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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Hampton, KGS or Tiffin?

34 replies

FuchisaGroan · 19/02/2023 10:53

I was hoping for some advice on what I should do for my son, who will be starting year 7 this September. He’s an August birthday, so young in the year, quite shy and not at all sporty. He has offers from Hampton and KGS and I think there’s a reasonable chance that he will get an offer from Tiffin. I could easily drive him to Tiffin or KGS and there is a bus stop for Hampton just down the road. We can afford the fees although do have other children. If you were us, which school would you choose?

OP posts:
Aethelfleda · 19/02/2023 11:14

is it important to you they all go to the same school?
can you afford for all children to attend if they all require full fees?
What would you do if child 1 gets to a school that needs driving, then child 2/3 get into a different school that also needs driving?
Which school did you and he feel on open day “suited” him best?

If there’s nothing preferred by him, I’d be tempted by the school he can get to independently (Hampton) as it gives you more options with the other two, and the superselective will be no guarantees for the others. there’s a lot to be said for the convenience of all in the same place (and if you have girls, the Hampton buses are shared with LEH next door)

sailingsunshine · 19/02/2023 11:26

There will be many parents in your position and if they get the Tiffin offer they will accept Tiffin. It's harder to get into Tiffin than Hampton so if he gets an offer he has done very well. If you get WL Tiffin it gets more complicated!

Original poster
FuchisaGroan · 19/02/2023 11:51

Thanks so much for your replies. All really helpful. His older sibling walks to a state secondary as he wasn’t successful at 11 plus. He’s happy there. His younger sibling goes to a school in the same direction as KGS and Tiffin, so I have to drive that way anyway (and will need to do so for at least the next few years)

OP posts:
NewNoo23 · 19/02/2023 13:26

This reply has been withdrawn

The OP has privacy concerns and so we've agreed to take this down.

Aethelfleda · 19/02/2023 14:35

@NewNoo23 Tiffin IS a state school, just a superselective grammar one.

Having the extra info about the other siblings makes Tiffin sound more sensible if he gets a space (as DC1 is self-propelling to their school) and you can then see how the younger one does and act according to their needs.

kids can do well at different schools, resentment isn’t automatic BUT that only works if they are happy at their schools. Issues do definitely crop up, however if the state child is unhappy and the private child “fulfilled”.

MaitreKarlsson · 19/02/2023 14:50

Hampton is a great school with very clever kids but sportiness is prized and it's not an especially gentle place. If I had a shy son who wasn't sporty I wouldn't send him to Hampton, especially if there was an offer from a much gentler, non-sporty school like Tiffin.

RedDogBlueDog · 19/02/2023 16:09

This reply has been withdrawn

The OP has privacy concerns and so we've agreed to take this down.

KindergartenKop · 19/02/2023 16:10

Take Tiffin if offered. If not, choose whichever is easiest for him to get himself to. Committing yourself to driving him to Kingston every day for 7 years is a lot!

LemonandYuzu · 19/02/2023 16:50

I have a shy, not sporty summer born son in Y7 at Hampton. We had the option of KGS and came close with Tiffin but no place. He is very happy at Hampton. Lots of very sweet not so sporty boys there. But if I were you I would take Tiffin. The amazing facilities at Hampton are wasted on a non-sporty boy. Amazing music and drama also not accessible unless you are in the very top of the year out of 175 boys for those activities. Also Tiffin boys live within a smaller radius so easier to hang out.

Aethelfleda · 19/02/2023 18:03

@RedDogBlueDog er… I’m not quite sure what you mean (unless you’ve just namechanged), it wasn’t clear from @NewNoo23 ’s posting if they knew Tiffin was state, so I was just clarifying that fact, I’ve bot addressed you directly at all and was only trying to help!

Aethelfleda · 19/02/2023 18:11

…and the only emphasis was because other posters reading this may not know automatically that Tiffin is State, and the OP’s post didn’t mention whether they would have an advantage from not having to pay fees….

It’s confusng for parents looking at the options: many named “Grammars” are independent and fee paying (Kingston Grammar School, Hampton is actually Hampton Grammar School), whereas Tiffin sounds private but isn’t!

I’m not sure why it is a problem to clarify… or why you’re objecting to me doing so.

Meredusoleil · 19/02/2023 21:52

Aethelfleda · 19/02/2023 18:11

…and the only emphasis was because other posters reading this may not know automatically that Tiffin is State, and the OP’s post didn’t mention whether they would have an advantage from not having to pay fees….

It’s confusng for parents looking at the options: many named “Grammars” are independent and fee paying (Kingston Grammar School, Hampton is actually Hampton Grammar School), whereas Tiffin sounds private but isn’t!

I’m not sure why it is a problem to clarify… or why you’re objecting to me doing so.

Hampton Boys is definitely NOT called Hampton Grammar School. Its full name is actually just Hampton School!

Aethelfleda · 19/02/2023 22:22

@Meredusoleil : Historically it was a grammar school: quoted from the Hampton School Website :

“The School has undergone many transformations since then and, although remaining in the Hampton area, has occupied several different sites. It moved to its current location in the Hanworth Road in 1939. Although it became a State Grammar School in 1910, it reverted to Independent status in 1975.
Today Hampton School is recognised as one of the leading academic boys’ schools in the UK. It has over 1,200 pupils, almost all of whom progress to top universities either in this country or abroad before pursuing a wide range of careers.”

