Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Original poster

Glendower vs Pembridge vs Ken Prep vs Falkner

159 replies

Ddbrightmoon · 31/01/2021 08:58

Hi all

I wanted to ask how people would decide between these schools. We want our daughter to have a well rounded education but also go to a very strong school academically for 11+.

All schools have something going on (FH: uncertainty of the future with changing Headmistress G:Headmistress change although she seems to be doing a great job, pembridge: news of teacher departures and shift to Bute/G/KP at 7+. KP seems most stable and best facilities but G/FH seem a step ahead academically?

There are lots of threads but keen to get the latest view from the group!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Globaliser · 06/09/2021 21:36

[quote Coronateachingagain]@nhnhnhnh "tutoring" is the key word with SPGS. I will leave it there.

As for the boys school, who said Ds? Westminster will take a girl (bright girl) who wants to take Maths and is predicted a B, along with other subjects where she is predicted higher. No chance of that at SPGS.[/quote]
It really isn’t. It may make you feel better to say it, but it really isn’t about tutoring at all.

Coronateachingagain · 06/09/2021 21:57

Well given equal ability you have a much better chance if you tutor and/or prepare like mad. Competition is rife. And no chance if you don't tutor unless you come from one of the top preps. It is a more competitive ethos than other schools, so this may be a good thing - you need girls who really want it and can and want to cope with the pressure to perform.

MMmomDD · 07/09/2021 00:49

@Coronateachingagain

You are like a broken record here. If it makes you feel better to believe that the only difference between those at SPGS vs other schools is the amount of tutoring - you can believe that.

But for anyone else reading this thread and considering applying - this is not true.
What is true is that you should only apply if you have a child of higher than average abilities. Someone who (mostly) always been near top of their class. And who found most of the primary school an easy sail.
Do you need to do extra work between now and January? Of course you need and should practice with your child. Even those in the coveted academic preps do that.
But you don’t need to hire a tutor and do papers every day.

If your child is in a state school - they won’t get ‘exam practice’ - so for that actually a session with a professional can be helpful.
Just so they can explain the best way to approach a paper - and not get stuck on questions one doesn’t know. Maybe do a mock paper for that.
But other than that - any extra practice can be done with the parents and on weekends. And shouldn’t be hours.

There are plenty of resources these days - on and off-line. Atom learning is actually quite good. So - I’d definitely consider getting it for the final term before exams.

For anyone in private preps - they all do CATs quite early in the term. So in your place I’d get your girls to do some VR/NVR on Atom over this weekend as some schools will be doing CATs next week. And unless you practiced in the summer - your daughters may be a bit rusty.

Other than that - keep your kids sane and rested. And manage their stress that will inevitably pick up as it gets closer to the dreaded exams. And they’ll be Ok.
They all usually are.

Coronateachingagain · 09/09/2021 12:52

I would agree with a lot of what you say @MMmomDD and SPGS is a great school for the right girl. However:

  • you definitely need a lot more tutoring and prep than other schools to maximise tour chances of entry
  • everyone starts the tutoring a lot earlier than now - at least one or one and a half years in advance.
  • if you don't tutor properly at primary, your chances are very very low (unless your girl is of course exceptionally exceptional) Is it how much, like 80% coming from the preps, of which at least 20-30% from the top 3 feeders depending on the year? You may confirm this *@MMmomDD*
  • on top of the qualities you list, it suits a child that is very competitive and resilient. Self pushing may get them results but then it exacerbates a natural quality too much for some and that is when mental health problems start.

My 2 cents anyway. At the end of the day, as @MMmomDD says, I would take the prep easier than most and see if it works - you pay later if you over prepare and then you have a girl bumping along the bottom or with mental health issues. So the advice on approach is similar

eglantine7 · 27/12/2021 13:45

Agree with @MMmomDD and @Coronateachingagain
Did not put my dd forward for SPGS as I didn't think (knew) she was at that level
However plenty from our prep with lower ability/ same ability children did put their children forward and some have got in. I do wonder how it will work out for them.
The competition is fierce. If you have a dd ( truly) suited to SPGS, make sure you take the advice from the above. Prep is key. Over- tutoring would be putting your child at risk of exhaustion, mental damage or getting into a school she is not truly able to cope with.
Best of Luck!

