the teaching groups are smaller and results are definitely not effected, in fact, my daughter has flourished in the school and her academics have only increased. They have also recently announced the purchase of 2 buildings next to the school which will only enhance the facilities as a whole. I live locally and know that the reputation of the school is very strong locally and it is an extremely popular school - always oversubscribed for year 7 entry. With regards to the scholarships etc I think you may have been misinformed. I know that scholarships and bursaries are given but only to a selected amount and certainly no more than other schools, schools have a responsibility to make awards due to the Charities Commission regulations . All Independent schools are in the same position . Without exception the teachers go over and above and the care and teaching my daughter is receiving is excellent .

But the point is Twiglet it wasn't a big school, until this year it was a 6 form entry of 24 girls. It has now increased to 8 form entry that's bigger than many state schools.

From the brochure SHS have given 38 scholarships, about the same as last year, many for significant amounts of money as parents negotiate the amounts if they are offered something at a more desirable school e.g. LEH. That is far more than many schools and most schools have scaled the scholarship amount to a token amount e.g. £75pa at St Pauls boys. SHS also run a very generous bursary fund, this is obviously a good thing but the point is it wouldn't be necessary if the school became an academy and places were free. I have only mentioned it because it affects the school's total revenue and the spending per head.

I hope United Learning look at the total revenue the school produces and work out how many they would have to increase the class size to make it work as an academy, to see if it is possible. It would be great for the local community to have access to a local girls school, locally there is a black hole between Coombe and Waldegrave. It would be interesting to know what the spending per head is at these schools and how big the gap is.

I am not disputing the great teaching,care and attention given to your daughter by the SHS staff. But girls at United Learning academies are also receiving great teaching, great care and attention.

It clearly gets good results but with a yearly intake of nearly 200 girls it just feels very cramped. From what I've seen the school would be better expanding into the new space rather than filling it with even more girls.

SHS scholarship awards (and apparently staff discounts) are generally far more generous than at other schools. 38 scholarships seems a high number too, especially as most will be between 30-50% of fees.

If my DD and I had liked it, could really have saved our family some money!!

That said, the class sizes are not too large and if there is teaching in sets, then for some the size of the school might actually be appealing because there is a wider peer group and more facilities than a smaller school.

Horses for courses!

I'm not sure Cake why you are going down this route - it is a thriving fee paying school which is oversubscribed and rightly so - why would United Learning want to turn it into an Academy? My DD & her friends have never complained about it feeling cramped and loves all the opportunities (which there are many) that the school has to offer. I think that the percentages offered are based on rumour rather than fact as they don't publish amounts offered so I'm not sure where you are getting that from? In my experience rumours aren't necessarily true and I have found the school very pleasant to deal with so I would urge anyone looking at senior schools to talk to them directly and talk it through with them.

But TBH Twiglet you said that they didn't offer any more scholarships than other schools which wasn't correct, so I think you may have to reconcile yourself to the idea that you may be wrong about the amounts as well.

Why would they want to turn it into an academy? Why wouldn't they?many girls are leaving the junior school this year to join senior state schools, this number would be even higher if other families had been offered places at their preferred choice, a few are still hoping to get moved up the waiting list. There is a huge appetite for good state school/academy places in this area and many parents are forced into the private sector because they can't get a place at their desired school. I would have thought that the increase in year size gave the school an ideal opportunity to look at the potential cost savings of becoming an academy e.g.marketing/advertising costs and to see whether becoming an academy is feasible. Yes it is oversubscribed, but so is Tiffin, Waldegrave, Coombe, Hinchley Wood and all the excellent state schools in the area.

We don't actually get to vote on this, it's just an opinion expressed on an internet forum.

I hear from more than one source that there is quite an issue with inadequate supervision, and it may be because they are getting too big and unwieldy.

I agree - it's all just opinions and personally myself and the parents I know are delighted with the school and certainly haven't experienced inadequate supervision or the unwieldy behaviour you talk. I would highly recommend the school.

In response to the OP, if you fear a large school may not suit your DD, then probably SHS is not for you.

That said, the class size is still smaller than state schools, and if they take more children they will also take on more staff, so the ratios should be no different for individual forms.

Having a large cohort is another matter entirely, and creates more competition for being in top sports teams (especially with the numerous sports scholars!) and music ensembles etc.... Unless you had a very confident and accomplished child, they may not get their chance to 'shine' in the same way as in a smaller school.

But then again, that may not be important when considering the factors which you value in a school. Once you know what is most important to you and your DD, then you find a school that fits best (sadly, there is unlikely to be one that ticks all the boxes...no school is perfect!)

I know people who have been happy with the school, others who have chosen it because they feel they really didn't have another choice (better than their local state school), others who were tempted by their generous scholarship offer (or staff discount offer) and others who removed their children because it wasn't what they thought it would be. There are no guarantees - the type of children in a particular class/year group is completely unpredictable and some personalities create a delightful, harmonious year group while others do not.

Good luck if you are making a choice on what to do for your DD ...and then good luck to her in passing the exams to get in where she wants to go!

I agree that is definitely horses for courses. We know our DCs and should choose schools based on what we feel will be the best fit for them. The first time I visited SHS I loved it and thought DD would be very happy there. Second time I took her and looked at it through her eyes. She did find it quite overwhelming and busy.
Having said that I think the transition to senior school always involves moving from small to large scale. But to be paying private school fees for a school which is almost the same size as the local comp even if class sizes are small doesn't feel like great value for money to me.
Funnily DD also thought SWPS 'mahoosive' and said she wanted some where smaller so my list is fast shrinking to Notre Dame and Claremont ??

Isn't it a bit like Primary. A small primary seems great when your children are small, and then as they get older you regret not choosing something larger with more gong on.

Ditto at secondary. A larger school should mean a larger sixth form with more choices and the scope for setting in subjects like maths, as well as a choice of sports, a good orchestra etc. Perhaps a bit daunting when you are 11, but better that than outgrowing a school when you are 15.

We have come across several Surbiton girls including one who was very unhappy elsewhere. Nice girls who seem to love it.