Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Secondary education

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

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Wimbledon high girls schhol vs colchester county girls high school

7 replies

AvidBird · 23/02/2024 22:09

Currently, My DD is eligible for Wimbledon High School and Colchester County High School. I am on rental accommodation so flexible to move near school.
Looking for some advice
Which option to school select out of 2
Which school is good in both Academics and sports
Do Girls leave WHS before A-level

OP posts:
gavisconismyfriend · 23/02/2024 22:30

Hi OP. You’ll probably get more responses if you post on the Education board. Academic Common Room is for people working in Higher Education so we’re probably not much use to you I’m afraid.

Walkingtheplank · 23/02/2024 22:42

I don't think you'll find many people with experience of both schools as they are about 70 miles apart!

KimMumsnet · 25/02/2024 20:27

Hi, OP. We've moved your thread to the Secondary Education board now.

vivalasviva · 25/02/2024 20:46

That's quite an unusual choice of schools so hard to compare! Obviously one is free and the other isn't- is that an important factor? Would you prefer to live near Colchester or Wimbledon?
Yes girls do leave before A levels at WHS and new ones join. That's not unusual for a selective girls school in London though.
WHS is a great school. I'm sure Colchester is as well but I don't know anything about it I'm afraid!

QuiteAJourney · 25/02/2024 20:52

As @Walkingtheplank has said, I think pretty doubtful that there will people with experience of both schools.

WHS is rather academic and, on a quick look, the results are strong than for the other school that you mention. A key difference is the fees (not sure what is your financial situation, etc) and, even if you are in rented accommodation, surely where to live is a major issue, not only in terms of preferences but also of cost. And I assume that there may differences also in terms of curriculum (e.g. MFL on offer, GCSE options, etc), not to mention the extracurricular.

Focusing on WHS, which I have direct experience of, it is a great school, with strong academics and pastoral, a wide and inclusive community and a very strong extra-curricular offer. It is quite progressive in terms of the teaching with a big focus on DDs' responsibility. Quite a few girls leave after GCSEs, mostly those that have been in single sex education since age 4 (and especially in the same school), almost all to super-competitive co-ed, like Kings College Wimbledon or Westminster, which is a sign, in a way of the high standards of the school. There are quite a few posts about it in different threads which I would encourage you to read.

puffyisgood · 26/02/2024 10:59

I very much doubt that there's anyone in the country who knows both well, why would they?

MarchingFrogs · 26/02/2024 11:40

Believe it or not, some people do get their DC to do a nigh-on 100 mile round trip each day from bits of outer London to the Colchester grammar schools...

@AvidBird, when you visited both areas and scoped out where would be the best from the point of view of your 11 year old's commute, which felt the best fit for the family as a whole? You must have formed an opinion, having targeted those particular schools?

Did you also apply for an OOC place at Westcliff or Southend High School for Girls, for which your DD's CSSE score would also qualify her? I assume that she scored well above recent entry thresholds for CCHSG, if you are sure of an offer.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread