Farnborough Hill

[TopCat2022]

I've been reading already the reviews already on MumsNet.
Any recent ones you can provide as I am looking at Year 7 entry in 2023

Academically? Is it very 'selective'....Teaching, Well-being, any issues of it being all girls with catiness (particulary during the teens!), sports and general feedback. We are not religious so know that it is OK for not having a faith

I don't know it well but I do know that is viewed as one of the less selective girls schools in the area. This is not a bad thing but I wouldn't say it is very selective no.

It’s selective but not ‘highly selective’ like some of the Guildford schools. They say they take girls of average ability and above. We’re not on the Guildford side, and for us it was the more academic independent option (compared to Sherfield, Alton etc)! There are some very bright girls in DD’s year including a few who turned down a place at Kendrick grammar school for FH - but there’s definitely a range. It’s a really lovely school with a focus on all-round education. Haven’t seen any evidence of cattiness yet - I’m sure it happens but DD hasn’t experienced anything like that and all the girls seem lovely.

Thanks both....I'm waying up paying for FH independent school (30 mins drive away) vs an outstanding Ofsted rated state school of 1500 kids 5 mins drive away
We will never know the value of sending to FH vs the state school.....my DD is we reckon just above average ability.....so we think would thrive better in smaller classes and a smaller school....

I guess we go with our gut feeling....the government seems to be messing up the state education system and we fear average kids don't get pushed enough

Will FH help to drive the average kids too?

I personally think that in general, private schools are probably more beneficial to children of average ability, even more so than those of high ability who would actually probably succeed almost anywhere.

FH had a bit of a blip in their GCSE Results this year but historically their results have been better than their ‘average and above’ intake might suggest, so I would say that they probably do great things for ‘average’ children.

Thanks We got 90 for the Reading grammar Kendrick school - pass rate was 101...so confirms the "average/above average thoughts" for an independent school to help encourage....There are also gaps identified in the current state school due to COVID / also being in the middle of the class, plus have noticed friends kids in private primary schools are flourishing who were below or average ability... a big step in our family situation moving to independent....but these years are crucial........We've not considered any other private schools in Berkshire (where we live) and have not looked at many independent schools....so the more "generic/good/bad" information / feedback we can gain is really great ....our gut feeling is to go...just trying to back it up with some real life experiences

I’ve sent 3 girls there. One has just left (studying medicine at a Russell Group Uni), and the others are in Years 7 & 8.

There are all of differing academic ability and all have absolutely thrived. Some could have gone to the Guildford academic hothouse circuit but we didn’t want the logistics of different schools and seeing how well the eldest did there it was a no-brainer.

(It annoys me how people claim it’s not academic, my eldest got 9 9s and 2 7s at GCSE, AAA at A level, A* EPQ, Grade 8 violin and piano and ABRSM diploma at singing. She was the first pupil to ever take it. She was one of the 16% of applicants in the U.K. who managed to get a place studying medicine. Despite all this, she didn’t get either an academic or music scholarship in Year 7 as there were girls of a higher standard, though she did get a 6 form scholarship).

My girls in Year 7 and 8 come home every night really happy, are all achieving well academically (certainly one who sounds like yours, ie just accuse average is doing much better than she would in the state system) and pastorally, the school is bang on. There’s no more cattiness than there would be in the state sector and the absence of boys means they are not discouraged from STEM. The school has a very feminist Catholic vibe to it.

There’s a massive extra curricular offer and girls are encouraged to get stuck into everything. FH’s USP is that they are very good at helping your daughter find her niche whether that’s music, art or sport and helping her to develop as a whole and rounded person.

Parents are a lovely friendly bunch too. You’ll see everything in the car park from the brand new range-rovers to the battered old Skodas and there’s no snobbery or judgementalism.

Class sizes are around 20, but can be as small as 10, if they are bottom set in Maths.

There’s no stigma or glory about being bottom or top set. The girls aren’t encouraged to compare themselves academically, it’s very healthy, the ethos is all about doing the best they can.

I’d love my youngest to go there (she’d be the Sept 2023 cohort) but she has SEND and needs something more specialist. FH is all about helping them develop independence very early on.

I would say to go for it. It’s not just the results but the value added element. It’s tough for us financially as it is for many parents at the moment, but I don’t regret it all. Our girls are so happy and that’s all you can ask for as a parent.

Sorry. A star, A star, A for A level. HTML turns it into bold. Point being that FH turns out excellent academic results.

Thank you @SnapeAlways this is very encouraging and very honest - it is amazing to get such open answers to provide an holistic overview. Good luck with your youngest.....

By all means if others read this thread please add your feedback - it really helps build up a picture and give an informed view

I was a pupil there in the 1990s. I only have good things to say about it really. Everything was led by its ethos and I'd say that's more important than ever nowadays. Lots of focus on charity fundraising, volunteering, emotional health and well-being. The facilities are superb and the building is very beautiful - it was like going to school in Hogwarts. I still have dreams where I'm walking around the old part of the school!

