SW London girls independent/grammars 2020 PART 2

[ColaPip]

I'm not sure Autumn is around during the day, so starting a new thread to maintain our lifeline

Thank you! 🤞🏼

Done - G&L accepted, St Paul's rejected. I hope we have made the right choice for our dd's happiness and that her academics will still flourish. Is it too early for ?

Congrats to all others for making their decisions. I know from the outside that this might look like the fun, easy part, but really it isn't. Hopefully we can all now relax and look forward to the exciting new starts for our dds in Sept.

Good luck with the WLs @abc79. I'm sure there will be some movement now that the deadlines are almost here.

@mummyme2016 - have you already paid and accepted LEH? It's a hard decision. If you live near each then Tiffin is very tempting. I've heard very good things and would have been tempted if we lived closer. But the facilities at LEH are extraordinary. So if your dd is into music, sport or drama, then I'd probably go for LEH, if the finances won't be too much of a sacrifice.

We released my daughter's PHS place last week - fingers crossed the waiting list starts to move soon. It's a wonderful school- we found making a decision very difficult indeed.

@bashstreetkids. Well done on making a tricky decision. Have you gone for FHSS in the end?

@givemesomewineplease - am sure you won't regret your decision. It's my old school in fact!

@givemesomewineplease Congratulations to your DD on a fabulous set of results! That must have been a very tough decision! Do you mind me asking why your DH was so against SPGS and what made you turn it down and go for G&L (were you on the WL and offered a place?)

We have gone for FHSS! Just felt like the right decision for dd in the end.

I’m on the fence and quite keen on Spgs but dh just doesn’t want lots of pressure on dd and to risk her being in the bottom third. She was on WL so he feels that as she didn’t fly in straight away, she might struggle to cope. Personally I think she would probably be fine and cope. But we didn’t have much time to consider and dd and dh were always keener on G&L. Had she had the offer two weeks ago it might have been a different story. So I am worried about regret but it’s done. Dh and dd are 100% certain about the decision. And her happiness and confidence at school is more important than anything else. Please don’t tell me I’ve made the wrong decision as I’m feeling a bit fragile about it as it is!

Great news @bashstreetkids - am sure your DD will be very happy there, and that you have made the right decision. Congratulations!

@givemesomewineplease - it sounds like absolutely the right decision, but I think it's normal to second guess at this stage - especially when you've had amazing offers to choose from. IMO, it counts for a lot that your DD is a 100% certain and preferred G&L all along.

As the days pass, I suspect you will feel more and more certain about the decision, but a little wobble is probably entirely normal (at least that's what I'm telling myself!).

Well done all on making your decisions - it’s really much tougher than expected! Has anyone heard of any movement on the LEH wait list, or been offered a WL place?

@givemesomeswineplease - you have definitely made the right decision, especially as your DD and DH are 100% certain about it. Happiness and confidence at school are crucial, and will really help your daughter to flourish. For me, G & L was fantastic, coming from an average state school, and it was my springboard to Oxbridge. More recently, I have only heard good things about it (both on academically and pastorally) from friends with daughters there.

Inadvertent typos creeping in! Last message was for @givemesomewineplease ... Final line should read "(both academically and pastorally)".

Thanks everyone. I hope it's the right decision. I would have taken the risk but dh wouldn't so that was the end of it really. Also the fees are already going to be a challenge at G&L, but Spgs would have created even more stress. So I couldn't force this decision on my dh as well as expect him to pay more than he is comfortable with. That was also a deciding factor. We have two other younger kids to also factor in - had she been our only I think again things might have been different. Golly, this has been hard. I feel completely emotionally wrung out. A lot of tears have been shed over the last few days. In my heart, thinking of my dd's happiness, I really think it is the right decision.

Thinking of all you still on WL, it's such a drawn-out process.

@givemesomewineplease I think you’ve absolutely made the right choice! The most important thing is that your daughter is 100% certain! This whole process is brutal. For those who are disappointed and even for those who are faced with choices! We didn’t get an offer from SPGS and although it was originally our first choice, I think that having gone through this whole torturous process, G&L is actually the right school for our DD.

@givemesomewineplease please don’t worry! G&L is a fantastic school and there are lots of very bright girls there. If she liked it more than SPGS and is excited about going then it’s definitely the right choice. She’ll have all sorts of opportunities and a great education in an environment that is happy and completely non-hothouse.

(PS sorry to butt in on this very long running thread - I’m an existing G&L parent and, like so many, keen to sing its praises)

@givemesomewineplease congratulations on your decision! G&L is a fab school and I would take it over SPGS any day! My daughter didn’t sit either as she was already doing too many, but it is a great school. It’s totally natural to have wobbles- I think about that LEH place a lot, but I know we’ve made the right choice not subjecting her to a very long journey, and so have you.

Congratulations to everyone with a definite place now- it’s been so nice to have you all to ‘talk’ to. And for those still on a WL, please don’t give up hope. Everything crossed for you all x

Been lurking these threads.

G&L seems an amazing school, I have heard so many positive stories from many friends with girls there, so really positive second hand info.

@Autmnnightsaredrawingin
Why would you take G&L over SPGS “any day” that sounds a very strong view. Could you share you thoughts please? It’s the first time I have heard anyone on this thread with such a strong opinion when comparing two very similar schools.

Well done to everyone with their choices and for getting through the process.

Interestingly I have heard from a couple of parents this week that they have been told G&L have said they did not need to go to waitlist this year as it has been so popular and take up of offers so high....

Sticking my oar in as another (very) Old Dolphin, it’s a great school, and at a reunion a few years ago I was very impressed with the improvements in pastoral care since my day - the academic success of the school continues to speak for itself. I still have many many friends from school, despite us having flung ourselves to the many disparate corners of life and the globe, I hope the girls heading there this year will be as happy as we all were.

@Bagpipes1234 - yes, we received an email from G&L saying they are not using their wait list this year.

I'm quite relieved, as a G&L wait list place would only have set me off on another spiral of doubt...

We have now 100% decided on WHS and any lovely comments about it would be most welcome to help banish any second thoughts!

@colapip- my DD is at WHS and very happy. Never had second thoughts once the decision was made and we had to make it quickly as she got a WL place as I was about to deliver another form and cheque!
Just been through it all again with DS- much harder and still not 100% about our choice (and there is a lot less choice for boys!).

over11plus where are you deciding between for your DS?

He's going to Latymer Upper. Very happy with choice but not as sure as I was with DD- very different children! Another 2 years before have to go through it all again with DC3!