Top state schools for DS and DD in Twickenham, Richmond, Ham areas

[LDNmeetsSurrey]

Hi

I'd really welcome your recommendations and reasons why for secondary state schools (ie not independent) in the Richmond, Ham, Twickenham areas.

We have a DD and DS so coed ideally. So far I've heard good things about Orleans Park and Grey Court.

What else would you list and why?

Not considering catchment at this point as we would be moving into the right spot based on school.

Gosh, you're like a dog with a bone, and it's tiresome. I'm fully aware of the requirements for doing a Computer Science degree, and, as I said, A Level Computer Science is optional.

But in any case, that isn't what this thread is about.

not least because many schools don't teach it
?
Compulsory subject in England. Actually they have computer subject in Primary even...

How come you don't know that your kids have it at school? 🫤

Gosh, you're like a dog with a bone, and it's tiresome.

I am sorry but you stating a lot of inacurracies and offending the person you speaking by comments as above as you clearly not able to write without ad personam trips. Please remember that you don't need to respond and nobody forces you to do it.

A Level Computer Science is optional.
I don't recall that I written that it is compulsory for everybody. What I wrote is that for some subjects at uni it is required.

You misunderstood my post.

Most schools offer either:
a) Triple Science (aka Separate Sciences - 3 GCSEs) or
b) Combined Science (aka Double Science - 2 GCSEs).

Both options include Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Triple science is usually considered more academic because it includes more content.

At Tiffin, they use option blocks in key stage 4, which limits what boys can choose. If they choose Triple Science then they can't also choose Computer Science. If they want to do Computer Science then they have to choose Combined Science instead.

But again, this is nothing to do with this thread. It was just a passing comment.

It is part of the national curriculum, but it doesn't have to be offered at GCSE or A level. Many schools don't have a Computer Science teacher. It's one of the subjects that is most difficult to recruit for.

Got it. Nobody can stop you from taking additional A- level subjects. Mahnoor Cheema isis taking 28 after taking 34 GCSE subject and passing them with A*s

If they are going studying computing they don't need biology or chemistry. Physics is not required anywhere.
I am not a fan of Tiffin boys and any single gender schools

That could be the case at GCSE level but when choosing Six form one doesn't make odd choices of Six form college where they don't offer a subject one wants to take at A levels.

Yes, I do recall that Turing had an issue with changing computer teacher and a gap with support teachers for a while. But I believe it was resolved around a year ago

It's Sixth Form, not Six Form. (Not sure if that's just a repeated typo or a genuine mistake so thought it worth mentioning).

Yes, THS has a Computer Science teacher.

This thread is getting a bit grumpy, so I'll just pop in a quick word for Teddington, which is vastly improved. My dd1 was there through its dark days but still didn't do bad and is now at a good uni. Kathy Pacey, the Head who turned it round, is now HT at Orleans.

My dd2 is still at Teddington. She has complex issues and won't be troubling any uni, and in fact barely went to school at all for a couple of years. Overall the school have been very patient and understanding, the new HT in particular really gets her and is a very visible presence in the school corridors. She is now back at full attendance and actually studying, which would have seemed a miracle last year. The teachers there really put themselves out to keep her engaged.

I'm adding that in because MN parents choosing secondary are often focused on which school will get my kid into a good uni, but you also need to know which schools will have your child's back if things don't go to plan. Teddington worked for both my kids, who couldn't be more different.

Through my children I know kids across all the borough schools, and in my view they are all good. In the end so much comes down to your child's personality, who they make friends with, and who their teachers are. I also think that the most local school is a huge benefit.

Oh, and can confirm that not all children in the borough get to go to Esher - I know a number of Teddington kids that didn't.

I actually live there and I don't know what you are used to, but it is safe and feels safe. I walk my dogs in the woods on my own. Latchmere rec is an incredible local resource.

Actually, current Y11 at Turing House has also increased to 165 pupils AFAIK from my dc!

RTS opened 2 years after Turing House, in 2017.

No, that's not quite correct. The only secondary schools that provide a guaranteed place at Esher College for their students are those WITHOUT a 6th form. Not all students at all those borough schools at all.

The others get offered a place via random allocation. There is also a reserve list in operation with hundreds of students on it!

OP when we looked at houses in Ham many years ago (15+ actually), the only ones within our budget were on the Asburnham estate. That was then considered the 'more affordable' (read cheaper) part of Ham, but was a stone's throw away from Grey Court. We didn't feel 100% happy or safe, so didn't move there in the end.

I’m sorry your thread has got so derailed OP. Unfortunately this is always the way with any posts about schools in the borough. You can be looking for something specific (eg SEND support or pastoral care, not that I know anything about the latter apparently) and get bombarded with GCSE and progress 8 data.

Several years ago there were a few secondary schools you would have wanted to steer clear of but things have changed so much. Most will do really well by the majority of their students. The sort of things I’d consider is whether your DC will be ok in an 8-form intake school or would one of the smaller ones be a better fit? Don’t worry about sixth form - by that point your DC will have strong opinions about where is best. (FWIW I think we were told approx 25% chance of a place at Esher if not at a guaranteed school.)

Thanks all.

I think we'd be happy with GC from all I've read and heard and seen. The challenge is a house, nothing with 3 decent bedrooms under a million that I can find...much prefer the style over st Margaret's near Orleans park , and can find lots of nice places, but £1.5 mil upwards it seems for a 3 bed house.

I'd stay put (Sutton grammars on the doorstep) if only there was a decent state comp alternative...

If you are in Sutton, what about Carshalton Girls/Boys? Or Cheam High? There's also Greenshaw and Glenthorne.

Ham is very different from St Margaret's for sure! I can see why you dont want it if you want to be near Orleans. But north Kingston/Ham is much more interesting than you might think. Lots of actors, musicians live locally. But yes prices in north Kingston are high for relatively small houses. Mostly Victorian semis.

I think we'd be happy with GC from all I've read and heard and seen. @LDNmeetsSurrey

Please bear in mind that GC catchment is not stopping by the river but it is measured as a walking distance from GC school. This means that the kids who live near Teddington Lock also get to the GC because they take the pedestrian/cycling bridge over Thames. You can find a place near Teddington lock and still be accepted

Thanks @Arran2024 - I actually really like the north Kingston area but the catchment cuts off where those houses are unfortunately.

@TheGoldenGate yes I'd spotted that, but the prices are actually greater on the other side of the lock it seems so not a great help unfortunately

@Meredusoleil ah I'm not that close. Purley!

Oh! In that case I would say you have Woodcote, no?

@Meredusoleil unfortunately Woodcote is a pretty average performing school overall, and hasn't had stable leadership in recent years and not a great rep.

Academically, for comparison at A -levels. Grey Court: AAB or better 31.3% vs Woodcote 7.7%. Orleans Park is 29.2%. Even the nearest well regarded school, Riddlesdown, is only 9%, has over 2000 pupils and some of the behaviour locally (plus a stabbing outside the school a few years back) makes me not want that environment for our DD.

But surely then you can look at the Kingston Academy, Coombe Girls /Boys etc.

@Arran2024 Combe girls more east, practically New Malden isn't it?

I don't know much about Kingston Academy, results seem ok (not comparable to Grey Court or Orleans Park). I'll look into it, but the point is if Grey Court is the aiming point, then there is a clear cut off point in north Kingston that doesn't include the nice Victorian properties (maybe with the exception of Durlston Road).