Choosing a school in surrey

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Hi

We live in South Africa and are looking to move to UK. We have 2 sons 11 and 15 who go to a traditional boys school here. They are both very strong at rugby and cricket - both A team. The older son is not as strong academically but the younger one is very strong - always top 10 in the grade.

We need help choosing a school for them that is not too focused on academics but more the all round education including sport. We also can’t afford the expensive independent schools unless we get a bursary.

Please could someone set us in the right direction or is there a company that could help us? We would also be keen to look at the bursary option as our younger son is a very special boy and would love to give him the best opportunities we can in life and a bursary would get him into a better school.

When does your eldest turn 16, don't move him until he is entering year 12. If you younger will still be 11 by end August you could apply for year 7 which is a main entry point into secondary although you have already missed the state school application deadline, so may not have much choice. Private school registrations for 11+ and 16+ entry will close imminently if not already. You could look at Whitgift and Trinity in Croydon as they are good sport schools and offer financial assistance. Or do you have a specific part of Surrey in mind?

It depends where in Surrey you plan to live and I’m assuming you’re looking at a fee paying school.

Thanks. He turns 12 in March and the other 16 in June.

Yes, fee paying.

So your younger ds would be y8 in September 2019. There may still be a 12+ intake option at a private school but it would be very small. For state schools you are relying on a place coming up and there being no waiting list or your ds2 being higher up the waiting list than those already on it. Realistically you are unlikely to be offered a place at one of your choice at the time you need it.

On the plus side your ds1 should be able to find a place as there will be movement after year 11(gcse) or the option of standalone 6th form or further education colleges. His choices will need to consider whether he wants to take A level courses, IB or perhaps a vocational qualification, as well as sport. He may find it easier to play local club rather than school rugby, as that would narrow his options. Most state schools play football rather than rugby.

You might find Good Schools Guide a good resource (they also have a consultancy service you can pay for.)

Given the rugby suggest you take a look at Epsom College and St John's Leatherhead and Whitgift. Other big rugby school is Hampton. They vary a bit on level of selectiveness.

If you are flexible on county ... some of the neighbouring county independents (Harstpierpoint, Sevenoaks, ) worth looking at.

Most schools will do A levels in year 12/13 but some will have IB instead or as well.

Bursaries are available for those who have financial needs. Admissions staff will be able to advise the school's criteria. Scholarships tend to be for smaller % of fees (say 5-10% ) but again Schools will advise.

To add to above - all these schools focus on academics as well as other activities and have good reputation for sport.

Churchers College in Petersfield, Hampshire. About 15 minutes by train from Haslemere in Surrey. My sons are 16 and 12 and doing very well there. Very strong sport and great academics too

Could you narrow it down a bit location wise? Surrey is pretty big. Farnham to Kingston to Oxted.
Do you need to be in a certain location, Will your husband commute into London?

Mn is brilliant for helping someone in this way!
Many of us MN'ers live in Surrey and many are very knowledgeable about schools, but you need to give us a bit more info about your needs and what you want, in order for us to be able to help you properly.

Hi all. Thanks so much for all your replies.

To narrow down the search let me say the following. We are used to the big open spaces in Cape Town so we don’t want to be to close to London Centre but rather a bit further out. My husband will need to commute to London so we would like to be about 40 min max on the train for him. We have family and friends west of London. I have noticed Guildford quite often and it seems to be a nice area but u guys would know better. Obviously we are planning to choose our school first and then we will choose the house close to the school.

We are just looking for a friendly place with open space around for walks etc.

Thanks again for all the advice.

Guildford is probably just a 40 min commute but it depends on the onward journey in London. You could try RGS in Guildford, although not sure if ds2 could be admitted at year 8 as their usual intake is 11 or 13+ - or Charterhouse near Godalming. St Johns in Leatherhead is another possibility, or City of London Freemans in Ashford. Epsom College has a relatively new separate year 7 & 8 from where they transfer to the main college at year 9. Alternatively you could look at standalone prep schools for ds2 for a year (Danes Hill, Cranmore, Downsend, Barfields) so he could settle into UK then move on to secondary at year 9(13+). Most independent schools run a bus service so you do not need to live very close by. You could narrow down your options then look at places along the bus routes.

