NLCS vs CLSG vs Latymer grammar school

[ayahcip]

We’re so blessed with amazing 11+ offers from the following schools:

• NLCS (with xx% fees reduction scholarship)
• City of London School for Girls (with £xK per annum scholarship)
• Habs Girls (with xx% fees reduction scholarship)
• STAHS (with xx% fees reduction scholarship)

We also very likely will get a place at the Latymer School (grammar school in Edmonton) as DD ranked within Top 40 from the Jan-25 third rank, we live in school catchment and we put Latymer as our top choice on our CAF.

Financially, we should be able to afford private school fees (we have only one child), but those money can also be used elsewhere (e.g. DD's university fees, or retirement funds, etc).

We narrowed our choices down to: NLCS, CLSG, and Latymer.

No preferences in terms of co-ed V single-sex schools, or private V grammar. Commuting time, Latymer is closest (15 mins by bus), CLSG (30 mins by overground train), and NLCS (50 mins by coach). DC strenghts are in maths and sciences subjects, and does okay in language subjects.

DC is quite academic and musical. Not sporty, and quite shy sometimes.

Wondering out of the 3 schools (NLCS, CLSG, and Latymer grammar), which one will provide DD with biggest academic opportunity and support girls confidence? Latymer has been our top choice, but now feeling swayed by NLCS and CLSG offers.

Grateful for your thoughts 🙏🏻

I currently attend NLCS (Yr 11 joined 11plus), but have many friends in both NLCS and CLSG. I think you’re right to avoid STAHS. I attended Prep and it was lovely, no complaints, but the senior school has a lot of drama and bullying. Can’t comment on Latymer.

So many academic opportunities in NLCS, I assume the same for CLSG, but NLCS is def more international minded. NLCS is great for shy kids. I’m not at all sporty and was very shy in yr 7 but I think now I’m quite confident. The CLSG people I know are all very confident but idk if they started out that way or if the school helped…

My impression is that NLCS is phenomenal for STEM, but also extremely good for humanities, especially classics and RS/philosophy. The new History teachers have also improved the department by so much (one retired and one left after having a baby)

CLSG seems to be stronger in humanity subjects than STEM, but of course everything is at a high standard so I think the academics part may come down to how your daughter feels about each school (I assume you toured)

Music is wonderful at both, but facilities are better/newer(?) at CLSG. I spend most of my out of lesson time doing music, and can confidently say that the teachers and ensembles are great - really high standard. NLCS do a gala concert every year in a big London church (Southwark Cathedral this yr). There is also a fantastic chamber music program at both schools. Only scholars at NLCS, but they will let you join if you show you can play at a high standard.

Try not to pick for exam results, because both schools are great, so pick based on atmosphere I think. Academics at this level will come down to how much you study anyway.

And pls don’t worry about commute time; over half of kids seem to travel 45-1hr by tube/coach. I travel 1hr and it’s okay.

Ultimately let up your daughter decide. I toured STAHS, hated it. Didn’t get a chance to tour CLSG or NLCS (covid) but chose NLCS as I didn’t want to be trapped in concrete, and I got good vibes from the prospectus. It was a great choice, zero regrets. Hope this helps and good luck!

My dc are at clsg. Both oriented towards stem and v happy with it. I like that there are links to the boys school and the city so they are not isolated but still get a girls only education.

I wouldn’t like the 1 hr commute to NLCS. It is long and also coaches are less flexible if there are after school clubs or early sports etc.