Options when money is no object and child is clever but not super clever

[Notcontent]

I should say at the outset that I am not speaking about myself - I am by no means wealthy! But I am looking at options for independent schools for my dd and beginning to think we have no chance at getting a place because where we are (North London) is super competitive. Dd is clever but not super clever - quite talented in English and does well in maths, but she is not a maths wizz.

So that got me thinking - around where we are looking there must be lots of parents who are wealthy, high profile London types who may have children who are not as clever as some of their friends - where do they send their children? Oh, I know they no doubt have tutors, etc but in this highly competitive game that's not enough...

Portland Place is another option, often used when a child fails to settle in their initial setting, whether state or private. Takes quite a lot of dyslexics. Has really worked for some including some bright but quirky who have not enjoyed more traditional academic schools.

I don't know the state schools that well in Islington but don't rule your DD out of any of the more "stretch" private schools in North London. In my experience, as others have said, it isn't as difficult as you might think getting into some of these top schools. My bright but not amazing DD didn't get into selective and super selective schools so I thought there was no chance of an academic private, therefore we had a less academic banker as back up. However, she is at an academic day school and thriving.

Yes, we are applying to all the obvious choices like channing, etc. I guess we will just wait and see how we go.

St X Margaret's in hampstead is a lovely school but small so fewer places. King Alfred is not to everyone's taste, I loved it but not structured enough for DD. She is at North Bridge in Hampstead which I think is great, vastly underrated, not one of the "status" schools and therefore under the radar a bit

There are a nimber of state boarding schools which aren't selective. You only pay for the boarding element. Costs will depend if you full board or flexi-board i.e. Come home at weekends.