7+ - choice among LEH/WUS/CJS

[Schoolgatelassie]

DD worked hard now has a confusing list of offers at 7+ to choose from within a few days

-CJS - Move to north London, coach travel each day, close to work so can pickup, senior transition to CLSG

-LEH - all girls (not that it matters), walking from home, senior transition

-WUS - convert from waitlist, move to central, no after-school care at all, no defined transition

-Bute - Confident but not yet, move to west, 11+ stress for sure, west London competitive mum-bubble (apparently that exists)

Would we do her an injustice if we choose LEH which so convenient for the family ?

I don’t think so - it is very highly regarded, competitive to get in and has amazing results and reputation.

Why wouldn’t you choose LEH? Moving house along with private school is crippling - financially, socially and logistically.
LEH is brilliant; this is a no brainer choice IME.

It depends on your financial circumstances, but to me it looks like you were prepared to move for your girl's education already. Are you happy to move closer to the other schools? I would have loved to have my DD go to WUS or CJS. LEH is a great school but you'll be tempted to try again at 11+, I know many that did and left.

I wouldn't say competitive. A whole class of a pre prep that applied at the 7+ got in. I think they are desperate for numbers like most schools now. Not hard to get in at all.

Do you own your home or are you renting? I think that makes a big difference as the friction costs of buying and selling a house are huge.

My youngest travels to a 7+ school but if there was one with senior transfer that I thought was broadly comparable in attractiveness all round in walking distance that would have been a big pull.

Being able to walk to school is great and LEH is a no brainer. Good academics, great clubs and the difference between these schools is so tiny, I doubt it would make any difference to how your daughter does academically.

I think they still had the usual high numbers apply this year?

And to add, I wouldn’t let difficulty of admissions, perceived or real, drive a decision. I know it can be hard to turn down a place that is sought after.

You’ll see it on 11+ or 13+ debates where a child has an offer from a very sought after school with a long and difficult commute but a place in a much closer school that accepts more widely but still has many many children going on to top grades.

I should flag I’m not familiar with LEH above occasional comments from an acquaintance who seems broadly positive about it - above is about mindset rather than individual schools.

I meant at the 11+ stage. So good to get in early.

I don't know, but at the 7+, everyone in my child's cohort got in and other friend mums from other schools said the same thing.

Yeah most of the girls from LEH will try other schools at 11+

This isn’t right - my daughter is in Year 6 now…..I definitely wouldn’t say most have tried for other schools. I’d say maybe a quarter to a third (which is more than it was) and mostly for grammars due to VAT. Some for other privates for reasons you can guess (mostly prestige it seems).
Most of us are loving the free pass without the 11+!

That is still a huge chunk for a through school!

It is. It used to be a handful but with Tiffins up the road for many families it’s a no-brainer to try as fees go up. It’ll be interesting to see how many do actually leave - my guess is not many at all.

They’re all excellent schools — congratulations to her. In terms of pure academic selectivity, Westminster Under has the highest bar, but in practice she’s likely to achieve similar GCSE and A-level outcomes wherever she goes.

Bute is a prep rather than a highly selective academic school, with a broader ability range. That said, because many parents are very driven — whether entering the reception lottery at birth or aiming for SPGS at 7+ — the 11+ atmosphere is intense. Roughly a quarter of the cohort go on to Westminster or SPGS, around half to schools such as CJS or LEH, and the remaining quarter to less academically selective schools. So many in your position would see little point going down Bute route.

Roughly a quarter of the cohort go on to Westminster or SPGS

Please may I borrow your crystal ball?!

It’s on their website @MonGrainDeSeland obviously it’s slightly different every year x

How can it be? Westminster hasn't admitted a single girl as yet (apart from to 6th form). The first cohort will start this year.

Some leave for grammar, some struggle with the academic level and some use it as a moving home milestone. Many of the all through schools will see a % leave - usually around 10-15%

WUS girls entry at year 3 starts from coming September.

I see what you mean. In the context of OP’s situation, and to help her benchmark her offers against typical Bute leavers’ destinations, I meant that roughly a quarter of the cohort usually move on to schools at the level of Westminster and SPGS. I wasn’t suggesting that exactly a quarter went to those two schools in any specific year.

Take LEH. There are plenty of later points to review if she wants to change (for whatever reason) and likely the tutoring required would be exactly the same anyway. Walking to a good school is a no brainer.

Academically there's really not much between them. I would choose LEH, walkable to a school is amazing and LEH also has incredible facilities and grounds.

Ah, I see. I guess we will find out this year what the acceptance rate is.

Feels like boasting but to complicate matters for me - another offer turned up for DD - Guildford High - this one is academically ranked higher than the rest but requires us to move deep in Surrey and means longer commute to work for me and DH, apparently this one is ultra competitive hot house in terms of senior school culture