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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Coombe Girls / Tiffin / Kingston Grammar / Surbiton High / Sutton High / Wimbledon High

180 replies

whycantwegoonasthree · 14/09/2017 12:39

Hey wise women of Mumsnet,

What's your opinions/ insider knowledge of the above schools and am I missing anything?

They strike me as my best options in the area but I've only had the internet to go on, and a few brief chats with other mums from school (some of whom are a bit hyper about all this TBH...)

I'm in the enviable position of needing to move house before applying for schools and being afford to pay fees if I have to. (Only just, and I'd rather not obvs. but I can.) so my options are pretty open in that regard.

I have 2 DDs, currently in years 3 and 5 at a private prep – not our choice, we were unlucky about where we lived when it came to primary applications. I'm not snobby about it, in other words.

Eldest DD is, I think pretty bright, but a bit lacking in self confidence. She's been talking with her peers and is hell-bent on Tiffin - but the idea gives me chills - it sounds like a scarily competitive place and not especially nurturing. This is said on the basis of not much actual info though.

I went to a GDST school (on a scholarship as we were broke) and had a great time, so am positively disposed to them for that reason - but am unsure of how they differ from each other.

I know nothing of Surbiton High other than it looks very much like a GDST school from the website!

Coombe girls has great reviews, and it does look like I'd be nuts not to just buy a house in catchment and escape the whole selective stressy nightmare and the fees. And I would know that both my girls could go there, whatever happened, and I wouldn't have to go through all this again in 2 years.

But I currently live in Raynes Park, and this wold mean a move further West - which on the one hand would be a shame as I like it where I am, but may be a small price to pay for a guaranteed school place! (We'd get more for your money with houses too...)

I'd really appreciate your thoughts and insight if you wouldn't mind!

WCWGOA3

OP posts:
Original poster
whycantwegoonasthree · 10/10/2017 15:30

And I haven't discounted Surbiton at all - the open day is at the end of the month... Do you have DDs there UserX?

OP posts:
UserX · 10/10/2017 15:43

Yes just the one & she's only just started in y7 but loving it so far. Very friendly atmosphere & a lot going on.

polyjuice · 10/10/2017 19:51

That's great Crispsheets, he's obviously a super bright young man. In my view choosing a school is about far more than just the exam results you leave with at the end, though!

Crispsheets · 10/10/2017 20:16

Oh I agree. They've got to have fun and be well rounded. I'm glad we did it without the angst of 11 plus or paying £15000 a year.

FlumePlume · 15/10/2017 20:51

Did anyone else go to the Putney open day? What did you think?

Dd loved the food...

Original poster
whycantwegoonasthree · 16/10/2017 12:24

Heading there shortly...

OP posts:
Artistic · 16/10/2017 12:52

We went to the Putney Open Day. DD loved the school, the buzz, the uniform & the rowing boat! Grin

Having a tough time choosing between Wimbledon & Putney. For both we will need to move closer to the school so commute is not swinging it either way. Wondering if we should sit both considering that their exams are completely different and one might be easier for DD than the other.

Anyone have a view on how these compare with SWPS which is another strong choice for us?

FlumePlume · 16/10/2017 14:22

We'll probably try for both, as they're our two closest and the exams are different so presumably looking for slightly different things. SWPS is too far out for us. DD was definitely wowed by the rowing boat and the very nice girls who showed her around. The tumbling demo was also a hit!

Personally, I thought the Head's talk at Wimbledon was much better, and the teachers as we walked round seemed (with some exceptions) more engaged at WHS. But I'm sure they're both very good schools.

Artistic · 16/10/2017 22:15

Flume - totally agree about the WHS head's speech. It was very impressive. I did like WHS a lot more, but not sure of DD's NVR skills for the entrance!

mummyinatizz · 17/10/2017 09:20

Just a note re WHS, they have a large number of girls in junior school, nearly all transfer to senior (why wouldn't they). The year we applied there were few places available for 'new' girls as they were very oversubscribed the previous year and had added a bulge type class. I'm sure its similar for PHS.

AveEldon · 17/10/2017 10:12

Yes the girl who showed us round mentioned that the number of classes varied in each year

ivy30 · 17/10/2017 10:14

WHS juniors has two classes of 24, about 40-44 in total transfer to seniors. Annual intake to seniors varies between 80 and 100, so still more than half of the places are available for new girls.

