St George's College v Epsom College - which one to choose

[nononsencemum]

Hi I would really appreciate an insight into any of the above schools. My son will be sitting 11plus in Jan and both are his first choices. The fact that we cannot visit any of them due to covid is certainly not making the decision any easier... Do they have a very different vibe/ culture? Are they both equally academic? Is pastoral care similar? And do they attract the similar type of children? Is St George's harder to get into (thinking 50% will come from its Junior prep).

My son is above average academically, easy going boy who loves music (singing in the choir and violin), drama and sport (hockey - not rugby and cricket). He is very much an all rounder but I am worried that a 6-day week at Epsom may be a bit of a stretch for him? Does Epsom feel more like a boarding school than the day one? And lastly - why there is such a fee discrepancy between these two (as from Y9 Epsom in particular) if they seem to be offering similar provisions? Any thoughts/ views would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks

Op, my son got an offer from Epsom at 11 a few years ago but went to a school nearer to home. The process is extremely long & competitive & it's best to go in with an open mind and make a decision when you get an offer letter in mid Feb. Also with Covid they will have to make changes to the entry process too.
St G's is a selective all through school with a large entry at 11 hence the fees structure.
Epsom use to start at 13 but in 2016 opened the Lower school for ages 11-13. There is no Saturday school only sport. The lower sch is homey and modern. At 13 the dc move to day or boarding houses and it's a larger atmosphere and Sat school. This is the same at St Johns and Reeds & reflected in all their fees structure.
Most dc also consider Reeds, St Johns and a back up like Claremont Fan.
Best of luck, it's all very drawn out, some dc who took this exam this Jan will still be on waiting lists for places this Sept now.

Hi there @nononsencemum. Sorry it’s a long one.....

We went through the process this year and it was brutal! I had no idea what I was doing and little guidance as we were moving from state to private.

If your child is currently in a private school then I would recommend speaking to your head. They have such insight into the process and your child’s ‘fit’ that they can help narrow down your list.

My son sat both St George’s and Epsom. Being coEd it’s tricky to get a space anyway (especially for boys). They had record numbers applying with 400+ sitting for 90 spaces, for a 50:50 split of boys and girls.

I must say that I was blown away by the kindness and care Epsom gave us. We were waitlisted for Epsom and held out for a spot.

I know people with children at St George’s and would have been delighted with either but I believe that children will fall into a place perfect for them.

If you’re specifically looking co-Ed like we were then you have a few options:
St. John’s
Epsom
St. George’s
Kingston Grammar.

My son had a wonderful interview with Epsom. A designated time for your child, way before the exam day, where they really got to know the children. None of this ‘15min chat’ and hope your child stands out malarkey . My son, being quite reserved, loved chatting about his books and guitar lessons with Epsom, something very tricky to do when you’ve just completed 2-3hrs of exams!!!

It’s also worth noting what examing board the school uses. I know St. George’s is CEM but I forget what Epsom’s is. You can then buy the books that are geared towards the exam paper.

Good luck. You’ll be grand.

If hockey is important then you should be aware Epsom no longer have hockey as a main sport for boys. Only girls. There is some mixed hockey in one of the terms but it's more for fun. And not available to younger years Rugby and football the main sports .