Did you choose LU over GL and SPGS for sporty DD?

[Alexia234]

Would love to get in contact if you chose LU over the 2 Hammersmith girls schools for a sporty DD. My DD got all 3 and we really loved LU for her but having second thoughts when other 2 Schools thrown into the mix and Concerned the sports isn’t as strong for girls in latymer and that dreaded great western road with the pollution . Any parents out there who wouldn’t mind me PMing them?

@Grandjany

Disposition of the child

@Grandjany so just to be clear, SPGS students are "bossy and ruthlessly driven" and GL students are "kinder more cooperative"? And you base this one what observation? You know like 50 students at each school well? Have you had DDs at both schools?

@Grandjany

True but it looks like a similar run to last year - the stronger, bossy and ruthlessly driven personalities go to SPGS and the gentler kinder more cooperative types to G&L. No difference in intelligence, just approach to life

What are you talking about?! How many DD's do you have at each of those schools?

Why do you think it’s sour grapes? Some types of people are more suited to different environments. Not everybody accepts every place they are offered. Besides it is physically impossible

@Grandjany

Why do you think it’s sour grapes? Some types of people are more suited to different environments. Not everybody accepts every place they are offered. Besides it is physically impossible

I'm guessing she'll say it is sour grapes because many people when an organisation rejects them, then don't have nice things to say about that organisation. Agree, that no school has an offer yield of 100%, but clearly one school has an offer yield way above it's competitors.

@cathotel

Well it is an urban school because it’s located between the A4 and King St in Hammersmith. Do you know the area, Babugats?

I’m my opinion (and it is just that), LU does have a slightly different vibe to other comparative schools in the area because it’s the only co-ed. There is little outside space on site - this can make for a quite intense social atmosphere. It’s a larger year group too compared to G&L and SPGS. Students on bursaries are 25% and growing and this is a very strong and celebrated ethos in the school (G&L is beginning to take steps in this direction, but not there yet). At 6th Form, I understand there are 30 full-bursary places available at LU - I’m not aware of any other similar school in the area that offers anything like this. The school won a TES award for improving social mobility. They teach a course called World Perspectives which introduces them to contemporary global political, social and environmental issues and this is one of the best things about the school. It was one of the first schools (I think) to include the option ‘non binary’ on forms / circulars and they are certainly not slow to react and adapt to the way the world is changing. Yes, it’s a public school, but traditional / stuffy it is not! All schools say they are outward-looking, but at LU, it’s particularly tangible. They send them all to Calais to work with refugees. They all have to do community work in sixth form (and I don’t mean as part of the D of E - that’s separate). It’s a very fast-paced, urban school that reflects the increasingly diverse student body that use it.

The reason my son chose LU over KCS was because it felt less traditional and ‘cloistered away.’ There really are students from all types of background there - if you were to visit you might be surprised. It’s also a school where there’s not much ‘handholding’ and they expect them to be quite independent and stand on their own feet from day one. In one sense, this is great, but it can also be problematic. The kids there (broadly-speaking) tend to not be afraid to articulate themselves and speak their minds. I know quite a few very academic, but more quiet / ‘timid’ kids who didn’t get in at 11 plus who have gone on to do brilliantly at other schools such as LEH, PHS or wherever. LU is not for everyone, that’s all I’m saying. Some, if given the choice, may do better in a slightly more ‘containing’ environment, for want of a better word. I can’t fault the teaching or the academics though as it’s fantastic. That’s my direct experience as a parent. Others may have a different take on LU obviously. Personally, I expected G&L to be an all-girls version of the same thing, but it’s just a calmer and more caring environment, in my view. Maybe it’s the lack of testosterone - I don’t know what it is!

@cathotel

This is well put and I completely understand your points.

haven't a problem with anything you've written here in this quote. Your DC is a lucky soul to have been educated at such a school.

I saw red with OP's statement that LU is too woke and another poster claiming its 'street', when as you've demonstrated LU makes a stand for equality and demonstrates a willingness to strive for a world where your chances in life are determined as little as possible by your birth - for that to be dismissed as 'woke' or 'street' - sickens me.

My original posts were aimed solely at the OP, not yours.

Actually you could judge a school by its attrition as much as its offers

@HersheysHearts

"I guess that "mother at G&L" DD didn't get a SPGS offer. Sad little person."

Ouch. If these are the kinds of parents from SPGS, it is kind of sad.

I think we all just get fed up of constantly having sniping directed at us and our daughters because we are all apparently mad people who are insanely competitive and alpha females who will attack as soon as look at you. It's just not true and I do think people fostering those inaccurate stereotypes are either bitter for some reason or very hard of thinking. You just don't get people being mean about LEH or G&L or PHS or anywhere else in the same way, do you?

