Kings College Wimbledon - So Disappointed

[Iamnotsoexcited]

My son did incredibly well in his CAT scores (average of 131) so we decided to look at Kings in Wimbledon given its incredible reputation.

We were so disappointed in the school on the tour that we actually left before the Deputy Head could speak. Our overall impression was that:

1. There were no displays/artwork/celebrations of the kids in the corridors. As a result the school felt like a functional building not a celebration of the individuals, almost factory like.

2. The Design Technology Lab resembled that of an underfunded 1970s comprehensive. Engineering and technology are the future, to deny this just seems ignorant. It feels like they are creating children for the finance jobs of today which will not be the roles of the future.

3)An almost claustrophobic air in the classrooms up to GCSE, kids tightly bunched in with no space between desks which were arranged haphazardly. It would not be working environment an adult would thrive in, so I am not sure a child would.

Overall, it had an aggressive feel about the place which I was so surprised about. The sixth form centre, with its low ceilings and lack of space, was the worst. The bell went and shutters went down on the cafe loudly, straight away, as though the staff had had enough and were done. This is at odds with other schools which are creating open coffee shops all day to allow for kids to collaborate together in a positive environment.

I put emphasis on academic achievement, but I was shocked at how negatively I felt about the school. From my son's prep school I know other parents are feeling the same way as me. I am wondering if Kings will be a bit like Blockbuster the video store, riding high until one day because it fails to keep pace with the times, will just lose its shine completely?

What do you think?

I see where you are coming from OP.

A lot of London schools are so in demand that I sometimes feel they may rest on their laurels.

I had a similar experience of being turned off by St Pauls boys. It was the junior section and I found the building tatty and old fashioned, with no updates, most of all I was put off by the junior head whom I found cold and standoffish (she may have had a bad day, who knows). As it turned out, St Pauls started their updates and renovations with the senior school working their way down, which makes sense. My nephew is happy there.

Another issue is that some schools maintain a false reputation that they are more rich than they really are. KCS uses the funds from their gym to fund bursaries etc.

London schools also like 'oven ready' clever students - especially in their 6th form intake. And yes, there is a lot of tutoring (which they claim they can spot, but does not deter them from picking from the tutored crowd).
Yes, schools that were riding high, can come down at some stage or the other, but they never completely go disappear into oblivion and its easy for them to make a comeback. I remember a few years ago schools like Habs, MT, Harrow were right at the top, they are still great, but seem to sink and rise over the years.

At some point, parents do not just go 'but they are in the top 3' and may be swayed but what they view as a progressive school with lots of facilities, strong pastoral etc.

@Iamnotsoexcited
have you looked at Trinity ? it's a progressive school, with a very special vibe, they focus on bringing very rounded, and grounded modern pupils, all on the back of academic excellence. their buildings are contemporary, not the prettiest, but bright functional and airy. Pastoral care is second to none.
good luck !

I got the impression (based on visiting 3 years ago under the old head) that Kings was quite cerebral and the old head was a bit ‘dry’ for my taste. D & T probably isn’t as intellectual as some other subjects so may just not be such an important subject choice in the school. They showcased other areas ( new theatre, great library, good music department, good science labs, wide choice of foreign languages etc). In another school you may find D & T is more impressive. One of the benefits of open days is you can, if you look carefully and ask thoughful questions, find out a school’s strength and weaknesses and it can help you prioritise your choices for applications and final choice ( if you are lucky enough to have multiple offers).

You have seen something in the school that is a weakness for you but there are others who will have been looking for different things and been impressed with what they saw.

There are other top level schools with impressive D & T offerings so keep looking and trust your gut. It wasnt right for you but will be for some families.

[quote Iamnotsoexcited]@Whstdoyouthink I agree with your post. A true leader stays ahead and Kings should have been exciting, inspiring, forward thinking, shown me a new type of incredible education that would have me signing up my child straight away. Instead, it offered an academic hot house with a focus on grades above all else.