My only quibble would be that back in the day they were not great at helping with oxbridge applications (I had one 30 minute conversation with a teacher before my interview, which I didn't pass) but that may have got better now. I did come out with straight As in my GCSEs and A Levels and went on to a top 5 uni. If we lived nearer I'd certainly send my daughter there.

One of my daughters sounds very much like your DD. That’s we chose FH, because although our local state schools are very good, we thought she’d do better in a smaller school with smaller class sizes.

The other 2 are academic stars who probably would have done well anywhere TBF. My eldest was a late starter socially but who flourished and blossomed in Year 11 and the sixth form. FH gave her the space to develop at her own pace and while she always stood out a bit from the crowd, she never had any bullying and her friends were always so supportive.

None of my girls are sporty, but the sports offering is excellent and the teams do well. They offer a lot of different sports in lessons so the girls usually find something they like.

The only thing to be aware of is that they have rolled out an IPad scheme to Year 7 and upwards now. You have to enrol on the school rental scheme which is £53 per term and have one of the school’s locked down devices and pencils and most work is now done via their iPads. There’s been a real difference in the way my Year 8 daughter did her homework in Year 7 and the way my Year 7 does hers, but I guess that’s modern life these days.

Thanks @heartbeatacrossthegrass this is great feedback. Glad you have some amazing memories of the school which matches another girl's feedback I have had in the past 6 months! Congratulations with your straight A's in your exams - amazing going to Uni being in the top 5! Nice! A great start to life thanks for sharing....Useful to know about Oxbridge for future...fingers crossed FH has taken this onboard for future years.

Thanks @SnapeAlways my thinking entirely a smaller class/setting for the girls really helps to focus on them. Great to hear about the sports facility so the girls have plenty to choose from.

Our DD is not too IT savvy (yet! - just the standard tablet / phone / laptop / powerpoint etc use from state school...the youth learn very quickly and this is the modern way...one of the new state schools out of our catchment area has gone this way already....so FH have already done the settling in with it so know what works/does not work...so that is good for 2023 intake)... on our tour round we asked several questions about the usage and the girls all love it plus they still do writing / draw where needed plus scan it in...

Added costs on top of the approx £17k fees seem to be

1. Bus/Train Transport (For our area, Bus return - for a Spring term costs £436, single £261, Train is around £4.50 return, plus the £1 bus e/w from school to the train station)...can be cancelled 1 term in advance) Loads of trains so good for after school clubs....So round up to £1k
2. IPad scheme £53 per term (3 terms = £159 per year)
3. Uniform (no idea yet! I guess £300- £500 per year?)
4. Lunch (£663 a year £232 (Christmas Term, £236 - Easter Term, £195 - Summer Term)
5. Trips (no idea yet)
6. Examination fees (no idea yet)
7. Any additional chargeable clubs / instruments

So I guess £20k per year all in to budget for ;-)

So pleased I have started this thread - hope it is helping others too.... thanks again

As you are probably aware FH is well connected to the train network. Lots of girls use the train and walk together in groups to and from the station.

Our train costs are a lot cheaper and currently around £80 a term per child but we don't live so far away. Don''t forget they would use a child fare and also a season ticket shaves a significant proportion off the cost.

Uniform costs about £550 to buy a full set new from school blazer but there is a lot coming in now via second hand which reduces the costs. Some people spend more if they want to buy a shirt for every day and 2-3 skirts or jumpers. Because I have 5 kids I do a school wash every night and so my girls have managed fine on the minimum.

Schoolblazer are excellent. Plug in your child's measurements and they tell you which size will fit best for the next few years. Eg "size 32 perfect now, too tight next year, size 34 slightly too big now, perfect next year".

It won't cost £550 a year or even £550 for two years. I've not bought any new uniform for my Year 8 DD, everything from last year still fits perfectly and has room.

Trips - about £25 a term. They go to places like the Science Museum in Winchester.

I've just taken a look at the residential schedule for 2023-2025.

Year 7 will do a PGL/residential in October 2023 which is about £300 which everyone is strongly encouraged to go on. Same with a Year 9 residential.

Optional:
Easter -2024 Junior Classics trip Year 7-9 £800 - £1,000
Summer 2024 Junior Sports tour European Years 7-9 £800 - £1,000
Feb 2025 - Ski Trip Year 8 + £1,500 - £1,800
Easter 2025 MFL trip Years 7+ to Spain, £800 - £1,000
Summer 2025 Junior Music Tour £900 - £1100

Places on the Ski trip (year 8 plus) get snapped up within about 24 hours and so too did places on a Paris trip.

None of my kids do any of the residentials beyond the PGL which are strongly encouraged, because we can't afford it. They are not in the minority, their friends aren't going and they don't feel left out or hard done by.

Instrument lessons are £200 per term.