Whereabouts in London? Which tube station? Because this will make a big difference on the advice that we will give.

If he needs to get to Waterloo and then on to an office, that's one thing, if it's Kings Cross, that changes all the areas we might suggest.

Guildford is lovely. Commute in is ok. And the surrounding areas. And the schools are good.

Why all the suggestions for Indy schools when OP made it clear that this is not feasible without a bursary? Op is looking at a Y8 and Y11 intake and the chances of a bursary are miniscule. There is no point visiting Charterhouse and being blown away by the 900 acres, golf course etc if the OP doesn't have a spare £80k pa to send her boys there.There are loads of excellent state schools in the Surrey area. I can name a few because friends have moved out specifically to send their DCs there:-

St Andrews, Leatherhead
Ashcombe School, Dorking
George Abbot School, Guildford

I've been to George Abbot for holiday sports courses when the boys were younger and they have fantastic sports facilities. Other posters are more local, any suggestions?

True, but do those schools offer competitive rugby? If not there are numerous clubs around the area. Elder ds would be y12 in September.

It's Surrey LIZS, there's rugby clubs everywhere.Guildfords too far for me to say what are the best clubs but someone will know.

Club sport in Surrey is at a very high level, there's academies etc for the strongest players, country training etc and I think OPs DSs will find more than enough sport outside of school.

Guildford, Haslemere, Epsom and Sutton all have very good rugby clubs as does Petersfield which is slightly further out. Godalming is around 45 mins from Waterloo and Haslemere 50 minutes.

School wise there are several good state schools in Haslemere area, Bohunt in Liphook, Woolmer Hill in Haslemere and Midhurst Rother College in Midhurst ( no train station)

Closer to Godalming is Rodborough School, Milford and in Guildford St Peters Merrow, Guildford County

For competetive rugby in school time you would need to be in private school - state schools usually offer some tag rugby as part of PE rotation , but a taster and certainly not a main sport

If you were to consider state schools then these 2 are excellent. Perins in particular is very good for rugby (in fact goes to South Africa to compete 

www.weydonschool.surrey.sch.uk/

www.perins.net/

Thanks all.

We love the look of Witgift and RGS and Trinity. Have made appointments to see them. RGS is the only one near Guildford. Are there any other sporty schools like that nearer to Guildford? We tried Epsom but they were very dismissive and not interested.

There is a reall lack of boys schools in/ near Guildford hence my boys are at Churchers. You could look at Cranleigh School, Lord Wandsworth College, st George’s Weybridge

Reeds school is a 20 min drive from Guildford, boys only, very sporty.

Royal Alexandra and Albert in Reigate? State boarding - so fee paying but less expensive than independent schools.

State secondary schools do not offer much (or anything, actually) in the way of serious sports activity. If your boys are really sporty and go to a state school, you will have to organise the sports outside school. One of my DC (state school) played rugby to county level in Surrey, and both the club and county team were fantastic - a few of that DCs' peers went on to the junior England development squad. The brother of one of them also got a sports scholarship to sixth form at Whitgift (which as a PP has said, is a very sporty school), so that might be something to look into. That child was in the Harlequins junior development squad, which may be an indication of the standard required for a sports scholarship, I don't know.

Private schools are well set up for sports and absolutely knock the socks off the state schools with sports, for obvious reasons of funding. I wouldn't go to see any unless you are absolutely sure you will qualify for a bursary there (bursars should be able to tell you the financial limits) or you are likely to feel disappointed by the alternative.

I would also suggest looking at George Abbot, pretty good sports facilities and has had a number of Olympians through the school (it does support high level outside interests: sport, drama, dance and music plus a few odd ones such as aviation).

If your oldest is 16 before September then you could be looking at a Sixth Form college for him. Godalming is highly thought of, or Woking. They and George Abbot all take students from the private sector for sixth form.
The chances of getting a bursary at 12 are slim.

Thanks. I can see that we will have to go independent to get what we want. We have looked at the budget again and we can afford the 5000-6000 a term fee.
Ds1 is very immature and has always been slower at the academics side. He is not stupid by any means but lazy. He has also mentioned that he wouldn’t mind repeating a year. How do schools in the UK feel about that?