Secondary School with relaxed rules, happy kids and decent results

[Pixelady]

Hi all, can anyone recommend a London or nearby town with a state Secondary school that is good for boys and girls, with happy kids who do well. My 2 kids are quite different so I need a school that works for both. I'm not looking for high pressure about exams, neither needs it. No bullying or social issues. Not strict, my ideal would be no uniform. No great emphasis on sports. A place with happy confident kids who enjoy their day. Any size school is fine, it's more about their attitude. And with a commute to central London not over 1.5 hours. Extra credit goes to towns with horses nearby. Thanks in advance!

Acland Burghley’s 2019 catchment is 0.71 miles. This is the smallest catchment since records have been kept (2008). @BHStowel
Have you got admissions data for all Camden secondaries for this year? Can you share for others (apologies for hijacking thread).

Turing House in Teddington. They do have uniform though.

I called Camden admissions. I’ll start a new thread with the info I’ve got but it will be tonight. I’ve only got the schools I was interested in.

Oh please do....very invested here. Do the admissions department give it out then. They only told me waiting list places.

Yes if you ask re specific schools you will get it. They are very helpful at Camden! I did make sure I was super super nice on the phone though as this is a nightmare time of year for them.

You’ve asked about Tunbridge Wells - down here in Kent it’s grammar country. Having said that there are some good state secondaries, our houses cost less than the North of London equivalents, the countryside is beautiful & you won’t find it to keep horses or find a good riding school. The local secondary in Tunbridge Wells had a terrible reputation but has gone through a significant improvement programme & is on the up & getting better results. Near me is Wrotham school - mixed sex but with uniform. It’s one of the top performing secondaries in Kent & still has a small school vibe. Travel into London takes about 48 minutes from Borough Green & Wrotham station. Wrotham is a pretty village as is nearby Igtham & Platt. Sevenoaks, Bromley & Bluewater are all nearby for shopping

Sorry - you won’t find it hard to keep horses - should have checked before posting!

Whittlesford /Shelford in Cambridgeshire would give you access to London Liverpool Street in an hour/hour 15, and Sawston Village College by way of comprehensive school up to age 16 (has uniform but without ties or blazers).

thegreenparent.co.uk/articles/read/well-schooled

Re The Green Parent article - It may be really out of date as most of the Steiner schools in that article have been having shocking safeguarding issues and going through terrible inspections, management changes and even shutdowns!

I would steer well clear to the Steiner schools if your DC is vulnerable in any way. Have a look at lots of threads on here. From personal experience they are the opposite of the nurturing and creative ideal they like to think of themselves.

Not to detail - it’s also true that OFSTED has drawn attention to their attitude to bullying. Their ethos means that they tend to let the kids ‘work it out for themselves’.

I thought they’d be perfect for us but I’ve totally changed my mind on them (DS went for six months).

That’s why I’m so surprised as I mentioned upthread that there aren’t more smallish, mixed non-religious comprehensive schools that pride themselves on their pastoral care. It’s hardly an extreme niche is it. This is why people are drawn to Steiner.

Having said that we have been very lucky with state primary that is so fantastic it’s made me cry. Now one DC is in secondary and it’s an inner city comp. it’s decidedly not one of the few comps that middle class parents buy their houses to live next to, but we have found the teachers happy, the atmosphere welcoming, the rules sensible. It’s smaller than most and DC is quite vulnerable and anxious, but feels at home there.

I think it’s worth visiting schools before making your mind up OP

Lack funding will be the reason that so many schools are so big. You get the economies of scale, for example one headteacher's salary instead of three. DD's comp had 1500 pupils, and is expanding to take 250 more. The next nearest one has over 2000 pupils.

The picture you paint of Steiner schools sounds frighteningly similar to Lord of the Flies.

Sounds like you’re looking for a holiday camp.

Elthorne Park High in Ealing. It has a uniform but sweatshirt not blazer and tie, some of the best results in the borough, very inclusive and warm school and despite being quite big it has a real sense of community. There is a riding school in Ealing and nearby Richmond