St John's Leatherhead

[CR10]

Our DS was offered a place at St John's Leatherhead after his 11+ exams. We also have the option of sending him to a well regarded local state school, Guildford County School. I am not convinced St John's is really worth the fees they charge and looking for opinions here. Results are by and large in line with County in core "facilitating" subjects. Surely Sport facilities are excellent and not even comparable to County. However, given the high fees, is there real added value. Sport is important but my DS is not that sporty. So I am in doubt: results plus St john's reputation of not being particularly pushy on academic subjects makes me wonder if Guildford County would probably be on par if not better.. Many thanks..

Hi, we also had offer for St John's starting Sept but unfortunately live too far re: catchment for County. I've heard great things about County though (a friend was music teacher there for a while) she could not praise the school highly enough. A neighbours son also attends and absolutely loves it, in fact I haven't heard any negatives (although I'm pretty sure there must be some!). Had we been in the catchment we would have certainly applied for a place. St John's is an amazing school too but have to agree that the fees are expensive, yes they have fancier grounds, a state of the art new swimming pool and the option to flexi board but given that the academics are similar, I can't see what else you would be paying for that your DC couldn't experience at County. We have just turned down St Johns as felt the fees weren't really justified although it was a tough decision to make.

Thank you, that's helpful.

We also live too far for County but otherwise it would have been a really great option. If you're likely to be offered a place there then you must live around the station/Farnham Road side of Guildford so that's going to be a fairly long journey for your DS (and possibly you if you aren't doing the train). For that I'd really need to love the much further away and much more expensive option to be honest! Both have good reputations but are of course very different.

PP, I also know someone who used to teach music at GCS - wonder if it's the same person!!!

Thank you GU24. I am not sure we will get a place at County. We live quite close to the station tough and few neighboring families have children attending County. If we do get a place we will have to decide...

St. John ( if you are looking at the GCSE ranking in Sunday times has 77 positions and Guildford 187) with much highe % procentage of student achieving A* so I think to achieve that S John must considerliby more pushy academicly) I’m also still choosing school at the moment epsom Surbiton or St. John . So I have no interest to promote the school. Just a facts/stats you might find interesting

@Dominica1971 , I hope you confirm your choice today, you must be going crazy with the indecision. They are all great schools but surely go with the St J's scholarship?

Thanks Dominica1971. Yes, I did notice GCSEs are much better this year at St John's. A-lvls seem to be weak but may be changing...

Did you get offered GCS CR10? My DS has a place somewhere already fortunately as we were offered none of our 6 choices and got he school in Guildford I suspect no-one is that keen on!

I hope, as time go by , St John will improve the A level as well as GCSE. I think The new head is making lots of changes. She recruited new lower head from Harrow. He come across really well. There was something special about him: kind and caring. I hope I’m not mistaken as I accepted st John today and still on the waiting list for Putney ( my initial 1st choice). Totally going with what feels right for my daughter and taking my previous expectation out. She is beyond delighted! 😁

@Dominica1971 overjoyed for you and your dd, you never meet an unhappy St J's parent and the new head and her team seem a winning combination.

I hear on the grapevine that St J's is really pushing through on the academic side, compared to the past. In the last couple of years, boys who applied as their back up option haven't always been offered a place as the standards have been pulled up. But it still has the outstanding pastoral care that is part of its USP

Though it is very expensive....

Many thanks for the feedback. We were offered, totally unexpectedly as we are not practicing catholic, a place at St Peter's Catholic school in Guildford. We have to take a decision now...