Habs vs Westminster vs St. Paul’s Boys

Just to add this is why some parents with non sporty ds choose grammar schools because you aren't then paying for sports facilities that are never used, there is a lot of sport on the private school curriculums.

Maybe you should wait until your ds has sat the Westminster exam and you have all the offers in front of you. St Paul's and Westminster select a balance of ds in the class so they have the sporty alpha boys even at age 7 because they are all round schools and need their sports teams to also be high achieving. When you go to Westminster really watch the dc and parents and work out if they are like minded etc. Do you know parents at St Paul's/ Westminster already?

The “best” education is not necessarily the one at the school with the highest results in league tables. All of these schools are highly selective and their results are what you would expect if you cream off the very brightest. Differences in league table results are arbitrary at this level. Your son would come out with a string of A*s wherever he goes.

Please, please, please look beyond results and the prestige associated with the name of the school. If your son is sporty then having playing fields on site would be of huge benefit. If he is musical then how many choirs, orchestras and bands are there for his instrument? How’s their art and drama? Is he into computers as Westminster doesn’t offer computer science at A-level and the offering of creative subjects is quite poor too IMO (we looked at the sixth form for DD).

It is very easy to get carried away with which one is the “best” and ignore which one is “right” for your son.

Habs boys is highly ranked-- even among fee paying schools they'll be in the top 5% in the country. Sometimes London parents can lose perspective as we have so many top ones in the city.

Your son seems extremely bright (though not off the charts) and he would have plenty of intellectual peers at any of these schools.

In your situation, I'd focus the choice based on ethos, pastoral care, cocurricular offer, how the schools teach and differentiate math if that's his strength, and where you want to live.

I'd stick with Habs if you're local and love the area. If he's this bright and you really want a public school, he could always board from 13 at Westminster.

They are all great schools and any is giving your ds a fantastic education. If you said "I'm passionate about rowing and would love for my ds to go and study in the US on a rowing scholarship" then of course go for a school based on the Thames but if you don't want a particular extra curricular opportunity then you have to ask what a house move would gain for you as a family as a whole.

If you're happy in the area stick with Habs, it really won't make a huge difference overall and not worth the disruption for any tiny perceived gain

I don't have any direct experience but I work with two girls who went to Habs and both are v posh (ie well spoken) and confident with successful jobs.

I used to go out with a St Paul's boy and he was confident and successful too.

I wouldn't move to go to St Paul's. Send them to Habs in an area you know and love. School is important but so is being rooted and settled somewhere and all of the schools you mention will mean a great start in life.

You need to think about the very high fees at St Paul's and Westminster and where you would live and cost of living. Your ds is obviously bright and will get the same GCSEs and a levels where ever he goes to school so are you looking for sporting or music excellence as that is part of what you are paying for? Are you sure you don't want to opt for a grammar school at age 11? Maybe spend some time on the elevenplusexams.co.uk website too, so many parents opt for a grammar when given the option of these schools.

Is this for pre-tests? It’s years since my children were starting secondary school but then you had to make your mind up before Common Entrance.
I realise things may have changed in the past 12 years.

They're all highly competitive schools to get into, so you may be best applying to all and then seeing where you get in and whether you have an option or not.