Godolphin & Latymer v LEH

Hi - I'm a G&L parent and have not been to LEH, but it seems to me from friends who have chosen one or the other that they do appeal to slightly different sorts of people. G&L has the reputation of being nurturing - it certainly is responsive to any issues. We're really happy with it, and our DD loves it. She is not sporty, but has been much more enthusiastic and encouraged to join in there than at primary school.

Apart from the space, did your DD have any other feelings about either school?

Yes LEH does have fab grounds so I can understand why she would prefer it to an inner city school but from the practicality POV G&L will be better in the long run. Good for her for getting places at both.

We live in Surrey and if I was Kew/Chiswick I'd go for G&L - its a lot of travelling otherwise and they're both great schools

They're both very good schools, and I don't think you can go wrong with either. But if you're in Kew/Chiswick - G&L wins simply because the journey is so much quicker & easier. Yes LEH runs buses but it will be an hour in traffic morning and evening every single day. That's 2 hours off her day just in a commute.

Godolphin girls will mostly be from London. And you've got Latymer, St Paul's boys and girls nearby to socialise with too.

When DD2 was at LEH she had friends who lived near the school and others who lived near us in Putney eg Barnes, Richmond etc. They all met on the bus and it was never an issue. But if you are in Kew/Chiswick I would agree that G&L is a better bet. btw LEH has never been associated with nurturing - more of a hot house I'm afraid!

If you live Kew/Chiswick-way then definitely G&L - they're both good schools and I suspect the similarities are greater than any perceived differences but most girls going to G&L will live in west London and get to school on public transport whereas LEH girls will come from a wider spread across London/Surrey. G&L also offers the IB as well as A-levels which in my view is a plus point

Not sure I'd describe it as nurturing if I'm honest. Most of the individual teachers are lovely but the school itself is v keen on the girls being independent and it can be quite strict - they get "pink slips" for things like missed HW and 3 in a half term results in a letter to parents - my DD (now in the LVI) had so many in her first year that I was thinking a re papering her bedroom with them!

That said she has thrived there - the art /drama and music are just amazing and there are lots of teams for all sports so you don't need to be in the A team to be involved.
My DD is v quirky and I was a bit concerned d that it wouldn't be a good fit for her but she has a group of equally off the wall friends and refused to even discuss moving for her 6th form
Does that help at all? They are both great schools and I'm sure your DD will happy in either - where does your gut feeling suggest?

I have a DD at LEH where she's v happy - the school now runs late buses to allow for all the afters school activities. There's lots of sport/music/drama but I'm sure that's the same as G and L - what are your DD's interests?