King's College Junior or St Paul's Junior?

[chaplin157]

Our DS has offers from both schools through the 7+ admission process. Can anyone please help with the pluses and minuses of each school?

[hhks]

choose the closer one

[drinkingcoffee]

Both are excellent schools, not much difference between them. I agree with hhks choose the closest to your home for friendships etc.
I don't suppose there is anyone reading this thread with double offers at Kings 8+? Found out today my son has been waitlisted, it is so stressful waiting.

[godricshollow]

Where do you live. If equidistant it's a mug a harder decision! We chose the closer one and have no regrets at all.

[chaplin157]

We live very close to King's - walking distance! But I hear St Paul's is more advanced academically with more international presence plus support for US university application. It is very early for us to think about it but still...Any views will be welcome.

[njshore]

KCS offers IB and SPS doesn't, if you're thinking that far ahead. If you're an international family, the SPS brand name has far greater reach. Although it would be nice and make your life a lot easier to be able to walk to school, there will be local friends at SPS as well granted boys come from all over London at SPS.

[godricshollow]

Choose King's. Made the same decision a couple of years ago and absolutely haven't regretted it. We knew quite a few boys making this choice and only one (Putney based) chose SPJ.
Don't make a 7 year old boy endure a long commute he doesn't need to. Also while the catchment is wide for King's you will very much be in the heart of it if you are Wimbledon based and it will make life much easier socially.
Don't make your decisions based on sixth form/uni choices as it could be radically different by the time your little boy gets there!

[chaplin157]

Thanks very much @godricshollow really helpful.

[mamajabon]

My son is at Kings and we love it. I feel Kings has a more local feel than SP which we like very much. SP is a bigger “name” I agree, so people come from all over London just for it but Kings is the best kept secret.

[sandybayley]

Another Kings parent. Have been very pleased with both the junior and the senior school.

I don't think you can make a bad choice but I would reiterate what others have said about keeping local if you can. I love the fact that DS1 and DS2 have local friends and can go to the cinema and Starbucks with their friends and can walk to school if necessary.

I don't know about SPJS but KCJS has a very 'local' feel. I often bump into school families whilst out and about in Wimbledon. I like that!

[Roseredvelvet]

We've just had this dilemma for the 8+, we really loved Kings but SPJ is very close to us, so it makes more sense in terms of friendships, ease of commute etc. Both wonderful schools 😀

[NoLongerWorried]

Don't have experience about Kings. We chose SPJ over WUS two years ago at 7+ and DS has been ever so happy since joining SPJ and made many friends. Definitely go with the one the boy likes best and the one most convenient for the family. They will thrive in any of the above great schools.

[EdwinaMarlow]

Gosh, always go for the one within walking distance. It will make such a difference to your lives.

[chaplin157]

Thank you so much all. I spoke with many Kings and SPJ parents. SPJ seems slightly more academic at senior school. However the difference is marginal and it is not worth a 30 minute commute every day for a 7 year old boy.

[User44444]

NoLongerWorried, and others with boys at SPJ how is pastoral care there these days? Is the reputation that the school has a lot of very sporty very aggressive boys with rumours of bullying a fair one? I get the impression the new Head is slowly trying to change that but wondering if, for parents already at the school you can see/feel the change positively.

[NoLongerWorried]

DS is not sporty but I was’t aware of any bullying issues with him at the school so far (touch wood). There are lots of changes going on at the school recently and we had a new head for pastoral care. Whatever happens on that front I think the school is trying hard to be better. My approach has always been less pressure to the boy and let the school look after the boys and let the boy be himself and enjoy the learning experience. So I was quite at ease with any changes. After all, these are the top schools in the country and they must know what they are doing for the best interests of the boys.