Sydenham vs Croydon High

[Leandersaturn]

Looking for insights into Croydon and Sydenham High ... we love both schools (and hoping DD gets into at least one them!).

Both have excellent pastoral care, which is important to us. Our DD will need some extra support as she has trouble with executive functioning. Croydon seems to be bigger with better facilities - Sydenham is smaller and everyone seems to know everyone. Not sure either one is necessarily "better" in this respect.

Any other similarities/differences?

The results at Sydenham seem to be better, but without "hothousing" the girls?

I've heard the new head at Sydenham is amazing. She used to be a Deputy Head at Newton Prep and a friend with kids there said they are very sad she's gone.

GCSE results are better at Croydon, actually. The school regularly features in the top 100 highest achieving indies every year.

No input other than the stats, though.

i have friends with daughters at both. One has only just transferred to Sydenham high and the other has been at Croydon high for 6yrs plus and is very happy. I don’t know them well enough to know much more than that. What about distance, travelling to school etc. Might help with decision

I have a DD at CHS, but don't know anything about Sydenham.

CHS results were much improved this year at both GSCE and A level. Possibly due to the improved tracking and monitoring systems set up by the Head who started 4 years ago. However, it has just been announced that she will be leaving at Easter 2020, so who knows what will happen then.

CHS is pretty small, although has increased year 7 intake annually in the last 4 years. I think this could help the issue that existed when my DD started which was the number of girls starting from other schools in Y7 was outweighed by those coming up from the Junior School. I don't think she was particularly aware of it, but as a state primary student, it was incredibly difficult to break into established sports teams, music ensembles etc.

It does seem to be a friendly school. My DD seems to know girls in most of the other years, and knows all her year group of about 60.

Come and visit on open day - 12 October!

I have 2 daughters at sydenham high prep and they are thriving and happy. The results in the senior school were record breaking last year and actually better than many other local, more academic schools in many ways. They have massively improved achievement and the pastoral care has always been excellent. Indo genuinely find it to be a school that nurtures the whole child.

Sydenham has always had a reputation as a lovely school and would probably be my preference (although admittedly I know less about CHS). It's small enough to know all girls as individuals and has a family atmosphere. The facilities are less impressive though than other schools if that's a factor for you.

I can't compare as I don't know Croydon but my Year 7 daughter is at Sydenham High after state primary school and settled brilliantly, despite knowing nobody.She feels very at home and has signed herself up for everything on offer! Its a small school but has loads of extra curricular activities which seem to be really inclusive rather than over-competitive. But also good at academic side of things - a great balance.

Does anyone here know when the croydon results are out?