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Original poster

Insiders view on strengths/weaknesses of Edinburgh independents?

29 replies

neverknowinglyunderdressed · 09/05/2011 17:06

Have been to look around GH, SM, GW and EA and visiting F this week. I generally felt that they all seemed much of a muchness, so difficult to choose. Is each school 'known' for something ie one is more academic, one more arty/sporty etc? If I knew what differentiated them - it might be easier to match that up to my DTS.

Also we are not 'posh' would like to know that we will 'fit in' too.

Its bad to decide based on the colour of the uniform isnt it? Grin

OP posts:
crazycarol · 09/05/2011 21:30

What year are you looking for entry? All of the schools are academically selective and all achieve excellent exam results.

SM (esp Junior School) good for music, GW also good for music. GW also good for sport (but sports block being redeveloped at the moment - no idea of impact). Although all of them are considered good for sport. GH playing fields a bus ride away from the school, SM similar, but not as far.

Fettes has a very high proportion of boarders, EA, GW, GH all day pupils and SM a small number of boarders (25 approx in the school).

Fettes follows a mainly English style curriculum with GCSEs & A levels. The others follow the Scottish curriculum mainly, with a few GCSEs & A levels for good measure Some also offer the IB - F & GW, not sure about the others.

GW, GH co-ed throughout. SM single sex for s1-5 and co-ed for s6, EA used to be boys only and only recently added girls and has a higher % boys.

Some of them are a bit more 'formal' in their style F, EA, others less so. You will find at all of the schools there are pupils from different backgrounds. The visit should give you a feel of how you would "fit in" and which are right for your family.

You may however find that you don't get to choose! GW had places for less than 1/2 that took the s1 test, GH less than 1/4. No knowledge of the others, but it does vary slightly from year to year.

AMumInScotland · 09/05/2011 20:39

EA - I think they have to do cadets? Only started taking girls recently, so probably not yet very mixed.

EA and F considered posher; GH, SM and GW more middle-class

GW - good music department, much stronger than GH (when we visited 4 years ago anyway)

GW and SM very similar intake - depends if you want co-ed all through or not

I'd say they're all good broad schools - pretty sure you wouldn't regret any of them, from what I saw of them at least (Visited all but F looking for S3 place, no offers...)

kaumana · 09/05/2011 20:23

Might be an idea to post in the Local Edinburgh forum.

kaumana · 09/05/2011 17:25

One big selling point is that GWC is on one site unlike GH whose pitches are miles away. Which maybe explains why GWC tends to be perceived as the sportier school and GH more academic. Though not much in it tbh.