Hinchley Wood School vs Surbiton Girls High School

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Need help. Offer from Surbiton Girls (Private). Also offered a place at Hinchley Wood School (co-ed). Our daughter is a strong all rounder - academically, sports and musically. Surbiton has slightly better exam results, but with most girls getting A*s As and Bs at A-Level, which is important, but not everything. Surbiton also has all the frills and 'opportunities' - great sports, 150 clubs and societies, and smaller class sizes - but it is also 7 years x GBP20,000+ per year and we have additional children. Trying to discern value factor, whether Surbiton Girls would be worth it. Daughter was at a feeder school into HW and was bored out of her mind and most of her class have been fairly average - most of these children will transition to Hinchley Wood. Yet, there is a top 20% of Hinchley Wood's Sixth Form which achieves great university places and strong A-Level grades. I can't work out if in 6-7 years time, she will stay the distance at HW and be towards the top of her year, and whether HW will maintain its progress in improved standards. HW is a lovely locality, with not much discipline problems, but it is a state school after all. Also, most extra curricular activities are available locally, like sports, music etc. Exhausted thinking about it - appreciate any thoughts. Thanks so much!

gossip is SHS seem to be happy to add 2 extra bulge classes this year which I think is appalling…! I’d be disappointed in the state sector with that but it’s outrageous given few levels.

Has the offer from SHS just arrived or will you forfeit the autumn term fees as you haven't given notice?

Re A levels, don't take it into consideration, a handful leave SHS and go to Esher College each year, you will have the option of SHS, HW, Esher College and Tiffin Boys (mixed 6th form) when the time comes.

I would start at HW and move to SHS if you want to later on once the large cohort has settled, there is always movement at SHS and I think the cohort size will lead to even more dd moving in the first 2 years. As a parent at the top end of SHS I have no idea how they are going to fit the classes in.

Super helpful perspective, given you have a daughter at Surbiton. The HW offer only came recently. Just trying to work out if HW is a safe enough path for an academically motivated child, given a large proportion of her class at her feeder school was not. Sibling priority at HW can also be a boon, if indeed it really is a very good school.

Can you really afford to go private?

if not do some proper digging into HW - talk to parents who have experienced the school, talk to the head and ask them who their school wouldn’t suit. Hopefully you can start there and you may never need to money, or you could move her at 13 or 16.

if you do decide to fork out from the start you at least want to know the alternative definitely wasn’t right.

Yes I can, but I have two other children and I'm trying to just discern the value factor, as in, what am I really getting for my money, versus, sending her to HW and doing sports and extra circular outside school, locally. The HW option only emerged very recently, and it's apparently oversubscribed.

Thanks to you all for such prompt responses by the way!

As you have paid for the autumn term fees either way you can focus on HW.

Re sports at SHS, does your dd play hockey at OC's or SHclub already as the A and B teams will be made up of club Hockey players who are aiming for county and national places. The football teams will also be full of club players. You can take up rowing locally very easily without doing it via a school. You may find your dd ends up with an option like gymnastics for the autumn term and if she goes to an after school sports club like netball she has 100 other girls there trying to get noticed.

The teaching is very good at SHS, I wouldn't fault it but with such a large year group and no extra labs / art room/ IT room I can't imagine how they have sorted the timetable.

Thanks again.... She plays hockey at club level and is decent. I have not paid the fees as yet, so I should be able to pursue HW. I didn't realise this was such a big year at SHS.

Best of luck as I'm sure it will be a tricky decision esp if your dd is a competent hockey player.
Re the fees, you should check the small print but I'm pretty sure you have committed to the autumn term in the contract you signed when you accepted the offer.

Think also about the friendship group your DD will be in. Do you want her with her current friends at HW or a new group of girls at SHS? Friendships is also another important consideration on top of academics and extra curricular as they will influence her a lot too.

Surbiton is guaranteed success and good teaching but expensive. £20k x 7 x 3 ...

if you do private for one, you have to do it for the others, unless you can get one or more into grammars...

But HW is better value for money possible - it's free - but no guarantee on the academic standard. That 20% probably have tutoring and invested parents or otherwise naturally very bright and motivated/hard-working.

Is your DD like that?

How is Surbiton guaranteed success?! With that large a year group I’d be concerned. It historically was the easier academic option, for girls who couldn’t get into LEH, Guildford etc. With a large cohort I’d expect lower grades again. If your child is academically minded I’d be choosing HW and save schools fees in lieu of a deposit.

