Tiffin girls school

[Sallyknowsnot]

Hi all, was looking for some advice on TGS. My dd is starting there in September this yr. she's excited and nervous as heard it can be a "hard" school with lots of hw/pressure/competition/stress etc
Anyone out there had experience of this at the school?

My daughter is now at Uni but it was relatively stress free in the earlier years, the homework relatively light (as most work was completed in class) and not obviously competitive. My daughter enjoyed being with other clever girls.

Under the surface, there are girls with MH issues (as in any school) some girls are tutored throughout and some parents crazily competitive.

The pastoral care was improving at the time DD1 left - after the pressures at 6th form became so great that the girls of year 13 sent a letter to the SLT.

Thanks so much for your reply. Did your dd find it a catty environment? Just hope my dd will make some good friends for life.

No experience of Tiffin Girls, but thinking your DD is going to make friends for life is a bit of pressure. Ideally you just want want her to be happy?

Yes she did. I think there were problems in her form/year though. She is also somewhat unconventional and didn't fit the glossy haired, wealthy, suburban middle class clique that seemed to dominate her form and year. The school at the time were completely in denial that any form of bullying existed there - I think that has changed now.

She has still got friends she met there though and I think she was quite unlucky in terms of her overall experience - as others seem to perceive it more positively.

She was terrified that Uni would be the same - she nearly didn't go - it is completely different and she loves it.

DD is in Y8. From what she tells me, it is not at all competitive, at least not in and around her friendship group. They have just done their end of year exams and they've been really supportive to each other, sharing Quizlet tests and notes on Whatsapp, and she says no one really talks about the results. Compared to some of the private schools, I think the exams were quite casual and not formal.

Of course there are super competitive parents there who can bore you to death about their DD's achievements but I don't see much of them anyway (maybe it's different if you see them all the time at various events).

HW has definitely been light since Y7, at least compared to her private school friends. That's good and bad, but at least she's never been stressed about it.

I had concerns about pastoral care and my experience in Y7 wasn't great due to an uninterested form teacher, who has since left the school. I had another issue which I raised with the HoY and she dealt with it quickly and effectively so we were satisfied.

I have some issues with the school (PE lessons aren't great for those who aren't naturally talented.. range of sports not great.. lunch hall too crowded.. some lessons could be more inspiring and fun) but overall we're pretty happy with the school.

Thank you so much for all replies. Really useful info and good to know girls are happy. I guess ups and downs are to be expected but hopefully most issues do get resolved. And it's so refreshing to hear no one really talks about results and girls are supportive. Really has put my mind at ease.

Blackcatlover- glad your dd is enjoying uni

I went to Tiffin Girls' School and although we did get homework, we completed it on the bus going home. The School has consistently good results (top 5 in the country for state schools normally) and just having it on my C.V. helped me get my current job.