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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Alleyns 2020 - hot house?

23 replies

phoebe35 · 19/02/2020 09:23

DD has been offered Alleyns for 11+ this September. Delighted with the offer and it has always been our favourite but having a wobble over the long running question over whether it is a ‘hot house’ - Is the homework ridiculous? Are the children stressed out? Can they actually be teenagers? It’s so highly subjective but keen to hear what parents of current pupils think, particularly in the higher years.

We have 4 offers so am comfortable that she has not just scraped in. It’s more the ethos and expectations I’m interested in.

OP posts:

Summersunandflowers · 19/02/2020 09:30

My daughter is in year 7 and loves it. She joined in year 3. Homework is manageable, usually about an hour an evening. The school is relaxed and teaching good. Definitely not a hothouse. As your daughter has offers from a number of schools, she would probably enjoy the pace.

se21mum · 20/02/2020 15:05

My DC started Year 7 in Sept and absolutely loves Alleyns! In my opinion, it does not feel like a hothouse in any way. It is a very high energy school with tons on offer outside of academics (hundreds of lunch time clubs to choose from and musical events/theatre/sports/invited outside speakers).

The homework isn't too time-consuming or difficult and the teaching seems great so the kids really enjoy learning. The pupils seems very down to earth and happy. Nobody seems stressed out by the academic work. They seem very bubbly, happy and excited about taking part in all the school has to offer. Mr Turner and his team in the Lower School have offered exceptional pastoral care. We are thrilled with the school!

Vargas · 20/02/2020 16:11

I have a dc in Y7 and one in Y12. Definitely not a hot house! My DH and I often marvel at how they get the results they do with so little pressure. Both my dcs are loving it, although my Y12 is finding the jump from GCSE to A level a bit challenging, but given that he has coasted through school until now that is not really a surprise. My Y7 dc is really enjoying it, getting stuck into all sorts of extra-curricular stuff from sport to book club and choir.
There are children who get anxious and feel the pressure, but I think those are children who put a lot of pressure on themselves, or their parents pressure them. I think the school does a great job of balancing work with fun.
Having said that, there are lots of excellent schools out there and it sounds like you have some choosing to do! I would definitely recommend going back to visit the schools you are most interested in, that really helped us pick a few years ago (and we picked a different school for another of our dc's).

Scarykitten · 26/02/2020 10:31

We also have offers from several schools including Alleyns. And it’s reassuring to hear from year 7 parents that it doesn’t feel too pressured - as that was my main reservation. We are fortunate to be a short walk from Alleyns and would be interested to hear approx. what proportion of the year would be relatively local to the school. Thanks

ChnandlerBong · 26/02/2020 11:51

We have a Y9 at Alleyns. She's v happy, but does sometimes struggle to juggle all her activities. Sometimes feels like homework is given out to hand in the next day even when they know she has a sporting/music/drama commitment that evening?

It's not a hot house, but it does take a dynamic personality to thrive there IMO.

A lot of her peer group are very local to the school. Perhaps 20% walk to school? And another large group are only 1-2 miles away.

Vargas · 26/02/2020 20:32

My dcs use school bus and/or train depending on age. There are plenty of local kids that walk, and once they hit Y9 or Y10 the ones a bit further away are happy to travel to Dulwich for parties/gatherings in the evening. There are kids as far away as Putney/Fulham and Blackheath or Croydon but I would say most live closer.

dinosaurinmybelly · 05/03/2020 11:06

Hearing Alleyn's have started offering places to those on WL. Hope this is good news for some of you out there.

KillingEvenings · 05/03/2020 11:54

We didn't end up applying there in the end, but one thing that struck me as very positive was on the two child-led tours we went on, two very different kids told us about how they had had trouble - one academically, and one mental health wise - and about how they handled it and how the school helped them. It seemed a really positive sign that they were both open about and not ashamed to have had trouble. I think at a truly hothouse school there is no room for anyone who is less than perfect at everything, and that just didn't seem to the be the case on our tour.

Scarykitten · 05/03/2020 12:19

That’s great to hear, Killing Evenings, thanks for posting. We’ve decided to accept our daughter’s place at Alleyns, if there’s anyone who will be starting there in sept 2020 and would like to meet up before they start, please PM me. And good luck to anyone on the wait lists.

FOVapa · 05/03/2020 12:42

@Scarykitten I just PM you!

ridinghighinapril · 13/04/2020 13:07

Just heard that Jane Lunnon, current head of Wimbledon High, is going to be the new head of Alleyn's from Jan 2021.

montlieu · 13/04/2020 21:50

Do we think Jane Lunnon will make a hot house of the school ?

ridinghighinapril · 14/04/2020 07:47

@montlieu - that wasn't what I was inferring but can see why it may seem that way. Just used this thread to update what I had read (not easy to find on the Alleyn's website), as it didn't seem worth starting a new one just for this.

Scarykitten · 14/04/2020 08:22

I am really pleased they have finally appointed a woman as head, after over 40 years as a co-ed school. I don’t know much about her, but if anyone from Wimbledon High has any experience of her, it would be interesting to hear.

Splendid68 · 14/04/2020 22:58

I don’t think you will be disappointed with Jane Lennon. She’s been an excellent head, and she will be missed. She has really raised the profile of the school, she is very hot on PR and self promotion (WHS in the press a lot under her headship), and I imagine you can expect the same at Alleyns.

noworklifebalance · 15/04/2020 08:58

Great to hear of a positive experience, @Splendid68 but is she is very hot on PR and self promotion a good thing? Genuine question.

Scarykitten · 15/04/2020 09:47

Thanks for posting Splendid68, good to hear. I don't mind a bit of self promotion as long as it doesn't turn into a hot house.

talktalk2020 · 15/04/2020 09:59

She's been a great head and WHS isn't a hot house at all so I'm sure she won't turn Alleyns into one.

jeanne16 · 15/04/2020 10:00

Apparently she was very vocal about the benefits of all girls schoolS when at WHS. She will presumably have to explain that to the Alleyn’s parents.

Lordfrontpaw · 15/04/2020 10:05

A friend of DSs big sister went there on an academic scholarship and she loved it.

Scarykitten · 15/04/2020 11:03

Jeanne 16, yes I quite agree! I think Gary Savage will be doing the reverse at Westminster, its all just rhetoric.

Lordfrontpaw · 15/04/2020 11:22

What’s the news on Gary Savage?

Splendid68 · 15/04/2020 15:21

@noworklifebalance good question. Well it certainly hasn’t been a bad thing for the school, and of course it’s done her no end of good! Of course she has had to extol the benefits of single sex education leading a GDST school, but she’s also worked at co-Ed schools and so I’m sure she will promote her breadth of experience. Part of the appeal of Alleyns will be the different challenge from a different type of school. When we were going through the 11plus she stood out as one of the most impressive heads in SW London and I still think she is.

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