In reality ALL of these very competitive schools have a certain percentage of slightly barking parents and hyper competitive children.

I don't know about LU or G&L but I would imagine that they are just like SPGS in that they do not actually want the kids being super competitive with each other and therefore attempt to foster an atmosphere where children do their own best instead of worrying about how they compare to others. This is certainly the atmosphere at SPGS and I can't imagine it's much different at the other similar schools.

SPGS also, by the way, is trying very hard to increase their bursary provision. Their main problem is that not enough people are applying presumably because they think it's not going to be possible. I would strongly advise any parent with a bright girl reading this to give it a go. There is a lot of help available.

@Grandjany

Actually you could judge a school by its attrition as much as its offers

Yes. Please tell us what you know about attrition in the West London schools. Facts, mind, not hearsay.

To be fair to OP, Babalugats, I think she was just picking up on my earlier description of LU as “a very outward looking, modern school (some may say, ‘woke’).” Obviously, I was in no way referring to LU’s widening participation initiatives here as these are the best thing about the school and something other schools are trying to emulate. I was more thinking about certain instances of student-led culture in the school I’ve heard about over the years - but perhaps it’s the same in any school these days, to be fair. When it comes to the ethos of the school as an institution, probably a better description would have been “progressive.”

As for SPGS, we did let DD choose her own school and she chose G&L - probably for her own spurious reasons like they do cookery! She had heard good things from neighbours and had friends there. As for the notion of ‘scary parents of SPGS’, well, there are a minority of crazy parents at all these schools, but most are lovely. DD knows girls at SPGS and they are normal, lovely kids. Of course they are. Any of these schools will enable students to get to wherever they want to go, as long as they don’t fall off the rails along the way (which is have seen happen in a minority of cases, unfortunately).

The main difference between G&L and SPGS is the IB option. A lot of European families are at G&L and the IB system is more familiar to them. SPGS does get better GCSE and A-level results, but those girls would undoubtedly still have got those same results at G&L - or perhaps anywhere - to be honest. One thing that did strike me though when I was looking into this for DD - was that nearly all girls at SPGS seem to take Maths A-level? I think out of 105, about 100 were doing Maths at A-level? Is this right or was I missing something? DD’s maths is good, but her interests lie elsewhere, so I wouldn’t have wanted her to feel in the minority if she chose to take say, three humanities / social science orientated A-levels. But I could have got this wrong at the time?

One thing that did strike me though when I was looking into this for DD - was that nearly all girls at SPGS seem to take Maths A-level?

I wouldn't say nearly all, but quite a lot, perhaps three quarters? But I don't think all of those people will be planning straight sciences. Some will be interested in social sciences and doing maths with stats, for instance. DD is considering Maths A Level because she is interested in philosophy (where it can help with logic). She's also interested in politics and therefore considering economics as something she might want to know about later on - and that is obviously fairly maths-heavy.

@cathotel

I think OP needs to read your posts, one of the few sensible posters on this thread. You've done fantastically well with your DC, with a clear, level headed approach.

Also to be fair to OP, she's no different to the many threads around at the moment with mums in 'dilemma' over which magnificent school to pick. Any mum can understand pride, the OP has done very well - to have the offers.

I get it the OP is in a tizz- I've seen it with a friend whose DD went to a small 'obscure' prep and had offers from these huge schools, it was a new experience, maybe tiger mums on the Bute/Ken Prep/ Glendower conveyor belt see G&L standard as the expectation, no dilemma's for them as their DD's lives are mapped out at birth.

The OP should follow your lead. As you wisely have done, asking the child is the only real route! Given they are all brilliant, top schools, the DC cannot possibly give a wrong answer.

Seriously @Babalugats ? How preachy is that post? I’m grateful for all the responses on this thread but it’s gone totally out of hand mostly by your comments that are not necessary nor helpful. Your attitude towards girls at the preps you mention is totally unfounded and also one you clearly have no experience of those parents also have the same dilemmas and also want what’s best for their children despite your view on their lives being mapped out. Bitter much ? Your children don’t go to those schools so you have no knowledge of them that is absolutely fine so probably best keep your views to yourself or focus on topics you actually have experience off . @cathotel thank you for your post very informative and helpful much appreciated and lots to think about and also to all other posters who have DCs at the schools mentioned- you’ve all been a great help and as mentioned above all the schools are fantastic of course.

Wow , no totally you’re not bitter at all. So wrong on so many levels but hope your day/week improves

Hi Alexia234

In your interest and because some of my comments have been skewed by others, I wanted to add that SPGS is a fabulous school with excellent teaching. It is, however, as many well informed heads will tell you, a higher risk option than LU or G&L, the reason being it is a highly selective school for a very driven scholarly type of child. If you never have to nag about homework, and your child is independently driven you should have few issues there. If your child has any nervous issue’s whatsoever (such as tummy aches because of nerves) you should be wary. There is a reason that they weigh the children’s food at lunchtime and a reason for some attrition at 13+; it is not uncommon. The school selects very sensibly and carefully but occasionally with error and obviously moving schools again if it doesn’t work out can be stressful.

