Are kensington aldridge academy, holland park and tiffin school good schools and how is the experience

[OneShyGreyScroller]

Looking at sending my daughter to one of these. Just wondering about the following if you've visited, worked or sent your kids there!

1. How is the atmosphere? Is there a lot of creativity and discussion, or is it like an exam hall?
2. How are extracurricular activities, are there a lot of them, and what is PE like?
3. Are teachers overly strict - sending kids to detention for silly stuff like 2 minutes late, forgot something, sock colour, chatting or doodling?
4. Do they lock school toilets/not allow children to use them during lessons?
5. Is there a bullying problem, and are teachers aggressive/yell?

Thanks so much in advance!

bump

sending kids to detention for silly stuff like 2 minutes late, forgot something, sock colour, chatting or doodling?

You cannot freely chat during lessons, nor wear clothing that is not part of the school uniform policy in many schools if not most. To get detention, you have to be significantly late or regularly late by few minutes. This is not a primary school, and pupils who are doodling during the lesson in year 6 instead of paying attention are not likely ending up at, for example, Tiffin School for Girls. Yes, students need to bring the required school equipment in every school.
In many school kids are allowed to go toilet but in extremely rare circumstances. The breaks are for it.

Bullying can happen anywhere.

This

really demonstrates that it’s about the right fit to pupil(s) and parents/guardians rather than an overall ‘good’ school. Good to harness the power of MN and any other networks to get a good view of the culture of the school.

all the best.

You are comparing apples and pears here OP as you presumably know and unlikely to get parents with experience of both RBKC coed comprehensives and a highly selective girls school in Kingston.

Best as ever to visit the schools: walking around during the normal school day will give you a sense of 1, you can ask questions 2 and 4 of the children showing you round the school - they will be honest! Ask 5 of staff - the question is how do they deal with it (be deeply suspicious of schools that claim to have no bullying!).

I don't know Tiffin but both KAA and HPS are high performing sought after schools and as per PP I can't imagine they tolerate any of the behaviours you list in 3. But again the children attending the school will give you the most accurate information.

You are very much right

Atmosphere at KAA is positive, community driven and about the whole child. Broad foci academically with a rare emphasis on the arts and enrichment programme due to it's charitable fund (Intrepidus Trust).
Teaching and learning is excellent and develops oracy and creativity.
PE is good with excellent facilities, muga pitch on roof, access to leisure centre opposite and WestWay.
One of the strongest and caring pastoral team and systems I have experienced. They believe in a warm/strict approach. So absolutely, 2 mins late can lead to a detention and it should for fairness and consistency but it is delivered in a warm way with the rationale clearly explained.
Toilets should be locked during lesson time for safeguarding in any big school. Students are escorted by the senior team during lessons if they have a medical reason to go outside of break times. But no, students in most schools are not sent out of a lesson to the toilets by themselves whenever they want to go.
Bullying is in every school. It is whether the school reacts fairly and quickly to these issues and has a good student voice that can raise concerns. KAA handles any bullying well with a zero tolerance approach. Teachers are trained to not yell and shout at students. The only times this might happen is to a large group who need to be warned to stop for safety. Then of course a raised voice is necessary.
KAA is an consistently outstanding school going from strength to strength.