St Paul’s or Kings College School Wimbledon

[User653]

Hi, I am hoping for some advice here on which school might suit a very academic child, with little talents in sports or music. I realise that both SPS and KCS are sought after schools, but given a choice, and if the fees and distance to the schools are not an issue, which would you choose and why?

Thank you for all the information cake!

Westminster is different. Strip out the girls at KCS and you have a cohort similar to Hampton and St Pauls. Have you been to W?

No. I haven't but my colleague at work has a son there. We discounted it because of the location.

As do many families.

I had a quick look at KCS destinations. They split the subjects out by university, but it looks a little more balanced between humanities and stem, but stem still has the edge?
*
~ @Allyoudoiscriticise - Girls! at least 60 fo them, it's impossible to separate that's why I looked at boys only schools.*

Do you not think the IB (mixture of arts, humanities and STEM studied for longer) has some influence on the leaver courses?

It seems as if you saying that the girls joining KCS cd account for the leavers' humanities courses but at W it's due to it being "W."

DC offered places at both for 6th form and impression we had was plenty of the girls joined to do STEM subjects (rather more than were joining for humanities)

In yet another piece of anecdata, the 4 girls leaving DD's all girls super selective indie for W 6th form are all STEM types.

I think the reason why 3/4 of the SPS boys do Maths A level is because the teaching is so good - the vast majority get 9s at GCSE so they feel confident about moving on. Also, they have 7 (or maybe 8?) sets for A level maths, so they know that they won't be held back/rushed ahead.

The hearsay is that as a girl, it is easier to get into W if you are geared humanities or languages than if you are STEM. But I can't prove it fully. And rugby is forbidden, they had a horrible accident years ago and they discontinued the sport.

Similar story at Tiffin, they have increased the numbers and started accepting girls this year but it's alway had a 6th form intake. They are looking to fill the empty chairs in the less popular classes so it is very easy to get in for some subjects.
If anyone is very techy and sufficiently interested it is possible to download the govt A level tables to subject level and split them by sex. Not very helpful with KCS though as it won't include IB. I also think that it may exclude pre-us and W may still sit some.

What would be considered less popular subjects?

Good question!

My assumption would be that STEM subjects are very popular at a school like Tiffin, modern languages and humanities less so.

Having a foot on both the girls and boys schools I can vouch for the draw of KCS fir STEM. DD is heading there for 6th firm as a strong mathematician and scientist. If she'd be humanities inclined she might have stayed where she was.

I'd strongly suggest going local. Both KCS and SPS are excellent schools with not much to choose between them. KCS has served both my DS very well from the age of 7 and I fully expect it will be the same for DD.

Hello! Apologies for redirecting a zombie thread but I am in the same position of deciding between these two amazing schools for my son. Any further up-to-date views very welcome! Decisions, decisions...

He is naturally bright but a bit lazy. Enjoys sports and loves Games lessons but not outstanding in any particular sport. He’s an agreeable, friendly chap - quite normal really. Obviously bright enough to have been offered places at these schools but hard to know which would suit. I don’t want him to have masses of homework every night or be surrounded by super academic brain boxes. TBH he’d rather climb a tree than do homework...which we obviously didn’t put on the application form!

@cakeisalwaystheanswer someone first said to me King's was soon expected to go fully co ed 15 years ago. There is no sign of it yet! Let's see what the new head does but really can't see the incentive for going fully co ed as opposed to the current situation.

@VanillaIce its a lovely problem to have.

Where do you live?.....when all thing are equal, travel can be a deciding factor. Obviously with Hammersmith Bridge shut for a while it's not great being north of the river for St,Pauls!

I'm really loved Kings and if pushed, felt it had a bit more warmth and friendliness than St.Paul's... .but then St.Paul's probably has a few more trees ;-))

Good luck!