Yes they were definitely Emmanuel kids, I have still have an email from the school re my experience.

I don't think you should be pout off by it, a lot of kids are like this at this age and my point was that the school obviously took the matter seriously and acted immediately, I think it was a very positive experience and the headmasters actions have led me to consider this school for my daughter

Have had one child now at uni through Emanuel, and another starting in Sept. Excellent all round, the sort of school any parent would want, the only negative is that it is not free. However having looked at schools outside London, Brighton College being an example, Emanuel seemed cheap, and any thoughts of moving to Sussex for a better lifestyle, were immediately abandoned! I think it is slightly more expensive than other day schools of a similar type, but proximity to home counts for a lot in my opinion.

Huge thumbs up from this household.

sja38, are you sure they were Emmanuel kids? That sounds really weird to me, I know many families who's kids go there, they are all extremely polite, well-spoken, intelligent young people. It has an outstanding reputation, and these days it is harder to get a place at Emanuel than Dulwich College. The only way to get a feel for it is to go to an open day and have a look around, listen to the headmaster's talk, and then make an appointment to go for a private tour on a normal school day. I think thats when you really get a feel for a school, and a vibe of how the kids are. I've been to some open days when it was all bells and whistles, but you go back to see the school on a normal day and its quite different. I really wouldn't write it off if you are looking for a good, mixed, independent secondary school in SW London, its about all there is, unless you want to do the trip to Dulwich every day,

I am involved with Old Emanuel Rugby Club and know many forrmer puils of the school, (it is an "open" club, and I did not go to the school) and am also an admirer of the current Headmaster. The school is some 400 years old and has a sports ethos to back up the academic. The OE's that I know are well rounded, successful and have great loyalty.
The school is progressive, while maintaining the best traditions.
So I only see the "finished product", some just 17 or 18 years old and the rest ranging in ages up to their 60's.
I like them.

Fergus McCarthy
Director of Rugby
Old Emanuel Rugby Club
est 1909-1910
http://www.emanuelrugby.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I had an interesting experience with this school in the summer. My anti natal friends and I were sat on the common with our babies when we noticed a group of kids encouraging two younger children to fight. The older kids were taking the younger kids pictures and cheering them on (the younger ones were prob 5/6 and their poor mothers couldn't see as they were just behind the little hill bit that's on the common).
I went over and chastised the older kids and was met with many cheeky remarks. So, being the interferring old biddy I am I called the school (they were easily identifiable by their blazers)there and then and complained. About 10 minutes later the school called me back to say the Headmaster was on his way! Sure enough he turned up and scolded the kids telling them off for encouraging younger ones to fight and take pics (isnt there some weird internet thing where the pics end up on the web) and saying that they were a bad advertisement for the school.

Me and my friends were very very impressed. It was a Friday night and headmaster came out to the common at 5pm which we thought was very good show! They obvisouly have high moral standards and you could tell the kids were rather scared and respected him a lot, just the way it should be!!!

According to the Local Celebrity thread Ainsley Harriot and the guy who created the Internet went there, so I don't see how you can go wrong! That does seem very expensive though, I haven't started looking at schools yet so I have no idea what the going rate is. I am Australian as well, and when you convert it to AUD it's quite astonishing! I think one term would do nearly a full year back home!