11 Plus Exams Forum

Any views out there? If you had a choice, which one would you go for? (obviously one you pay for, the other not)

Hi Dumbdad - do you mean Kingston Grammar as the fee-paying school?

Well you know what I'll say. Tiffin definitely. Unless you want co-ed. I can't think of any other reason.

Fantastic school, great all-round education, wide range of extra-curricular activities and school trips - and no fees, meaning you hopefully have disposable income available to pay for family holidays etc and all the other things that make life worthwhile. You will be politely asked to pay a voluntary maintenance contribution of around £40 (?) per month (which we pay as we know the school really needs it).

If it's not Kingston Grammar (sorry looked again as I thought it was KGS and I don't know what KCS stands for!) I still wouldn't think any differently, unless your son's journey to Tiffin would be horrendous.

KCS = Kings College School perhaps - one of the top Independent schools.

Thanks grgygirl. I'm not familiar with independent schools apart from one or two near where I live where friends' children have gone.

Sorry, yes, King's College School, Wimbledon.

If you can afford it, then I would choose KCS all the way, for facilities, opportunities, results, (2nd in country in telegraph league tables this year), 54 oxbridge offers, a choice between IB and A levels. I'm a bit biased because we have just accepted it for our DS though.

pepys74a wrote:If you can afford it, then I would choose KCS all the way, for facilities, opportunities, results, (2nd in country in telegraph league tables this year), 54 oxbridge offers, a choice between IB and A levels. I'm a bit biased because we have just accepted it for our DS though.

That's the thing, dumbdad: we will all be biased towards our own choice of school for our own children! You need someone with a child at each school really to give a balanced view... What does your son and the rest of the family think? Which school is closer? Money is the main deciding factor for most people but if this is not an issue for you other considerations come into play. Good luck with the decision.

Money would be tight but it's not a showstopper.

Tiffin is nearer but both are easily reached, KCS 20 mins on train, Tiffin a 10 mins bus ride. League tables - or academic performance - certainly relevant but pastoral side as important, perhaps more so, for us. Difference of view at home, though DS seems unfussed either way. He liked the history room at Tiffin, and the loos, and liked the library, and Star Wars lego display at KCS.

Dear @dumbdad,
Can please I ask which you chose? I am in the same predicament.