Hang around long enough and you'll get the hang of our Baggydave!

Seriously, we are not even at the primary school doors yet but we feel that we need to start considering secondary options pretty soon as many of our friends are talking about it even though they are in the same position as us. I used to think going private was a good thing before we realised we could never afford it and that we also began to feel that all that money( should we ever have had it) would be better spent on extra lessons as support or improving the experience of our children by taking them travelling or doing something interesting like learning another language or doing sports activites, not ensconced in the world of privilege where connections were almost more important than academic success. We soon realised through talking to people that there were still many concerns about what private schools delivered for children and that many parents also felt a lack of accountablity and that in fact many of the state schools were delivering great outcomes for their children.
I am aware from other parents about differing views about Kingsdale so we will wait to see if its for us in a few years time. I agree about not judging schools by childrens behaviour although I admit to some concerns about Sydenham Girls for that reason but every day when travelling to work I experience 'behaviour' from school children from the Dulwich Schools and I have to say its not that wonderful either. They are not necessarily rude but they sure are scruffy ( when you're rich it doesn't matter apparently and you can get away with hair like Boris Johnson's) they do push onto buses in front of people in the queue causing arguments and don't move down or make way for others getting on, pretending not to hear people ask them to move. I'd say that was probably standard teenage behaviour really probably enhanced by being in a group rather than out on their own but for schools charging upwards of £12k per year I would have expected to see something better.

The last place where I want to send my child is a school who is forced to tailor their agenda to please and placate stampeding middle class parents- such as the one I went to for 7 years!