St. Paul’s girls school

I have always heard that they do everything they possibly can to have girls from less well off families. Though from an older generation, the people I knew there were not rich. It was always extremely good not only academically but also for music and art.

Reports have been for a long time that the pressure is immense. Girls feel they must be brilliant, beautiful and thin. Eating disorders etc But that is everywhere.

It has been in the news recently about changing the title of Head Girl to Head of School. Apparently that was the original title going back to the beginning of the 20C but the reason for the change now is in the interests of being ‘gender neutral’ and the school has had a lecture about trans gender issues (pro).

I went to St Paul’s- a while ago now. I was one of the lucky ones: the teachers thought I was bright, I went to a great university, I did well. I had a fantastic education and have fantastic friends from there. When I got to my extremely competitive university I was unfussed because I was already pretty sure I’d met (and been educated with) the cleverest people I’d ever meet. Paulinas certainly can look different but underneath there are very strong similarities. Those parents (and interesting that it is parents, not the girls) who are saying their daughters have never felt competition there or pressure etc etc. I’m sorry, but I think you will probably find that’s not accurate. The school hums on competition- maybe not with others (maybe not), but with yourself. You are taught that you are the best, that you will be the best and - crucially - that you owe it to your education to achieve that. And anything less than perfection is a failure. That’s a lot to carry with you and it doesn’t make for the easiest, happiest work-life balance in your future life. If you are in the bottom quartile, it is not a happy place to be and there can be serious damage to confidence. Even if you are the “right girl” for it (which by all accounts, I was), there are less good bits alongside the good and those can become more apparent as you go out into the world. Of course things may have changed since I was there. From what I’ve heard (and I’ve stayed in contact and had younger family members there)- I don’t think it has by much. It’s great that you are happy with the choice and hopefully your daughter will have a great time there. But keep an eye out, keep reminding her that there is more to life than this (and by that I don’t mean the old Paulina trope academics are not everything, therefore you must also excel at sport, drama, music, dress like a stylist, look like a model etc). It takes a hell of lot of paddling to do the “effortlessness” for which Paulinas are known. I don’t know a single one who wasn’t paddling bloody hard. And I don’t know a single Paulina who would say anything markedly different to what I’ve said above (and to the extent that it differs, certainly unlikely to be more positive).

Good luck to you! I have to say I was really uncertain about SPGS and the morning we had to decide and pay our deposits I walked round and round the green outside with an acceptance form for SPGS and one for NLCS in my pocket trying to decide. The answer is they are all great options and you have smart girls! But am so pleased we went for SPGS for my DDs sake.

Hi @ViolettasAria yes it’s so difficult. We are going to take 24 hours to think on it. I want to be in a position so that before the state schools results come out, we have let go of everything to make it easier for everyone. I was impressed by the standards on the open morning today but clearly they work v v hard. Equally I don’t imagine it’s much less at GL, just a different atmosphere. They do a lot more with SPS than GL ( who say they don’t have time with the logistics of planning such things v often). We never imagined to be in such a position so it’s something to savour and be thankful for and then move on. Happy for you to DM me! X

hi @peregrit I'm in the same position as you and actually feel as if i wrote your post! Have you made your decision?
i have been thinking of nothing else for the last 4/5 days and I'm finally happy with all my research and due diligence and about to accept SPGS and decline G&L and LU for my daughter. We are really sad to be turning down the possibility of the IB as that was very interesting to us as a family but SPGS feels like the right school for my daughter. Her and I are really excited now.
thank you also to all the other posters, its been so reassuring to read your comments. It really is a school that seems to have so many negative rumours about it, but now that i have looked into it, the negativity does mostly come from people who don't have children in the school.

@WorkingItOutAsIGo thank you so much all super helpful and reassuring. Let’s see how the offer holders session goes. Thanks again one and all, it’s very much appreciated x

My DD is a few years out from SPGS but I can honestly tell you two things: she never ever felt a competitive intensity to her studies at SPGS, she just got on with lessons she enjoyed and did her best and never felt huge pressure to perform. And (most importantly to us as parents) all she ever really talked about at home was her activities - she was so busy having fun with music and drama and sport and friends and that was what gave her the hugest buzz. Of course she would talk about exceptional lessons and fabulous teachers too, but for her SPGS was at least as much about everything else. The benefit of a school like SPGS is the academics just kind of happen and leave you free to do all the other stuff. She literally never had a bad day there.

And on study leave she would go into school for the fantastic lunches!

Stress with academic work and sexist teachers and colleagues came later and that’s another story - but she definitely feels she was able to thrive and achieve at school. And feels it gave her the strength and independence and confidence to deal with the above too.

She loved the school, loves her friends from there and would recommend it highly!

Apologies for anyone who has DM’d me. I’m struggling to get replies to go through.

@Monsterandmonkey yes incredibly helpful. This sounds like DD’s idea of heaven (lost on me )

My daughter is having an electronics kit dropped off today by the head of IT. The also have a formula 24 racing car kit. There’s a photography dark room in the art department.

I grabbed this from an old newsletter - The MIV, UIV and LV will be offered a new course which encompasses coding as well as problem solving, virtual reality, digital content creation, 3D design and broader digital skills.

Hope that helps @peregrit

Thank you @bevelino, @hampsteadmum and @HighRopes this is all super helpful. Always bit blind side-y when you first try to work things out...

Yes I’m going to chat to Admissions but this is all very helpful especially to know the girls are supported in an individual manner & it’s not an “up or out” atmosphere.

Does anyone know when the Creative Technologies building would be ready as my DD is completely besotted by it.

Thank you again!

