Emanuel School

[Millystokes214]

Hi there,
Can someone please offer advice about Emanuel school in Wandsworth? Particularly the english department? My child's last school wasn't great and I would really like her to improve.

Thanks.

My DS is at Emanuel and we have been happy with the school. English has never been his favourite subject but the Department seems fine to me.

When are you thinking of applying and for what year group?

Because registrations have closed for most 2018 regular entry points, and the new system takes effect 2019.

New head starting Sept 17.

In last few years, it's been significantly harder for non-siblings/non-scholars to get places so the entrance standard has been creeping up. The school however never get the same results as the highly selective ones, because siblings and sport/art/drama/music scholars need only a bare pass on the entrance exam. But it's academic standard is good, and the topmset will be much like the top sets anywhere.

DS just finished 6th form and really enjoyed it. He's not sporty, likes drama, is not terribly confident, has SEN needs but it seems to equally cater well for those who are diametrically opposite. He very much improved academically and in terms of confidence. He also was getting terrible marks in maths when he started year 7 (think 2%) due to SEN but comfortably passed his gcse. I think he also benefited from girls being at the school.

He passed English lit and Lang gcse and a level English literature. I was very impressed with the English staff and he got on well with them. Just before doing his English exams this summer, a staff member rang him to ask how he was getting on with his practise papers, revision etc which he find helpful and boosted his confidence.

We liked the school initially for not being outrageously academic but able to draw the best out of the students. Plus it's an attractive building and grounds. The Head has now left, I don't know anything about the new Head but trust a very good one would be the replacement.

New head is Robert Milne, who was deputy head at KCS Wimbledon.

Potted biog looks good for English:

"Mr Milne attended Pocklington School in Yorkshire before reading English at Leicester University and is currently completing a Master’s degree at King’s College, London University. He has taught English at Oundle School and at King Edward’s School, Birmingham before being appointed Head of English at Magdalen College School in 2007. In 2011, he took up his current post as Deputy Head of King’s College School, Wimbledon"

My DS is at Emanuel and loving it. He's been getting excellent grades in English and although he claims to hate reading seems to be doing well.

Great all round school, highly recommend it but as AnotherNewt says, watch out for the entrance criteria, they have always done things differently to other schools and their admissions process is changing.

DS at Kings, Mr Milne is extremely nice particularly and unusually for such a senior member of Kings staff. Very big on pastoral stuff so Emmanuel will probably be a great match for him.
I hope they keep the sibling policy, it is the only school to do so in this area and IMO it is not praised anywhere near enough for doing so.