What is St Paul’s and St Paul’s Junior school really like?

[AnnaRosella]

This year Covid has prevented us from visiting schools or meeting pupils and teachers.
Our boy is fortunate to have offers from Latymer, Hampton and St Paul’s. The former have put on many online events with pupils and staff, and we have a really good idea about what makes teacher, leaders and pupils tick. St Paul’s has not reached out in a similar way. We understand, perhaps, why; St Paul’s may not feel they need to do this, as many boys are clambering to get in.
However, my question is: does this attitude continue when there? Or are staff very attentive to the individual needs of the child. With 3 days to go before accepting a place, and Hampton head, deputy, pupils, and others all giving up time to meet online to get to know our son, not to mention various online activities that we’ve been invited to join vs St Paul’s, where we have heard nothing, it’s very difficult to get a true idea of St Paul’s.
We are keen to ensure we choose the best school for our child, and would be so grateful to hear from any parents who have children there, or first hand knowledge of the junior and senior school?

My DC recently left SPS -they were at Colet Court which became SPJ.
Absolutely fantastic experience.
I am a teacher myself and have worked on lots of local schools both permanent snd supply and am so grateful for the education my sons had -absolutely the best.
O would definitely accept a place there wirh no reservations.

Thanks for the reply. It may seem crazy to wonder, but the information vacuum is there, and so personal experience like that which you have given really helps! Appreciate your time- thanks.

But equally Hampton and Latymer are great schools as well and boys do choose them over SP. Very different atmosphere in all 3.
We were able to visit St Pauls and SPJ and to be honest I didn't really get anything out of the open day that I couldn't get from then website. If anything it put me off the school, although DH was impressed.
Where do live- that could be a major factor.

So many typos- sorry!

One of my dc went to Colet Court and St Pauls, thrived academically and socially, and went on to Cambridge. For us it was exactly the right school for him. He's often said how glad he is that he went there. He still has a strong friendship group from SPS. I only wish he'd been there long enough to get value out of the absolutely amazing new buildings, which were still being constructed during his time - he was mostly taught in the old 'cardboard and sellotape' 1960s classrooms. It's true that they didn't do anything to lure us in - I remember we had to have a 'parent interview' for Colet Court, where I very much felt that we were on trial (a good while ago now - don't know if they still do that!). But we have never regretted our choice - once you're in it's all very friendly and down to earth. (Although of course both now have different heads from those days...)

They do still interview the parents!

Unfortunately, this year they didn’t. They only online interviewed our DS. Which is why we have had no interaction at all from the school. This is why hearing from parents is really very helpful right now. So thank you!

Because of covid things have changed a lot this year. Our DS still had 3 rounds of assessment but no contact between parent and school, which is very different from the other schools. Also, we had no opportunity to meet any kids there, so no chance to have that “gut” feel others have described on other threads from other years.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience.
Our concern was to ensure they are more personable to the children and families once there!

Closest to Latymer & St Paul’s... it’s the atmosphere of St Paul’s we can’t get a handle on

I do feel for you not being able to look around - you have some great offers though. If it comes down to LU v St P, lots of boys get offers from both and they are both great schools. I have friends at both and they are generally all happy. The ones who chose LU generally preferred Co-Ed, and a more urban feel. This year Hammersmith Bridge has become even more important!

Yes, we’ve been a little shocked to be honest as weren’t expecting to have offers from all. We are extremely lucky to get to decide. The bridge will
affect us (we are North) but I think a ferry is starting soon. We are actually trying to decide between Hampton & St P’s, mainly because DS is extremely sporty/ county cricket etc

Hi AnnaRosella I am in a similar quandary trying to figure SPS out. We also have an offer but no gut instinct to go on. The interview was so intense and (in my opinion- not DS’s) off-putting. I didn’t really expect an offer to come from it but here we are.

Hi @VanillaIce, lovely to hear from you!

I’ve spent this evening chatting to an old SPS student who had nothing but very positive stuff to say. The comments here help too. DS seemed to hit it off with his interviewer (Deputy head) and chatted very informally, as well as finding the format of questions quite comfortable- he also loved the lesson the head Ms Shaw led with the boys. So his interaction at both stages was very positive. However, I found the webinar extremely stilted compared to other schools, the lack of boys being online at these meetings to answer questions unnerving, and unless I missed something entirely, the head of juniors has not been at any online Q&A or open evening sessions... is this correct, or have I missed a major thing?!

My experience with SPJ wasn't that great.

First I was not that impressed by classrooms and found a lot of fraying around the edges, but being an old school that would not put me off completely. As I understood at the time from the Head of the senior school, SP was built 40yrs ago, to last 20yrs, and now they need funds to update everything. The talk then was that they were starting with the senior school renovations and facility improvements. Which makes sense. That was a few years ago, so I'm sure all has improved.

