Kingston Grammar School vs Epsom College

[ConfusedButSteady]

We were lucky enough to get several offers and were able to bring them to the final two options.

DS is sporty, and academic if motivated :) Therefore he is more on Epsom College's side.

From the outside, we couldn't figure out the demography of Epsom College parents. How diverse is it? What is the ratio of the kids from state schools? In terms of income, are they similar to St John's or KGS or in between?

KGS offers fantastic academic outcomes but with the recent jump of Epsom College, they are climbing fast in the league table. The question is will they manage to stay there?

Waiting for your comments. Thank you in advance.

I chose Epsom over KGS for DC1 a few years back for similar reasons (DC1 wanted more fun and sth less serious than KGS) and it was a very bad decision in hindsight. Sending DC2 to KGS and trying to switch DC1.

Teaching and academics at EC are very good but in terms of student/parent profile I would say academic/serious children are in the minority, there is a huge emphasis on sports / traveling / designer clothes. Very few children from state schools at EC (I can't think of any but am sure there are some - many of the teachers' children are at the school), would certainly think it is similar to St John's and different from KGS in that regard.

It was not diverse either, we felt many of the "posh/rich English" children and parents stuck together socially. I appreciate many others are happy at the school but if you are looking for down to earth, diverse and academic I would go for KGS. Feel free to PM me for details.

I think if he is sporty he will thrive at Epsom. They are very different campuses, one very urban with sports fields a fair way away and the other all on sight.
How do you think he will cope with long days and Saturday school? I think it is a very 'high capacity' school i.e. you need energy and pace to sustain those days.

We liked it but it would be too much dd who needs some down time. It is a wealthy school but looked ethnically diverse when we went around.
The kids we know who go there are all lovely and uncomplicated but high energy (they are actually pretty academic too but Epsom seems to accept a greater spread of abilities, no bad thing in my mind).

"if you are looking for down to earth, diverse and academic"
This is exactly what we are looking for. We attended EC's offer holders event today and had a chance to talk with current parents. They draw a more positive picture (I guess that is why they are there), so we are even more confused!

I have personal (good) experience of KGS and friends whose kids are at EC (and very happy there). Both are great schools but very different.

EC - lots travelling in various school coaches so network of families is spread out, long schools days, high fees (noting hike from Y9) mean it is only catching a narrower elite group. Some children boarding and no flexi option. Amazing sports but remember 1st team likely to be scholars / county level.

KGS - local school as no school bus. Relaxed vibe and pupils like access to Kingston. Strong on academics but takes its sports and drama seriously. But ultimately it’s in a smaller urban location.

“if you are looking for down to earth, diverse and academic" - my view is that perfectly captures KGS.

@ConfusedButSteady we were at the Epsom offer day too. Impressive wasn’t it? I loathed the idea of Saturday school initially but it was hard not to feel like they would be really well looked after at Epsom. The prep at school could make life so much easier for us - we have a bright, all rounder but he definitely needs the right structure to do well. Just to say, I know three other kids (including my DS) coming from state primary - all hard working, down to earth families sacrificing a lot to prioritise school fees. So yes I expect there are some very affluent parents, but there is a range.

My kids went from state school to EC and are very happy there. I don't recognise some of the comments about the school but I guess every year group can be different. There are a handful of State school kids in both their years.

I completely understand why parents move kids at some point for various reasons but I think it's wrong to label an entire school.

Please feel free to DM me if you want any further info - I'll give you an honest view. Ultimately it's best to talk directly to the School if you're not sure.

Good luck with your decision .. all those schools have strong merits.

State school prismry parent here who has two children at EC, boy&girl.

My children have made some incredible friends at EC and we love it. As parents we put quite a bit of effort into getting to know the parents of our children’s friends and have built up a great community since being there.

The school is for kids that want to get stuck in. It’s not just sports, they have some incredible music/drama and debating teams.

excelling in something/anything, is COOL! In any subject, the children are all made to feel immensely proud of their achievements.

if you’ve got a kid that is looking to explore then EC is awesome.

MEGA IMPORTANT TO SAY: I can only speak for EC due to my own personal experience however I know how highly regarded KGS is. I’ve got friends who rave about the place.

You’re in a glorious position with a win-win outcome. Go with your gut.

Oh and most parents I’ve met are dual income families. Yes there are those with lots, but every person/parent I’ve met are normal. (Not bashing any super rich dudes reading this thread. Rock on!)

Thank you for all the messages. They were super helpful. I think the most important action one can take is to attend the events in person and ask questions.

After attending the taster lesson at KGS, DS came and said "KGS it is" which is aligned with our feelings.