I don’t know why people are so worried about a large year group.

kings, Hampton, Whitgift, dulwich all have 200+ by year 9.

Large year groups aren’t something to be afraid of.

and yes Surbiton is guaranteed success compared to HW.

im not going to dig out the figures but there’s no doubt that Surbiton get far higher grades overall.

its true it’s not as academic as leh, Guildford, but the mental health of the girls I’m certain is that much better. Not nearly so many cases of anorexia and burn out.

a good balance overall

The issue was the large year group is the fact parents weren’t told…. SHS does not have a large site. I’m afraid I’d lose all trust in a leadership who would do that.., selling out!

@DailySnooze , SHS either over offered or more dd at the junior school decided to stay than expected or both but logistically it will be complicated to even be able to offer lunch in the extended lunch break. Logistics like getting the coaches to HW for field based sports will mean more dd will have to take a sport based at the school - gymnastics or dance. It wasn't planned for as they consistently told the parents only 7 classes.

It may have been an error but I'm not sure. Maybe a calculated error of some kind.

Cost of living is going up massively, this will ensure they can keep costs down for everyone. Additionally, in a few years the massive birth bulge that has been a boon for private schools in SW London and outskirts is going to dwindle. They have to make hay while the sun shines.

Many prep schools are finding Reception class and Year 1 classes are no longer full.

It has a good reputation. I don't think they'll compromise on anything but it will be interesting to see how they manage.

They may be trialling this number to see if actually the school can expand to that level. I agree partly though in that I've heard the lunch queues can be quite long!! Let's hope they do a good job.

Goodness! I’d be furious if my child couldn’t do all the range of possible sports etc. There is a reason for paying for private school and for many access to extra curricular is a big one. It’s bad enough for SHS that unlike a lot of other schools they have to bus them… WHS is only a short walk, LEH on site etc. Fascinating to see knock on effect on retention and grades in time.

HW is a great school. My daughter's best friend goes there and by comparison to other friends at SHS I'd go for HW. It seems a happier school and a great community feel as most kids are local. SHS has lots of girls and lots of drama and teen issues which the school is struggling to cope with. If your daughter is sensitive and needs strong friendships it might not be the right choice. If she is independent and very good at sport etc then go for it! It has to be the right fit which is the main thing. Not results or private vs state. Good luck! And we'll done for getting two offers to consider.

Good karma to you all - appreciate all your helpful thoughts and input

Hi
probably not the right thread but we are considering moving to HW/ Thames Ditton
and wanted some opinion about the area
how safe? Nice? Busy? Also schools and kids
we have 4 year old and 8 months
thin for longer term as we are not planning on another move especially with the prices
I drive to west London near Heathrow and my husband takes train to London

I have a number of friends in your area. We lived there but moved away. Their DC have gone to Hinchley Wood as well as Surbiton High, Kingston Grammar, Tiffin, KCS, RGS, Hampton, Reeds, LEH etc. My DC went to primary with all of those kids before we moved away and they were all similarly able. The truth is that the Hinchley Wood DC have achieved just as well as the DC who went on to the other schools. A number of the HW DC have ended up at the same universities at the others, even doing the same courses - Bristol, Exeter, Durham etc.

Reviving this thread! I too am considering between these 2 schools (if offered a place at HW but likely to be). Would welcome any feedback. Bright girl. Not sporty. Needs flexibility to thrive.

Honestly, HW is not a bad school, and it is down to the child and not to discount their support from home. At SHS, the focus is on learning from Year 7. Educationally, academic, sports and musical opportunities are greater. There is little opportunity for your child to waste time. HW is ultimately a State school, with a cross-section of children (no bad thing), but there is scope for laziness, boredom and a child wasting time like going to friend's home after school every day or two, and finding school a chore. I really don't like seeing HW children going home at 1pm each Friday and just hanging around. There don't seem to be many discipline problems at HW, but I just wonder if their time could be better utilised. The children that end up in Sixth Form, do seem to be academically strong and their results are not bad at all. SHS is more of a safe option, but for an expensive fee. That said, SHS is a place where if a child wants to embrace learning and opportunities, then they are available in abundance.

Sorry for the late reply, thank you so much for coming back to me as your views are really helpful.