One school, for example, has extended its lunch hour to 75 minutes every day so they can run a myriad of clubs of lunchtime. The focus they put on this additional element was inspiring.[/quote]
KCS has 95 minute lunch breaks most days with hundreds of clubs for the pupils to choose from during those extended breaks. On the days when they have shorter lunch breaks the entire afternoon is given over to sport or co-curricular activities.

Perhaps you should have stayed to listen to the talk OP.

Did you apply to the Sutton grammars OP? One of the best young STEM designers out there went to one (currently an undergraduate at Imperial). Don't underestimate the state school provision in SW London.

The more school you visit the more one will resonate with you as a preference, Free choice applies with registration. There are typically in the range 10:1 odds of application to receiving an offer from KIngs and this is similar to most other London day school (indies & Gramma's). Your DC's CAT scores are strong, and performance on the day needs to be match. You will have lots of decisions ahead.

Interested in this thread. We are very local and have two boys but I've never felt inspired by KCS. Agree the facilities are pretty dreary. I have to be honest you are either the sort of parent who gets a kick out of having your son at the school and or you're not. I have only ever been to one open evening and left feeling completely uninspired.
This was with DS1 5 years ago. We never even considered it with DS2. For reference he has offers at Hampton and Tiffin.
He is now at Trinity which is where DS1 is too. Do go and have a look at the school. We found it really inspiring, welcoming and I have nothing but praise for the school.

I see where you are coming from. Myself being one of a handful of SW19 parents who just was not drawn to KCS. Course, we never tried for 11+, but the junior dept really put me off, as did the 11+ Open Morning years ago. Glad to say the boys didn’t like it either (for the only time, we all agreed on something). Tutoring is at it’s peak at the school, esp after 7+/8+, and the school can’t see beyond the levels of tuition when they select these boys.
As others have said, there are plenty of schools to chose from and not every school suits a child. Good luck on what you decide!

I think you have to follow your gut. I was convinced dd would go to Sherborne girls but I hated it (to be fair it has a new head now). Dd went to state school in the end and we’re surprisingly happy. She wanted to stay with her friends so we thought we’d try it and reassess, moving her in year 9, possibly to Bruton… she’s now in year 9 and in the state school after they were incredible through lockdowns.

I went to a sports match vs Kings the other day and in the car park a Kings dad said to his son loudly (after checking to see I was watching) 'Do you want to go home in the Aston with me or the Disco with Mum?'

He then looked at me to see if I had fainted with lust.

We looked round Kings for our son but fuck me, if this vulgar father is representative of the parents there, I am THRILLED we didn't go for Kings!

this vulgar father is representative of the parents there, I am THRILLED we didn't go for Kings! Having loads of money doesn't necessarily make someone classy, for sure!

I have only been to King's College School once and thought the facilities wonderful. The drama/music block was awesome. Just what type of facilities are you looking for OP.

Also, it's not the facilities that make young people brilliant at their subjects!

@Darkchocolateandcoffee - it's an expensive London private school, I'm not sure what you'd expect. If anything, I'd expect Kings to probably attraect a less macho/ostentatious crowd than most in a similar price/prestige bracket.

@Iamnotsoexcited @Darkchocolateandcoffee is accurate in a summation of elitism at KCS. We watched first hand at a recent school Ruby game where the KCS boys heckled the other team” your Dad works for my dad type comments” thr comments were all white noise to the parents. Put me right off. There is a pecking order and that became abundantly clear their entitlement with the KCS brand.

[quote puffyisgood]@Darkchocolateandcoffee - it's an expensive London private school, I'm not sure what you'd expect. If anything, I'd expect Kings to probably attraect a less macho/ostentatious crowd than most in a similar price/prestige bracket.[/quote]
I would expect better manners. In my experience people who have money are often better brought up than this terrible man!

