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Original poster

“Backup” private options in London

58 replies

Lindtnotlint · 23/08/2023 15:32

My DD is prepping for 11+ at London indies. She is at a well-regarded private prep. Increasingly clear that our original ideas of her ending up at somewhere like CSLG/G&L are not realistic, and places like Putney/JAGS/FHSS (which we would be delighted with) feel really stretching… This is because her maths isn’t where it should be - she’s scoring ~60 per cent in practice maths papers. VR/NVR are ok though not stellar and English is ok to good, occasionally excellent.

Where should we be looking? We are thinking Queens Gate and Queens College? Emanuel looks like may be a stretch given how competitive it is getting. She’s a sparky, sensible, enthusiastic, hard working girl. I feel a bit shocked that she may end up with so few interesting options. Looking for central or west/south.

We are obviously prepping Maths pretty hard to try to offer her as many sensible school choices as we can - she is working hard and is happy. Just me who is freaking out a bit……

OP posts:
coloursquare · 23/08/2023 16:05

Agree with @Delphigirl - one of the reasons those schools get such results is because they select so strictly. It sounds like your DD would (currently) be totally unsuited to one of those schools. How would she keep up?

She may well go on to be a very high academic achiever but needs to have the space to do this or whatever else is right for her.

Pinkblack · 23/08/2023 16:02

What is the school suggestion from your current prep?

Delphigirl · 23/08/2023 16:02

Lindtnotlint · 23/08/2023 15:50

Streatham and Clapham is a bit too far/awkward journey. That’s a bit depressing on Queens College. Will look at More House (though the results look like quite a big step down - maybe that’s just what I have to accept 🫣)

You can’t expect to benefit from a lower achieving intake than eg G&L and still get the higher achieving results of G&L, that’s not feasible. That’s not to say that your child might not do as well as she possibly can in a smaller school with a wider intake and excellent teaching. All we want is for them to do as well as they possibly can. How can she get there? Maybe More is the answer maybe not, but go in with an open mind.

Original poster
Lindtnotlint · 23/08/2023 15:57

Sadly the state options near us really aren’t great, plus we have two other kids who are in private prep and will continue to private secondaries, so we are only looking for private. (Appreciate many will disagree with the approach!)

OP posts:
coloursquare · 23/08/2023 15:52

What about the local state options, OP? London secondaries are often excellent and non-selective, so she can blossom in her own time.

Original poster
Lindtnotlint · 23/08/2023 15:50

Streatham and Clapham is a bit too far/awkward journey. That’s a bit depressing on Queens College. Will look at More House (though the results look like quite a big step down - maybe that’s just what I have to accept 🫣)

OP posts:
Foxesandsquirrels · 23/08/2023 15:43

Queens College is quite hard to get into now. More House Knightsbridge a good backup.

coloursquare · 23/08/2023 15:37

Streatham and Clapham