Secondary schools state v private sw London

[cantwait2020]

Hey just wondering has anyone got experience of the following, we're not in a catchment area for good secondary schools so we're debating wether to move or not which is highly stressful as there's hardly any properties to move into. Dd is sitting 4 private exams in jan what if she doesn't get in and what if we move after we receive the results in feb are we just on a waiting list to get in?

Anyone have any experience it's head wreaking. Thanks a lot

Greenleave, did your friends move to the Sutton area? Excellent comps too.

OP you need to look at this years results. Grey Court 6th form is only 4 years old so a year makes a lot of difference as they keep more pupils as they become more established. Waldegrave and Grey Court have identical A*-B results for this year. The best thing about A level results it that because A levels are by their very nature selective it is easier to compare results.
Greenleave - I completely agree about the hype. If you look at the prep school destination lists everyone ends up somewhere.

It also makes more sense to sort by the average result point score because the AAB on the government site is with a minimum of 2 facillitating subjects. Maths, Economics and Psychology would be a popular and challenging set of A levels but only one subject, maths, would qualify as facillitating. As the list of facillitating subjects has been effectively dropped now I would ignore that column.

I spent a long time looking at 6th form options last year and I could probably write out some of this data from memory.

East Sheen is way too far away for Area B in the Waldegrave catchment. That location is unlikely to produce even a waiting list place, even with the significant movement that takes place after initial offers. You might get a place at Christ's but not in the first round.

@Cakeisalwaysheanswer thanks this really helps. I have one more child that's in primary so having to cater for him too. We've taken a long route to private and done so much to get here that we're gonna take a chance on it and see where it leads us. But I agree grey court is looking great this year I've not found many discussions on grey court school regarding bullying, behaviour, support etc. Would appreciate any mums that have their kids in grey court to give feedback I tried opening a new discussion it.

Thanks a lot everyone

OP, if you'd rather go down the state route, then Grey Court and Orleans Park are both lovely schools, Coombe Boys and Coombe Girls are great options for single sex education (or Rosebery and Glyn in Epsom are truly wow). More sought after co-ed comps in Sutton (Greenshaw, Glenthorne and Cheam High in particular).
You'd just need to move in the next few weeks.

Personally I would look at GCSE results rather than A level. Lots of students move for A level, so I think GCSE is generally considered to be a better measure of how the school is doing (and obviously of the selectiveness of its intake, if selective).

I know happy children at all the schools you mention, so I think you have your bases pretty well covered.

My DD is at KGS, more of them come from SW14 in her year than any other postcode, which is great as she has plenty of local friends.

I disagree countess, I used to think that but having gone through 6th form with one DC even he quickly realised that GCSEs weren't important. Firstly, other than for medicine GCSE grades cease to be relevant, provided they allowed a pupil to continue studying their A level choices, the day after results day. Sixth formers quickly learn that uni is all about A level predictions. Secondly, the OP is trying to compare state and private and they don't sit the same exams. This is the first year of the new 9-1 IGCSEs so it is the first year they can be properly compared. Some of the Indy schools are already swapping to GCSEs and have had problems with the early cohorts results, so again it's not comparing an apple and an apple.

The movement at 6th form is in and out. DD's school loses their top performing pupils to KCS and Westminster but gains good performers from other schools as well as losing a few stragglers. DS has a close friend who moved KGS to KCS for 6th form but then another friend was offered a huge scholarship and moved from Tiffin to KGS. One very bright child out, another one in. There is a snob value in moving to some schools for 6th form, but if a child is doing well and they are happy at their current school most will stay put.

Can't wait, good luck, I'm sure your daughter will be fine especially if you have a spread. I just went through this with my third and it's worth nothing KGS and ibstock were particularly difficult this past year as it was a bulge year across the Richmond borough. Girls seemed to have a slightly easier time though as there are so many single sex girls choices. Definitely add Radnor too.
Cakeisalways the answer I'm now wondering what to do for sixth form with my DD, year 11, and she wants to move. You sound a fountain of knowledge!

I know a lot about disappointment Sparkler! I thought that Hurtwood House would be an amazing experience for 6th form and it absolutely blew me away. But DD was unmoved.

My one piece of advice would be to consider all options in advance because GCSE results arrive so late immediatly followed by Reading, leaving no time before the start of term. We always knew that DD would stay put if she did particularly well at GCSE and that was the case although the decision was only finalised the day before term started!

There is an unprecedented movement of high achievers to state for 6th at the moment probably due to articles like the one below. Popular local state choices for 6th form are Twyford, Grey Court, Waldegrave and the Tiffin schools. The increased 6th form places at Tiffin boys and opening it up to girls has made getting a place at the girls school much easier.

www.kcs.org.uk/media/3947/190825_oxbridge-penalises-private-school-pupils_st.pdf

@cantwait2020

She's in state school who didn't even notice it and they won't make any recommendations as they want you to continue it's state, she probably needs more support so private is probably the best option. Hopefully she'll get in though it's such a stress on parents really not a fair system in this country at all

cantwait2020, I can't wait 2022 :) Could I please ask how did you get on with the school selection? Also did you see a private SEN practitioner for your daughter? I feel that my son needs a little help but according to his primary everything is perfect. I hope you'll see this message

Oxbridge make contextual offers based on where students took their GCSEs so moving for 6th form isn't an advantage.

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