City London School for Girls

[Battenburg11]

So my daughter gets told she will not immediately be offered a place due to very few initial offers so will be put on their wait list. School expects a large number of wait listed girls to ultimately be offered a place once those that have been offered a place outright respond by or before 2 March.

They don’t tell us where our child is within the waiting list. The school was our first choice but I’m now thinking whether she would struggle as she wasn’t their first choice and perhaps a grammar school might be a better fit for her and cheaper! I don’t even know if the school will go to waiting list as I know what a competitive school it is. Confused.

[Autumnnightsaredrawingin]

Do you have any other private offers? When do you hear about the grammar school results?

[Battenburg11]

Yes we hear from the two other independent schools next Friday. She only sat 3 independent schools. All went to interview stage.

Our local grammar, she obtained a score that will likely be offered a place on national offer day in March.

[Autumnowls]

It sounds like you do not need to make a decision until you hear about the other independent schools next Friday and the 2nd March national offer day arises. I would expect that many will reject the City offers and there would be a high chance of you getting a place if that is what you wanted for your DD. I would seriously consider though the commute, pollution in the city, terrorist activity and the the difficult social aspect with the girls all living in so many different places.

[Autumnnightsaredrawingin]

Ah ok, different to SW London where all the offers are out. Maybe wait and see what happens next Friday. Good luck!

[Battenburg11]

Thanks. I’m also thinking whether there is much difference between grammar and independent schools and is it really worth paying all that money for private. Also is there more support in private schools for university applications and general guidance to A Level subjects and possible careers?

[Malmontar]

Is she involved in a lot of extra curriculars/ clubs etc? The extra money is only worth it if she will make the most of what's on offer there. It is one of the cheaper ones but it's still a lot. Grammars like latymer have comparable extra curriculars so if you have that on the table I'd take it tbh but I personally don't like the central location of City. Most of these kids will be working in the city most of their life, id like mine to see some greenery as long as possible. But that's just my two cents.

[XelaM]

@Malmontar City Girls is located in a beautiful area in the Barbican. It's really lovely-looking and the commute is ideal if the parents also work in the City, so are nearby and can commute together.

[serenfever]

I have a great impression about City Girls. Their teachers and Admissions staffs are extremely professional, friendly, responsive, warm, and nice :)

[Malmontar]

I'm not saying it's not a beautiful area @XelaM. I know the area quite well as that's where I went to sixth form but it's still the city. Most parents don't commute with kids though, ime as you'd have to work in a v specific area of town to make the joint commute feasible. I still don't think any private school is worth it if your child isn't going to use everything on offer. Grammar schools in London are equally competitive and you'll end up with the same type of kids so in this situation I just personally don't think it's worth it. But again, that's just my personal opinion.

[Battenburg11]

I work close to the Barbican but due to my younger child, I wouldn’t be able to commute with my DD. A poster mentioned about the disadvantages of travelling into the City which I agree with too.

My DD is sporty and will most probably make use of the extra curricular activities but grammar schools must offer these too. She did sit Latymer grammar but we’re just outside the catchment so most likely go to the other grammar, Woodford County High.

However, we do like CLSG and would have chosen it had we got some bursary funding but if we were to be offered a wait list place, it would be a struggle with the fees so I need to think carefully.

[Malmontar]

I would take Woodford county anyday over City. Their grounds and buildings are beautiful and she could go to friends houses or to the park after school with all her friends. Tons of extra curriculars till 5pm. Their results are on par with city. City has good bursaries but Woodford also has some great, albeit pricey, trips that your DD could go on if you're not paying fees.

[jeanne16]

Gosh I’ve heard the Barbican called many things before but beautiful isn’t one of them. The same goes for CLGS. Fantastic school but beautiful it is not.

Sounds as if they are trying to avoid their exploding offers issue from previous years and instead putting most of the pupils on a waiting list. They may find this means many good candidates go elsewhere. It is tricky for them though as they have limited space so can’t easily put on extra classes.

[Malmontar]

Hahaha @jeanne16 I did think the same. I'm not a fan of brutalist architecture. But i think that poster meant the cute little parks/cemeteries around it. I just think it's a dodgy area and old Street is a nasty station.

[AltoClef]

I just think it's a dodgy area and old Street is a nasty station.

I would take a daily commute to the Barbican over one to Edmonton a thousand times over.

[Malmontar]

Haha yes, or Tottenham Hale. But I would take a commute to Woodford over Barbican anyday.

[Utility]

As Jeanne says, sounds as if the offers are not exploding this year!
Has the appalling publicity of previous years (Evening Standard etc.) resulted in CLSG running their admissions processes more carefully, like most other schools?

[LizziesTwin]

If you aren’t completely comfortable with the fees, send her to the other school. The fees will only go up, universities are under ever greater pressure to ensure state educated pupils are offered places and your daughter is likely to have a good option. Dds have left school now, I have quite a few friends who have said had they realised how expensive school fees would end up as they would never have started paying. Usually fees go up by 4-6% per annum.

[Battenburg11]

I heard that too LizziesTwin especially Oxbridge where they are strongly encouraged to take more pupils from state schools to increase social mobility. In fact, I know that City Boys we’re disappointed this year as this was the case.

However, would grammars fall under the category as comprehensive schools in deprived areas? In recent years, I read about the sixth form I think in the borough of Newham that sends 30 of their pupils to Oxbridge universities.