SWPS, St Georges Weybridge or Heathside - DD

[Rawesome6]

Hi there- looking for up to date views and experiences on the above schools for DD who is year 5 at a local state school. She's bright, good all rounder and likes sports. Thanks!

I have had children at SGC and SWPS (still have two daughters at SWPS). They are both great schools. I chose SWPS for my girls because I to be in a single sex school. The boys went to SGC basically because there wasn't a lot of choice for boys.

The facilities at both schools are great, although SGC has huge grounds.

I'm sure your DD will thrive at either school but SWPS is fab all round.

Children at our primary go to both these schools, I've never heard a bad thing about SWPS, it has a very good reputation around here and a good friend of ours has two daughters there. I only know boys at SGC and they have only just started, but its reputation is a bit more mixed.

SWPS definitely
amazing school

SWPS is definitely a school that ticks all the boxes.

SWPS is a lovely school..... my eldest dd v happy there

I know children at all three schools - I've heard only positives from parents about Heathside and SWPS - obv facilities at SWPS are superior!

I've heard more mixed responses from parents about St Georges, and certainly know one parent with a child there who is considering moving over to Hearthside (boy so SWPS is not an option!) - but obv that may be just luck

St George's is a Catholic College isn't it?

Depends if you're happy to pay the fees at SWPS. Heathside is a state school so your children will mix with others from a wider range of backgrounds. It has a tight catchment rule IIRC and anyone outside has to pass a "challenge" in either sport, music or maths. This was a few years ago though so that may have changed.

We aren't Roman Catholic, although are practising evangelical Anglican. The RC stuff is not oppressive. They have chapel but the non-Catholics are not excluded.

My boys were able to keep their school and our church life separate.

The number of RC students in school is about one third.

That sounds healthier and not like Salesian, who take non-Catholics in the sixth firm but for whom attendance at school mass is compulsory.

The challenges at Heathside were abolished I think a couple of years ago, Rhonda - I think from what I have heard this has meant that they are now much more solid in terms of being able to offer within the catchment area, but obv harder to get in from much further afield.

Salesians is a state school
St George's is fee paying

Salesians is a state school
St George's is fee paying

How is that relevant?

it is relevant re the admissions criteria

if St G had the strict Catholic criteria that Salesians has i doubt it would fill its places at £18k a year.

SGC is open to those who are sympathetic to the Josephus ethos.

Only about a third of the students are RC.

My son has just started at Heathside and it seems brilliant to me so far. Really well-run, well-resourced school, great teaching, good focus on academic results. Obviously doesn't have the facilities of a fee paying school but I'm impressed.

SGC happily takes those who are not RC, they also have a new Headmistress this term who has come from St George's Ascot.

SGC is a good school. You will get mixed reviews because there are lots of SAHM's for whom DC failed to get into the top ranked schools and ended up at SGC instead. Lots of moanie mummies at rugby matches, lots of unnecessarily competitive ones too. The school does have great results though, my DS was in the lowest set for Maths, has always struggled with it since a tot but they managed to drag out an A grade from him. Maths, History, Spanish, Latin, Biology, Chemistry, Art are all very strong.
SWPS do very well at GCSE but (in my limited knowledge) not so well at A Level even though they have more subject choices. Their results seem to show they do well in English, French, Music, Art, Geography and History.

Heathside is a state school, heavily oversubscribed but is the best non fee school in miles

Mass is compulsory at SGC.

I agree with herby. I have had three DC go through St Georges and a fourth is still there. All of my DC did very well, third son left with straight A at GCSE and 2A and A at A-Level. My second son is not academic at all but still left with very good GCSE and A Level results for him.
The school has a much lower entry requirement compared to Tiffin or RGS, some mums and dads forget that even though their DC may of failed the 11 plus to these, those tend to be the ones who are unhappy. But they will still keep their DC there for sixth form!
My DD was at SWPS, got fed up of the bullying, we moved her to St Georges and she is very happy.
They have become noticeably more devout so that is something to consider.

SWPS: small & nurturing, academically sound, good range of sports, girls only

St George's: bigger, very sporty, academically much stronger than SWPs, push students more so, co-ed which is a bonus. Catholic.

Healthside: no fees, less academic than the other too but then they are non selective, results very good given the last point. More of a push on academia which means sports takes a back seat.

Hope that helps.

The sooner I get my daughter out of Swps the better

Love SWPS!

Sandy - could you explain why please? I'm lurking as SWPS is a possibility for us in the future, so would be very interested to hear why you've had a bad experience there.