Secondaries near SW1 or surrounding areas (ideally state, but also private)

[obelisk89]

We are looking to move this year to SW1 or to one of the nearby areas and as part of the process I'm considering secondary options for DS for year 7 in 2022.

Looking ideally for a state secondary school near to SW1 / surrounding areas. DS is about average academically. There may be mild SEN issues (no EHCP). He probably wouldn't need any specialist help, but he may need a bit of extra TLC from the teacher. Child is outgoing and popular but he can be very sensitive and anxious, so we'd like a reasonably nurturing school. Ideally not single sex.

We haven't ruled out private, so any thoughts on private vs state would be helpful. If we did go private, we wouldn't be looking for one of the top academic schools, but rather somewhere where DC would have a reasonable chance of gaining entry. We also want somewhere where they are accepting of possible SEN. DS likely wouldn't need any specialist SEN help but I have heard that some private schools manage out SEN children even when it is v mild SEN, so we want to avoid such schools.

I'd really appreciate peoples thoughts and suggestions, as it's feeling completely overwhelming at the moment! TIA!

bump

Fulham Senior School? Whetherby Senior (all boys though)

Thanks Coronateachingagain I'll have a look at those schools. I'm not overly keen on single sex schools but am wondering if I should rethink that as there do seem to be a lot of good single sex schools in London.

In SW11 - for state secondaries - you should look at Bolingbroke Academy (but you need to be coming from one of their feeder schools) and for private sector, you can consider Emanuel School - co-ed, pastoral care is very good and academically, it is not considered a “hot house” academically.

What's Pimlico academy like these days?

Hall School Wimbledon?

Thames Christian College, Clapham

@obelisk89

Thanks Coronateachingagain I'll have a look at those schools. I'm not overly keen on single sex schools but am wondering if I should rethink that as there do seem to be a lot of good single sex schools in London.

By accident, many of the best schools in London, both state and independent, are single sex. They are not the best because they are single sex, it has just turned out this way for historical reasons. So I wouldn't confine myself to a mixed school unless it was essential, because it significantly reduces your options. I went to a mixed sex school, but my children have gone to single sex schools, simply because they were the best schools. I don't have a strong preference. There are some good state schools in London, but they are rare and highly sought after. There is a significant independent sector, in some areas over half the children will be educated at independent schools. The schools tend to be clustered in the more residential areas, ie St Paul's, St Paul's Girls', Godolphin and Latymer, Harrodian and Latymer Upper in West London, JAGS, Alleyns and Dulwich College in SE London, etc. City of London School for Boys (EC4) and Westminster School (SW1) are two centrally located schools.

@CrotchetyQuaver

What's Pimlico academy like these days?

Oh @CrotchetyQuaver there was a stabbing in front of Pimlico Academy just this Friday during school run.

I have always given this school a benefit of the doubt. Some years ago we were told the school is closing down it was so bad. The governors rallied and an academy took over. The same academy is also responsible for a few primaries around including Pimlico primary, Millband and Churchill gardens, where they did a really good job. Though now it's beginning to be apparent that this was mostly thanks to the Headteacher they had who is a Cambridge graduate lawyer, who unfortunately got snapped by WUS recently.

I found out that the Pimlico Academy students are constantly harassing residents, in so far that some older ones fear going out. There is constant police presence when they leave school. They students even have lawyers on speed dial apparently. I know they are constantly rowdy, breaking Covid rules too. The school has a shrug attitude to any complaints and seem to let the students do as they want.

All that being said, the older A level students tend to knuckle down for university and just concentrate more.

I have to agree with Globaliser about same sex schools.

I have done much research on state schools around here, but I it does seem like same sex schools are the better.

My neighbours go to Cardinal Vaughn and cannot praise it enough.

Is Paddington or Westminster Academy any good ? Or Westminster City in SW1?

I agree with a lot of posters, most children in Central London travel for school.

Good luck OP

meant to say

*have not done much research. Sorry.

Several kids from my Dc's primary year go to Pimlico, far as I know they are fine, one mum I met recently said so in brief chat on tube. We looked at it ourselves, liked it enough to put it on our list, so DC could have ended up there too. I think all comprehensives in inner London will have a high % of poor, 'rough' kids, many of whom will however be bright and hardworking; and if your kid is the same and reasonably confident, he/she will find and befriend them.

Police presence round the school may not be about the schoolchildren; it is a drugs/gang area (so I hear). Or at least it may be more about protecting them than policing them.
Finally - I don't know of groups of teenagers all streaming out of school together who aren't fairly rowdy on occasions; but of course they will seem much worse to anyone not used to a crowd of large black kids. Try this (I have): next time you see a group of them larking about and think, how rowdy! In your mind give them all neat expensive blazers, loafers and satchels, pale skin and floppy blond haircuts; and maybe put them not on a crowded inner-London high street, but a leafy avenue next to Dulwich Park - while leaving them behaving in exactly the same way. "Charmingly high-spirited young people", you might think, with a fondly indulgent smile . . .
Another kid from our primary class is at Westminster Academy, and a girl at Greycoats. Both happy and doing well as far as we know, though the boy at WA did complain initially about liberal use of detentions . . My DC, before anyone asks, is fine at Chelsea Academy (SW10).
I think all these schools try very hard with limited resources and, in part at least (except Greycoats I'm guessing), a challenging intake. There will be bright able motivated kids at all of them, who will be much appreciated by the staff, and rewarded accordingly.

And so will your bright well-behaved child . . . Unless they are very easily led, or perhaps immature socially, there is no reason why the presence of some challenging kids at school should derail your child's education. The school is set up to contain it; the teachers know how to deal with it. Only a seriously dysfunctional comprehensive can't, and that isn't Pimlico, as far as I know.

