Raynes Park High School ???

[Schmedz]

Does anyone know or have children at this school? What is it really like? The prospectus looks impressive but the results don't seem to be all that good....

[gazzalw]

I think it went through a bad time a few years ago, but a new Head has been in post for over a year now and has got rid of staff deadwood. I think he is turning the school around so I'd watch this space really. As far as I know the results are improving but it's still early days. A friend said that you will really need to wait until the current Year 7 cohort do their GCSEs to see how successful he's been at turning it around. Know some nice children who go there! However, have to say that we didn't even go to visit it but that's because we went down the selective route.

[Samnella]

I have friends with a child who was at that school but took her our due to the bad behaviour of other children in her class. Personally I wouldn't consider it right now even though the new head is trying hard to change it. Stand outside at school leaving time and I think it will explain why I feel this way. .

[Schmedz]

Samnella, I know exactly what you mean but was hoping that people with DCs there could reassure me this was not the norm.
I ask because my DD was given a place after failing to get any of her choices...the letter said it still had places after 'all their applicants' had been allocated. It seems to be the school you get sent to because no one else actually does choose it!
My DD is quite academic and very musical and the results in the prospectuses were shockingly poor disappointing, especially in Music where less than 30% of students passed their GCSEs.
I know you can't judge a school just based on results alone, but they are important...
She has a place at an independent school but I was hoping that if I could be reassured about the quality of provision at RPH we could save on fees!!

[gazzalw]

From the few families we know with children there, they are nice, well-behaved children, but of course because it's not been a popular school, it does tend to get children from a wide area (not all nice), so I guess the behavioural issues might be significant. I do know that they pride themselves, as a school, in taking in children excluded from other schools etc.., so should imagine that might have some impact on the overall behaviour of the pupils. I am not sure that one could be confident, at this stage, that the school could deliver what your daughter needs as a clever, musical child. It would be a bit of a leap of faith TBQH.

[Samnella]

I really want RPH to pick up as it would save us moving to try for Coombe girls but I don't like what I see and their results were appallingly bad this year. Yes I know there are worse schools but when you compare to Coombe girls which is little more than a mile away as the crow flies, there really is nothing else to say. Any chance you could get into Coombe girls from the waiting list? Its catchment went out quite far last year.

[Mrsrobertduvall]

Girls tend not to leave Cgs..may be some movement in later years as families move back to Korea or just move on.
I have a son at CBS which had a poor reputation a few years ago, and he is doing very well.
But I think RPH has a long way to go.

[Schmedz]

Possibly will get Coombe girls from the waiting list but even though their results seem quite good I have heard some really negative things about it from parents with girls there (recently left and current) so I am probably resigned to paying fees as her independent school is absolutely outstanding all around and was very competitive to even get a place. She is very excited to be going so I can't really take that away from her for anything that isn't comparable...although above average academically she was nowhere near the top 150 for TGS so has no chance of getting in....

[OnGoldenPond]

I chose CGS over one of the top girls independents and have not regretted it. No experience of lower streams, OP, but if your DD has L5 SATS across the board she should be in top stream.

Depends what you want from a school for your DD. CGS does not have miles of playing fields stretching into the horizon, but that is not a problem for DD who has a pathological fear of mud and prefers the cleaner sports! . The academics could not be better especially in languages.

In your place I would have a try for that waiting list place especially if the private fees will hurt financially.

[Mrsrobertduvall]

You will hear negative things about all schools regardless of them being state or private.
There are over 1000 girls at CGS so statistically not everyone is going to have a good experience for whatever reason!