Kingsdale vs Charter North Dulwich- opinions please

[Surfer1978]

Would love any feedback/views on the relative merits of Charter North Dulwich vs Kingsdale Foundation School.

Our son has just received a full music scholarship offer from Kingsdale (he’s in the top 15% bracket which we’re told means he’s pretty much guaranteed a place). He’s v bright academically but has some SEN needs (not too severe). He struggles a bit socially and can find big crowds/overly noisy environments challenging. Kingsdale is obviously large.

We have heard mixed things from people with kids at Kingsdale. Pros seem to be teacher engagement, lots of clubs and an opportunity to find your tribe. Downsides are it’s a bit chaotic, easy to cruise, Science isn’t great and there’s quite a hard partying scene. It’s also further away from us.

We think he stands a good chance of getting into Charter North Dulwich, which is closer, smaller and sets for maths (his favourite subject) from Year 7. On the downside we have heard dire things about the SEN team, the class sizes are bigger, and the teachers (head especially) don’t seem very inspiring.

Any thoughts on advice on the two schools would be much appreciated. They’re obviously both decent and we know we’re lucky to have the choice. Thanks!

I know children at both schools but mine are elsewhere. The general consensus is CN provides decent, consistent ish focus on key academic achievement, but is fairly dire on extra curriculars including arts, music, etc and mixed with SEN. A majority of the children I know at CN are tutored outside of school (reflection on the parents rather than the school, perhaps?).

Kingsdale in contrast is brilliant for arts, music, sports and other extra curricular. None of the children I know there now or recently have been tutored, all v high flyers but yes I have heard a “coasting” comment from the parent of one of them.

Worth knowing that over half of kingsdale’s intake are “high prior attainers”.

Both are decent schools boasting excellent results. I don’t know any dissatisfied parents and their kids seem happy.

Proximity to school, and school friends, is incredibly valuable too, though.

I’ve got two kids at Kingsdale, both bright, doing well and loving the school. No coasting or hard partying (although not sure what that means). One has extra needs and the school has been great with this, very supportive. If your son loves maths he can apply for the maths scholarship which will give him lots of extra opportunities. Worth bearing in mind though that a full music scholarship doesn’t necessarily guarantee a place. Good luck with your decision.

We have a child at Kingsdale, with some SEN and has had good support. Maths is in sets but they don’t tell the kids which one they are in.

No tutoring or coasting here we don’t think, class sizes are quite small for secondary eg German - 10 and Latin - 15 which helps for languages anyway. All the best for your decision.

I’d second that for class sizes. One of my kid’s GCSE music classes has 6 pupils in it even though there are 60 pupils in the year taking the subject.

2 at Kingsdale- happy- interested- lots of friends. Both very academic, no tutoring needed. I keep signing forms for trips, Belgium Eurospace centre, Philarmomic Orchestra, sport outings, Geography Iceland, Paris reward trip, Imperial college for rocket launching, robot learning lab, skiing in Andorra. Children know everyone in their year group, as no fixed classes. I personally love the music dep- concerts are great fun + innovative. I remember teachers & students doing a live battle of Irish Folk /Eastern Europe Folk, with audience participations. Didn t like my first visit- too big & dusty, but happy with our choice. Mentality feels cycling friendly too, keeping kids healthy and independent + lots of buses+ train station very near.

Mine was at KFS and a music scholar - and very SEN.

She had a very happy 5 years - although I don't remember a single party as DD is no wallflower. She still has lots of friends there in the 6th form and talks about the place fondly. Left with everything she needed for next steps despite her major SEN struggles. Music dept is amazing - as is English and Maths.

It's huge but felt very personal and warm. If I was picking again, I'd make the same choice.

Never heard of parties- I have a 16 years old- his Kingsdale buddies are into going to the gym and week-end runs. Maybe there is a party scene but never mentioned it. Kids are surprisingly into health and fitness these days.

Neither school impressed on open days. It was very disappointing.

But I found this with any of the 'best' schools. They had very little interest in selling the school or trying to impress. Tours were simply cattle herding walkthroughs.

In chatting with other parents, many put these schools down on the CAF but not because they liked the school (and the children certainly didn't) but because they thought they had to. Afterall they're the best. Yet not sure any of us could say what would make them the best for our children.

It let me feeling like students were a number not individuals they care for or support. No square pegs for their round holes. If that's wrong, the school's really need to do better to sell themselves.