Halliford Boys - opinions/experience?

[WOTMum]

My DS is only Y4 and we hope that he will be able to go to our outstanding local comp with his friends from middle school. We are in the catchment area but the distance offered each year can vary a lot, sometimes being way inside catchment sometimes way outside. Hence I have a back up plan which is Halliford Boys in Shepperton, Surrey. I like the idea of him getting more attention as it is a fairly small school, and he is lazy academically though bright. I would also like him to get the chance at some sports other than football, as he is very able and competitive! Any opinion or experiences of Halliford Boys would really help me as although we live less than a 1.5m away we only know of a few boys who go there. How hard is it to get in, do they hold a waiting list, is the school secure financially etc etc? Thank you.

[dearcoty]

Hi WM, I have a son at Halliford who joined in Y9 and is currently Y11. It has been a great place for him and he settled in immediately. The small classes (for most things) are good; one negative is that we feel he does not get that much homework in comparison to other schools. The lazy/bright is how I would describe him aswell - adding shy to the mix. He is not v sporty but there are plenty of opportunities and a friend of ours in a different year does a huge amount of sport: so that helps if you live nearby as we don't! You might be aware that the current head has recently announced that he is retiring at the end of the academic year? There are some ways in which it is a little old fashioned - eg sending everything out on paper rather than using email - so a new head may change this but hopefully not change the atmosphere too much. I am not sure about how hard it is to get in at 11+ as he came through the 13+ route although we know several others who were not offered places at this juncture. Inevitably I think all schools's entrance requirements are rising though. Good luck with your decision - do ask me anything specifically if I can help. DC

[Thisismadness]

I have a son at Halliford in yr8 and really like the school. There's loads of opportunity for sport -he's playing rugby after school three nights this week! And academically I don't find it very different to my other son's more academic school. Halliford isn't too hard to get into in my experience compared to other schools at yr 7 - I would say if your son is level 5s in his sats, he'll sail in. Mine was level 5 maths and reading but level 4 writing from memory. Definitely recommend it - a very happy school.

[WOTMum]

Thanks for your replies dearcoty & thisismadness. Lazy and bright sums my son up, but he is sporty, well behaved & good natured, so would like to nurture the academic side really. He (and I) hate him having homework so that would suit us!! However DD has lots so would seem unfair. I know our local comp dishes out plenty of homework..... there is no escape. I don't hold out much hope of Level 5s! He's only just back up to 3s (in some areas) having dipped in year 3/or more likely overrated in year 2 following bad Ofsted at his infant school and intensive teaching of his year group. I might come back to you and ask some more questions in future - thanks again.