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.

I think any school can be amazing or terrible for different children. I think the point is more to understand what people with children there like and don't like about the school, so people can make a judgement if the school would be a good fit for their child.

Some parents and kids will love it, hate it or as you say find a bit meh. What I and other posters have tried to do detail are the positive and negative experiences our children have had to try and help prospective parents get a feeling for the school.

It's often a stressful time for people choosing schools so hopefully some of the posts in this thread can help people decide on top of tours and other research.

@LondonHOPDad what’s the point of that post. Your experiences aren’t more valid than mine, or anyone else’s. Bizarre take.

Well I didn't say that. I was responding to another poster. I don't know how else to explain it.

Watched this thread with interest as I have a child in Yr 7 and want more experience of the school before weighing in.

However, I saw some discussion of scores. In the performance tables that have just come out the progress score is now 0.68. The average score and attainment 8 for 2024 are now above Charter North and Graveney, which I would consider the other outstanding comps in the area. Whether this is a one-off remains to be seen!

Charter North is 0.8, but obviously 0.68 is excellent

Sorry I think you were referring to scores beyond progress 8, I misread

Yes, I was referring to the average Ebacc point score of 6.36 (borough average 4.82) and A8 score of 66.7 (borough average 51.9).

You waited a month before posting? Is this the headteacher?

My daughter achieved full sports scholarship / top 4% standard in the scholarship assessment for 2025 entry. Although the letter confirming the outcome was a bit impenetrable, I understand this gives her a very high chance of being offered a place in the first round (grateful if anyone could correct me on that if I am wrong). I have read the Ofsted report and comments on this and various other forums and it all sounds really positive, so we will be putting Kingsdale as first choice on our application.

My only real concern is the relatively long journey (we are in Bromley) and the walk through the nearby estate to the train station. While I am sure this is fine at the end of the normal school day when there are loads of kids about, I wondered if any other parents - current or prospective - had had concerns about that. Was thinking particularly about her making that journey if she stayed later to attend after school activities, particularly in the winter months.

I think that sounds like a definite place in first round (the wording is never totally clear - but we had something similar and got a place when offers were sent out).

My DD has been doing that walk for 4.5 years and often stays late for clubs. Never had a problem. There are loads of kids - and staff - taking the trains so generally they will be with others. In the morning and evenings the back gate is also open (and staffed) so it's a very quick route. It's well lit so they don't need torches or anything.

I was initially concerned about the journey when considering this school for my list and it was a huge factor for me. Now having children in more local schools it’s definitely a luxury being able to get home nice and quickly especially if they have evening clubs etc and homework .
However, friends I’ve spoken to who have children there don’t seem too worried about it. The only concern they’ve mentioned is that, since students can’t use smartphones, it can be challenging to navigate changes in train schedules, especially at night but have helped their children in learning those more independent skills. Still, this issue isn’t significant enough to deter them from choosing the school.

I didn’t know reg smart phones; first time I hear. What apps do they use for timetables and homework. DD is at different school; she can use her smartphone outside school.

I see loads of Kingsdale kids on their way to and from the school and many of them appear to have smart phones.
I have no idea if they are officially banned in the school but clearly when they aren't on the premises most pupils seem to have phones.

I have travelled on a train with Kingsdale year 7s. They all had smartphones, which they were using to check train times and routes (I was only on that train as the other routes weren't working).

I think all schools in Southwark adopted a no smartphones rule from this year. For Kingsdale certainly Y7s are not meant to have them in school at all, though of course if at the bottom of a bag switched off unlikely to be checked. Children in higher years have a 2 year grace period as they recognise most already have phones etc.

There is a lovely debate in our primary about whether to get children smart phones or not. We are leaning towards not for our child who will join in Y7.

Kingsdale has a clear policy against smartphones, and our friends adhere to this rule. While some others may choose to not follow it, our friends follow the guidelines set in place and see it as a positive step for the school in most ways. This policy has been in effect since the beginning of this academic year.

Y8 and above are allowed smartphones, Y7 are not and this will continue as they go up the school.

This was after a big protest over smartphones in loads of Southwark schools. KFS have the least draconian rules of the ones I've seen but broadly in line.

There are a lot of apps. Satchel, Go4Schools, Teams and School Workspace. Then all the other homework ones depending on subject.

Personally I am massively in favour of smartphones but there is a big cohort of parents that want them banned.

I have a child in year 8 at Kingsdale and I have to say it has more than lived up to it’s outstanding Ofsted rating for us. It’s a fantastic school. That’s not to say there aren’t other great schools in SE London, of course there are, but Kingsdale does excel in certain areas, particularly sport and the arts.

The music department is phenomenal with a recording studio, production suite, multiple practice rooms and a dedicated performance hall just for music, as well as a huge range of ensembles, bands and orchestras (which are open to everyone, not just scholars). Next year their big band will be competing in a jazz competition in Philadelphia and one of their choirs will be touring Europe. The passion and ambition of the music teachers is clear to see, and the instruments and facilities are open for students to use whenever they want.

The journey via Sydenham Hill has never been a problem (my child travels with friends who go on to Bromley) and coming home after clubs there are generally groups of kids walking to the station together. One of the great things we’ve found about the school is that the size and the broad range of extra-curricula stuff means your child has lots of opportunities to find like minds and different friendship groups.

We’ve never been that fussed about school performance stats, we just loved the open day and my child fell in love with the school as soon as they saw the music department. But if stats are important to you then the latest posting on compare schools is pretty impressive.

I think it is a good idea to delay the use of smart phones as long as possible; they are so adictive; maybe year 9 or 10.

We need a different thread for this debate 😂

That is good to hear

Random question, are there just a small handful from as far as Bromley/Shortlands? Or are the families largely from the immediate Dulwich/HH/W Norwood area, with the next majority from Sydenham/Crystal Palace?

I see absolutely loads of Kingsdale kids getting the train from Gipsy Hill station which goes to Victoria and London Bridge (and Croydon) so they seem to be travelling from all over.
There's school coaches too.

Total mix and all over London and well beyond.
I think at one point one kid was in Cambridge, and quite a few from bits of Surrey.

We're 90 minutes commute and DD's friends don't live near each other either. Works out fine as lots of extra curricular after school onsite, and if they want to meet up in holidays then tends to be central London and they all travel.

@OhCrumbsWhereNow does your dd struggle fitting in the extracurriculars and then a 90 min commute?

Kids who can sit on a train and get work done and get wifi - is a different matter than sitting on a bus for ages and waiting for a bus for ages. It is not so much the time period, but ease of commute that matters. There is nothing more frustrating than 2 or 3 buses required for a short distance journey and buses being so full you cannot get on. That issue crops up less with trains. However, of course the train strikes were an issue.