secondary school south london girls or co-ed - advice please

[mummyinatizz]

Having just got my DS into Whitgift for Sept, I now turn to my DD who is completely different child, apart from the obvious boy/girl thing!
She is in Yr4 so we have some time, but with 10+ options maybe not.

She is creative, does well-ish at school, but its hard work getting her to sit down to homework, she would rather draw/cartwheel/play piano. She is quite sensitive to what girls at school say to her, less so with the boys, as such I'm leaning towards co-ed. But she might grow out of it/toughen up, so don't want to limit our options too early. She's at small co-ed prep, with DS. Am also worried about how she'd do at entrance exams, her spelling is dreadful, great at learning for spelling tests, but its gone the next week.

Here's my current list and thoughts - tell me if I'm way off and have I missed anywhere!

Co-ed
Emanuel - worth a try as close to us, but not sure how she'd do
Alleyns - not bright enough
Ibstock - I didn't like when I looked around few years ago - maybe should give it another go?

Girls only
JAGS/Putney/Wimbledon - are there any non-genius' there? do we even bother?
Streatham & Clapham - looking round tomorrow, heard its a bit easier than others
Old Palace - don't know much about this one

Have I missed anywhere? thank you

There are a number of Whitgift sisters at Caterham (and it is on the same trainline) if you are looking at coed, though that may be nuts if you are not local to Whitgift. Also Woldingham is a good girls only option in that direction. Royal Russell is the coed close to Whitgift which is less academic, but I would say there is a significant jump between RR and say Alleyns or Caterham. All 3 have prep schools so the 11+ intake isn't enormous. Also Croydon High and Sutton High (both girls only).

Don't forget Surbiton High. I hear Ibstock not great with SEN and as we have concerns over DDs spelling we will prob look elsewhere.

St dunstans, Kingston Grammar , St James girls?
South London is a big area

Co-ed
Emanuel - sounds like a good fit, would be first on my list
Ibstock - if you didn't like it a few years ago you will probably still not like it for the same reasons, plus they have upped the entrance bar

Girls only
JAGS/Putney/Wimbledon - for a less demanding GDST school look at Sutton High

Have I missed anywhere? thank you
Surbiton as already mentioned

thanks all - Caterham does feel far away - we're SW18. Then so does Surbiton (thanks for that reminder, plus the other names), but know local girls that go to Surbiton, so do-able on school bus, then train eventually. Guess they are all do-able travel-wise, just a matter of visiting, finding right fit and getting her geared up for tricky 11+.

And DS is going to Whitgift, so they could travel together although obvs very embarrassing for both!

I understand Old Palace do an 10+ entry like Trinity and Whitgift, anyone know how many they take/how many apply, ie what are the odds?

Do you know her CAT scores - they should give you guidance on which schools are realistic targets. I'd say anything about 120 and she can try for WHS/PHS/JAGS and a slam dunk for Streatham and Clapham. I know less about Old Palace, but it can't be as selective as PHS/WHS based on their results. Closer to Streatham and Clapham.

100-110 CATs, I wouldn't apply for JAGS, for example. Just IMHO.

With Emanuel, I personally don't see why pay - their results are very so-so.

Have you though about KGS - less selective than Alleyn's, probably easier for girls than boys to get in (as more options for girls) but way better academically than Emanuel. If you are in SW18 will be a breeze of a journey from Earlsfield.

Finally, my DD changed massively from March in Yr4 to now!! In maturity more than anything else. If somebody had told me in Yr4 that she'd get 3 major academic scholarships SW London selectives at 11+, I would have laughed in their face. They mature enormously.

BTW, her spelling in Yr4 was in 34% percentile (dreadful would be a good way to describe it) and reading speed in 42% percentile with full scale IQ of 98% percentile. Spelling is still not amazing, but it's not what I would call dreadful. We did do work at home though so it didn't fix itself. Do get those CAT score - they will give you some guidance.