What put me off was the Head of junior, Ms Shaw. First, she was supposed to address the parents as was written on the agenda on exam day. But she just stood there and did no such thing. Then during the interview, I found her cold and stand offish. She did not sell the school at all, instead she just said what would you like to know. DS did not have an opinion, but SPJ was not his first choice. Partly due to the stinginess in feeding - haha, yes these things matter to boys.

My friend went at the same time as me and found her experience exactly the same as mine. Ultimately, she did take SPJ, but said it was mostly because her DS did not get into KCS or WUS and just felt with what was left this was the best school. She says it's a good school, except for one or two minor admin issues, she has had no problems. I noted that while some schools were rolling out laptops, SPJ had laptops? That could have changed now.

My nephew attends SP and loves it there, so do his parents. SIL has no problems with Ms Shaw, but then again, nephew started before she became head of Juniors. Most of the teaching staff is oxbridge graduates.

St Paul’s, Westminster, Winchester and Eton are the leading boys’ academic schools. That’s one factor to take into account. On the other hand, Hampton is an excellent school in its own right, in both academic and sporting terms. I wouldn’t travel to St. Paul’s if I lived near Hampton, and I wouldn’t travel to Hampton if I lived near St Paul’s, because they are both excellent, and although St Paul’s is probably marginally better, it would outweigh the journey. Latimer is academically a rung below both, but still a good school.

I meant to say “would not outweigh the journey”

There was a recent thread on the MN "Education" board titled something like "Disappointed in top London private school". It was about St Paul Junior school as far as I know

To be honest. I’d go with the easiest journey. They are all academic schools.
DS got into LU, Hampton and KCS and not St P a couple of years ago. His friend got into St P, Hampton but not LU and another got KCS, Hampton but not LU or St P. They all chose a different one and are all happy!
Yea, St P probably ‘the most academic’ but wouldn’t suit everyone. Hampton and LU about the same results wise but LU harder to get into due to numbers applying and being CoEd.

Hi

I wondered what you and Vanillaice had decided? I came to this thread today seeking some justification for my agonised decision to accept St Paul’s juniors at 11+ for my son this year (similar reasons as you for that agonised decisions...places elsewhere, distance, feeling didn’t know much about the school, felt Head helpful but a little cold, also worried parents would be incredibly pushy and strange if I am honest! Not that I am sane by any means especially after this whole process!) and I suppose I am wondering if you also came to the same deck on in the end and feel OK with it?

Hi @AnnaRosella, Probably too late for you now, but.... My DS is at SPJ, in his second year there. He absolutely loves it (in fact when he misbehaves I threaten to send him back to previous school! :). I personally always have a question of the value-added of the school vs the raw material that is there ( I think the fees are so high that it's hard, at that price, for the school to really bring any kind of value for money) - but I can honestly say that once you are in, everything is done in an extremely professional way: phone calls from the head of year to follow up if there is an issue, and any concern I have raised has been responded to extremely quickly and comprehensively.
So no complaints from my (the parent) side, and as I said, my son absolutely LOVES his school and actually looks forward to going back after holidays. Hope this helps!

Hi @nevermakeit

Really appreciate your response. We went with St Paul’s despite our reservations about the admissions process, so our boy will be joining this coming September.

It was lovely to receive your insight. Puts my mind at rest...

Thanks for taking the time!

Hello @Fashionables

We both made the same decision, so perhaps we’ll get to meet at the open evening in June :)

Thanks AnnaRosella- will look out for you in June.

I have one other question - it’s to find out information as we haven’t visited and as AnnaRosella mentioned, the web email wasn’t that helpful- do the boys play sport on Saturday and is everyone involved?

@fashionables - they do in the senior school (some teams at least), but I don't think they do in the junior school (certainly we haven't experienced it yet). It's all within school hours , as part of the Games lessons in general (so not even after school).
The school I think is well aware of the logistical constraints, boys come in from all around London in minibuses - so if a child had to stay behind for sport, it would make things difficult for the parents.
And yes, everyone is involved, the teams go up to about E (ie A Team, B Team, C team etc).

@fashionables, to answer your point on the parents - the main thing I would say about the parents, is not that they are 'pushy and strange' (though I am sure some are), but that actually what is striking, especially in the junior school (as would be very different in another school), is that you don't really see them. As the majority of children are bused in, even at drop off and pick up, it is really a tiny smattering. The school does a lot in terms of trying to organise events (Covid notwithstanding), but my experience at least is that you don't really know the other parents - unless your child becomes friendly with someone who lives very close by perhaps, as again, playdates are restricted by the fact the children are spread all around London and have busy schedules. But that is probably true of many of the other leading schools, I would imagine.