Urgent: Central Foundation Boys vs CoLA Islington

[MissCamden]

Please can the Islington mums and anyone else with knowledge of these schools advise me on which one you'd pick.

Any comments welcome!

We have an offer from both and 2-3 days to decide.

Thank you

I replied on a different recent thread about COLA Islington recently. You can search for it. In your position, I would choose Central Foundation.

Central Foundation is boys school of choice for City parents even though they have priority at CoLA.

thanks @Terentia will have a dig

Thanks @Jaxx I appreciate it. I'd love to hear why CF is the school of choice, and why CoLA isn't.

Reputation and results.

Thank you @Jaxx I looked at that too and found the A-Level results are pretty similar between the two schools? Am I missing a trick?

I guess it's more than A-Levels, but these are the recent numbers I found from the Evening Standard website

CFBS
number of candidates: 75
Avg Score point per entry: 32.08
% of students AAB+: 9.2

CoLA
number of candidates: 51
Avg Score point per entry: 32.81
% of students AAB+: 7.7

CFSB definitely has the better reputation and results but considering the figures I am going to post below, I'll say they are doing quite well.

COLAI
% of FSM 43.4
% of SEN 17.2
% of SEN statement/ EHC 3.6

CFSB
% of FSM 26
% of SEN 17.7
% of SEN statement/ EHC 1.5

Thank you @Elij00 for posting that. So which school would you choose for a sporty boy?

I would choose Central Foundation without any hesitation. I have experience of both schools through work and CF is much, much better run.

I wouldn’t look at sixth form results if I was making a school choice for a child in KS3/4. The choice of school/college widens so much post GCSE’s as admissions are largely on attainment not distance.

Given that I would still argue that the sixth form figures at CLFB are significantly better. For the AAB+ measure CoLA only had 26 students who qualified to be included in the calculation vs 65 at CFSB.

Stats aren’t everything obviously - so you have to look at which school fits your child best. Do both school offer the subjects your child is interested in? Can you live the behaviour policy?

I had the choice of two schools and ended up picking the one worse results and a good rather than outstanding ofsted. I have never regretted my decision and my son is doing really well.

Central boys school is supposed to be really good.

Thank you @deathbyprocrastination I've actually pm'd you just now

Brilliant @Jaxx I appreciate your explanation

@sammyvine thank you so much for this. Have you heard anything about CoLA Islington?

People seem to think more highly of Central. But I don't think it's a whole lot of fun. I wouldn't worry about sixth form results given that everyone I know ships out for y12 to either Camden or Mary Mags - if your child is reasonably academic then there are so many sixth form options out there.

@Valleyofthedollymix

People seem to think more highly of Central. But I don't think it's a whole lot of fun. I wouldn't worry about sixth form results given that everyone I know ships out for y12 to either Camden or Mary Mags - if your child is reasonably academic then there are so many sixth form options out there.

Exactly

Isnt woodhouse where most smart people go in north london?

Thank you @Valleyofthedollymix that's a good point.

Could you explain a bit more what isn't fun about it please? And as our alternative, would you say CoLA is more fun?