Recommendations for Senior School

[AMR2357]

My 10 yo daughter is bright and scores well in CATs and similar IQ-type tests, but is unfortunately a bit unmotivated academically. When pushed, she will step up. When not pushed, she will meet the minimum and this means her current school has her in sets 2-3-4 for various subjects, other than science which she loves so is in set 1. I'm considering the following schools for her: Kingston, Surbiton, Wimbledon, St George. She is an all-rounder, sporty and also v musical and likes dance. Which ones of these (or others) do you think have the right pastoral care for her to achieve her potential? Also anyone know of really good science departments. Sorry for the wide net but thoughts appreciated!

This is a National - no, International site.

If you want to know specifics about individual schools or areas, you need to post in MN Local, not 'Secondary'.

Hi OP - if you don't get much in way of responses - I'd ask MNHQ to edit your title and include your school names in it - that way you'll get more knowledgeable traffic to your post. I don't think posting in local is as effective to be honest - stay on secondary but make your schools more prominent.

Am not in your area so can't help I'm afraid but am sure someone will!

If she's not motivated than Wimbledon might not be the school for her. Even if she got in (100 places for 1000 candidates) she would be surrounded by girls who are aiming to be the next CEO or Prime Minister etc I don't think it would be a healthy environment for someone who is not motivated academically.
Surbiton is going the same way.
I don't really know Kingston or St George, but I know they are not considered to be in the same 'bracket' as Wimbledon.
Hope this helps?

You need to change your post title to South West London private schools.
Have you taken your dd to any open days yet? This will give you an idea of where she is suited. The KGS Open day at end of this Sept will be very busy, full of hundreds of keen dc and parents looking round. She needs to want to spend the next year focusing on VR, maths, English to get into your schools listed. Why not visit Claremont Fan too, the difference between Claremont Fan and Wimbledon High will be so apparent to her. Many dd love the Surbiton High open day with the focus on their super 6 sports. All the schools you have listed have great science depts.

Not so @BackforGood - local board is very quiet and there is plenty of discussion on London indie senior school picks here.

@AMR2357 I tend to agree with others that Wimbledon sounds like a bit of a stretch - but always worth having one stretch school. Plus with the huge changes to admissions tests you never know what could turn up. Definitely hit the open days in autumn term!

St. George's is local to me and seems to be a fairly structured environment which may be what she needs to have some focus?

Thanks all for that feedback, I really appreciate it. I didn't realise there were local vs international sites within this Mumsnet. Will see if I can repost in a different way - and I appreciate the notes about Wimbledon I didn't realise it was that intensive, I was attracted to the arts aspect of it.

I wonder if you might consider weekly boarding. Queenswood in Hertfordshire inspires girls. They have great dance and music and sport. She may well flourish if she gets into the swing of doing things with other girls (there is a huge amount to do) and she will have a set prep time. I realise it is more expensive but it might solve your problems.

OP- if you search for any of those schools you will find lots of threads on them.
My DD is starting at one of the schools you mentioned and got into 2 of the others. I would have been happy for her to go to any of them to be honest and know lots of happy children at them all.
She is reasonably 'bright' (aren't they all?!), not particularly motivated although managed to pull her finger out for the 11+...
Admissions are a funny thing, so much depends on the exam and the day and there will always be funny results thrown up. In DDs class everyone who applied to Surbiton got in, Wimbledon went to waiting list big time and Kingston was a mixed bag.

Thanks very much for the additional feedback. I'll keep investigating with visits and open days. The school I personally felt had the most value add was Surbiton - they had an articulated framework to help get the girls meet their potential with their "tree" of values and characteristics/habits they seek to develop. I personally really liked that as an approach and no other school I have looked at had any thing like that - they all just rely on their mottos (which are usually oversimplified). We also looked at Sir William Perkins which I forgot to mention above. I asked DD about Boarding today for that same reason and she wasn't at all interested, so I am not sure if that would work (and more expensive). Older daughter starts KGS at year 9 in fall, so I am kind of keen for that one to work for both girls, but it was quite hard to get in and as you mention it all depends on the day, the test, etc. (Older daughter refused to go to all girls which limited us.)

Surbiton a lovely school. It was supposed I be 'easier' in the past just because of the higher numbers they take, but not so any more, however. This year was definitely trickier, but a good few I know got in. Wimbledon intense, imho, but has a great rep. As someone else has said, Kingston seems like a lottery. Some clever DCs didn't get in that got offers elsewhere. Harder, possibly, as a top choice for those wanting co-ed so you definitely don't want to be counting your chickens on that one!

There is also Emanuel. It's in Clapham Junction so easy to get to. It's going the same way as kingston (also co Ed) as getting harder to get into because mixed and increasing number of kids. Don't know St George's.