Page 9 | Should I push my CAT4 138 DD to SPGS open day?

swdd · 2026-03-29T11:21:55+00:00

My DD is in Year 5 at an independent school, with a CAT4 score of 138 (same Year 4 and Year 5). She really loves free play, doing her own projects, and is also into chess and video games. She’s more into brain stimulation stuff and I’ve been working with her on advanced competition maths. However, she’s quite laid-back and not naturally self-motivated. Although she has achieved Grade 8 distinction in piano, she never practises voluntarily. Her English score is good, but not very strong largely because she isn’t an avid reader, and she lacks big interest in humanities subjects. I don't think she fits the personality of typical St Paul's Girls at 11+. (I guess anything but laidback）Although given her strong logical reasoning skills, she stands a good chance of getting into SPGS if we applied. Also, she’s not at all sporty, and SPGS is extremely strong in humanities – both are definite weak areas for her. Obviously, SPGS is much more expensive than our current school, and as a modest family it would be further financial stretch. That said, we still could sit her for SPGS, partly to test her ability, and I’ve considered 16+ entry to SPGS further down the line, as she can choose a STEM-focused Sixth Form without too worrying about the humanities. And who knows, she might be more motivated in 5 years! But my DD is completely against it. She’s being rebellious because everyone around her raves about SPGS, and she prefers a more chilled environment, partly influenced by my concerns about the pressure there. She would not even go for the open day. My question is: should I persuade her to at least go to the SPGS open day, or should I just drop the idea altogether?

Ubertomusic · 29/03/2026 19:30

swdd · 29/03/2026 19:05

You've already decided you don't want SPGS though so what's the point 🤷‍♀️

The point of talking about pressure and humanities at SPGS is: Having ruled out 11+ entry, I’ve been looking ahead to 16+ entry, by which time humanities won’t be part of the programme. I expect she’ll top in STEM by then, so there won’t be real pressure, and she can fully make use of SPGS’s resources.(better uni destinations etc）

STEM are fairly straightforward, you could get to Oxbridge from grammar or comp, and I guess specialist maths 6th forms could be better for maths/phys/comp sci extras.

IMO teams are a mix of various schools, even Millfield that mostly turns out sports champions :)

www.imo-register.org.uk/#E2026

Original poster

swdd · 29/03/2026 19:05

You've already decided you don't want SPGS though so what's the point 🤷‍♀️

The point of talking about pressure and humanities at SPGS is: Having ruled out 11+ entry, I’ve been looking ahead to 16+ entry, by which time humanities won’t be part of the programme. I expect she’ll top in STEM by then, so there won’t be real pressure, and she can fully make use of SPGS’s resources.(better uni destinations etc）

OP posts:

Original poster

swdd · 29/03/2026 18:52

BendingSpoons · 29/03/2026 18:02

I'm really not sure why you would bother looking or applying if you aren't going to accept a place there. You have a 9/10yo, I really wouldn't worry now about how motivated she will be at 15/16. Make the decision that is right for now, and visit SPGS when she is 14/15 if you think that's a good option then. She will be 50% older, plus she will have a much better understanding of the implications by then. Right now she is very much still a child. She sounds bright, and will presumably do well wherever.

I guess we’ll probably go to the SPGS Open Day by ourselves, without her, just to satisfy our curiosity and get some closure, while keeping SPGS a mystery for her anyway — since she doesn’t really care.

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Ubertomusic · 29/03/2026 18:09

swdd · 29/03/2026 17:21

What I mean by pressure is this: if you look at the GCSE results at SPGS, they’re absolutely incredible – nearly every student gets a 9 in English and English Literature. At other selective schools, by contrast, maybe just over half achieve a 9. So if you don’t get a 9 at SPGS you would feel like you’ve failed, whereas at other schools that result would feel perfectly fine which would give dd more margin for error.

I know that STEM subjects in SPGS are equally exceptionally strong. I just feel their humanities curriculum goes well beyond the national syllabus which I worry could put my dd under a lot of pressure. By comparison, at a state grammar school STEM is also very strong, yet the demands for humanities are much lower. Obviously a grammar school might bring another kind of pressure from its rigid and rigorous system.

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It's mostly peer and parents pressure rather than coming from the school.
Yes, the approach to humanities and languages is very different from the national curriculum.
You've already decided you don't want SPGS though so what's the point 🤷‍♀️

BendingSpoons · 29/03/2026 18:02

I'm really not sure why you would bother looking or applying if you aren't going to accept a place there. You have a 9/10yo, I really wouldn't worry now about how motivated she will be at 15/16. Make the decision that is right for now, and visit SPGS when she is 14/15 if you think that's a good option then. She will be 50% older, plus she will have a much better understanding of the implications by then. Right now she is very much still a child. She sounds bright, and will presumably do well wherever.

BonjourCrisette · 29/03/2026 18:00

What I mean by pressure is this: if you look at the GCSE results at SPGS, they’re absolutely incredible – nearly every student gets a 9 in English and English Literature. At other selective schools, by contrast, maybe just over half achieve a 9. So if you don’t get a 9 at SPGS you would feel like you’ve failed, whereas at other schools that result would feel perfectly fine which would give dd more margin for error.

