SE London boys

[Plongeur]

Please can parents of boys living in the SE London area give some honest low down on the local secondary schools.

I get the impression they are decent but know nobody with kids actually been through them … Forest Hill boys, Prendergast Ladywell, Kingsdale, Harris boys all get mentioned probably in that order of favourability…any experiences of the culture the teaching the academic wider, the community engagement etc etc

Thank you!

Sorry OP I don’t have advice but am bumping for you. I’d be interested in this too.

Thank you! Yes it is hard to get honest opinions everyone is worried about offending other people I think - and biz are how little time you really get to choose and see the schools…so please do share thoughts SE parents!

Bumping also!

Is there a better forum to add it to?

My DS goes to FH boys, he’s doing extremely well, is very happy and has a lovely bunch of friends. I know a lot of friends who sent their boys there, they’ve all done very well ( at uni now!). Kingsdale is very hard to get into due to the lottery system. I’d recommend visiting all the schools to get a feel for them! I also know boys at Prendergast who are very happy too. I hear less about Harris, it seems a bit marmite - people either love it or hate it!

Thank you! That’s helpful to know - if you or any others reading can add any more about the school culture parent community (if there is one!)and how the after school clubs and informal social stuff or creative stuff works that would be great.

They're all good schools but quite different. I've had two boys at FHS and have been happy with it, it's a very caring school and kids do well academically. Any minor issues I've had have been dealt with very quickly.

I know others who are very happy with all the other schools you list. If you're on Facebook you could post on the SE23 mums or Brockley groups.

You will probably have a bit of a gut reaction when you visit each school to be honest, you'll have a sense of if it feels right for your son.

I can't comment on the other schools obviously, but FHS has a friendly parent body, though you're not nearly as involved as at primary school. There was a good range of after school clubs in year 7, which were good for making friends. My kids lost interest by year 8. It's made creative arts it's special subject and there is lots of dance/drama/music. Half if the Ezra Collective went to FHS and it's had a strong jazz tradition but if you want classical music you won't beat Kingsdale. A good amount of trips my younger son has been to see Hamilton and This is England in the last year, there are skiing trips and trips to Iceland too. One thing I think is great is that year 7s go off to an activity centre together in their first term.

Sorry for appalling grammar, typing on a bus with interruptions!

They are also running a series of workshops for the boys from ‘beyond equality’, tackling toxic masculinity - an eastenders special on this was recently filmed there. Their year 7 transition programme is excellent, they run several activity days in the summer holidays so the boys can get to know the building and some of the teachers. And their head of year 7 is wonderful. But yes go and see it, judge for yourself- you’ll know.

This is so helpful really appreciate it! Thank you