Old palace is lovely and a bit quirky but the journey from sw18 would be a nightmare - unlike the journey to Whitgift which is v straightforward

If you're not convinced she'd get into Emanuel then JAGS/Putney/Wimbledon are going to be extremely aspirational - Streatham & Clapham would be a better bet and is definitely on the up

Royal Russell and Caterham both miles away from you - not only would she have a long commute but also all her friends would be a long drive at weekends

She is still v young though so she could well change by the time she actually sits the exams

What have her current school said - if she's at a prep shouldn't her head be advising you?

With Emanuel, I personally don't see why pay - their results are very so-so.

Because you don't pay for the results other children get, you pay for what they can do for your child (not specific to Emanuel).

irisha thanks for info, am embarrassed to say I don't even know what CAT scores are. Our small prep isn't very communicative - have an appointment with form teacher next week, will see what she says/suggests too. heard KGS very oversubscribed this year, I know clever boys who didn't get interview post exam - but maybe less girl applicants means better chances for girls? will take a look. They do a 10+ too.

Very heartened to hear about your DD's progression from yr4 to now - I do think my daughter is immature - I know she is only just 9, so of course she is immature, but when I compare her to her brother. other than her getting older, was there anything significant that changed.

basilbond thank you too - yes school will help, if asked, but have their own high school, so not keen to lose children to the competition. Its an option for DD too - but want to establish what else might be out there.

Finally, any views on getting her a bit more motivated (dare I say ambitious) too - currently she wants to run an animal rescue centre or be an RSPCA inspector when she's older. Or be at home 'like you mummy' - little does she realise/ remember I was full time HR Director before coming homework supervisor/taxi/school sports cheerleader/housekeeper a few years ago!!

CAT = cognitive ability test - usually done in VR, non-VR and quantitative reasoning

Supposed to be a test of innate ability so not something you need to prepare or revise for

Maximum score is 141, average score is 100 (I think)

Many (all/most?) schools do them in Y5 and the results should help you work out which schools should be feasible

I really wouldn't worry about lack of ambition in y4! I take it she's reading lots of Animal Ark type books? Perfectly normal and my dd was the same two years ago - she now wants to be a vet so has raised her sights..

Old palace is lovely and a bit quirky but the journey from sw18 would be a nightmare - unlike the journey to Whitgift which is v straightforward

Are you sure you know where those schools are???
OP is in Croydon, Whitgift in South Croydon. Both walking distance from different train stations.

OP - have you considered Sutton High, it is a train ride from Wimbledon.

Er yes .... My ds is at Whitgift which for us (and I suspect the OP) is a simple, quick, no changes journey to south Croydon, old palace is near west Croydon which is not at all easy to get to from where we are as it would mean a train, then bus or tram or long walk from east Croydon through a less than salubrious part of the town

DS went to trinity at 10+ and we were keen for DD to do similar, but having looked at the 10+ entry at OP we were very disappointed. It is a very different set up to either T or W. Seemed to be little more than Y6 at a primary school, rather than the comprehensive pre-secondary syllabus that the boys schools offer.
Personally neither us or or DD took to OP in any case - just didn't feel right.

Thanks basilbond, yes the journey to W works for us, but OldPal does look awkward.

Sutton High feels like a long way to go with Streatham&Clapham looks similar and much more convenient.

seeline can I ask where DD went eventually?

Feeling like we might have a go at Emanuel 10+ in Jan 15 and see how DD gets on at school in meantime.

thanks all for the info

Mummy - DD is currently Y5 so still at state primary. Have all this hassle to look forward to next year
Currently looking at Wallington High School (state grammar - very competitive, so our pie-in-the-sky option!), Croydon High (GDST) and Royal Russell (co-ed Indie). No guarantees for the local half-decent comp as outside the initial catchment area so would have to hold out for later allocation rounds and I'm not sure my nerves would hold out for that. Our catchment school (a Harris academy) I am really not happy with for DD at all.

thanks seeline thought you were out the other side - best of luck when you get there.

Unless it's changed dramatically Emanuel's 10+ entry is v different to W and T - it's just one (v small) form - we were v underwhelmed!

basil yes emanuel is very different to T & W - 20 odd places at 10+, but not that many applicants and probably chock full of siblings. need to take another look at it with DD in mind.