Alleyn's or CLSG?

[whatwouldyouchoose]

DD is in the wonderful position of having to choose between an academic scholarship at Alleyn's and an offer at CLSG. She loves city, but I am leaning more towards Alleyn's which is close to home and she has the scholarship. Some background: she is academic, doesn't care too much about sport although she enjoys it, enjoys music and doesn't feel to strongly about co-ed or single sex. Any opinions on these 2 schools would be much appreciated.

[Rabbitcar]

Until I saw this thread, I had never heard the term 'destination school'. Surely all schools are local to someone, depending on where you live? I have heard of NLCS, but not JAGS, simply because I live in North London. South Londoners have likewise probably never heard of NLCS. SPGS is somewhere in the middle but didn't appeal to us, so we didn't apply. DD2 has offers from CLSG, NLCS and Channing, and we will probably go for Channing as it's nearer home, ie local to us. As others have said, league tables aren't everything, and quality of life is important.

[ClaraMaugham]

Rabbitcar I admire your attitude. Several members of my family went to one of the 'destination schools' mentioned above, and in two cases it seriously damaged their self-esteem - which had a lasting impact on their careers. It can be really hard as a parent to overlook the 'best' school in favour of the best fit, but if the result is happy, fulfilled and successful children then is it really a choice?

Incidentally I live in a part of South West London where neither JAGS nor CLSG is ever mentioned, and it's only because I read threads like these that either of them is more than a hazy name to me. I can't see any South London defensiveness above - if anything I'm slightly confused by the lauding of CLSG. I've lived in London all my life and barely ever heard of it.

[basildonbond]

dd is very bright and very hard-working and if she keeps roughly on her current trajectory she'll do extremely well at school wherever she goes so my quest is for the place where she'll be happiest over the next few years

her prep head suggested St Paul's, however we're in 'defensive' south London and as far as I'm concerned no school is worth a tricky journey - doesn't matter how brilliant it is I don't want my just turned 11 year old having to commute and change tubes etc when she'd be travelling past dozens of schools which would suit her just as well

At the top end, schools' stellar results simply indicate how uber-selective a school is - the more selective, the (slightly) higher results but all the top schools in the country will do well by a bright, motivated child (and frankly they'd probably be fine academically in some of the worst schools in the country too ...)

fwiw I grew up in west London - the schools on my radar were SPGS, G&L, Tiffin Girls and LEH with the 'high' schools (Wimbledon, Putney, Surbiton) being seen as a back-up (this was a while ago ...). I think I was dimly aware that there was a girls' school in the Barbican but wouldn't have been able to tell you its name, had never heard of JAGS or NLCS - I really wouldn't have called any of the girls' schools a 'destination' school - it's a rather silly term when you think about it

[VQSV]

Just what exactly have the last few posters contributed to the Alleyn's vs CLSG debate...other than some faux inverted snobbery ??

Look... it's really not that complicated.

The term "destination school" is not some mystical anointing of a school as being superior to any other school...

It is simply a short-hand term to refer to a school where your DD or DS is prepared to undertake a slightly longer commute...(and travel past pretty good schools in the process)..because they and/or their parents feel that the extra journey is worth it...

Not everyone is in a super-convenient central location...
So a discussion of which schools are worth making a bit of extra effort for (commute wise) is perfectly fair as far as I can see...

I've clearly ruffled a few feathers in south London (not that I'm really that bothered...but it really wasn't my intention)...but I am slightly losing the will to continue on this thread...

I really thought all this "chip-on-the-shoulder" business about people living south of the river Thames was some ridiculous urban myth...but the contributions on this thread... are slowly convincing me otherwise.

apologies to the OP for the "car-crash" feeling of recent posts...

[Rabbitcar]

I certainly didn't mean to be snobby, so apologies if that came across. I had genuinely not heard of the term 'destination school' before, so thanks for clarifying. And speaking as a North Londoner, I haven't seen any evidence of chips on the shoulders of South London posters here. Maybe I am missing the subtleties! I think all are great schools, and the right choice depends on the child. For some, a longer journey for a school that's higher in the league tables will be better, but for others a local school might be more appropriate. I think posters are saying CLSG is good, but then so are the South London school. I hope everyone finds the right schools for their DCs. X

[whatwouldyouchoose]

Thank you all for a very interesting discussion. I thought at the end of last week that I had made my decision, but no, I'm still undecided. It is down to whether CLSG is worth the journey (we are SE so city is doable). Alleyn's would be a very short train journey or a 10 min car journey. As I have mentioned before, league tables don't matter that much to me, I want the right school for my academic, musical, not too sporty DD and I have ruled out JAGS which I don't feel is right for her. CLSG and Alleyn's on the other hand both feel right each one for different reasons.

[Focusingkingqueen]

Not much help but I have been put off City for my DD by the loud and obnoxious show off behaviour of the city girls coming home on the train in the afternoons. Not just as a one off but I travel with them every day and have done for several years. The behaviour from the girls at other N London girls independent schools and HBS is far quieter and much less showy. The City boys on the other hand tend to be very well behaved, a real credit.

[missinglalaland]

OK, I don't have a dog in this fight and wish the OP all wisdom in making the best decision for her dd.

But, I must admit that having lived on the Central Line for 13 years, I have never seen a CLSG girl behaving badly or obtrusively. To be fair, I have never seen teenage girls in school uniforms from any school behaving badly. Boys, that's a different matter, just about all of them have been "high spirited" at times. And girls out of uniform on weekends can be giggly in groups. But really, I couldn't tar a single school as having obnoxious, arrogant children.

[Helpyourself]

Go for Alleyns. The journey to CLSG isn't fun and she's more likely to have local friends at Alleyn's, which as they get older is really important. The fact that that there are 5 Secondary Schools in Dulwich is one of the perks of living here. And don't forget that although travel is free at the moment, that could change- even with an Oyster I'm paying £60/ month for sixth form travel to central London.

[summerends]

Being completely neutral about the two schools I would suggest Alleyn's due to the huge advantages of proximity, especially when she is younger, and since from your point of view not much to choose otherwise between them. You could suggest to her that she would be able to switch to CLSG (if she wants to give up coed) for the sixth form if she continues to want the urban vibe then.

[MortaIWombat]

I've got a kid in a co-ed school, and I wish we'd accepted the girls' school place we were offered, as she's not interested in socialising with boys, so her potential friendship group has been halved. She's still (just) in the junior school, but looking at the senior school, it doesn't seem that unusual for girls to hang out with girls, and boys with boys. A bit of a shame, really.