camden school for girls

[mattpaint]

Does anyone have experience of this school.
We live in the catchment area but are considering private.
Are we mad?

It has a discrimatory admission policy which will sooner or later be challenges not least in its admissions for music places. Beside that it is an ok school

You are not mad, just terribly lucky to be able to afford to live in such a trendy central location and have such a wonderful choice before you. Having myself been happily educated at a direct grant school, I was initially desperately sad that I was unable to provide the same choice for my DD. Not because we wanted to go private, but because our financial circumstances limited our options and we lived in a black hole for girls, not being within catchment for anywhere. But the fact is we couldn't be more delighted with the school.It is a warm, nurturing community with a brilliant team of highly experienced teachers, a significant number of whom choose to educate their own daughters there- very telling!
The banding system is scrupulously fair, ensuring a spread of abilities. The music place admissions may indeed be discriminatory - the tests discriminate against those who are not genuinely musical! It is no coincidence that at least a dozen pupils in the school orchestra are at one of the junior conservatoires and the musical life is second to none!

The music criteria breach the admissions code; it is selecting musical performance ability not aptitude. The very tight catchment area favours the well off. Yet it is regarded as the school of choice for those who can boast at North London dinner parties that their child is educated in the state comprehensive.

Yawn

you're bananas

Yes...you are crazy. A very god frined of mine who could well afford private has chosen CGS for her DD as she lives in the catchment. this friend attended one of the UK's foremost private schools but knows a good (free) education when she sees it and so is not stuck on private for her own DD.

Camden School for Girls is very highly regarded; I know nothing about the admissions system, so cannot comment on a charge of discrimination, but I would remark that any state school that is well regarded will tend to have a small catchment unless it is large. Or beside a big park so not so many people living near.

mattpaint yes you are crazy, but you're also very generous by opening up a place to someone else who may not have the choice of CSG vs a private option.