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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Please can you tell me about Grey Court's sixth form

34 replies

fouxdafafaff · 17/09/2022 16:14

We're planning to move to Ham once DS has finished his GCSEs, so Grey Court will be our local secondary school. Heard some very positive things about Grey Court in general but would like to hear feedback from parents about the sixth form specifically.

DS is planning to do maths, physics and geography. Are these subjects taught well and what are the science facilities like? And is there much disruption in lessons?

DS is very sporty (football fanatic!) so would be interested to hear about their sports provision. How often do they play football matches for instance.

Many thanks!

OP posts:

tennissquare · 07/07/2023 10:25

Why don't you aim for Christs school in Richmond that has church places too so you don't need to be in catchment.
Fox is a very good primary school in K&C but lots of dc will have left by year 6.

TheShorestAnswerIsDoing · 07/07/2023 13:23

Foxyhill · 07/07/2023 09:38

so in summary we need to move before oct of year 5 to Richmond. Can commute the kids to Notting Hill until I can secure a placement in Richmond for year 6. Or just commute all year so they can stay at their school fox primary. (It’s so good). And hope to get into one of the secondary in Richmond. Even would be open to the CofE school as we are active members here

I live in Richmond Borough. If I were you I would move less then a mile or preferably half of a mile from Orlean Park School. This is because the current radius catchment is a bit less than a mile. It is expensive to rent there but Orlean Park is one of the best state schools in the country.
Turing House is good, a bit worse perventage-wise when it comes to grades 7+, but to get there you would need to live in Twickenham or Hampton Hill. Maybe there is

Foxyhill · 07/07/2023 13:27

Yes that’s a good idea

TheShorestAnswerIsDoing · 07/07/2023 13:28

Maybe there is a point in Twickenham where you could be in catchment for both: Orlean's and also Turing.
Not sure about CoE schools. There is one in Sunbury ( Bishop' Grove)and you would need to live in Hampton in London Borough of Richmond to be considered. It is average, not bad school.
Better results have Catholic schools St Richards Reynolds in Twickenham and St Paul's in Sunbury.

Teddington School has again good results

Almostalwayshappy · 07/07/2023 13:59

Both my children went to Grey Court from Year 7. One went to Esher College for 6th Form and the other stayed at GC, leaving three years ago. Both did well at A Level and went to the unis of their choices. They didn't study your son's subjects. Esher is much bigger and suited the child who went there, who was, at the time, more outgoing. GC 6th form was nurturing. Personally, I felt GC offered more in terms of communication and UCAS support, but either would be great and academically were then pretty similar. Good luck.

hazyday · 07/07/2023 14:37

TheShorestAnswerIsDoing · 07/07/2023 13:23

Show quote history

So ridiculous to base school preferences and expensive housing decisions on a comparison of one or two years recent results - they could be completely different by the time your child gets to that age. Schools change all the time. Orleans Park has had a new headteacher recently, and Turing has finally moved into its new permanent site (which is lovely), and all schools are positioned differently with respect to the current national funding pressures, so will be impacted in different ways. Who knows where they'll all be ranked in a few years time.

TheShorestAnswerIsDoing · 07/07/2023 17:49

Of course you are right @hazyday and that is why people mentioned here move in Y5. That would be also a time to review school performance versus location location location :)

Having said that, I must mention that I have lived in this borough since 2005 and don't recall Orlean Park to have bad results. It is very much about who lives the catchment.

hazyday · 07/07/2023 18:16

TheShorestAnswerIsDoing · 07/07/2023 17:49

Of course you are right @hazyday and that is why people mentioned here move in Y5. That would be also a time to review school performance versus location location location :)

Having said that, I must mention that I have lived in this borough since 2005 and don't recall Orlean Park to have bad results. It is very much about who lives the catchment.

Its intake used to be more socio-economically diverse before it got its Outstanding grade because its catchment was a lot wider.

I know lots of Orleans parents. Like most schools, they say some departments are stronger than others.

Most of the kids obviously transfer to the secondaries from very local primaries, so if I was moving into the borough I'd want my kids to settle in to those and make some friends before applying, and I'd be reading all the admissions policies carefully. The offer day distances may be on school websites too.

Turing House publish maps of their intake every September. I don't think there's much overlap with the Orleans catchment, but there is overlap with Waldegrave and Teddington.

TheShorestAnswerIsDoing · 07/07/2023 19:36

This year catchment for Orlean Park was a bit more than 900m. So it is around Mediterranean shop. Maybe Waldergrave catchment is also there, who knows...
In 2023 there is smaller population of kids so it would be easier everywhere to get in.
Turing House covers part of the Hampton, Twickenham and Hampton Hill, and part of Teddington.

But who knows how it is going to be in fre years when OP moves in...

We put Turing House as our 3rd or 4th option

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