Co-ed private schools around Maidenhead/Windsor/Egham or move to Charters school (Ascot)?

[Elenus]

Hi all, wanted your opinions please
Twins have narrowly missed their 11+ and won't be offered a place in local grammar schools - we are planning to appeal, but chances are quite low.
DS and DD are doing ok academically, but as they are August-born - they are a bit immature at times and find it hard to compete with kids in their class who are almost a year older. Both kids are not sporty (but can be if needed)
We have a local comprehensive school which is more or less ok, but the catchment for it gets smaller and smaller every year - and at the moment we live quite a bit further their "last offered distance" in 2020. So we might be stuck with less favorable choices

If worse comes to worse - we consider sending both kids to a private school. It will be very tough financially, but hopefully achievable. Myself and DH are both foreigners, from the middle class background and both employed full time (for now - you never know with Covid how things might turn out) . Kids were born here and attend local primary school

I had a closer look at the below two schools - would be great to hear other opinions

1. Claires Court Schools in Maidenhead (where we live) - it is unclear what they offer for the money? Academic results do not look that great. It is walking distance which is a huge plus
2. ACS Egham International School - a bit confused about their curriculum, but at least they provide door-to-door transport. I also quite like that "international feel" they offer - I certainly think that my kids won't fit in to traditional English private schools
3. Any other schools in the area which are worth considering please?

I was considering to move to Ascot to have the chance to enroll into Charters school - but DH said that we'd wait for 11+ results - and now we missed the chance to move in time for 2021 selection. Now we'd need to apply for in-year transfer. Would be great if someone has the opinion about Charter school and what are the chances for in-year transfer? Houses around Charters schools are quite expensive, would not want to move and not get a place!

Thanks very much in advance

St George's Weybridge is more academic than Claire's Court.

LVS Ascot is also coed but not sure if it is academic.

Many children travel by school coach to Reading from those area. Leighton Park is coed and have school coach from Maidenhead and Windsor.

It is already December and they might have already closed their application but it's worth to ring them if you are interested in.

Good luck

Everyone I know who had had children at Claires Court have been very happy with it - it's non selective & they will lose the brightest to grammar schools, but I hear very good things about it.

They lose the brightest to the better private schools too. There are great private girls’ schools in Ascot for example. From the people I’ve known who have sent DC there, they have wanted a gentle school and accepted DCs were not that bright.

Don’t know much about Charters. It’s popular though.

@Elenus mine went to Charters - left last year. It's a fantastic school. Loads of opportunities and stretches the most able while supporting those who need more help. Mine are now a medical student and a vet med student so they did something right with them. And it's free 😊. Houses are cheaper in North Ascot than near the school but still in catchment.
Hope that helps.

My son is at TASIS, which is close to the ACS school you mention in Egham. I can tell you that ACS is IB only and I have quite a few friends there who are happy.
TASIS is based on the American system (which all UK universities now accept) with the option of doing IB in the last two years, which my son is doing. It also meant that he didn't have to do GCSEs, btw! The school has a lot of nationalities in the student body and American is less than 50% now to it's not like going to an "American" school in that regard.
Once you've narrowed it down a little, I would strongly advise visiting the schools if you can, and talking in depth with the Admissions offices.

Hi Elenus, Your post really resonated with me. I have twins too. When we moved to this area we ended up choosing TASIS The American International School in England (in Thorpe, Surrey). It provides door-to-door busing from most nearby locations, and as mentioned above, is based on the American curriculum but is quite international. It offers the IB diploma and Advanced Placement (AP) classes for the last two years. The IB and AP pathways cater to different students (they are both challenging, but different). One of my twins ended up loving the IB and the other, AP. It was great for our family that our twins could choose what suited them best. Students end up in UK universities, universities in other countries, and also universities in the USA. We loved our time at TASIS, it is a warm place that excels in welcoming new students and their families, but of course in the end, it is all about what suits your own family. I know people at Charters, ACS Egham, and LVS Ascot who are happy so would suggest you make appointments to see them all, if you can. I'm sorry that I'm not as familiar with Claires Court but being able to walk to school is a nice bonus, I agree. Good luck!

Thanks very much everyone for your responses. Apologies for not thanking you sooner - having covid put a lot of things out of my mind!

@Rabbit2A @ToniHargis - thanks for your responses regarding Tasis - we have not considered it before. School looks great, there is a door-to-door transport; but what worries me if children can potentially go back to traditional British education should we run out of money at some point - health has not been great lately and I'm not sure how much longer we can keep earning the amount which would allow kids to finish all their years in Tasis. Any thought on that please? Would really appreciate!

@teachcolate - great ideas, many thanks!

@mumsneedwine - thanks you as well for your response. I'm looking at houses near Charters - not much available, and catchment area is a bit weird - houses near the school are not in the catchment because nearby street is in Surrey :) That would be in-year transfer if we moved before September - not sure places will be available, can't gamble a what feel like a million pounds move :(

Hi Elenus, Good to hear from you. I'm sorry to hear your health has not been great, I really hope that improves quickly. Re: moving back to the English system after time in TASIS that is certainly something that happens and I believe it is fine, but of course it might not be as ideal as staying in the same system throughout. Re: finances, financial aid and scholarships are available in some circumstances. I think these questions would depend on the year of the student I think for more detailed answers you might want to check with the TASIS
admission department? I'm sure they would be quite happy to chat. Good luck with your decision, I know it is a hard one!

If you are in maidenhead have you considered renting in marlow to be near Great Marlow? Its considered a very good comprehensive if you prefer not to go down the private route. I am pretty sure if you can get one twin in the other has to be given a place under the twin rule.

It sounds like your kids are young enough to make the transition back to a UK syllabus school if needed. TASIS offers the US system and the IB diploma as an alternative in the last two years. There are more and more state schools offering the IB though, so if you had to move them in their final years that might be workable too.
TASIS has a lot of experience with students moving between school systems in the area and communicates with all local schools. I would recommend getting in touch with our Admissions department through the web site or at [email protected]

We’re in a similar area and there is a lack of co-Ed private schools, unfortunately. Another one to consider is Luckley House and they have a virtual open day coming up. Good luck!

In the area, there are only a handful of good state secondary schools, so those non academic private schools have values. At least they offer smaller class size, good pastoral care, extracurricular, more options for GCSE and better facilities.

Thanks very much @Rabbit2A for your kind words, I'm recovering after surgery and all that school stress seems a bit too much unfortunately :(
Thanks @ToniHargis - I'll get in touch once we sort out out out thoughts about finances

@Lovetobrowse - did not know about Luckley House - thank you, will have a look. We have Reddam House /Tasis on our list at the moment. Really wanted Leighton Park - but they are sold out for Y7 already

@teachocolate - those are very good points, thanks. SO far I have been looking t results only, children are obsessed with going to good universities - but there are lots of other important things to consider.

@ittakes2 - very good point, thank you, but this school is so oversubscribed, I'm not sure I'll mentally survive renting and then not getting into the school. And renting so close to the actual house might be a red flag for admissions, albeit those are different LAs - might not be a big problem