Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Private school

Connect with fellow parents here about private schooling. Parents seeking advice on boarding school can vist our dedicated forum.

Moving d from Wycombe Abbey to St Pauls' Girls or Godolphin Latymer

7 replies

surgeon2 · 11/02/2026 02:44

Hi all,

We're new here, so please tell us if we should break with protocol, thank you.

Our daughter is / has remained academically two years ahead in maths at WA since arriving, and she, along with us, has been disappointed; it's a friendly pleasant school- but there's simply no challenging extension teaching.

Finally, after five months of communication and visits, she's been examined, interviewed and has now been offered a year 9 'occasional'
for 2027 by both St Paul's and Godolphin-Latymer.

My wife and I being respectively a doctor and a surgeon at a London teaching hospital, are still trying to figure which is the better choice of the two. Both maintain exemplary high standards (and if one wishes- accelerated teaching/learning)

But, despite short visits, we can't decide. ... We'd really like to hear suggestions from parents of girls at either school about the teaching styles/ extra-curricular fun, travel, sports. Namely, what parents and daughters' experiences are of these two schools. Perhaps (unwritten on websites) the character of each is different ... does anyone any suggestions which might help us- please!

Many thanks, and

	Sincerely 

	Jeremy 

PS
Apologies this post is somewhat attenuated and clumsy/too quickly written

  • work tomorrow!
OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Excusaymwah · 11/02/2026 03:11

Don’t shoot me, I’m just putting this out there….

Have you discussed any of this with your DD?

Have you raised these issues with WA at all, at any point over the last 2 years?
IME, WA excels in academically challenging students.

surgeon2 · 11/02/2026 04:43

Dear Excusaymwah,

I have no desire to shoot you my dear (sir/madam)

You ask two perfectly reasonable questions, in answer to which

Yes, discussed at length with DD; it was she expressing her disconsolation to us which brought it to our attention.

Yes, discussed/explored with WA.

Please understand we think it in many ways a very good school-

  • we chose to send her there!
But, despite much time, their maths extension-work ( programme -suggestions) fell too short and -by comparison- limited.

Regards.

OP posts:
BreakingBroken · 11/02/2026 05:03

2025-Leavers-Destinations-5-September-2025.pdf
2024-25 University destinations - Google Sheets
maybe from these two leavers destinations and the breakdown of faculties you can determine which school has the stronger math provision.
personally at this level i would go with pastoral care and invest in a tutor to carry her into the uni curriculum.

https://www.stpaulsschool.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Leavers-Destinations-5-September-2025.pdf

KillTheTurkey · 11/02/2026 06:50

Weigh up the accelerated maths learning versus the cognitive and emotional load of changing schools and making a new set of friends.

FWIW, I teach at a state comprehensive, and some of our current Year 13s are off to Cambridge to study engineering and NatSci. They’ve had lots of opportunities to stretch and challenge themselves over the years. Being 2 years ahead in maths at (presumably) 12 years old doesn’t necessarily represent an advantage at university.

SamPoodle123 · 11/02/2026 22:23

@surgeon2 just curious why is your dd two years ahead in math if they don't teach it at the school? Is she being tutored out of school or does she study math ahead on her own?

I have a dd at G&L and she is happy there. From what I hear it seems more laid back then St Paul's. The girls who are ahead have tutors...and it seems this is the norm at both schools. Dd told me many of her friends have tutors for more than one subject every week. It is all to get ahead.

drevelynj · 12/03/2026 18:08

Hi All
Thank you very much encouragement /advice replies ..

To the person who asked: yes my d. was formerly tutored in Math but the tutor admitted she is way beyond GCSE math more like A level at 13 years -

Round 1 G-Latymer my d. scored 100% in maths, 90 VR , 95 NVR and 100% in Spatial - Reasoning

  • been invited for 2nd round - & not too worried as admissions dept were most effusive and complimentary when I called to check times for Round 2 in English and Maths ... Think we'll be fine
  • Bye for now
londonswmum · 16/03/2026 12:49

Hello, my daughter is at G&L in year 10. We had an occasional place from SPGS last year but did not accept it in the end. Feel free to send me a message if you want.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread