Kingsdale

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We are considering putting Kingsdale as our first choice for secondary school. I would appreciate any opinions from parents with children currently attending this school. I would like to have as much information as possible before making a decision reg teaching, behaviour, communication, extracurricular opportunities, atmosphere, discipline, stretching the most able and supporting the ones that need it, pastoral care. You can PM if you prefer. Thank you

Did you not ask any of those questions when visiting the school?

Hersetta, I was looking at so many things that forgot to ask the most relevant questions and won't have a chance to come back. Also is good to have opinions from different people.

I have no idea where the school is but you could post on the mumsnet local board for that area to gather opinions. Are there any parents at your current primary with older siblings at the school?

The school is in Dulwich, south east London. I got a response via pm. I don't know anybody with children there as the admissions is based on a lottery system and children come from lots of different parts.

you could also try the www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/

although I believe the school discourages any discussion on social media and has previously asked for deletions

Try The Good Schools Guide and Ofsted.

It's an outstanding school. Very high attainment. It outperforns sone private schools in the area. If your child has a talent for sport or music you can apply for a scholarship for extra tuition. I went to an open day with Dd and liked it very much. It's even open at weekends for clubs and sport. The headteacher, Mr Morrison, encourages visits from families, and seems to be a good leader/manager.

Go on the Southwark mumsnet page. East Dulwich forum too. There's loads.

I don't have a child there but I know lots who do. It's generally held to be very good in most areas, very big, but generally good at overcoming many of the issues that come with that.

Good arts and sport. Lots of nice kids I know go there.

The bad notes I've heard are to do with being very keen to push the bright ones, and middle class girls being cliquey. Make of that what you will - I don't necessarily trust the opinions of those that told me that - it's so subjective. Some people are down on it because they have kids at the many many selective independents on the doorstep, but as it's a lottery admission you can't move to be 'in catchment' - so you can bet your life many people would move to get in if they could.

I think it's a good bet (we put it second on our list but what I've learnt is that the most important choice is suitability for your child)

Thank you very much. It sounds very positive; found some other threads too which are all very positive too.

This was on my list - generally seen as a great school but I do think it's seen as a school that very much looks after the brighter kids. Its quite big though and might seem
a bit overwhelming time to less confident children. I know kids who've just started yr 7 there and are very happy and parents of older kids there who also seem happy with it.

Thank you. That's all very helpful

Is it 10 form? I heard there are 390 in year 8, also that the current year 7 is the biggest intake. How do they manage to have small classes? What is it like at lunch time? Is there enough space/ food for everybody?

Hi I have a daughter at the school and I have to say it's been everything we expected and more. My Dd is really happy and loves it but I've felt over the years that there's a lot of unnecessary vitriol towards the school and i've been unable to give it the praise it rightly deserves simply because if i do i get met with raised eyebrows from those who don't have kids there. My daughter got in on a full music scholarship but she's a very talented musician so I don't think they gave her a scholarship on her academic achievements. In my Dd's year at primary there was a few that got in on the lottery and i would say the majority were from the lower academic sets so it throws the theory that they favouratise brighter children out the window.

Thank you very much. That's very helpful

No problem. One thing i would say is that there are LONG queues for lunches so my daughter has been packed lunch for a couple of years. But class sizes remain small despite the big intake. I don't know how they manage this but seem to be able to. The majority of the teaching is excellent though occasionally you get the odd not so great teacher but parents seen to be fairly quick to complain (i've never had to). They also have the maths and art scholarship programme for extra maths and art. My Dd is not a maths but she is an art scholar and has done some amazing extra art at the school.

Sounds very positive and the school results this year were excellent; small classes are a big advantage too. I guess it should not be easy to provide lunch for so many people but that's a minor thing compared to all the positive ones.

Does anybody know if Kingsdsle intake changes every year. It says in the admission policy they are taking 240 children for year 7 next year. I seem to read that they took 300 last year and someone told me they are 390 in the current year 8 and that the year 7 intake this year is the highest so far. I am confused as it also says in the admission policy that the maximum capacity is 1400 but when I look at schools data in the gov website it says they have circa 1600 children.