Wallington County grammar school v/s Royal Grammar School(RGS) Guildford

[PB1210]

Hello , I wanted to check if anyone can guide me which is a better school in terms of academic and sports facilities like Football. Location/ cost no issue.

Wallington County grammar school v/s
Royal Grammar School(RGS) Guildford

"Making judgements about the abilities of the boys in the comparison schools" + without empirical evidence to back the claim

Just don't be derogatory about boys who worked hard to pass the entrance exams, at a school you didn't choose

Likewise - please address the RGC posters who made such derogatory remarks about WGCS and the 'poor' kids who are meant to go there. Thats why I was so incensed and got involved in this thread in the first place. I have never heard of RGC because I don't live in the area. So yes, I learnt it is an academically selective school. More so than the independents my son sat for because he found the entrance tests lor those schools less challenging than the 11 plus. Maybe things have changed. Thought for the vast majority of independent schools that was still the case

I would have been woekinf for a lot of schools based on your judgement.

I don't think the point about leaving the grammars for those who can't afford private was "distasteful arrogance". I think it was a request not to be selfish.

If lots of places at grammar schools are taken by those who could afford private, there are fewer grammar places available for the majority of children whose parents cannot afford private.

Inevitably, some children will lose out - the ones who would have benefited from an academically selective education but for whom there are no places left.

You're free to your own interpretation. That's perfectly fine. With this thread- enough already.! And have a great day 😀

"I have never heard of RGC because I don't live in the area. So yes, I learnt it is an academically selective school."

With all the outrage and unconstructive comments that have preceded, the OP must be wondering why they asked this community a question... without knowledge of a school, its difficult to help OPs.

Looping back on an earlier post, given Wallingham is quite far from Guildford, @PB1210 would it be more helpful to have info on Reigate Grammar School (also selective private school) rather than RGS Guildford?

I had mentioned in the thread that our experience at WCGS has been excellent. Academics, rugby,, debating society, drama, music, various cubs- school trips - Austria and SA. Great pastoral care.

@naraguta thanks which uni boys get selected and how are teachers ? Do they help boys in keeping pace with studies and motivating them

OP: if your son has places at both schools for this September, you really do need to make your mind up! Apart from anything else, there will be boys on the waiting list for both schools, hoping that you release your son's place. It's not fair on them, or indeed the schools, to leave things so late. I suspect next Friday is the last day of term at RGS

I don't think you've said where you live, so if you are much nearer Guildford, I would go with RGS, simply because of convenience (and given that you said money is not an issue). Otherwise I'd go for Wallington.

I don't know it at all, but from what others have said it sounds like a good school. I do know that if I had had the option of a grammar school for my daughters, I'd definitely have taken it. I didn't (the SW London ones were much too far for us to consider) so we went down the private route and they went to Guildford High School (and came into contact with lots of RGS boys).

DS has always had strong support and in my interactions its obvious the teachers have a passion for what they do. With the academics it's difficult to fault the school- they are thorough. However, the work ethic is demanding. And they'll waste no time in telling you that. But also very mindful of the emotional well being of the kids and getting a healthy balance. They strongly discourage over zealous parents pushing kids above their recommended hours. Leavers destinations are Russel group universities studying a wide range of courses. Medicine is a popular pathway. There are also well trodden pathways -Oxbridge, US universities etc. Ofsted puts WCGS as 'Outstanding'. I see why. But of course you'll never get the perfect school. That's just chasing shadows.

I know this is an old thread but I just can’t believe the various biases flying around.
I went to an outstanding state comprehensive school and it was the most uninspiring one size fits all lowest common denominator experience you could imagine. I was a straight A student and had no encouragement at all, the whole thing was just about fitting in and waiting for the noisy extroverts to pipe down.
i went to a state sixth form and class sizes were around 12-20, teachers inspirational and everyone focused and well behaved. Excellent experience academically but had missed the opportunity to gain confidence and enjoy extra curriculars by then - I had learnt to keep my head down at senior school, not to put myself forward.
We lived in a grammar school area when our three children were small and decided to move out quickly - parents were incredibly competitive and the whole system was gamed - either prep school or years of tutoring to get your children in. No social mobility at all - my dad on the other hand went from coal mining village to Oxbridge via grammar school.
My son goes to the RGS.
It is very hard to get into as they are oversubscribed. They are academically elite just like grammar schools because they are one of the original grammars but had to go independent to prevent being abolished in the 70s. They still have a right to their heritage and ethos whoever said it was marketing tripe!
The school has better class sizes and is less of an academic machine than our local comp, which is a great place for neurotypical alphas who rule the roost. No sporting opportunities for anyone else whereas RGS is very inclusive for sport. The survival of the fittest outcome (even if not intended) at comprehensive schools always strikes me as a bit ironic.

All schools should have smaller classes and greater individual attention in my opinion.

Hopefully those thoughts bring something useful to this polarised debate.
good luck to all, choosing schools is not easy!