Ah, took so long to write I cross-posted with @hampsteadmum

@peregrit You could perhaps call Admissions (on Monday) and ask to speak to them about the assessment process this year? I don’t think any other parent will be able to reassure you, because it has been so different. Though, fwiw, given the other offers your dd has, I would assume she’s more than capable.

In terms of uniform and equipment, if you can (covid permitting) go to the MIV tea in the summer term and head straight for the second hand stall. Get the sports kit (lacrosse stick, goggles, any sports kit that’s left in the right size) there, then top up with new where you have to. There’s a list somewhere on the school website of the ‘must get from approved supplier’ uniform items, stick to those, at least to start with. Dd has £10 trainers and football boots from Sports Direct to leave at school, but she’s not at all sporty so she doesn’t need proper lacrosse boots or anything. I think she could have got away without some of the ‘must have’ uniform items (they’re really not strict about it, and they can mix and match what they wear according to their preferences) but your dd might not want to take that risk. Definitely don’t bother with the uniform swimming costume, any black costume will do (Asda does a very cheap one that looks nearly identical to the official one).

Apart from sports kit, we didn’t buy anything in particular, though as the first term went on there were a few bits and pieces. Things like folders to keep homework in, the calculator the school wanted them all to have, a warm hoodie for commuting in as she was finding her coat too thick.

No need to go overboard with the PE uniform. Get the compulsory items (the PE dept / uniform shop will advise) and that's it. You can spot the MIV from all the matched sport gear layers with the school logo.  There are compulsory items for the girls in sport teams/rowers when taking part in matches/races with other schools. A capsule will do for the start-leggings, polo shirts, skort...). I admit I have forgotten as the older girls do not need to wear school logo items unless they are competing/racing etc. There's a non uniform ethos in the school but as @Monsterandmonkey mentioned many girls are in sport gear (branded or unbranded) 3-4 days a week.

My dd went to SPGS and two of her sisters were educated at CLSG. The academic results they achieved were outstanding at both schools and we found the pastoral care and extra curricular activities very good. Dd who attended SPGS was very happy there.

SPGS has fantastic teachers and the facilities in the school are the best I have seen in a London day school, but as dh always says, so they should be for the fees they charge, which are far higher than most other purely day schools in London.

Thank you so much @hampsteadmum this all makes me feel much much better. Does anyone have any tips on what we should/should not buy re uniform & equipment? Thank you all again.

@peregrit I believe that the school also has data from the computer tests. They didn't make an offer on the basis of the short written tests only. I asked for you my daughter if anyone has left the school because she couldn't keep up academically and she said "no". (She is nearly 16 and has been at the school
for 5 years). A sprinkle has left because they moved countries. The school offers support if a girl feels that she needs some. As for mental health, the school has 3-4 counsellors specialising on different areas.

I completely understand, but in reality all three of those schools are super selective west London schools that all have their stories. My daughter had specific reasons why she chose her school, which was fine because we only applied to places where we would feel safe sending her.

Thank you, all super helpful. @nylon14 as the girls this year were unable to sit meaningful tests, I do have a residual worry about keeping up, not because DD isn’t bright but because it’s so difficult to work out how they have selected based on 1 single English questions and a few Maths.

Mental health is super important to us at these super selective schools so we simply don’t want to send DD to SPGS without knowing that the school feels as confident about this years cohort as any other.

Impossible questions to answer I know but just a nagging doubt when I compare to the amended but objective process set by other Hammersmith schools.

We love all these schools and it’s a v lucky dilemma to have, we are hugely aware of that.

Grateful for any thoughts!

I would add that my daughter and her friends spend 3 of 5 days in their PE kit, otherwise it’s mostly jeans.

Please do ignore all of the negative comments from people without pupils at the school.

They learn to motivate themselves. There are regular tests and end of year exams (from year 8). A real mix of quiet and loud personalities. They def are not all clones of each other and not all perfectionists.

The school has a unique ethos, there are no uniforms, no grades for the first 4 years, no rankings, no "sets" (barring maths from year 8). I would worry less about your daughter keeping up and focus more on if this is culture in which you think your daughter would thrive. And congratulations, we had very similar choices 4 years ago.

Our DD has been made offers at SPGS, GL & LU. We weren’t expecting this and feel v fortunate.

However we are worried about accepting the offer from SPGS if DD is going to be mentally pressured from day 1 to keep up. Nothing to indicate this but conscious of the stories of “thick skin” being needed to survive at SPGS.

This may also sound odd but I am worried that the cancellation of the exam this year means that there may be anomalies and DD may or may not be one.

We are just keen for her to thrive and happy. We know that is possible at all these schools but if anyone has a view on SPGS (when it’s had no real meaningful exam) I’d be super grateful.

@DinoDisco we are looking at indies (not spgs due to location) but thus statement really sums it up for me!

generally these schools are full of fulfilled, self-motivated, busy, resilient girls who just get on with things - in between their usual teenage wobbles.

@dinosaurinmybelly I had missed you were waiting for a big offer and have fingers and toes crossed for you!

@dinosaurinmybelly I think the main reason is their generous bursary programme (which as I understand it is indeed generous). SPGS charges extra for textbooks too. All independent schools will tell you that the fees (and their annual increase) is because they want to attract and retain the best staff and invest in the facilities. SPGS has invested and indeed invests in the facilities. I am less convinced about staff as there is a variety in abilities. Staff are mostly incredibly supportive however. Going the extra mile. Supporting the girls at lunchtime and other hours. All a girl needs to do is ask and it shall be provided (well, within reason ). Maths support, language support, lending rowing machines during lockdown (to the rowers), lending laptops if needed, photographic equipment. Psychological support.

Thank you all so much for this insight. The one downside in our thinking currently is the cost. SPGS is significantly more expensive than the other schools. Presumably this is a consideration for everyone. Could you share if you feel there is a genuine reason for this?