Dance. Street dance, ballet, ACRO or contemporary is £90 per term.

Extra curricular clubs are free.

Examination fees. Do you mean GCSE/A Level - about £50 a subject.

DM me if you need any other information.

Presumably your DD has taken the entrance exam and you are waiting to hear? If she gets an offer they have a new parent evening in the February, which is a good chance to get together and get a feel for the school, even if you are dithering. They whisk the girls off for an activity while you get to have a drink and mingle with parents and staff in the library.

As an existing parent, I'm obviously biased. No school is perfect, there will be niggles along the way and it is a massive commitment to take on. DD11 and DD12 have settled so quickly. The HoY and assistant HoY really make it their business to personally get to know your daughter.

Good luck.

Thanks @SnapeAlways for taking the time to respond. You have been amazingly detailed and very open with your comments. It is all great for budgeting and going in with our eyes open.....Having spoken to several people and been on many forums there is so much positive feedback and backs up our own gut feelings (and now head thoughts)....a special school so definitely worth continuing our journey with for our DD...We have secured a place so if it all goes to plan we will probably bump into each other! Will DM nearer the time or if I have some more questions. Thanks again xx

We moved our daughter to FH from a state secondary in Yr9 and she absolutely flourished. It’s been the best decision we ever made. She is not a girly girl and I worried about sending her to an all girls school but she has had the space to be exactly herself and encouraged to do so by a very supportive school (staff and pupils). She settled unbelievably quickly, and still comes home raving about her day pretty much every day.

Our DD is very bright but has ADHD and dyslexia - FH has found ways to embrace her talents and support her weaknesses and her self esteem has soared as a result.

I also love the ethos of the school. The girls appreciate the sacrifices their families make to send them there - there’s very little entitlement, and it’s very progressive and feminist for a Catholic school.

Thanks @Boxerbirdfor sharing your experiences - absolutely brilliant to hear your DD has flourished particularly when transferring over from a state school. Another huge tick for FH thanks so much.

Hi. Interesting and helpful thread, thank you. My questions are, did anyone use tutors to help children prepare for CEM and do their SATS grades have any bearing on them being accepted? Thanks.

We didn’t use tutors - dd just did worked through of the practise materials that FH sent through before the exam.

They don’t look at SATS - offers are made and accepted with deposits paid well before these take place, and lots of girls come from schools that don’t take them anyway. As far as I’m aware, they have no knowledge of what dd got in her SATS. Offers are based on the entrance test, latest school report and interview (more of a chat, really). They use the entrance test to set for maths at the beginning of term but there’s lots of movement between sets once they start as well.

Hi @EmGW we did the 11+ prep/knowledge and used it for the FH exam, but many kids as @CStrike has mentioned don't do this and just do the practice materials. The process is about whether the school is right for your DD, yourselves and vice a versa for the school. Although it seems very daunting it isn't really and you will know if the school is right for you.

Our school sends an end of year report plus the SATS which they would send to any school anyhow (whether state or independent).....for F/Hill don't worry about the SATS ....BTW we also used https://peasylearning.co.uk/ and had a tutor called Blessing - I would highly recommend this as an on-line option for 11+ (and if you are doing 11+ start the process early/bit by bit...there can be a lot of work!). For CEM results. the school will not provide you the overall score but will give you some good feedback about the whole process. It is definitely worth doing the CEM exam, interview etc for the experience, I learned a lot about my child throughout it all....Good luck @EmGW.

This is incredibly helpful thank you. I think I will look at some tutoring for my daughter and start early so it’s manageable. My other concern which I would welcome any insight on is mixed school and gender friendships. My son goes to a state school locally but still socialises with some of his friends who went to Salesian. However I have not yet come across any girls who attend private school socialising with the local groups of children. This could be because I have a son, and so only see what the boys are doing. I also wonder whether things like football bring boys together more easily that girls. I would still like my daughter to have some integration and social life with peers locally who don’t go to FH and with boys also for balance. Does anyone have experience of this? Thank you.

@TopCat2022 , I've just come across this thread and thought I'd say hi. Dd starts in September and is very excited. It seems like a really lovely school 😊@Boxerbird great to know about the dyslexia support, something we were a little worried about.

Whoop Whoop glad to know DD is starting in Sept @SparklyEyes1 Hope the threads helped! A great choice!

I’ve got a daughter leaving this year 11 she has Sen needs and the school has been Fantastic with her she’s an independent young woman now and was a closed book in year 7…..she’s not academic but coped and they have supported her. My youngest is starting in September again not overly academic, I can’t put a value on what the school has done for my oldest.

Love this sounds the same as our daughter and I was so worried about them supporting her as her junior school failed her, but omg they’ve gone above and beyond and about to sit GCSEs with full support. She was so misunderstood but fh have understood her from day one and worked with her.

Absolutely brilliant thanks for sharing your recent experiences. Good luck with GCSEs sounds like the foundations have now been set thoroughly for both daughters x