Opinions on Nonsuch, please

Eleven Plus (11+) in Surrey (Sutton, Kingston and Wandsworth)

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Giulio
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Oct 02, 2008 4:31 pm
Location: London

Opinions on Nonsuch, please

Post by Giulio »

Hi

I'd appreciate to hear frank opinions and facts about Nonsuch, from current parents and not.
Who goes there, how is the ethnic mix?
How are sports and music?
Do they ask for donations? Are meals, uniforms, etc, expensive? (compared to other schools)
How many girls actually come from the catchment area?
or anything else I wouldn't find in the school brochure, really.

Thanks for any contribution

G
huntlie
Posts: 211
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 11:08 am

Post by huntlie »

You've come to the right place! I have sent you a pm.
geling
Posts: 153
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:18 pm

Post by geling »

Hi, huntlie: would you mind copying me a PM as well, thanks in advance.
Especially compared it with Tiffin girls? or: you could simply put your opinion here and maybe more parents would benifit from it? :lol:
2outof3
Posts: 331
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2009 3:21 pm

Opionions on Nonsuch

Post by 2outof3 »

I have one daughter already there and one starting in September.

No school is perfect, but Nonsuch does have many good points. I'm not going to talk about exam results as that information is all readily available.

We picked the school as our first choice (over Tiffins which is actually more local) because we preferred the "feel" of the place. Although much larger, it has (in my opinion) a friendlier atmosphere and is definitely not overly pushy. My daughter has never been stressed by homework or tests etc. (I am an ex-Tiffin girl myself and had a great time there).

As for intake - it is very mixed as you would expect from a Greater London grammar school. Approximately half of my dd's class is from an ethnic minority and it seems to work well - no reason why it shouldn't. From what I could tell from dd2 induction day last week, this figure is higher. The girls also seem mixed in terms of background - some obviously wealthy and others very "normal".

Music is very well catered for and drama is improving. I am a little disappointed with the sport - there is plenty of it, but it doesn't seem to be taken particularly seriously. Fine if you're not very competitive, but maybe not so great if you are. Tiffins definitely takes the sport more seriously.

Anyway, new head starting in September so there probably will be changes afoot.

Hope that helps
geling
Posts: 153
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:18 pm

Post by geling »

2outof3: thanks for your quick reply. It does helps!
SunlampVexesEel
Posts: 1245
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:31 pm

Post by SunlampVexesEel »

We have friends with DDs at NonSuch who are very happy with the place.

It was our 2nd choice and we would have taken a place if No.1 choice hadn't paid off.

However, the logistics of getting there, slow buses, lots of traffic etc., would have been tricky so we would probably have moved nearer if it had come to that.

The open day was cool. Telescope on the roof.
Animis opibusque parati
Giulio
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Oct 02, 2008 4:31 pm
Location: London

Re: Opionions on Nonsuch

Post by Giulio »

2outof3 wrote: Anyway, new head starting in September so there probably will be changes afoot.
Thanks a lot.
Could you comment further about the head, current and future?
Nonsuch tried to change admission criteria, is this related?

How are finances?
The head at Wilson's asked for a contribution, optional, not that big, so I don't mind. Is the same at Nonsuch?

G
richmond
Posts: 72
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 3:21 pm
Location: Hampton

Post by richmond »

Am taking DD1 to the open evening tonight to have a look around and see what she thinks of the school. Would be interested to have others feedback after the open evening.

Richmond
huntlie
Posts: 211
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 11:08 am

Post by huntlie »

Decided against saying anything in the end as it was too negative.

Contempt for local residents etc.

Half of classes 'ethnic minority?' No, not this year or last - more like, 'white' girls are the minority.
samsa
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:42 pm

Post by samsa »

We had agreed that GD ought not to be intensively tutored - partly because it seemd to be ruining the childhoods of the others, partly because we felt on principle that it is wrong - so she had some mixed tutoring of about one hour a week from August to November, plus going over a few papers with me. Now, of course, I'm kicking myself - so it ruined their childhoods for a couple of years? But it got them in to a wonderful school where they will have 7 great years, and will be made for life. Guilt!

Huntlie, I'm not judging you but this is what you wrote some time ago when your grand-daughter did not get in to Nonsuch. I have just taken my daughter along for the induction day. Her class was mixed but not in a bad way. My daughter was not extensively tutored but I want everyone to know that the school seems to be well balanced and fair. There are strict uniform codes and I am so pleased with this as my daughter has totally transformed her primary school one! I know the music to be of a high standard and the sport is competitive and they do well in the Sutton Borough meetings. I have taught many girls from this school and they are from a variety of backgrounds and ethnic groups. This does not really mean anything as when they get to the school they seem to mix very well. Any school will have its faults but I hope Huntlie you would be saying the same things if your grand-daughter had got the place.
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