Recent experience of Lord Wandsworth College or Leighton Park

[TheBigMacDougal]

We’re considering applying for a Yr9 place in a couple of years time, but having visited it was difficult to get any sense of how competitive obtaining a place is at either school. I’m interested to hear recent experience of the application process or of the schools themselves.

Our daughter is bright and quite well rounded, but not in the independent system yet. She will only join in yr5 to see out prep which doesn’t leave long to acclimatise her to an accelerated curriculum (plus VR non VR) ahead of the ISEB in yr6. I suppose I’d like her to have choices to find the right secondary fit.

Also interested to hear if people have viewed the above schools and found/know others with a similar ethos. The 3 other schools we viewed didn’t give us the same feeling.

I have 1 still at Lord Wandsworth and 1 just left 6th form. Very happy with the education for both, very different children who found their own niche.

It is a busy all-round school, with lots of sports but also stuff for the non-sporty. It is getting more competitive.

Are you looking for day or boarding?

@SkygardenTower we’d be looking for day. I know a lot do flexi, even if they live fairly close but financially it would be a stretch as we have 2 to get through. It’s the upper end of our budget.

They did remark that yr9 entry was getting more competitive when we visited, but no indication of applicants vs places.

I am not sure how much you gain from the numbers as a lot of people apply to more than 1 school, which always make the numbers applying look more than the spaces, if you see what I mean.

Any recent experience with this school please?

1 just finished sixth form at Leighton Park and they chose Leighton Park over Lord Wandsworth due to LP’s Quaker ethos (and not wanting to go to school on Saturday mornings).

Very happy with the education they received.

Had two daughters recently at LWC.
Eldest only for 6th form, youngest from 1st form - their choice.
You don’t have to do Saturday mornings.
Eldest had been in a girls’ school up to 6th form and (after leaving LWC🙄) said how shocked she was at the casual sexism, mainly from male pupils but also staff -she did a STEM subject.
Youngest said the same and opted to leave for a girls only school for 6th form.
I have to say many of my youngest’s friends remain there and love it.
A good friend sent his son at the same time as our eldest and, we both agreed, the headmaster is very personable but doesn’t really run the show.
So, I’m not sure I can say yay or nay