Experiences of Ibstock, Harrodian or Thomas's Richmond for Year 10 entry

[EndlessTreadmill]

We are looking to move our 13 year old DD from her current school (french school) to the English education system, as we think she will thrive better in a more engaging and less dry environment.
We would be looking at an occasional place entry, at schools which are academic enough that she will do well (she is able), but not purely focused on this offer an engaging and kind environment.
We are based in Sheen so looking at Ibstock, Harrodian, and Thomas's Richmond.
We are a normal family, so bit concerned about reports that Harrodian is very 'country club', and Ibstock over-disciplined? And Thomas's a bit of an unknown as no GCSE results to look at?
Does anyone have any experience of these schools they can share? With her starting in Y10, we would need the school to be supportive and help her integrate.
Many thanks for your help!

While I don't know much about the other two schools you mentioned, we are having a very positive experience at Ibstock both in terms of engagement and academic results.

Have you looked at the GCSE subjects offered at each school, as there are differences - not sure whether that plays into what subjects your DD wants to study. Have you visited the schools and got a feel for them?

I have a DS in Y10 at Ibstock, who is happy and doing well academically and has made some lovely friends. He joined in Y7 after an international move so it took a while for him to adapt to the school traditions, rules, etc and find his friends, and I don’t think he got a lot of support from the school with his transition (he has had a different tutor each year, which hasn’t helped). Saying that he’s very happy now. The school has fantastic facilities and is very big on oracy. Loads of co-curricular clubs and sports too.

I have a young DS who just started Y7 at Thomas’s college. He’s settled in very quickly and is also very happy! They have a wide of subjects from Y7 and their new Thomas’s Qualifications - their ethos seems to be a bit more modern/future looking curriculum wise and the school is very welcoming and kindness is their main value. They have a good selection of clubs as well and are growing their sports teams/fixtures a lot this year. There seems to be a real drive to make the school successful and the student population is quickly growing.
My Y7 also got offers at Ibstock and the Harrodian but was 100% on Thomas’s being the school for him.

Oh, Thomas’s has recently updated their website with a lot more about the school and it does have their inaugural results there now. It was small cohorts for GCSE and A-levels for their first year.

Hi, can you possibly explain a bit more about the differences in the GCSEs between these schools? Wasn't so obvious to me, but it might be because I don't know the system!

And about Thomas's - I understand that they do the GCSEs in one year in Y10, to then have 3 years of 6th form. Which might make things very challenging for a child joining in Y10 from a different school and different system, if they then have to get to grips with everything and then crack the GCSEs in one year? Is that your experience?
Many thanks!

Thanks

If you look at the subjects offered for GCSE, usually found in the curriculum guides which can be found on the websites, you can see what subjects and exam boards they each use.

When I did this over a year ago, there were differences in languages, for example, Italian was offered at Harrodian but not at Ibstock or Thomas’s. Harrodian has things like film studies, business, media studies. Ibstock doesn’t have business or economics at GCSE. Computer science at Ibstock uses an exam board where they actually write code on a computer for the exam vs other boards where it’s all written on paper.

Thomas’s have made sixth form to be over 3 years instead of 2 years, with it being year 11, 12, 13. They sit the GCSE exams in year 11 - my understanding is they decide which subjects to sit exams in for GCSE versus taking as TQ’s which are based on the same content but students present as an extended project using various skills such as critical thinking, creativity, communication. Some might take all GCSE, some might take a mix of GCSE and TQ - it’s all designed to be flexible to suit each child individually. I believe the GCSE content is still taught over year 10 and year 11, with the GCSE exams at the end of year 11. Then years 12 and 13 are A-level and TQ. Their website on curriculum explains the approach - we are only in year 7 so we haven’t experienced this yet.

