2: SW London Girls' Private & Grammar - applying for year 7 in 2022

[Emo76]

Continued

I just googled and found this on the DFE site too. They are already over their maximum numbers without this bulge year! Not sure how they have got away with it. It’s even things like toilets and serving in the canteen I’d be worried about. When we saw the school it already seemed quite cramped up in there. If PP is right and current year 11 is only 140 then the numbers will be going up by at least 76 on this figure.

I think the current year 11 may be 8 classes. During the pandemic they allowed more years to eat a packed lunch in the classrooms to alleviate pressure on the dining room, it's always been the case from year 9 but I imagine they may allow year 8 to do this. It removes a cost from the fees invoice but is a pain if your dd has any eating issue.

The letter said year 7 would have a slightly extended lunchbreak. Presumably to get them all through the canteen. No mention of provision for year 8, or how this impacts timetabled lessons. I don’t want DD to eat a packed lunch in the classroom every day - and I don’t have want to have to make one!

Goodness me this all sounds like a nightmare at Surbiton! I’m going to see the boys school tomorrow so will see if they can shed any light!
Does anyone know how many classes they’re taking in Year 7 at LEH? I wonder if they’ve done the same and gone up?

If Surbiton is over the allowed capacity, then there is a fire risk. It will take too long to evacuate all the pupils. I would definitely ask about this.

Presumably extended lunch = fewer learning hours!

I heard on grapevine that LEH had an increase intake this year but not sure if it's correct, maybe someone else can throw some 💡 on that. I'll be asking questions on open days with my DD this year about pupil numbers for sure now though...

Surbiton are setting up a virtual Q&A for 2022 Year 7 parents. Likely to be w/c 9 May. I have my questions ready, mostly around how they will scale up (site facilities / coaches / class timetables/ lunch provision/staff/clubs/ support services) for 2022 and beyond. I also want to know much more about the transition process.

I wonder whether there has been an increase across the board at other indies,l, would be good to know.

Your questions are great. Just thought ahead to 216 kids sat in a hall doing their English gcse in five years. Crazy for an independent school. It’ll have big ongoing impact for years. It’s also things like the medical room, crossing that road etc! Plus this confirms what the picture was at our prep where literally everyone was offered Surbiton - where some were turned down by ‘less academic’ schools, so I’d question the ability range too.

In terms of numbers 200+ is what a lot of boys school have such as Kings, Hampton, Whitgift etc so that's not in question, that is possible and can be done to a very good standard. Large form entries can work.

However I would be asking about how the site will cope, why the big bulge this year as opposed to other years, is this a permanent change, will they be securing more space and how do they prevent a parent feeling like they've diluted their offering when on paper it looks like the school is staying exactly the same but with many more feepayers coming in. I'd be asking about extra investment in facilities, teachers, support staff and opportunities and how they will ensure each and every girl is looked after and provided for to the same level that current girls are.

Will be very interested to hear what they say, please do keep us posted! @Flyingbytheseatofmypullups

I wonder if this is a tactic to keep fees lowered. Costs are skyrocketing and so they may be trying to remain competitive as perhaps they can’t charge higher fees as some of the stronger brand independents could (who know whatever the fees set, there will always be a market willing to pay it). One class over offer seems plausible misjudgement, Two classes extra seems deliberate! I also wonder if they see a lot of leavers in Y9 as sometimes tends to happen at girls schools with leavers off to board or back to overseas home and at that point sometimes end up with lower numbers so could be a buffer for that. I would certainly be asking why it has happened and would be rather cross too - especially as I recall they advised that when they reached maximum numbers - offers would turn to WL places.

Surbiton is owned by United learning who set the fees, the school doesn't set the % increase each year. There is movement each year but only by a few dd leaving/joining until end of year 11.
I'm surprised as the Head is a current parent and knows the strength of feeling about the issue of size of year group. My feeling is they over offered plus more dd in the prep school chose to stay for year 7 than expected. The prep school dd had to give notice to leave by last Wed 20 April.
It would interesting to hear from a current year 6 parent.

I think the fees for next year would have gone to parents by now, surely? Their fees are already at the top end for the area really. I wonder what the size of y7 is currently because Maybe they accidentally under offered last year and have a small year 7 so made more offers this year and just misjudged it. As I said, there was a LOT of surprise at our prep with some of the girls who got in and had been told they were unlikely to get in - it seemed like more offers than last year. In any case, I don’t think 216 is manageable on that site, physically or socially or in terms of how they manage the number of girls. This is a year group who will basically have missed year 4 and 5 and had a really disruptive year 6. And the effects are not fully showing yet so Mental health needs will be big. I am so relieved we rejected it against the parent chat! I’m really sorry for those who are now wondering about their choice though. I think DD would also be terrified to go from 42 in year 6 (in two forms) to something that massive.

Not necessarily PHS have only communicated their fee increases for the coming year for new starters the last couple of days - schools are mindful of communicating good stuff before bad, Why would you open up your engagement with new parents on a negative note.

More classes means costs can be kept lower so perhaps there is no need to have any major fee change due to the extra 2 classes, that's about £1m extra income per year..

In response to @SW17cleocat…Surbiton is not a GDST school

2023 entry here. It seems due to the increasing costs of well everything smh.

Indies are increasing their classes which is a shame.

I attended the More House open day and was told They will increase their entry over the next fees hoping to double the entrants.

what did the prospective surbiton mums think of tonights Q&A?

How did surbiton explain the extra students?

Anyone know if there is one of these threads for 2023 entry? I was on one for 2021 entry which was great, would love to find some moral support for this next round. Thanks!

Set one up! Not my year otherwise I’d do it

@confu5ed Do please set one up! We're not until next year (I'll happily do one then) but it's really helpful to the rest of us who still have this madness to come! (And if you do, it would be great if you'd post the link on this thread too so we can all find it!)

Also would like one for boys/coed doing 11+ Independent schools for 2023. It seems very quiet this year!