Thank you @Grandjany, appreciate your feedback. My DD is pretty resilient and I’ve never looked at her homework much to be honest so less worried about that but honestly who knows how children change during the teens and how external pressures affect them …. Perhaps that’s why we’re leaning towards the slightly less risky options as I have no doubt she’ll achieve just as well there academically but its more of a social choice I guess and sport as the reality of Saturday matches didn’t really hit me till this week - we have 4 children and our life on Sunday revolves around my DD sports so hoping to leave Saturday free for some fleeting family time .again thank you for taking the time to post your experience

How sporty is she Alexia, from our experience(my daughter goes to LU), is she interested in competing( squad, Regionals etc.). These could be done outside school(and could be much more competitive compare to the school’s team Eg. Richmond Hockey squad has competition almost every other week). The best thing is they become more independent and could travel by themself forth and back which helps when we have to manage younger siblings except if the competition is far afield then share lift might help. All in all I was trying to say, if she is VERY sporty then most likely out of school squad could cater up to Regional or National level. (In LU there was an exception made for a student who is amazing in rowing and could row every term, this might be the same to Spgs and L&G)

There is a reason that they weigh the children’s food at lunchtime

Oh FFS, they DO NOT DO THIS.

Plus my child is actually a rather anxious overthinker, at least she was when she joined SPGS. She's got loads better because they actually do understand anxious overthinkers really really well. DD has found it an incredibly kind and accepting place.

@Grandjany you clearly have absolutely zero knowledge or personal experience regarding SPGS. Please stop spreading malicious misinformation.

There is also very little attrition. Three girls have left my daughter's year out of approx 110, one because she wasn't happy and one because she moved abroad (not sure about the other).

PS DD now in Y10 so that's a child a year who has left so far.

@Grandjany

Hi Alexia234

In your interest and because some of my comments have been skewed by others, I wanted to add that SPGS is a fabulous school with excellent teaching. It is, however, as many well informed heads will tell you, a higher risk option than LU or G&L, the reason being it is a highly selective school for a very driven scholarly type of child. If you never have to nag about homework, and your child is independently driven you should have few issues there. If your child has any nervous issue’s whatsoever (such as tummy aches because of nerves) you should be wary. There is a reason that they weigh the children’s food at lunchtime and a reason for some attrition at 13+; it is not uncommon. The school selects very sensibly and carefully but occasionally with error and obviously moving schools again if it doesn’t work out can be stressful.

Just so I am clear, this is an outright farrago of lies and unsubstantiated gossip. Please supply evidence, @Grandjany - or ask for it to be deleted. Honestly, it is now just coming across as weird.

Sorry about the name change fail in the middle there. I usually try to keep my SPGS posts to a single username. I've asked for it to be changed. But actually this thread has made me so angry I forgot to change. Sorry for any confusion. For the avoidance of doubt, Grandjany is a liar.

I genuinely question the motives of posters who are just making things up to make a school that either rejected them or wasn't their first choice look bad. Why would you do that? There are lots of good schools around and not every school suits every child. Why resort to (worst case) telling outright lies, or (best case) passing on unsubstantiated gossip which is clearly from someone with no personal experience of the school? I would never post horrible things about LU or G&L or PHS or LEH or anywhere else! I don't know anything about those schools apart from having had a sense that they would not really suit my daughter, for a variety of reasons.

All I can say is that pretty much everything @Grandjany has posted about SPGS is pure unadulterated bollocks. She appears to be going on schoolyard gossip, which is a terrible way to make decisions. Or alternatively she has a grudge. A few people like that seem to appear every year. I have no idea why they are so invested in a secondary school, which, despite the hype, is just a school.

I'm a Paulina. I was there several decades ago. I chose to send my daughter there because I could not conceive of a better education for the type of person she is. She's quite like me, strangely enough! I would be happy to answer genuine questions about the school and do so regularly via private messages from people who've seen my posts.

I wish it wasn't necessary to keep jumping in like this, but until people stop telling lies about the school unfortunately I have to because I really do not like liars.

Thanks MNHQ for fixing my annoyed name change fail.

I was told about the food weighing by a friend’s daughter who attends. She mentioned it at a talk at her sister’s school when asked if there was anything strange at the school. This was last term. Why would she make it up? 🤔

I’m sorry if I’ve offended anyone. I really don’t have an agenda; just relating what I’ve heard. I was very impressed by the school.