Putney High or Emanuel school for all-rounder DD ?

In SW London we are spoilt for choice (more for girls) We are off to Putney to in Sept as for us it’s the middle ground between WHS and SCHS. (All excellent schools)

The big question as others have said is co-ed v single sex. We had Alleyns and Emanuel offers but single sex won. If we had wanted co-Ed Emanuel would have won due to locality.

These are all excellent schools. Once you’ve made a decision you won’t look back!

Just to say we chose Emanuel over other selective co-Ed’s one being KGS. I’m sure others all great schools too. We couldn’t be happier with our choice. It’s what feels right and a matter of co-ed vs single sex school.

After GCSEs DD moved to Latymer Upper (mixed 6th form at the time) for her A Levels and said that the teaching at LEH was superior to those at Latymer.

My daughter (some years ago) went to Lady Eleanor Holles rather than a local school. While it meant her friendship circle stretched from Putney (where we lived) to Barnes, Richmond and Hampton itself, it was the right decision.

The school nearest home isn't always the best but what's most relevant for you is whether your daughter wants to be in a girls-only environment at PHS or a co-ed like Emmanuel (which was one of my daughter's options at the time, too) She chose LEH.

Already know people this year who have opted for E over PHS and NHEHS.

Yet majority of kids from the surrounding area travel miles away to different schools across London. Many choose KGS, which is also a co Ed..

At Emanuel the percentage of A*/9/8 at GCSE has more than doubled since 2016.
It is now very much an active choice for parents wanting coeducation in a beautiful setting.

PHS is in the top 75 schools in terms of league tables. I don’t know where E sits in any lists since it is not top 100. So re academics, currently PHS is certainly the one to go to if that is your concern, OP.

Emanuel hasn't been a back up choice for a few years now. It's been actively chosen first choice, especially since new head.

I think the big choice here is single sex v co-ed

OP: theorising here, but you seem to be very much in favour of Emanuel, but somehow thinking you 'ought' to choose PHS. Perhaps because 'girls do better in single sex' or because 10+ years ago Emanuel's reputation was totally different?

I would go with the PH. Emanuel is the back up choice for most kids, and they end up there if they missed all other options. It has a stigma attached. I would also ask the school if they are still using streaming vs setting. It’s not very inspiring academically.

Don’t get discouraged by some of the comments! Remember still lots on waiting lists...
They are both great schools academically and in sports. Based on this why wouldn’t you base your choice on location?? .. it makes sense and you won’t regret it. Good Luck!

This thread rumbles on from the sublime to the ridiculous.

@StopAtTheRedLight are we neighbours?? We have had the exact same experience with raaaah loud, entitled, and obnoxious E sixth formers.

However, I also know a Y7 child who is very lovely and his mum speaks highly of the school. So who knows!

At DDs all girls school you can pretty much tell in Year 9 who the hardcore party set are going to be. They will probably end up at the same parties as the same set from all the SW London schools (state and private).
DD nearly went to Emanuel. I know quite a few extremely sensible sixth formers there!

My DD went to Westminster for the 6th form. I was stunned by the party scene that took place all over London on Saturday evenings and lasted until 3 or 4am on Sundays.

Latymer Upper also has a reputation as a party school, as do most of the London Independents.

I think it is very unfair to pick on one school for this.

A great choice to have 11plusNewbie !
I only have first hand experience of PHS but a lot of my DDs friends attend ES as I live relatively locally, so I can only comment from what I hear from DDs friends (and their mums). I would say that the sport is definitely stronger at PHS. The sport department is really impressive with rowing, netball, gymnastics and tennis being the strongest sports. They have also hired some really strong Lacrosse coaches in the last few years. Having said this I like the fact that my DD is not a great tennis player but still has a chance to be in the "friendlies team" and play some matches against other schools. I know the sports is on the up at ES but i have a few friends with DD at the school commenting on how the sport still seems to be better for the boys with Rugby still being the main focus. This could well be changing ? But maybe something to ask if your DD is sporty.

I do hear that the Art department is pretty phenomenal at ES and I can't comment personally as i don't have an "arty" daughter but probaby better than at PH.

On the travel front - to be honest I actually like that my DD travels out of our area to go to school. She was at nursery and primary school in this area so i think she enjoys being in another part of London for secondary (thats what she tells me anyway). The commute from Clapham Junction is so easy for your DD as its only 6 minutes and one stop.
Personally - we love PHS. I have 3 DC in 3 different schools and PHS is in my opinion the best one. The head is fantastic and the girls have so many opportunities to try so many clubs / activities but still manage to do so well academically. DD2 is probably going to move to PHS for 6th Form.
Both my DDs are at single sex school and they don't seem to struggle to interact with boys ! As for 6th Form parties and 6th formers behaving badly.... i do think that happens everywhere and its a bit of luck what the year group is like. So not really the school's responsibility ! I would say that in terms of being "strict" both schools are probably quite similar. Good luck with your choice !

IIRC, it went from boy heavy to 50/50 about a decade ago. So every year group now in the school, plus at least one or two of those just finished.

I agree, it's a coed vs single sex decision. My kids go single sex and I must say I do think it's a bit of a shame that they don't have the experience of being around the opposite sex

This took place before lockdown and the six months leading up to it. No further comment. I have said my piece. Take it or leave it.

@11plusNewbie I really like what you said about even if PHS was closer you still like Emanuel more. We were lucky enough to have scholarships for our other choices but it never took away from that gut feeling I had when I first looked around Emanuel and realised how much I liked it. So my girls will be joining yours too

How long ago was that - before or after change of both head and head of sixth form?

Also, before of after the numbers of the sexes went to 50/50 ? The school was coed for some time before it ceased being boy heavy.

Bear in mind that you can find the toxic party culture in any sixth form. Not every one, every year, but it's terribly common.

What matters is parental response (it's fundamentally an out-of-school issue, and the parents who permitted their premises to be used in that way are the ones most at fault) and can be hard to attribute to specific schools (DC mix across various schools, with like finding like whichever they go to)

PHS party reputation is also quite strong (and epithets about). But of course it's simply not true of every girl there.

But school response, auch wellbeing and SRE plus pastoral care, all matter. That's why I asked which head master and head of sixth form this took place under.

@potteringalong. This was not one child. This was pack mentality of two dozen of their number on multiple occasions. There may be parental elements but if two dozen all from the school think this kind of behaviour is acceptable, to me it speaks to a values/culture issue. And the fact that the school did not even see this values point as an issue spoke volumes to me. Look — if this does not bother you, then send your Kid there. But as we know from the corporate arena, culture is so very important. And it is important in schools. I stand by my comment.