Kingsdale Foundation School

[WhatILoved]

What's so great about this school? I'm navigating choices and have been to visit this one we and others in the area. It is massively over subscribed and people really want their kids to go there. It feels huge. If I'm honest I didn't get a real feeling for it, probably hampered by fact I could only visit in a Saturday whilst other schools I've seen in action during the week. However whenever I ask local parents of older children there if they recommend it I very rarely get outstanding recommendations for it. I've had at worse "don't even think about sending your child there!" And at best " yes my kids have done really well but it's not all that"
I'd love to know therefore why it has waiting lists that go to infinity.

Because absolutely anyone can apply to it wherever they live and they present themselves as a dynamic middle class friendly option for those who are not excited by their local secondaries.

Exactly the above. They also tempt the kids in with promises of fancy extra curricula activities that in reality few can access (e.g. horseriding). It's notable it's right next to an estate and yet by using the lottery system they can conveniently not take children from that estate.

It's huge as well, 16 form entry I think.

They tout the 'most applied to' label but that's just an artifact of them having no distance criteria really.

We've known a couple of teachers there who were not effusive in praise. Loads of homework as well which alway makes me suspicious of the efficacy of a school.

Its exactly as the poster above noted - its an outstanding secondary school with no distance criteria - so it is oversubscribed so many more times than other schools locally because everyone has the chance of a place. They also have a weird scholarship system but it seems that it doesn't actually result in a place - more if you get the lottery place you get the scholarship. Not sure if this is for all or if full = a place.

Some people really like it, others don't, but in any event its not somewhere you can really assume you'll get a place at so is a wildcard at best.

I live near it.
I found the building very claustrophobic and shabby when I did the tour. The wooden 'pod' thing where the head gave a talk.... urrgh.
I really didn't think it was anything special. I know loads of kids there - and it seems to be that the general view is - "It's ok I suppose...".
I don't understand the fuss personally 🤷
Most of the parents I know who chose it did so simply because it's the nearest school.

Yes I thought it was so boiling! And it wasn't even that warm outside

I believe there are plans to give pupils from some of the nearby primary schools priority places. It will be interesting to see if that makes a difference.

My perfectly capable DD did the entry test in 2016 and was rejected.

They never told us why.

Luckily we found another school where she thrived. Their loss.

It would do a huge amount for their reputation to re-establish some links to their local community. It's been a very sore subject since they changed their admissions.

Its not an entry test - its a banding test. They do a test to sort kids into 6 (i think) bands and then they offer the places they have available equally over those bands. its not the only school who uses banding tests but might be the only one in the local area. If kids weren't offered places its not based on 'how they did' - just that they didn't get a lottery place within their band.

All I know that is from years of living here (under 2 miles away) the local parent Facebook pages are full of people asking about their waiting list place after offers day. I'd say our other options are good so was curious to know if anyone had any rave reviews. But maybe not!

Yes they claim to take equal amount of kids from each band. As do Harris etc
They have given some local schools a certain number of spaces (40 out of about 450) this year

@Anicecumberlandsausage it's because it's a lottery.
Literally anyone who applies can get in if their name is pulled out the hat (I don't think it's an actual hat).
(unless they are starting the primary school priority thing then things are gonna change)

They've expanded again this year though so the 40 places are probably the 'extra ones' . They add hugely to the traffic issues locally though as lots of pupils don't walk to school, its compounded by being really close to DPL and DC which are non catchment based. One of the considerations for us in looking at it was that our children's friends were less likely to live within walking distance to us too rather than at the other distance based options.

@northerngoldilocks as far as I know all the boroughs do banding tests for the LA run schools. All the academies like Harris etc do their own as well.
(I don't understand the appeal of the Harris schools either)

40 is nothing though, Dulwich Wood has 2 form entry so at least 60 kids just there.

They have 'scholarship' tests as well as banding tests but those don't seem to guarantee entry either, just bump you up a bit.

From memory when I went to the open evening part of the sell is that it's a school for parents who don't like Harris and won't get into Charter or Haberdashers (this was explicitly said by a parent who made a speech on the platform). I assume that also goes for parents who live further away and don't like their local options for whatever reason but like the sound of Kingsdale. They market themselves as a very middle class option, and some of the other (excellent) secondaries in the local area do not.

I don't think they care about their reputation with the local community. Didn't they get the lawyers onto MN to get critical posts taken down? looks around.

After I typed i realised that yes, lots do actually. But they're all just banding - not like indi schools looking for ability.

They're very hot on what is written about them on social media, yes.

I think with Kingsdale - if you like it put it top but you also have to accept its a remote chance for anyone. Its not a choice you could bet everything on getting, but lots of people clearly do like it as they fill over 200 places a year.

Interesting thanks for all your comments

One thing I do prefer about them is they don't seem overly strict about the uniform (at least going by the hords I see going to and from the school).

I really didn’t like it, I went to two open days two years running and I also thought it was shabby and unimpressive! Plus it’s fairly impossible to get in due to lottery system.

Also it’s so massive, my concern is that non scholars would get lost/ignored.

Saying that I know lots of parents who put it as first choice. None of them got in though. The only ones I know who got in did so due to older siblings already there. I know a parent who raves about it and his kids have both done well. As with all schools it’s very personal!

At least that's one person who raves about it. I know parents with kids there and although no complaints they don't rave about it like someone else might about another secondary