Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

11+ Sept 2017 London Independent Girls School applications - all welcome!

302 replies

Pradaqueen · 05/10/2016 16:41

Hello All!

Inspired by another recent thread and last year's SW London Girls thread, I thought I would create a thread for those of us applying to London Day Schools. I have put independent as I think 11+ has passed for most of us. Anyone care to join?

I have a DD (10) who wants to sit CLGS and SPGS. Ideally she would like to be a music scholar so looking at schools with a strong music department that is a commutable distance.

OP posts:
amidawsh · 10/02/2017 12:47

KGS offer Smile so pleased.

DiHappy - hope your good news arrives tomorrow!

Original poster
Pradaqueen · 10/02/2017 12:49

Arghhh! We're now out until later and left before the post arrived. What size envelope am I looking out for?

OP posts:
Original poster
Pradaqueen · 10/02/2017 12:49

For SPGS that is....

OP posts:
DiHappy · 10/02/2017 12:53

amidawsh, congrats!!! So happy for you! :) Are you going to take it or are you thinking between the two?

brightenheart · 10/02/2017 12:54

SPGS usual large envelope. We are in as well. ^^

S999 · 10/02/2017 13:24

So are we - SPGS and CLSG. Am in shock. What ride it has been!

S999 · 10/02/2017 13:25

Meant to say well done and congrats to you all!

amidawsh · 10/02/2017 13:25

will take it unless DD has a very strong preference. i got the moment of clarity i was hoping for when the offer arrived.

Phaedra1234 · 10/02/2017 13:50

Lots of big enveloppes in the post Shock Tough choices to make... Well done to everyone. Lots of good news and talented DDs on this thread.

Original poster
Pradaqueen · 10/02/2017 13:52

We're a no from SPGS but reading the letter our address (not London) seems to have had a large bearing on the decision. Great feedback on the music audition so that's great Grin

OP posts:
DiHappy · 10/02/2017 14:10

I haven't been to SHS but heard that sports program is great and we will most likely consider it for our younger.
As for KGS, it was a love at first sight for us :) I wonder if they are strong at tennis which is my younger sporty dd's favourite.

Stressedstatemum · 10/02/2017 15:02

Three offers for DD here. Very proud and relieved. She was towards the bottom of the top set in her primary school, but has done so well.
Can't wait to tell her!

Eastpoint · 10/02/2017 15:32

SPGS does make offers to those on the Waiting List some years, I don't know how many places or how often. The offers to pupils seeking bursary places might make a difference, some families might decide they can't make up the difference or have an offer from a closer school.

highclere · 10/02/2017 16:26

Well done prada to your DD. In some respects makes your decision easier between all your DD's other offers but a bit of a shame that the school has taken a view on that basis as personal circumstances change and I know many families are happy to move for preferred senior school.
Well done amidawish, stressedstatemum, and others who have offers they are pleased with rolling in today.
And well done S999 and brightenheart, hope to see you in June (and SWBelle who I am crossing fingers for, have heard they do go to waitlist some years for sure). Good luck all on waitlist wherever you are aiming for!

Original poster
Pradaqueen · 10/02/2017 16:43

Thanks @highclere. Honestly? You are right it does make the decision easier. I think the teaching style would have suited her very well at SPGS but I guess they cannot risk that we won't relocate (which we would have done or bought another place) We are 35/40mins commute from CLSG but would definitely have had to move for SPGS. I am guessing we would have picked CLSG over SPGS for reasons of stamp duty liability alone...! I think it's very much a first world problem to have to choose between 1st and 9th in the top secondary schools league Wink! We are happy enough and CLSG was her first choice school and miniprada has been selected also for the academic scholars programme entry for CLC so I know it isn't a question of ability.

Many congratulations to everyone who got their first choice today. A wonderful result!

OP posts:
thePendragonsupportclub · 10/02/2017 19:47

A late joiner to this thread. Congratulations to everyone who has heard so far. We have been lucky enough to have been offered both City and NLCS and just wondered whether anyone had views on differences (travel aside) or pros and cons, whether the heads are likely to stay etc. They both seem great schools and we are finding it hard to choose.

cdstandingnow · 10/02/2017 21:58

We got a no from spgs as well! I must say we are very surprised especially as the girls from our prep who got offered are a notch below my daughter academically. It feels quite random to me. We have offers from NLC, CLSG and on the academic scholarship stream from Wycombe Abbey, CLC. Got academic scholarship to South Hampstead High so why spgs didn't offer I have no idea.

Likely to accept CLSG unless one of the boarding schools offer academic scholarships. Pradaqueen, will you consider CLC?

Well done to all your girls. It's been a long day!

Original poster
Pradaqueen · 10/02/2017 22:15

@cdstandingnow yes considering. Also holding a great offer from another fab boarding school. CLSG was her first choice along with CLC. That's the decision for this week.... I know our address was the issue for SPGS, and she is definitely bright enough but buying a place in anticipation was a risky strategy...!

OP posts:
cdstandingnow · 10/02/2017 22:23

Pradaqueen that sounds plausible. Did you get a "personalised" letter explaining their decision? Ours was just a standard rejection - rather cold I thought, the way it was written! I know spgs will not offer girls who live more than one hour's commute. Did you explain on your application form that you plan to move house if offered? That may have helped.
We live within a reasonable commute so it wasn't that...
My daughter's done great but the no from spgs has ruined it a little for us.
Wycombe and CLC both contenders at the moment, especially if one of them does offer a scholarship.

highclere · 10/02/2017 22:24

I agree cdstandingnow - the process definitely is random and that was always my fear (largely as we didn't have the breadth of great schools accessible to us that you do, for various reasons). Sounds like you have a brace of excellent offers there so well done to your DD.

cdstandingnow · 10/02/2017 22:30

Thank you. Disappointed for my daughter. She had her heart set of spgs and ironically would have made a great contribution to the school and thrived. Life is unfair. We will move in ...within a few days.

cdstandingnow · 10/02/2017 22:31

move on within a few days - excuse the rapid typing...

Original poster
Pradaqueen · 10/02/2017 22:33

Yes I did explain on a letter and the application but I can understand that you would offer to the less risky option than the risky one. It hasn't ruined it for us, but annoyingly I only carried on with the process as I thought this issue was covered and most importantly, that the teaching style would suit DD. However, the interviewing staff member did not introduce herself to DD and apparently at the music audition they had run out of time 'to ask all of the questions' which did not sit well with me so I did have some doubts about the process.... I'm a big believer in Karma so I'm sure it'll work out in the end!

OP posts:
cdstandingnow · 10/02/2017 22:38

Pradaqueen - I agree. Our interviewer did not introduce herself at all which I found rather bizarre and unprofessional. I think earlier interviewees were late or overrun so she was rushed off her feet. She too would have LOVED the teaching style, she already reads around subjects at prep school and gets bored easily unless challenged. To me, this feels like bad luck for my daughter but one has to move on. The other schools are all great and she would join comfortably in the top quartile.
The thing with spgs is occasionally girls who may not be a great fit get offered places and end up having a miserable time. For those who should be there it is a truly excellent education so very well done!

Original poster
Pradaqueen · 10/02/2017 22:41

Bright girls will do well anywhere. I agree it's a shame but CLSG is fab!

OP posts: