Merchant Taylors' Boys vs St Mary's Crosby

[VeuveLilies]

For senior school.
Can anyone tell me anything about either?
And why they chose?
I'm thinking that Merchants is more serious and academic, St Mary's a little bit more personable and friendly?

My son is 9 and I adore his school, but if we move, these 2 schools would be his options. He's had a fantastic school experience up to now and I don't want to mess that up and get the wrong fit.

I'd agree with that assessment. Some other thoughts...

St Mary's is coeducational, Merchants is boys only (although the associated girls school is nearby).

St Mary's is Catholic and it shows. It doesn't make any difference for admissions - that's all about how well you do in the test. But the links with the Catholic church are strong.

St Mary's is a little cheaper and you are more likely to get a bursary.

The sports facilities at Merchants are much better than St Mary's.

There are subject differences. Merchants, for example, has a drama department whereas opportunities to take part in performing arts at St Mary's are very limited.

Ah, ds loves his drama!

If he goes to St Mary's there should be some opportunities for drama but probably less than at Merchants. There are only a handful of teachers who get involved in running performing arts activities at St Mary's and I understand that in recent years a number of productions have been delayed or cancelled due to teachers being ill or otherwise unable to assist. Merchants has a proper stage and a dance studio. St Mary's doesn't have either of those things.

St Mary's is probably stronger on music. They have the annual Proms in the Park event. As far as I am aware Merchants don't have anything similar.

Having tried primary at MT and being disappointed we moved to St.Marys with bated breath.
I am happy to tell you of our experience as we have reached the end of our first year.
I believe you can apply for a bursary at either school.
St Marys is academically the top school in Sefton.
I am very pleased that my dc's results have improved.
There are plenty of opportunities for performing at St. Marys school. A stage is set up in the school and a recent refurbishment of lighting and sound systems have given superb results. St. Mary's also took their last performance to the Liverpool university Stanley Theatre. The annual Proms in the Park event at which all the dc have the opportunity to perform at their huge sports field, which is owned by the school, alongside professional, local and international individuals, with 2,000 attendance this year!! The quality of the performance and production was quite amazing. Lower school (including my dc) has just returned from a music tour in Paris where they performed in Madeleine cathedral and at the Eiffel Tower park bandstand.
Some dc are member of the Liverpool Philharmonic, children's choir, Youth choir, Youth academy, Youth orchestra. My dc also performed at the Philharmonic Hall which apparently is an annual event.
St Marys music department is outstanding, not only for the number of children motivated to take ABRSM exams in every year group but there are so many bands, orchestras, choirs dc can join giving team building skills, performance experience and the discipline and enjoyment of an instrument and learning the language of music, all transferable skills.
The variety of after school or lunch clubs available to join is astounding.
Sports is second to none, winners of medals and trophies for netball, hockey, rugby and cricket. I see that the boys have also been coached by one of the England World Cup football team (an 'old' boy I think) as well as taking an opportunity to practice at Everton football ground. The sports field is massive and the children walk to and from it whereas MT's being further away requires buses. There is a fully equipped sports hall adjacent to St Marys. MT's has a newer sports building and it is also open to public membership at times as is their swimming pool which when we were there was, frustratingly, frequently closed for repairs as it is quite dated. I had reservations about St Marys being coed and the Catholic ethos but for us it has proved to be the healthier environment for our dc, R.E classes are reported by my dc to be full of interest, debate and discussion that is reflective rather than intrusive. In our experience "Close links" to the Catholic Church can be summed up as the Carol concert being held at the local church and annual prize giving at the Metropolitan cathedral in Liverpool. I am uncertain of the comment of "St Marys is Catholic and it shows" .... It would be just as valuable to point out that Merchant Taylors is a business and it shows.
St Marys has had a determination to find what my and other dc excel in and in a wider context enjoy, whilst my child's academic progress is carefully monitored. I do hope that wherever you choose for your dc you have as fantastic a first year as we have had.

But but but The Cardinal went to St Mary’s!

To an extent it depends on your attitude to two issues: mixed-sex education, and faith.

Merchants is single-sex, whereas St Mary's is mixed. This in itself would make the decision for some parents.

St Mary's is Catholic. I don't have any personal experience of how Catholic it is, IYKWIM. I went to a different Catholic school and I found that the religious aspect impacted on a lot of my education - e.g. PSHE was very limited re: sex and contraception, and there was a huge focus on abstinence. It didn't work - one of my classmates was pregnant at 15. Our biology teacher also failed to teach us the reproductive biology that was on our GCSE syllabus. I have no idea if St Mary's is that type of Catholic school, but I'd recommend you take care to find out.

Haha, yes you're right he did...also Roger McGough, a couple of MPs, Journalists and BBC people, international musicians and UN personnel ...all the worlds a stage.
The Biology classes in Year 7 were very thorough about reproduction and delivered fairly robustly ...possibly make the Cardinal blush ! but fantastic for the pupils....21st century teaching 😄.