At Ibstock students select their GCSE options (ie subjects they want to take GCSE exams in) in year 9. For languages they can only take it at GCSE if they studied it in year 9. All students have to take English language and English literature GCSE at Ibstock. I think Harrodian only English language was compulsory. Science can be taken as 3 separate GCSE’s (Biology, Chemisty, Physics) or a combined science option worth 2 GCSE’s can be take (it still covers all 3 sciences but to less depth than of taking them separately). Ibstock starts teaching GCSE science content in year 9, as they don’t timetable extra science lessons if they take the 3 separately in year 10/11. This can make it more challenging as there is a lot of content to cover if taking 3 sciences, whereas it’s probably manageable if taking combined science. I think Harrodian did timetable more for science in year 10/11. Thomas’s uses a 2 week timetable so that they can cover more subjects. Ibstock uses a 1 week timetable. I’m not sure what Harrodian does.

There are also differences in the sports offered at each school as well.

Year 10 isn’t a typical entry point, so it might be worth talking directly with each school to understand how that would look for a new joiner, particularly if they were in a different system before. I know both Ibstock and Thomas’s have academic clinics/drop-in support sessions which students can use for extra help/support.

Thank you very much, that’s extremely helpful.

Did he do 11+ last year? I believe they accept CAT4 for round 1 assessment and then a skills assessment. How was the interview/character assessment?

Yes, he did 11+ last year. We submitted his CAT scores instead of ISEB to Thomas’s as advised by his prep school. The assessment was a 3 question paper and not like other entrance papers. They had a sample on the website. They are looking at playfulness of mind. Then he got invited for an interview. He can’t remember much but thinks it was a group activity inventing a game.

As a Harrodian parent, I just want to reassure you that we are also a normal family and there are many others like us a the school :). My children have attended several schools over the years and I must say that whilst I had the same concerns as you before joining, it has turned out to be the most welcoming of all the schools we have been at - both for parents and children. Lots of families from all walks of life, looking to form genuine connections and support each other and the children.

Some really good points mentioned above by another poster with regard to GSCE subjects and how the schools all do things slightly differently which may appeal to you more or less. Harrodian has had particularly strong A Level results in recent years.

It offers a great campus with large on-site sports fields, a boathouse on the Thames for rowing - so plenty of opportunities for sports and outdoors. I like that the children are free to just run out onto sports fields at every break time.

The children have quite an informal and nurturing relationship with teachers which seems to build confidence in them.

Thanks for this insight. I am indeed concerned that Harrodian is a bit too trendy and jetset for us. Do you have boys or girls? I have heard that for girls the atmosphere is very fashion and social media oriented, with the girls wearing makeup at school. Is this your experience?

I used to work at Ibstock, and - especially as you are living in Sheen - would absolutely recommend the school. Easy walk to school, lots of local friends and nurturing environment.
I loved working there - lovely kids and colleagues.

I was at the open day last week and didn't get that impression. No uniforms obviously and it was a pretty relaxed and informal feel aside from just that. But that's outside the classrooms. I know they take maths very seriously. So much sport going on, they even play golf in Y7 at Dukes Meadows, loads of trips away (could get expensive?) it seems. From the carpets, to the coffee shop on campus, the music building and 3D/outdoor tech workshops, it just had a really different feel to other schools. I haven't had chance to see Ibstock or Thomas' College yet though.

I have daughters and a son there and wouldn't say it is overly fashion focused amongst the girls even though they are have the freedom of choosing their own clothes for school. Lots of staple Next, H&M and M&S pieces worn throughout the school week, a few Ralph Lauren sweaters seen sometimes but overall quite low key. Whilst the school does not have a uniform (they have a dress code), many students choose to wear their Harrodian PE kit a lot of the time, so are effectively in uniform anyway.

Make-up is not allowed for most year groups and one of my daughters has told me of girls getting detention for coming in with mascara. There is social media use amongst some girls but it doesn't seem any more than what I am hearing from friends at other schools.

All three schools you are considering are great and all have their strengths - we also looked into Ibstock. But do rest assured that Harrodian is not as intimidating as most people think it is and has lots of down to earth families. The parent group is very social and we were surprised to make so many new friends even joining at senior school where parents tend to be less involved.