(My brother went there in the 1990s and it was indie but still called Hampton Grammar at that point )

Aethelfleda · 19/02/2023 22:24

Anyway was here to try to help OP, not to get stropped at. OP I hope you find the right fit for you DC and they have happy times at whichever school you think is the best for them.

Munchathon · 19/02/2023 23:41

If you have the money, Hampton or KGS all day long. Smaller class sizes. Better facilities. Very fortunate to have such great options.

WinterFoxes · 19/02/2023 23:46

If Tiffin is offered, I'd go for that. It is a school that is very accepting of quiet studious boys.

I do know some boy slike that who went to hampton but when we looked around it,we felt it was quite sporty and macho which wasn;t right for our DC.

I know nothing baout KGS except it is co-ed.

ChiefRoady · 20/02/2023 08:19

Does DS have friends/anyone he knows maybe going to Hampton or KGS?

I thought the trip that Hampton do for Y7 to get to know peers, with team building types of activities was a really lovely idea. Not sure if KGS do similar?

I’m a bit surprised others found Hampton to be macho. There’s undoubtedly a great tradition of sport but there is such a range of activities outside of sport (any school that counts chess in their sports is going to be fine for less sporty types too, in my book!). I got the impression the head himself had a gentle and encouraging style.

My impression is that either Hampton or KGS would suit a quieter boy so I don’t think you can make a bad choice in that respect!

That said, I’d definitely go for Tiffin if that ends up on the table.

3WildOnes · 20/02/2023 11:31

I know quiet a few quiet boys who are very happy at Hampton. I think it is a fantastic school. However, as your other child is at state I would probably choose Tiffin if offered.

Rebesco · 26/02/2023 06:14

Given the very knowledgeable people in this thread - does anyone have a recommendation for a tutor in the area? We recently moved and will definitely be trying for Tiffin but feeling a bit at sea trying to find someone to help with the preparation. Thanks!

Artsyblartsymum · 27/02/2023 11:31

Tiffin. 100%

Good luck!

Artsyblartsymum · 27/02/2023 11:38

@Rebesco I have PM'd you

99I · 27/02/2023 12:13

We are agonising over the same. Tiffin or Hampton. Although our DS very sporty. But maybe it won’t be a choice to decide after Wednesday. How many others are waiting on Tiffin to make a decision?

LoisLane23 · 02/03/2023 13:42

My son is currently in his first year of Tiffin if I can answer any questions I'm happy to.

Flamingokicks · 02/03/2023 13:48

Yes please @LoisLane23
DS was offered Tiffin yesterday
What’s the social life like for the boys? Do they hang out after school and weekends? Go into Kingston?
Saturday sports - we can’t do them until DS has done his Bar Mitzvah in yr 8. How important are these and how frowned upon will it be if he can’t participate do you think?
What sort of levels of homework are we looking at in year 7?
How many clubs etc are there really (the website shows a broad range but in reality do they all run do you know)
Is the PTA active at all?
DSs sports are football and basketball but he is generally very good at sports and will have no problem doing well at rugby. Do you know anything about the football/basketball provision?
Sorry for the barrage!!

LoisLane23 · 02/03/2023 14:25

Phew lots of questions! Firstly he's really happy there so that's the main thing. He's made some lovely friends and all lads who have Ben over to our house have been obv bright, but also engaging, friendly and polite. Mostly they are from Hampton/Ham/richmond/surbiton. He's been to a few friends houses, they are a bit young to be out too much but it's a mixed bag where they meet up, My boy is not hugely sporty, but they have a very inclusive approach so winter term everyone has to do rugby training but only the top 20 or so are in the actual team and have weekend fixtures, they then move on to football this term and cricket summer. So everyone trains (in a usual games lesson/but not everyone selected). They have a very vague approach to football, it's not really a prority. Basketball is an extra curricular club that they volunteer for. From our experience, yes the range of clubs is vast, but note many are in lunchtime and are run by 6th formers, don't expect a chess champion to be coming in and running the lunch chess club!! It feels like if you've got an interest, start a club and get a following, but there's also teacher run ones too like drama and
Computers etc. they are hugely into music/singing and drama much more than I expected. They push it hard, dancing and choir are mandatory for 7-8, maybe they know they have more introverted kids so they may an attempt to push this. The pta is very very active, lots of fundraising, uniform sales, and evening events, it feels very inclusive and after all it's a struggling state school like everywhere else. Somehow it does feel like a special place, the kids know they are fortunate to have got in (mine does anyway!!), and the teachers seem to really care. It is of course a huge intake, 183 kids in year, so class sizes are big compared to private and the grounds are small and it can feel cramped, that would be one of the only negative for me. Overall the homework is quite a lot for y7. At least an hour a night , more at weekends, and as expected the level starts quite high academically from mates we have in local schools. But you've got to expect that in a school like this. Overall we tossed up with an Academic private bursary offer and tiffin and we knew we would struggle financially even with the bursary so we went for tiffin. V glad with our decision, haven't met a parent who isn't delighted with it so far. Hope that's helpful !