I see what you mean. It definitely comes down to personality I think. My daughter got a couple of 8s and absolutely was not bothered. They were both subjects she had no interest in and she was just happy to have passed with good grades and also that she never had to think about them again! By the time those girls take GCSEs they will have gone far beyond the GCSE syllabus in many subjects so GCSE can feel like a walk in the park in comparison, even in your weaker subjects. DD could have gone for a remark in one of her subjects that wasn't a 9 as she was only a couple of marks off, but she didn't bother as she just did not really care that much.

At SPGS results are not mentioned and nobody in the year knows anything about them except any friends you have chosen to share them with. There is a lot of effort from the school aimed at stopping girls from competing with others and instead focusing on doing their own best.

I know your daughter isn't interested in going, but just in case someone happens on this in future and is worried about that particular aspect!

Original poster

swdd · 29/03/2026 17:21

BonjourCrisette · 29/03/2026 16:51

I don't think there is much point in visiting if you have definitely decided that you don't want your DD to go there. And I would listen to your daughter. Some children do much better being a big fish in a small pond and some much prefer not to be an outlier.

Having said that, I don't think the pressure is particularly different from other SW London girls' schools and in many ways it is less. I don't think you have to be sporty, particularly, and the split between sciences and humanities is not especially in favour of humanities as far as I can tell. For instance, the A Level with the most entries is always Maths and many more girls take that and sciences than at other similar girls' schools.

I was surprised when I looked round schools at that stage, though. There were some I thought I would love that I really really did not, and vice versa.

What I mean by pressure is this: if you look at the GCSE results at SPGS, they’re absolutely incredible – nearly every student gets a 9 in English and English Literature. At other selective schools, by contrast, maybe just over half achieve a 9. So if you don’t get a 9 at SPGS you would feel like you’ve failed, whereas at other schools that result would feel perfectly fine which would give dd more margin for error.

I know that STEM subjects in SPGS are equally exceptionally strong. I just feel their humanities curriculum goes well beyond the national syllabus which I worry could put my dd under a lot of pressure. By comparison, at a state grammar school STEM is also very strong, yet the demands for humanities are much lower. Obviously a grammar school might bring another kind of pressure from its rigid and rigorous system.

OP posts:

BonjourCrisette · 29/03/2026 16:51

I don't think there is much point in visiting if you have definitely decided that you don't want your DD to go there. And I would listen to your daughter. Some children do much better being a big fish in a small pond and some much prefer not to be an outlier.

Having said that, I don't think the pressure is particularly different from other SW London girls' schools and in many ways it is less. I don't think you have to be sporty, particularly, and the split between sciences and humanities is not especially in favour of humanities as far as I can tell. For instance, the A Level with the most entries is always Maths and many more girls take that and sciences than at other similar girls' schools.

I was surprised when I looked round schools at that stage, though. There were some I thought I would love that I really really did not, and vice versa.

HawaiiWake · 29/03/2026 15:52

Maybe check Open day at Westminster, as going coed and strong in STEM or LU, Emanuel or Alleyn’s.

Calculusa · 29/03/2026 13:49

swdd · 29/03/2026 13:22

@Smartiepants79 @TeaandHobnobs

We have already unanimously concluded that we will not accept an offer from SPGS for 11+ entry, even if one is made.
However, we are not fully convinced whether visiting the school would be beneficial/harmful/useless to her vision and her future (possible consideration at 16+).

Edited

There is no harm in going to an open day even if you are not applying. It is good to see what kind of opportunities are out there. In my opinion children get inspiration from open days.

High CAT4 scores and grade 8 piano with distinction at this age is definitely a sign of a clever child. Is she getting enough challenge in her current school? Some children do better when other children are doing high standard work around them.

Original poster

swdd · 29/03/2026 13:22

@Smartiepants79 @TeaandHobnobs

We have already unanimously concluded that we will not accept an offer from SPGS for 11+ entry, even if one is made.
However, we are not fully convinced whether visiting the school would be beneficial/harmful/useless to her vision and her future (possible consideration at 16+).

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Smartiepants79 · 29/03/2026 13:05

Why are you even considering it? You’ve listed so many reasons why it’s not a good idea and a waste of time and money! I’m a big believer in being the parent and taking responsibility for the choice of school for my child until they’re about 16. But she has expressly wished not to go, she won’t cooperate at assessments I wouldn’t have thought and therefore won’t get in anyway!
It also sounds like a terrible fit for her. There must be other schools that are just as good who play more to her strengths.

TeaandHobnobs · 29/03/2026 13:01

Just drop it. It hardly sounds like somewhere she’d be happy, based on your description. Find somewhere that offers / is strong in the areas SHE enjoys.
I know it is hard, but do try not to be swayed by “this is what families with bright girls aim for” - what is important is that it suits YOUR daughter.