All the schools have half truth,gossip,rumours,made up stories and half baked opinions attached to them.
Often it is parents who didn’t get a place or chose somewhere else

Habs, UCS,Dulwich,St Paul,kings,City,channing,MTS, Mill Hill, Highgate , Latymer…pick your school
The story always goes…
I attended open day/.sport day and the facilities were DREADFUL. The atmosphere was OPPRESSIVE.
The pupils were boorish and entitled
The parents were boorish and entitled
I know a pupil who went there they said it was HELL
I know a parent who went there they said it was HELL

But of course, the school that the parent chooses is NURTURING
The pupils THRIVE
Facilities are Marvellous
All other schools are underwhelming and dull compared to their magnificent choice

Essentially, pick what seems to be a good fit and you’ll probably be ok
You don’t pick the school, the school pick the pupil.

@Darkchocolateandcoffee
Manners hide many sins. You can be bought up to have impeccable social manners and still be an adulterer, tax avoider, abusive partner. Manners do not make the man I am afraid, manners can in fact hide man. Some of the dads of friends I made at boarding school were absolutely vile pieces of work and hideous fathers - but they knew how to behave at a dinner party.

[quote Iamnotsoexcited]@Whstdoyouthink I agree with your post. A true leader stays ahead and Kings should have been exciting, inspiring, forward thinking, shown me a new type of incredible education that would have me signing up my child straight away. Instead, it offered an academic hot house with a focus on grades above all else.

One school, for example, has extended its lunch hour to 75 minutes every day so they can run a myriad of clubs of lunchtime. The focus they put on this additional element was inspiring.[/quote]
I find your post very interesting. Kings has 90 minute lunch break so boys can join a myriad of clubs many of which you might not have heard of. An example club is joyfully "Have a good life".

I'm slightly 🤔 at the vitriol directed at KCS parents on this thread and the associated discussion about manners. If that kind of commentary were posted on a thread with sweeping generalisations about parents from local state schools how would that go down?

I notice this year there is exceptional demand resulting in numerous open days/open mornings/open evenings at KCS. The packed events might give impression of claustrophobia and/or aggression/competitiveness created by the number of visitors, not the school itself.

I don't know what the school should do, either limiting number of visitors and creating impression of elitism/exclusivity or opening to all and creating impression of overcrowding/lack of care.

Yes, it seems to be fair game ?!?! Very odd and comes across as slightly chippy. Interestingly, KCS is the least flashy-parent schools of the 4 "high profile" ones I have experience of.

I'd agree @CrumbsThatsQuick - the JCS parent body is made up of all people of all sorts, with the vast majority being perfectly nice. As a local of many years I've encountered good and bad apples amongst parents in all the schools (both state and independent) my children have attended.

@Sashamia I do think sometimes open days/evenings for schools (state or private) can bring out the worst in people, particularly if the schools are extremely hard to get into. Not sure whether it's not some stress/anxiety in play, but it can magnify particularly sharp-elbowed parents and those who may want to puff their chests out as if to prove their own worth. Maybe much of such posturing reflects lack of confidence or a desire to appear to fit in?

@Cheshirewife

No offence to OP but if you turn up to an Oxbridge interview with a D&T or Computing A-level, while you won’t exactly be laughed out the room, you will be at a disadvantage.

Most of the best engineers do not have tech or computing GCSEs or A/levels. You learn what you need at degree level.

Subjects such as Latin are considered much better at signposting intellectual ability. That’s why these schools prioritise them.

That is just not true

No offence to OP but if you turn up to an Oxbridge interview with a D&T or Computing A-level, while you won’t exactly be laughed out the room, you will be at a disadvantage. Surely not if it's your fourth (or even fifth) A Level?

I believe the desirable combo for Cambridge Engineering is Maths plus Physics and then FM if taught. Something in addition to that would be positive but substituting one of those for computing or DT would probably put you at a disadvantage to other candidates.