SW/W London Independent Schools thread part two

[Chillaxalready]

There. I've done it and started one.
1001 messages and counting!

Yes we went. I thought it was lovely and well run but I'd forgotten quite how small the school is. I know there were lots of extra people about but it really did have a primary school feel to me. Lovely staff.

We went this morning. Very impressed. It's a lovely school. One thing we didn't know is that DCs can use the Fairfield in lunch hour - big green, open space behind school which it owns jointly. But there's so many clubs and activities they are spoilt for choice. Friendly children and teachers. DS is keen - they had someone from his old school show him round. Think it may boil down to Tiffin vs KGS. KGS will be demanding financially but it is a very well run school with a huge amount on offer.

Yes I went this morning. Lovely kids, lovely staff. Facilities are a bit cramped and dated in places but sports fields are simply gorgeous - and that's the only place DD wants to be. My DD (having really not been keen when we saw it in the autumn) loved it. In her words "Basically it's my perfect school...but for being on a roundabout!" She wants to come off Putney and LEH waitlists in favour of KGS which is fine by me! So now it's KGS or a state option we loved but as a new school it doesn't have any GCSEs yet....

So next week the wait lists should finally start moving...Fingers crossed for everyone!

We've sent in our acceptance and released everything else. DD now obsessing about uniform and wants to know why I won't order it NOW! There's a lot of growing time between now and September DD!

mertonmama where did you/DD choose in the end?

We're off to Putney! How about you?

DD is going to Alleyn's. She chose it on basis of cooking classes and Costa coffee for the sixth form... Hope your DD has many happy years at Putney!

Emo - best wishes to your DD as well. An extra 30 mins in bed swung it for DD. I still have a pang about JAGS but I'll get over it....

Emo I love your dd's criteria - she will go far

Gggggaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!

And that is all. I DO have to make a decision, right?

Hey Dark...did you have a school visit today?

Emptycoffeepot,may I ask you if you get Tiffin which will you choose and why?

DarkBlueEyes it feels great to have made a decision! Go with your gut - you fought so hard to get off the SHS wait-list and there must have been a reason you did...
DD getting so excited about WHS. There was no way we would take KGS after her experience of the 11+ process...!!

Phew our decision made and LU accepted! Thanks to everyone on this thread for support and opinions - it's been fantastic x

My DD finished at PHS last year, having enjoyed junior, senior and swanky 6th form centre. Hope your DD enjoys it Mertonmama - there are so many clubs and activities to take part in, I'm sure that shorter journey will be the best decision.

New uniform too - we missed that. Though obviously had the pruple and grey

Purple, even!

Pop1ns

Tiffin is free and may stretch DS more academically. There could be more like-minded geeks, too. But it's bigger and DS may struggle more socially if he doesn't find friends, join choir or do rugby, which are popular ways to mix. DCs are more scattered, many not local.

KGS costs money - probably about 140k over 7 years excluding extras. It is strong academically, and has a good reputation for maths, which DS loves, as well as DT. Smaller classes, clubs, gentler feel may make it a better bet for shy DS, whose happiness and confidence ranks as most important factor for us.

Thing is you can get a very good look at KGS before you join. But next to impossible to get a real feel for Tiffin as the "open day" is a once a year scrum where we saw very little. What we know about is garnered from snatched limited number of conversations with parents of DCs there.

emptycoffeepot, if your DS is offered a place at Tiffin they get a chance to spend a morning/afternoon there.

Yes, but not before March 5, which is deposit deadline for KGS. If DS gets place we will certainly try to talk to them as we have others.

Emptycoffeepot - most people would accept the indie place and then if the grammar comes through also accept that place. They would then see how the morning goes in June/July at the grammar and then make up their mind.

If they don't want the grammar place then, they have the security of their indie place. If they then decline the indie they have spent a total of deposit + one term's fees for the remainder of their DCs secondary education!!

And I am sure there are many who are happy to take a surprise late grammar place! I used to teach at Tiffin Girls' and there were occasionally children who just didn't turn up on the first day of the term (hard to believe, but true. Certainly wouldn't advise this because it means you have someone getting an offer after the start of term which isn't ideal)

Thanks. Yes, can see how that can happen if weighing indie versus state selective. It's one way to decide, though not ideal. Would prefer to make up our minds sooner. Hopefully we will.

Marsden - your description of Putney fits exactly with everything I've heard from current parents. Buzzy, busy and fun - exactly what DD needs.

Really interesting to see the Tiffin discussion. I think DD is in with a chance as she got a strong 1st round score and has done well in the indie exams. Having paid the Putney deposit we're almost 100% committed but part of me thinks is she got a place we ought to have a proper look at TGS just to validate our decision. Like others I've never had a good look at the school - open day didn't show it at its best I think.

mertonmama, my niece is in Y8 at PHS and thriving - it wasn't necessarily her parents' first choice (she had several offers) but now she's there, my brother and sil both say the short travel is worth its weight in offers! There are lots of evening/weekend/late things to do, travel counts more than they realised.

DarkBlue

You sound like my dd, who hates decisions (as do I, but luckily this one's not mine to make!). Painful, eh? Good luck, I'm sure it will all feel right once made!