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

[whycantwegoonasthree]

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

Yes they do, as they are used for homework

Do they all have the same one? I would be worried about the showing off by some/compare circus of who has the most expensive etc. Surely the school should issue them or tell them all to buy the same one?

They have different ones but I’m not aware of any showing off, they aren’t really into that sort of one-upmanship

Anyone considering LEH at all? Visited this morning & disappointed that am not as blown away as I was hoping to be. Much happier with WHS & PHS open mornings. Anyone with a view on this?

It sounds as though you are going for a private school but I just wanted to give my view on CGS. My DD has just started in year 7. It's not chaotic at all, in fact I have been impressed by how organised they are. I know what you mean by it looking a bit worn, but it's free. It's like comparing an NHS hospital with a private one!

We live in Raynes Park and got in, as did quite a few other girls. It's worth calling Kingston council and asking the furthest distance on the day they started as it definitely went out further than a mile.

Artistic The journey for LEH put me off, so we haven't even looked at it. From this part of SW London, unless you're right on one of their bus routes, it's quite tricky to get to. I think you'd need to have a parent who could drive the school run every day, which isn't something we could (or would want) to do.

With regard to PHS iPads. They are supplied by the school so you don’t source them yourself. It seems to work very well and the girls are restricted to what apps can be downloaded - there is a PHS version of the App Store!

Flume - you are so right! Unless you are very conveniently located on their bus route it's an impossible location! They have late coaches but nothing to the nearest major train station! We had a stop near our house but when I specifically asked they said it been dropped and the handful of children now have to use a taxi! Seemed like a complete let down for the poor parents who may have counted on it!
Even without the travel issue it failed to impress. Just wondering if my expectations were unrealistic or was it really not as good as WHS / PHS?

It’s totally a personal thing. You may think it’s not as good as WHS/PHS but others may feel differently. I was coming from a particular perspective when I compared the two and went to LEH but I thought the facilities were miles ahead of WHS. I thought it was fantastic for the right girl but the journey would have been tough.

The facilities are fantastic, second to none. But the warmth was missing - both with staff & children. Perhaps a Monday morning thing?

We're going to see LEH next Friday.

Well, I am.

DD1 is not 'allowed' to attend an open day until the summer term.

To be honest that pissed me right off. I'm considering paying them a vast amount of money to potentially educate my daughter, and if I want to take her to the open day, then frankly that's my decision, not theirs.

If it's numbers they're worried about then organise more open days. It just seemed really high handed. Their tone was very off-putting in emails too. I'm going to have a look out of curiosity, but I'd be surprised if it ends up on the shortlist, I've so little time for that kind of attitude towards parents and children, frankly.

Be welcoming and don't overstep your remit - it's not much to ask, is it?

I would consider Ursuline High School (that is if you are Catholic however) as it is an outstanding non selective state school that Is up there with some of the poorer performing independent schools. That is on the border of raynes park / Wimbledon.

Hi RumFudge - DDs are currently at Ursuline Prep, but we're not Catholic, so Ursuline High is unlikely... x

Your comments earlier in the thread about the Absolute Truth, spreadsheets and Fuck you very much made me laugh.

Well you have to laugh at the insanity and lack of perspective about of the whole thing…

And I'm fully aware– as a person who has a f-ing SECONDARY SCHOOL SPREADSHEET ffs – that I have lost both some of my sanity and most of my perspective.

I like your posting style.

Ah shucks.

I have a DD at Coombe. I don't have any regrets, she is doing really well and personally, I like the fact she is mixing with alsorts. Independent schools were never an option though as I oppose them. The school is well organised, has loads of after school clubs etc. It's not perfect, but show me school that is. It's also down the road so she plenty of local friends. I would recommend it if fees are in question at all.

Whycan't - I also like your posting style. And I agree with you about the 'you can't bring your kids until we tell you' stuff - one reason I liked KGS was that they had an evening event for adults and (a couple of days later) an open morning for the whole family. You could do both or one, and it felt like they were much more accommodating. And don't get me started on Tiffin's 'we're so over-subscribed we only do one (massively overcrowded bunfight of an) open evening a year, no other opportunity to visit'. If they're aiming to put people off, they're going about it the right way.

I also like the sound of Coombe, but Wimbledon is just too far...

The thing is that these schools are huge huge interest shown in them. If they didn't control the numbers looking round, especially in the school day, there would be constant or unmanageable numbers who would impact on the teaching of the students already there - and the school do have a duty to not let that happen.

I understand that people want to look round and want to take their DD too. I also understand that especially when people will be paying, they feel that they are almost entitled to whatever they want, or certainly to feel like they have some control and are not dictated to by 'the business'. However, in my view these schools are getting it right. LEH is giving parents a chance to look round in Year 5 and DD at the end of the year or in Yr6 - so everyone does get a chance. Parents are often looking at 5 or 6 schools and the schools know this. The children don't need to be there when a short list is drawn up, because parents can narrow it down to 3 or 4. It often doesn't help the DD to see loads of schools, but perhaps just a couple, to voice their view, which is taken into account in the parents' final decision making.

I think parents need to accept, that even when paying £20k a year, the school needs to have control of these things. There are good reasons why they limit numbers and open mornings. I think they are right to use their previous knowledge of years of admissions, of how many schools people visit, when it is most helpful for girls to look round, the impact on current students etc etc to decide what is best, rather than just give in to parents, who to be honest are a bit pushy and often want and expect everything done to suit them - perhaps their previous experience from paying for Prep, but suddenly not courted in the same way because the schools are so over-subscribed, they don't need to, plus the schools also having probably being bitten in the past by being too flexible with potential parents, which can negatively affect current staff and parents.

As for Tiffin and it's one open evening.....well that really is the sign of a school who won't be receiving fees and who knows they are over-subscribed so many times over that a) they really don't need to do any recruitment schmoozing and b) that if they offered more open events, the schools would simply be bombarded on every occasion - and they think this will affect staff and students negatively, so just don't do it.

It's funny how people are affected by the marketing or lack of marketing of schools. I've known parents choose a school because they offered superior cakes and wine and comfy seats and lots of personal attention on the day. I've known people turn down a school because they didn't like the tone of one letter, or because they noticed one slightly damaged locker on their tour. I know in the end that we have to decide based on something and it's difficult and not always tangible stuff which influences us and everything together builds up a picture, but I do think some people want a school to bend over backwards and kiss their arses,mas much as they want the signs of a quality education. Just my view!

Chocolatewombat, excellent post!

All the best to all DC sitting exams this week. Hope we all get the news we want and that is best for our DC

Hi there, been mostly lurking and following a few of these threads. I notice it’s particularly quiet on girls’ school.

My DD sat 4 independent schools and she has an offer already, but not first on our list.

She has had interviews with another school.

Has anyone on here’s DD sat JAGS exam? They sent out an email about scholarship interviews which will be next week, saying if we have not heard by the end of this week then we should assume no call back for scholarship interviews. My question is, has anyone actually received an invitation to interviews? Of all the girls that sat the exam in DD school no one has heard back, and there are some really bright girls who passed super selective grammars that haven’t hear also. So I’m just wondering if anyone has heard.

Thanks. Good luck to all those who are still having interviews.

help - anyone give guidance on what is better Kingston Grammer school or surbiton higth school for Girls?

@pj2022 , just off the top of my head:
KGS - better music Dept, access to swimming,

Sure