Charlotte2022 · 08/01/2022 22:09

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

pkim123 · 27/04/2022 13:31

Savanta · 01/05/2021 17:31

@Utility
Our prep head explicitly stated to parents that G&L this year only looked at ISEB data to decide whom to interview.

Yes, she clearly was unhappy with G&L before she left Bute. It was funny some of the stuff she was telling parents about G&L. Oh well, she's gone, new head now.

DoraSK · 25/01/2023 23:10

AzureTurtle · 05/04/2021 12:52

@Coronateachingagain

The fact is that if your DD is both smart AND ready to learn/academic at an early age, Glendower and FH will be good options with FH having the edge as they will leave no stones unturned. So if you can leave with interacting with Anita (check the couple of videos on tube) then fine. However Pembridge probably is the most value added, if your child is academic, she will do equally well (as demonstrated by results), if not, their set up is geared to help and not to kick you out or leave to parents to make up with extra tutoring, they also work on confidence and they send the girls to the right schools. I know two Glendower girls who went to St Pauls and had a full time tutor at home catering for the family, so you wonder what was their edge, the mother could not have achieved that without bringing the best tutoring and maximising the chances. Then I would choose Kensington prep above those three (personally I like the cover of GDST ethos, the facilities, etc), and Bute above all (if they choose you). So much depends on your child. The risk with accepting these places, is that you have a child ready and academic but does not end up being that smart or resilient later on, and you need to change because the pressure of performing is not working. It is difficult to forget that this is a long game, it is not about 11+ results, it is about building the blocks to end up with a resilient, well educated and "comfortable with herself" young adult that has reached her own potential. If you burn too much too soon, you will run out of gas later.
This post is very accurate. I had DDs recently leave bute and PH.

I'd add that you also need to like the ethos, much of my views are reflected in the posts here-
Falkner (not personal experience but friends) -traditional, small school, solid academics, will give your DD exactly what she needs and guide you but it's their way or no way and you have to trust and let them get on with it.
Glendower is more in between
PH is more mixed ability but will help your DD, quite a few girls move in and out of PH as parents try for more academic places (probably unnecessarily but that's London prep culture), the results are improving and include a real range of schools
Bute- so hard to get into but wonderful if you get a place and rightly deserves its status, not just because of results (which now is the fact over half go to the 3 hammersmith schools rather than the spgs attraction of the past) but the environment there is lovely mix of fun, genuine love of learning which I didn't see in my other DD's school in the same way and amazing support for those who need it- pastorally and academically. It is a mix of all abilities from 4+ with the selection later on but handled so well. Also find the parent body (a little) more diverse than other preps- in a good way. Head is changing but I am happy with how the current head is leaving it with a little less focus on just spgs and more on the range of top schools as well as the school itself being slick and really inspiring- not just a means to an end in terms of 11+. Hope the new head continues this feel.

Caveat- lots of parents tutor at all these schools and there is little the schools can do about it. Bute has been known to pull in parents for a chat when they hear of tutoring and advise parents it is too much or unnecessary- but at the end of the day that's only when they know about it and are concerned. No school can stop it however much they hate the anxiety and pressure around tutoring. I've asked bute and PH in the past if I should get a tutor and was told by Bute if there's something a tutor can do for two hours a week that will make a difference, they'll do it and they went through exactly what they do for my DD in a tailored way and reassured me getting a whole new person in was not going to help in anyway other than pressurise my dd. They said there are exceptional circumstances when tutoring might be encouraged but then they would give recommendations of proper qualified tutors and link up with them.
PH told me to tutor if I want- no further discussion or advice. So that sums up the differences in level of thought and care!

Hi , it's interesting to hear your sharing of different attitudes towards tutoring by your DDs schools. Just to clarify, when you talked about PH, is it putney high?

Pebble94 · 16/09/2023 02:24

Any updated feedback on Pembridge Hall post the new headmistress's arrival last year? We might have an occasional place here shortly and I would appreciate any personal experiences!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page