11 Plus Exams Forum

Where would you rather send your academically able daughter to: Surbiton High or Kingston Grammar? Would love to hear different opinions as we can't make up our mind and DD (Y5) is equally confused? Many thanks.

Surbiton is all girls right? So I suppose whether you and your daughter prefer single sex or mixed educations comes into it. I know girls at both schools and get the impression that Kingston Grammar is the more academic of the two but that is just my own feeling, not based on anything solid.

whichwitch wrote:Surbiton is all girls right? So I suppose whether you and your daughter prefer single gender or mixed educations comes into it. I know girls at both schools and get the impression that Kingston Grammar is the more academic of the two but that is just my own feeling, not based on anything solid.

I agree, that's it in a nutshell, also might want to condsider the religious dimension at Surbiton?

Also, if DD is interested in sport then Kingston is definitely the place to go (unless her sporting interest is skiing )

Academically I would say that there isn't a huge amount in it between these schools any more. Really does come down to whether you want co-ed or not. Would be interesting to hear if anyone thinks the new head of KGS has made any major changes since she started.

Thanks for your replies. Do you know how strong religous education is in Surbiton High? We would rather DD goes to the girls school but, to be honest, we liked KG more. Anybody knows anything about a new head, are there any big changes?

From my experience of the Junior School at SHGS, religion is low-key ... and no more than my DD has experienced at any other school she's been to. Academically - I don't think there's anything between the schools (look at Parent Power on the Sunday Times website). As others have said, it all boils down to whether you prefer all girls (which I do). A drawback with both schools is that they are urban locations, with sports fields a short bus ride away in Thames Ditton (for KGS) and Hinchley Wood for Surbiton. DD is going into the senior school at Surbiton so we've been happy with the school - although one minus this year, is that it has a very big intake (8 classes - small (c21 girls) but still ...). The new headteacher (who came from Guildford High) has given the school drive and a good academic focus, but it's still a happy school which takes a broader mix of abilities than some others in the area (eg LEH), and they are great at helping every girl to do their best ... and they get the good results too ...

Thanks cuteblue for your reply, it sounds very reassuring. We are also more in favour to girls only school. We went to see Junior Dpt this year but didn't like it much, it was very crowded!