Artistic · 26/10/2017 09:58

Has anyone else learnt about the building extension works to be undertaken at WHS & PHS? At WHS the girls who showed us around mentioned additional capacity being added vertically on top of existing buildings. Is it the same with PHS? Won't this cause disruption for a few years for the girls?

FlumePlume · 30/10/2017 08:23

Artistic Nobody mentioned building work to us at either school.

I've just been trying to get visits for the schools dd hasn't seen, but they all seem to have shut up shop for Y5s now until Easter (which I understand but is a bit frustrating in terms of narrowing down choices).

helloSW15 · 30/10/2017 09:14

Info on the building works at PHS are on their website.
WHS are planning some building but the plans aren’t approved yet so the head wouldn’t say what they were when someone asked at a recent open morning. Just said ‘very exciting’ etc etc

Artistic · 30/10/2017 22:50

Thank you Flume & Hello. I will check the website.

Original poster
whycantwegoonasthree · 31/10/2017 12:43

So DD and EXH went to Surbiton High this morning and were very impressed. Sad that I missed it - but hugely behind on work...

Our list in order of preference, from what we've seen seems to be, and taking a rough consensus from the three of us:

  1. Sutton High
  2. Surbiton High
  3. Wimbledon High
  4. Putney High
  5. Coombe Girls
  6. Kingston Grammar (DD doesn't like the boys, it gave me a headache, which kind of cancels out EXH love for it, I think…)

Of those top 4 academically selectives, how would you rank them in order of difficulty to get in to?

Did anyone else go to Surbiton? What did you think?

DH liked the 'teaching girls to THINK' aspect and the academic rigour...

WCWGOA3

OP posts:
nocampinghere · 31/10/2017 14:20

I think you could/should cut some of those down
my crude analysis/experience says

  • if your dd gets surbiton she'll also get sutton
  • if she gets putney she'll get wimbledon
  • eliminate KGS if you don't like it, it'll be right in the middle of the exams and will just tire her out (don't underestimate the impact of back to back exams on her performance), plus KGS interview all potential candidates which is another day/burden.

in terms of "difficulty to get into" i'd say:
Putney
Wimbledon
Surbiton
Sutton
PHS/WHS have far fewer places on offer than Surbiton
Sutton has to compete with the grammars

helloSW15 · 31/10/2017 14:26

Would agree with nocamping although KGS don't interview everyone anymore- they cut it right down after the exam (according to their latest admissions info).
Also- I think WHS is an odd one now due to the NVR/VR thing. Lots of Prep School dead certs for Putney aren't getting places at WHS these days.
All a lottery!

FlumePlume · 31/10/2017 14:27

I've been told that order of difficulty is:
WHS
PHS
Sutton High

But I'd be interested to see what others say.

Don't know about Surbiton (have discounted as being a bit too far, and too sporty).

nocampinghere · 31/10/2017 14:30

i didn't mean KGS interviewed everyone, i mean they interview everyone they are considering giving a place to, ie those who meet the required level on the exam.

interesting that WHS has moved towards NVR/VR when the other schools are moving away. I know a few this year who got WHS but not PHS. PHS seemed to be almost at LEH standard.

Original poster
whycantwegoonasthree · 31/10/2017 15:01

The message at WHSopen day was that they are attempting, as far as possible, to 'tutor proof' their exams, so it's not just VR and NVR but a non-specific creative task which they change each year.

I don;t necessarily think it's possible to 'tutor proof' but it's nice to know that they at least realise it's an issue and are looking for naturally bright curious, thinking girls who can adapt.

Since we're not tutoring, and DD is such a child, I can only hope this bodes well for us!!

OP posts:
Original poster
whycantwegoonasthree · 31/10/2017 15:02

It seems reasonable to stick DD in for all four exams - I very much doubt we'll be going wider than that although we still have a few wild cards to look at…

Or would you think it's too many?

OP posts:
Ashers40 · 31/10/2017 16:47

We did four and it was fine, very similar to your selection of schools. It's good that Sutton High is earlier and if you get an offer it's a great confidence boost going into the others. Our 4th choice was a last minute panic application when I worried we might not get anything. Coming from a state primary I really wasn't sure what standard was needed. In the end it was all fine and we got our 1st choice school.

AveEldon · 31/10/2017 18:30

I've also been told Wimbledon is more difficult than Putney
But that may be one is more popular than the other so more competition for places as opposed to they are looking for a higher standard from entrants

I think 4 exams is fine but not 4 that are considered equally challenging/difficult.

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