@marytuda

Several kids from my Dc's primary year go to Pimlico, far as I know they are fine, one mum I met recently said so in brief chat on tube. We looked at it ourselves, liked it enough to put it on our list, so DC could have ended up there too. I think all comprehensives in inner London will have a high % of poor, 'rough' kids, many of whom will however be bright and hardworking; and if your kid is the same and reasonably confident, he/she will find and befriend them. Police presence round the school may not be about the schoolchildren; it is a drugs/gang area (so I hear). Or at least it may be more about protecting them than policing them. Finally - I don't know of groups of teenagers all streaming out of school together who aren't fairly rowdy on occasions; but of course they will seem much worse to anyone not used to a crowd of large black kids. Try this (I have): next time you see a group of them larking about and think, how rowdy! In your mind give them all neat expensive blazers, loafers and satchels, pale skin and floppy blond haircuts; and maybe put them not on a crowded inner-London high street, but a leafy avenue next to Dulwich Park - while leaving them behaving in exactly the same way. "Charmingly high-spirited young people", you might think, with a fondly indulgent smile . . . Another kid from our primary class is at Westminster Academy, and a girl at Greycoats. Both happy and doing well as far as we know, though the boy at WA did complain initially about liberal use of detentions . . My DC, before anyone asks, is fine at Chelsea Academy (SW10). I think all these schools try very hard with limited resources and, in part at least (except Greycoats I'm guessing), a challenging intake. There will be bright able motivated kids at all of them, who will be much appreciated by the staff, and rewarded accordingly. And so will your bright well-behaved child . . . Unless they are very easily led, or perhaps immature socially, there is no reason why the presence of some challenging kids at school should derail your child's education. The school is set up to contain it; the teachers know how to deal with it. Only a seriously dysfunctional comprehensive can't, and that isn't Pimlico, as far as I know.

There are two reasons why what you refer to as “challenging” students will derail your child’s education. The first is that any parent who is able to will send their child to a better school. The second is that any teacher that can will go and Thea have in a better school. There is a reason that places in good state schools are so highly sought after, and that other parents are prepared to make enormous sacrifices in order to pay school fees.

Just thought I'd drop back to draw attention to events outside Pimlico Academy today - I'd missed this ongoing news. Also that the school has a new head. . .. I also didn't know that Pimlico is part of an academy chain headed by Tory donor Lord Nash, that might have put me off back in the day . . .
www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/31/pimlico-academy-pupils-stage-protest-over-discriminatory-policies
While I'm at it, Globaliser, that's a couple of total non-sequitors there. Many good and conscientious parents esp in London could not possibly pay for private school, and 'fashionable' state schools – the ones favoured by affluent parents; I presume this is what you mean by ‘best’ - are hopelessly oversubscribed.
Ergo, virtually any ordinary inner-London comp will contain plenty of hard-working, well-behaved, high-achieving kids . . . . they may be low-income (often 1st gen immigrant) but not necessarily 'challenging' - or at least only in a good way.
Some will be ‘challenging’ in the other way – but see pp.
But even worse . . . where do you get the idea that the 'best ' teachers congregate in the 'best' schools? On the contrary, the best teachers are to be found in 'challenging' schools; places they know will benefit most from talent and motivation like theirs. It’s the inflexible, unimaginative ones who stick to ‘easy’- intake schools; private, selective, super-leafy etc.
I'm exaggerating and generalising here, of course there’ll be many exceptions - but my personal experience certainly bears this out. Almost by definition, the most engaged, inspirational teachers are to be found in 'challenging', ethnically and socially diverse inner-London state schools. Theirs is the hardest, and the most rewarding job when they nail it. No brainer.

@marytuda

I passed by the school around 1/2 today, and there were professional cameras - like TV type and students holding placards, I thought it had to do with the stabbing. I will watch BBC London tonight.

But from the article, it seems the school priorities are a bit skewed. Just lately black students had a big campaign about discrimination regarding their hair.

My major problem with them was that the school seemed to be passing on minor issues to the police, which to me seemed like a lack of pastoral care. And minor things that other schools seem to easily deal with , they just shrug them off.

@marytuda

Just thought I'd drop back to draw attention to events outside Pimlico Academy today - I'd missed this ongoing news. Also that the school has a new head. . .. I also didn't know that Pimlico is part of an academy chain headed by Tory donor Lord Nash, that might have put me off back in the day . . . www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/31/pimlico-academy-pupils-stage-protest-over-discriminatory-policies While I'm at it, Globaliser, that's a couple of total non-sequitors there. Many good and conscientious parents esp in London could not possibly pay for private school, and 'fashionable' state schools – the ones favoured by affluent parents; I presume this is what you mean by ‘best’ - are hopelessly oversubscribed. Ergo, virtually any ordinary inner-London comp will contain plenty of hard-working, well-behaved, high-achieving kids . . . . they may be low-income (often 1st gen immigrant) but not necessarily 'challenging' - or at least only in a good way. Some will be ‘challenging’ in the other way – but see pp. But even worse . . . where do you get the idea that the 'best ' teachers congregate in the 'best' schools? On the contrary, the best teachers are to be found in 'challenging' schools; places they know will benefit most from talent and motivation like theirs. It’s the inflexible, unimaginative ones who stick to ‘easy’- intake schools; private, selective, super-leafy etc. I'm exaggerating and generalising here, of course there’ll be many exceptions - but my personal experience certainly bears this out. Almost by definition, the most engaged, inspirational teachers are to be found in 'challenging', ethnically and socially diverse inner-London state schools. Theirs is the hardest, and the most rewarding job when they nail it. No brainer.

Seriously?

There is a lovely mixed Catholic school in Battersea. Saint John Bosco College. They accept other faiths too. My DC goes there and loves it.