Got offers for Alleyn's and Greycoat

Howcanitbe you made me really laugh. I've only joined this whole Mumsnet thing this winter because of my own school dilemmas, but I find myself lurking in places that have no relevance to my situation when I really should be doing something more useful with my time. The girls I know in East Dulwich and Brixton are not siblings. They are the eldest like my DD. One in my area is a sibling. Marylebone was 3 years church attendance and the form is simpler, but they give out many more specialist places for the arts. LM I can't remember, but I do know it was only fortnightly. We don't make it every week and I'm not an officer, but I have run activities at the church and I do help out. There are definitely people who would rank higher than me on the points system. I think for Luna, Alleyns is a terrific option if fees don't matter. Being able to walk to school is a gift in London. We have 2 more kids to go so for us fees make a difference. Also our choice was JAGS vs GC, which on paper are very similar, minus the selective vs comp aspect. I would add, Luna, that Alleyns won't necessarily be local for all the pupils. People do travel to get to that school so local friends will just depend on the year I think.

They changed the faith criteria this year. Straight attendance (no more points for activities) by feeder school/distance.

I don't know the distance for siblings, but the furthest a non-sibling lives is about 0.5 miles (regardless of band) in first round offers this year.

As we don't start until September I don't know if all mrdashwood is saying is true. It was a a concern of ours. But, we revisited the school on a non-visit day and were able to ask very specific questions regarding the discipline policy. If your child is well behaved already there won't be a problem. We also spoke to several girls we know who go there and it is scarier than it actually is. I welcome it as my DD is very well behaved and is constantly annoyed by behaviour at her current school. GC does send girls to Oxford and Cambridge as well as RG. The % will of course be less as it a isn't selective school, it is a comp. Alleyns is a top private school and they get very good students from the beginning. Don't forget kids often change schools for A level. So if you are looking for year 7, concentrate on GCSE with A level only in the back of your mind. If a school has good teachers and your child is in a loving environment at home they will thrive anywhere.

definitely Alleyn's if fees are not an issue

There were a few children from dc's school who started at the same time but they've all made new friends including lots from the junior school

The biggest 'feeder' this year apart from the prep was actually Honeywell in Wandsworth - they will all be going to school together on the same coach as well so it may be a bit harder for them to break out but on the whole I'd say the school mixes them up well

It depends what you want academically. If she wants to go to university, then the final grades and student destinations are far superior at Alleyn's.
As you might expect from a top London day school, 16 to Oxbridge, 13 to Edinburgh, 11 to Leeds, last year etc. Most to top RG Unis. GC has stopped printing its final destinations. Ten are listed, all RG, but no details of numbers, or how many to competitive courses. Makes you think there's something to hide!
As GC is a comp, there'll be lots of access/outreach courses to tertiary ed, Summer schools, at top unis for bright pupils. However, these are sometimes limited to FSM pupils.
People speak v.highly of new head at GC. There's a big clamp down on discipline with teachers following pupils to venues outside of school to check on behaviour. Poor teachers! (Historically, problems with Facebook bullying.) Pupils are forbidden to go to the shops during lunch and this might not suit a child who is used to being trusted. Also, as another poster said, a strong conservative/evangelical contingent from Southwark diocese.

I know of other girls who got in from the East Dulwich and Brixton areas. who got in on church places. It just depends on the year. They do still have a ranking system. The criteria is broken down more than at St. Marylebone and Lady M. It will also depend on sibling places year to year. Because it is in Westminster and is a C of E school it does branch out in all directions and distance does come into place with the church places. If you meet the criteria it is certainly worth putting it on your list even if you live across the river. It will also depend on the band your child test into. They will have more applicants in the middle band, so you can have a child in the top band get in who is farther away than a child in the middle band who lives closer. Make Sense???

Alleyns is a great school. We were waitlisted there. Had we had a firm offer we very well might have taken it over GC, because it was co-ed. Walking will be a real plus for her.

I have done a similar commute from SE London to Westminster and wouldn't want my DC travelling that much each day, eats up too much time and is tiring. But £100k+ is a lot of money to spend/save.

Ah thanks!

A little confused here. Is it Alleyns or JAGs that she has an offer for?

Dear Luna, We chose Grey Coats, but only this weekend. It was a tough decision. For us, the Commute is the same. One easy bus ride and both buses practically go door to door. As our choices were both girls schools it made it easier to compare them. We will lose some things from not going to JAGS, but we will gain other things from going to Grey Coats. You should weigh the commute for her. In the end we ( My DH, Myself, and My DD) sat down and made a list and she decided. Our DD is in a State school now and she loves the diversity. GC was a plus on that. It is a very balanced school despite Cameron and Gove's kids going there and what people might say about it. However, JAGS is a great school and I don't want to knock it. We felt chuffed to get an offer. Had we not been given such a good State option we would have definitely taken it. Where does she want to go? This is a 1st world dilemma and the important thing is for her to feel happy about her own journey and her school. They can always change for A levels or before if they don't like it.

You have a very hard decision indeed. We had a similar one, being offered JAGS and Grey Coats. Both a simple bus ride as we are in Clapham, so the commute to each was the same. I think, if I were in your shoes, I would consider Co-ed vs single sex. She is obviously a high achiever if she got a language place. Girls in the language places and the top bands at Grey Coats do just as well as privately educated pupils. And she sounds like she will do well at either. Weigh the commute as well. Being able to walk is a plus. The sport is actually pretty good at Grey Coats even if they don't have the best space. That's London schools. The Dulwich private schools have great spaces. Drama and Music at Grey Coats are excellent as well as Alleyns. She will be in a more ethnically and economically diverse community at Grey Coats. It depends on how you rate that for yourselves. Results at Alleyns are better for the majority of students, but that is because it is selective. Grey Coats is still a comp with kids in the middle bands and in the lower bands. So read the results with that in mind. Then think about fees since that isn't an issue for you. Good luck!

Interesting. Even up to a couple of years ago it was quite difficult for even very local children to get places, even if baptised.

Oddly the requirement for a very strong active commitment to religion, probably did not make the school any more "middle class" than with a local catchment, as there was a strong contingent from gospel churches who often commuted long distances. Does the 1km simply apply to Westminster or will they be taking children from Lambeth on an equal basis. Either way the catchment has quite a diverse population with estates and some very expensive housing. So a good chance for it to be pretty genuinely comprehensive.