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Original poster

London Y7: St Marylebone or Camden School for Girls?

35 replies

clevud · 07/09/2024 11:23

My daughter got a music aptitude place at St Marylebone. We are agnostic/atheist. The school's religious side is extremely light touch. On her first school day, CSG called to offer her a place based on banding and distance. It's very unusual because we live far from the school, 30 min by overground. I'd have loved to send her there, but she says she wants to be with her best friend from primary and that she's happy. Who knows. Uniform police at StM has already irritated me, but not her. We just had a laugh and agreed that not all things that schools state make sense. I'm more interested in a very good academic environment where she can develop independent and critical thinking.
I think she'll be happy in both. Of course sibling policy applies to CSG but not StM which woudl have been useful for my Y11 daughter.
Any views? Need to make a final decision by 9am on 9.09!

OP posts:
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BeProudPlumPoet · 10/03/2025 12:56

clevud · 09/09/2024 17:40

She decided to stay put.

My DD got a place for September 2025. Wondering how did you find it in your experience? Any feedback welcome :)

Moosch · 21/12/2024 22:00

PollyPut · 08/09/2024 17:18

or a space came up for music, and she was next?

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Hey
I'm curious you said you are 6km away. I'm currently 5.6 and really want my eldest to go to CSG. Did you do a standard application?
I don't quite get the banding thing.

Moosch · 21/12/2024 21:54

Hey
I'm curious you said you are 6km away. I'm currently 5.6 and really want my eldest to go to CSG. Did you do a standard application?

BeProudPlumPoet · 22/10/2024 11:15

@GummyNut same here! My DD ended up getting a place for music. We are really happy and trying to find some direct feedback of the school!

GummyNut · 02/10/2024 12:01

BananaDaiquiri · 28/09/2024 16:40

There are a maximum of 16 performing arts places. I believe they are usually split between 4 each for choral, music, dance and drama. However the wording on the admissions gives them scope to rearrange if say they were to get 3 dance entries and 100 choral entries they could give out more choral. I think it's usually 4,4,4,4.

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My DD has done well and has been invited for round 2 of the music (choral) aptitude test. There is little information in the invitation letter so I wonder if anyone could shed more light on what will be assessed?

  • There is a set song - do the girls sing this with accompaniment or a cappella?
  • Aural test - anyone know what this would involve?
My DD really enjoys singing but hasn't had much formal training, therefore I wonder how we can help her prepare for this.
tredarloe123 · 30/09/2024 12:59

Kalimero · 30/09/2024 11:59

Which school are you referring to?

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St Marylebone

Kalimero · 30/09/2024 11:59

tredarloe123 · 30/09/2024 00:33

As a former student myself, I can explain the dance lessons! It is such an amazing school and they put a real emphasis on preparing everyone for their futures in regard to confidence, team work and problem solving. One of the ways they do this is by having music, dance and drama as compulsory for the first 3 years. You don’t need any sort of training and you learn a range of styles! It’s not at all a ballet class at the barre type thing, it’s more about learning about historical productions and creating your own in that style, for example, or learning about a new culture and the traditions they may have in the arts. It taught me how to present myself confidently in an interview, to know my value and not be afraid to take up space in a room, and made me push the barrier of self judgement! It doesn’t matter if it’s your thing or not, it’s just a good thing to have in the curriculum to use your brain in a different way.

Which school are you referring to?

tredarloe123 · 30/09/2024 00:33

As a former student myself, I can explain the dance lessons! It is such an amazing school and they put a real emphasis on preparing everyone for their futures in regard to confidence, team work and problem solving. One of the ways they do this is by having music, dance and drama as compulsory for the first 3 years. You don’t need any sort of training and you learn a range of styles! It’s not at all a ballet class at the barre type thing, it’s more about learning about historical productions and creating your own in that style, for example, or learning about a new culture and the traditions they may have in the arts. It taught me how to present myself confidently in an interview, to know my value and not be afraid to take up space in a room, and made me push the barrier of self judgement! It doesn’t matter if it’s your thing or not, it’s just a good thing to have in the curriculum to use your brain in a different way.

BananaDaiquiri · 28/09/2024 16:40

GummyNut · 27/09/2024 08:36

Slightly off topic but I wondered if you could share some information about the music aptitude places please. I am told there are 14 performing arts places - how are these split? Are there even numbers of instrumental/ choral/ drama and dance places or is it random each year?

Show quote history

There are a maximum of 16 performing arts places. I believe they are usually split between 4 each for choral, music, dance and drama. However the wording on the admissions gives them scope to rearrange if say they were to get 3 dance entries and 100 choral entries they could give out more choral. I think it's usually 4,4,4,4.

IrisOlympia · 27/09/2024 08:47

GummyNut · 27/09/2024 08:36

Slightly off topic but I wondered if you could share some information about the music aptitude places please. I am told there are 14 performing arts places - how are these split? Are there even numbers of instrumental/ choral/ drama and dance places or is it random each year?

Show quote history

Also interested to know what the exam is like?

