KEGS versus private schools 2013

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RTK
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:42 am

KEGS versus private schools 2013

Post by RTK »

How do you compare between KEGS & Bancrofts?

Also, can the parents of children who have been offered non catchment KEGS seat, help us by telling if they will be taking up KEGS offered or they will be going into a private school. This would help us take a decision between Ilford County & Bancroft.
rbs
Posts: 31
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2011 1:35 pm

Re: KEGS versus private schools 2013

Post by rbs »

Hi,

My younger son has been offered an out of catchment place at Kegs which we will be accepting. My older son is at Kegs and we will be turning down a scholarship at Forest for my younger son.


RBS
moved
Posts: 3826
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: KEGS versus private schools 2013

Post by moved »

I would only turn down a place at KEGS if you are sure that the school is worth the money and can offer more than KEGS.
Blitz
Posts: 875
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 3:58 pm

Re: KEGS versus private schools 2013

Post by Blitz »

Or the journey to the independent school is easier. You really need to look at what school would suit your child, and family, the best. Can they get involved in extra curricular activities? Will getting to parents evening be a problem?
moved
Posts: 3826
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: KEGS versus private schools 2013

Post by moved »

Some independents offer smaller classes. They may also monitor a child's progress more. Ensure that suitable extra curricular activities are available and that the teachers are used to teaching the very bright.

This decision depends on your child. Does hr need to be surrounded by other bright boys to succeed? Will he be more confident at the top of his class than in the middle? Does he need more teacher attention to ensure he works and doesn't just coast?
Bubbles68
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 9:16 pm

Re: KEGS versus private schools 2013

Post by Bubbles68 »

:D I have a son at kegs year 7 . We are soooo pleased. Best choice. For me personally the standard of education and expectations are outstanding. Yes class size is 28 to 30 students but the teachers know their pupils well and are approachable. But I would like to include that the pastrol care is excellent too.

To date I have no complaints at all. I was privately educated and had wished kegs had been my school.

Hope this helps
crgsmum
Posts: 43
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 6:15 pm

Re: KEGS versus private schools 2013

Post by crgsmum »

Although not for a place at KEGS our son turned down major academic scholarships at Brentwood and Felsted to go to CRGS (his score was high enough that he would very comfortably have got a place at KEGS but we felt CRGS was a better fit for him).

In determining whether to accept the private place over the state there were a number of factors which we considered. Unquestionably a state grammar does not have the same level of facilities available in private schools. CRGS has very large class sizes compared to private schools - 32 in years 7 and 8, 25 years 9 to 11 as against 18 -20 or smaller in the indies. Historically KEGS has had slightly smaller class sizes than CRGS but I have heard they are increasing PAN and are still not as small as the indies. If you have a child with a special talent for something like sport they may be better supported in an independent because they often have the best facilities and in particular sports coaches.

So how did we decide? Neither of the two independents we were looking at were at the top of their game. Put bluntly the indies near here, with the possible exception of New Hall, are a very way down any kind of league table. Now, I don't like league tables and don't think they reflect very much of significance, but it is hard handing over a lot of money for something which isn't the absolute best. I suspect Bancrofts might be better having been there for rugby matches with my DS' prep but don't know.

The major factors for us were:

1. Our DS would have been one of the top academic performers at the independent schools. There is much evidence that children rise towards the brightest in their peer group. We did not want him to be the stop point, we wanted him to be surrounded by brighter boys to give him the push to rise.

2. With the scholarships we could afford it without too much sacrifice but we do not have the standard of living of many of the families in the private sector. While there will always be some families who make huge sacrifice to send their children to private schools it is a world of yachts and private planes. At our sons prep, on one occasion at an outward bound summer school in north devon, one family came down in their copter to collect. It gives them a distorted view of the world.

3. Our son is not particularly sporty although plays rugby for CRGS and enjoys athletics we didn't feel he would benefit from the better sports facilities in the private schools. He is fairly musical but the standard of music at CRGS is outstanding.

The determining factors for every family will be different. We went to lots of schools and revisited several. At the end of it we kept coming back to CRGS for our son. We have never for a moment regretted it. So the big thing is to find that elusive something. Everyone likes different schools for different reasons the big thing is to find the one that is right for your child. That said, if you can afford it and are undecided, why not take the private place and let someone for whom private is not an option take the grammar place.
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