Latymer U vs St Paul's for a boy?

[newtothis15]

I would be interested to hear from parents who considered both schools and how they made a choice...we gave not got offered yet, just waiting for interviews...Thank you.

It’s hard to say really new, as every child is different.
The main difference between the two schools is obviously the co-ed v all boys. This makes for a very different atmosphere.
Our DS went to LU because I felt that, at SPS, the social hierarchy would be determined by the sports teams and he’s not interested in any of that.
I’m sure there are non team -sporty boys at SPS, but it felt (to me) like a very competitive environment there.
LU is a large school, like SPS, but I think it feels more urban and a bit less rarified. Sport happens, but as it’s offsite, it’s not so in your face, if that makes sense. It didn’t feel particularly academically pressured until GCSE year really. Socially, it can be a bit “edgy” in Year 7 and 8 because there’s quite a few er... “big personalities”, but by Year 10, they do seem to calm down and they do brilliantly. By Sixth Form, they really thrive on the co-ed, campus-like vibe and the easy access to shops and restaurants where they can pop out for lunch. They work very hard. There is so much on offer, it’s bewildering.
LU is more socially diverse as about 20% are on bursaries. They’re definitely encouraged to think internationally. They all do community service, a long weekend in warehouses in Calais and a lot apply to overseas unis. There is also “Activities Week” every summer term, where the school closes and they all go off to increasingly far-flung destinations.
I can’t really speak of the atmosphere at SPS once they’re actually in the school. That’s just my view fwiw.

Thank you so much for an overview