GummyNut · 27/09/2024 08:36

clevud · 07/09/2024 11:23

My daughter got a music aptitude place at St Marylebone. We are agnostic/atheist. The school's religious side is extremely light touch. On her first school day, CSG called to offer her a place based on banding and distance. It's very unusual because we live far from the school, 30 min by overground. I'd have loved to send her there, but she says she wants to be with her best friend from primary and that she's happy. Who knows. Uniform police at StM has already irritated me, but not her. We just had a laugh and agreed that not all things that schools state make sense. I'm more interested in a very good academic environment where she can develop independent and critical thinking.
I think she'll be happy in both. Of course sibling policy applies to CSG but not StM which woudl have been useful for my Y11 daughter.
Any views? Need to make a final decision by 9am on 9.09!

Slightly off topic but I wondered if you could share some information about the music aptitude places please. I am told there are 14 performing arts places - how are these split? Are there even numbers of instrumental/ choral/ drama and dance places or is it random each year?

JaffavsCookie · 25/09/2024 21:35

We don’t have text books at my secondary up here in the norf, it’s very common tbh due to costs.
is the dance a form of pe due the limited space?

Stowickthevast · 25/09/2024 21:25

Not having textbooks is very common at secondary.
They just copy stuff into their exercise books and paste things in there.
Neither of mine have textbooks - one at a London grammar and one at a comprehensive.

Original poster
clevud · 25/09/2024 14:09

I have no idea about dance classes. I consider them some additional physical activity. Most of the children will not have had any previous dance experience. With regards to learning, lot of material posted by teacher on Google Classrooms and then other handed out in lessons and pasted into their school books. I know many other secondaries do the same.

OP posts:
Kalimero · 25/09/2024 13:40

clevud · 25/09/2024 12:23

DD seems very happy, me less so. Dance is mandatory but for a couple or 3 years? Never thought that actually it is not part of the curriculum of other schools. What i don't like at St Marylebone is that there are no textbooks. Erasing a millennial tradition of learning on well organised and curated materials instead of flying sheets or, more likely, a jumble of files on hideous Google Classrooms. The impact on the children's ability to revise in a structured way and having a clear and organised view of the content covered cannot be underestimated.

Thank you for all information so far. I am wondering, do they learn online or elsewhere since there's no textbooks?

Also those dancing lessons, are they challenging or sort of 'taking part' type as my DD isn't too much of a dancer 😅

RocketAndAFuckingMelon · 25/09/2024 13:30

What do they learn on? We are looking at this school and I'm not sure how they would do anything without textbooks!

Original poster
clevud · 25/09/2024 12:23

DD seems very happy, me less so. Dance is mandatory but for a couple or 3 years? Never thought that actually it is not part of the curriculum of other schools. What i don't like at St Marylebone is that there are no textbooks. Erasing a millennial tradition of learning on well organised and curated materials instead of flying sheets or, more likely, a jumble of files on hideous Google Classrooms. The impact on the children's ability to revise in a structured way and having a clear and organised view of the content covered cannot be underestimated.

OP posts:
Leeloo13 · 25/09/2024 11:47

Leeloo13 · 25/09/2024 11:44

We are in a similar situation, have to choose now between CSG and another school, an academy, where she is happy now, has like 80% of her colleagues from.primary, has her 3 friends....its a 15 min walking distance as opposed to CSG that we have to change 2 buses, or take bus then train.... she wanted CSG but now, I see she is more inclined to stay

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Do you regret by now, although still early... we are on waiting list for St Marylebone too,but recently decided she doesn't want it anymore as she is nor at all interested in studying dance...and I understand its mandatory there

Leeloo13 · 25/09/2024 11:44

clevud · 09/09/2024 17:40

She decided to stay put.

We are in a similar situation, have to choose now between CSG and another school, an academy, where she is happy now, has like 80% of her colleagues from.primary, has her 3 friends....its a 15 min walking distance as opposed to CSG that we have to change 2 buses, or take bus then train.... she wanted CSG but now, I see she is more inclined to stay

WriterOfWrongs · 09/09/2024 23:05

Sorry for jumping on your post OP, and pleased to see you made a decision between two hard choices! But we’re considering both of these for 6th form for DS, and I’d appreciate any views from the captive Wink audience here. We’re atheist. Both not local for us but v doable by tube.

LuckyOrMaybe · 09/09/2024 22:03

Good luck with the older one getting a 6th form place she is happy with. I've two nieces at Camden, the older of whom got in on music aptitude from some distance away, and the younger as sibling priority. The year the first started, their older sister had a 6th form place offered also (though she decided to stay put nearer home), the effective catchment was much broader for 6th form.

Original poster
clevud · 09/09/2024 17:40

She decided to stay put.

OP posts:
Foxesandsquirrels · 09/09/2024 14:13

What did you decide on Op? I would've gone with CSG but interested what you decided

Original poster
clevud · 09/09/2024 08:29

urbanbuddha · 09/09/2024 08:19

Could be wrong but I don’t think having a sister in the lower school at CSG helps with a sixth form application there.

Yes, provided she achieves the expected grades, there is sibling policy.

OP posts:
urbanbuddha · 09/09/2024 08:19

Could be wrong but I don’t think having a sister in the lower school at CSG helps with a sixth form application there.