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Original poster

Picking between Godolphin and Latymer &. Latymer Upper

31 replies

NewLondonMom1 · 01/03/2019 13:02

Mums,

My DD has an offer from G&L and LU (and a few others which we declined) and we are struggling to decide between the two. The two schools seem similar academically, but different otherwise. My DD says she doesn't really care about co-ed vs. all girls - its all the same to her. She goes to a co-ed prep right now.

We like that Latymer has a swimming pool and DD likes to do swim squad and that drama is big as DD is enjoying drama at prep right now. However she isn't always the loudest in the class or the one with the main role in her year play. She enjoys sports, likes maths (is among the top children in her school in maths, but hasn't done any primary maths challenges/ kangaroo etc - I don't even know what those are), is quiet in class, but fearless and does whatever she thinks is right. Given that she is not the hand raiser in class, we worry that she might get lost at Latymer amongst the super bright, super academic or super sporty kids. She is just your average, smart, kind but naughty, fierce but quiet in school, child. Not strikingly strong in any particular subject (except maths, but even there she has never been pitted against the brightest minds).

Godolphin seems nurturing and gentle. It seems like an easier choice given there's no boys to worry about. I also don't hear the 'you have to be brilliant to be successful here' about Godolphin. They seem sporty enough, with the only disadvantage being that they don't have a swimming pool and don't do squad practices at school. So my daughter might end up dropping swimming. Again she's not brilliant at it, but is quite good at certain strokes and enjoys her squad practices.

We would love to hear from those of you that have children at both schools. If you have a child who swam in primary school, we would love to hear how they transitioned to either of these schools. Any guidance on the choice in general would be appreciated.

OP posts:
ObamaLlama · 01/03/2019 19:02

Utility - it’s true there are about ten more girls per year in G&L but there are more girls’ sports teams so the competition for sports places is slightly less. The competition for things like school plays etc is loads less because the at LUS the girls have to compete with the boys as well as the other girls.

Utility · 01/03/2019 18:56

G&L is a terrific school.
But, Indigo, there are more girls in a year at G&L than at Latymer!

1ndig0 · 01/03/2019 16:45

Hi NewLondon - I have DC at LU and one about to start in Sept at G&L. I agree with Obama tbh, which is why we’re hoping for a more nurturing experience st G&L. And I say that, even though my DC at LU are hardly shrinking violets!
On a very basic level of comparison - there are 180 in a year group at LU, compared to 100 at G&L. So obviously more chance of participation at G&L.
They do grow into LU and they do find their niche, but it can take a few years.
I don’t wish to slate LU either but if you have a child who likes to feel “known,” by teachers, there may be better choices in the earlier years. The sports centre is amazing at LU though. No sports pitch on site however.

Livingwiththree · 01/03/2019 16:24

Sounds like the perfect Godolphin girl. My daughter just started in Year 7. Quietly confident. The school seems incredibly supportive without being pushy. She couldn’t be happier there. Feel free to PM me with any questions.

ObamaLlama · 01/03/2019 15:50

I’m also an LUS mum and have posted a couple of times on here recently about how I feel my child has been lost in the crowd of super confident, super talented, super rich kids. I do not wish to keep slating the school, it’s not a bad place, but I am disappointed by the lack of nurturing and the lack of individual attention.

My child got into all the plays at their last school but none at LUS so we have never been able to take advantage of the lovely drama facilities. My child was good at sport but is not on A-C teams now so gets little attention or match activity in PE. I feel their confidence has taken a huge knock and I wish I’d chosen a school where they would have felt one of the most able rather than one of the least.

Toomuchpressure169 · 01/03/2019 13:15

Newlondonmum, I can’t speak for G&L but I have a child at LU and she sounds similar in personality traits to your daughter. I wouldn’t worry about her being overshadowed by other ‘alpha’ kids - such a plethora of personalities there, some quieter than others, some sporty, some not, some maths geniuses and some as my daughter says (where maths is not her strong subject) “mum I really don’t know how they got in”. So, in my experience she should thrive. My daughter is so happy there and so am I as a parent.