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Secondary education

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Original poster

Why on earth would anyone reject SPGS??

260 replies

newsibling123 · 25/02/2022 08:43

I've been reading through many threads with mums wondering between SPGS and G&L.

While G&L is a great school, why on Earth would there be a conflict in choosing SPGS, they applied in the first place, its not like they got cold called by the school and their DD offered a place!

If we applied to SPGS, we'd put G&L as back up, but if we had two offers there's no question we'd choose SPGS. The only way I can imagine conflict is if G&L offered a scholarship, or DD really didn't want to go SPGS, even then we would try and show her what a brilliant opportunity it was.

I know one chooses the best school for the DC, etc etc, but I can't imagine any scenario, all things being equal, how G&L would be 'better'. If DD was heavily tutored and parent was worried she'd struggle at SPGS now they have offer in hand, then G&L doesn't come to mind as an alternative to that! One of the less intense GDST schools or somewhere with broader selection, less high academic like Portland or More House maybe?

Don't mean to offend anyone here, choosing school is tough, but I just don't get this at all...It's like getting a place at Oxford and choosing Durham

OP posts:
TheAbbotOfUnreason · 26/02/2022 20:23

I do hope you're being ironic.

Nope. Just wait until you go to Oxbridge open days and see the reaction as they explain the widening participation scheme to the FRT brigade.

amal0 · 27/02/2022 08:17

I’m not saying that students from such schools won’t get in to Oxbridge in the future OP Confused. Of course they will! What I’m saying is, parents (perhaps such as yourself), who are choosing SPGS based on “Oh look, 40 out of 105 got into Oxbridge,” may find this number has dwindled by the time their DD is in Upper Sixth. Contextualisation means students from such schools will have to du more. It’s already happening. I’m not at all saying this shouldn’t be the case. It’s just something to bear in mind.

Also, the Oxbridge stats published by SPGS (or any of these schools) are misleading because some of the 30 or 40 Oxbridge offers in any given year will be students from the previous year who have either reapplied or applied post A-level. It doesn’t mean “30 out of 105 of our Year 13s have received Oxbridge offers.” It might well only be half of that. It’s common for students to not be successful on Year 13 and try again in what is essentially “Year 14.”

Onceuponatimethen · 27/02/2022 08:54

I genuinely think the numbers to Oxbridge from top schools will be a lot lower in 15 years time. Rightly so to be honest. Saying this even though my dds are at indies.

Elij00 · 27/02/2022 10:50

14:44newsibling123 You may have worded it wrongly but I make you right on it and the evidence at hand clearly shows it. 95% of parents who put SPGS down accept their places with a measly 5% turning it down. Plus I am willing to bet those that turned it down are going to schools like G&L, CLSB, NLCS,Henrietta Barnet,Tiffin et al and not the comprehensive down their street.

pkim123 · 27/02/2022 11:33

@Elij00

14:44newsibling123 You may have worded it wrongly but I make you right on it and the evidence at hand clearly shows it. 95% of parents who put SPGS down accept their places with a measly 5% turning it down. Plus I am willing to bet those that turned it down are going to schools like G&L, CLSB, NLCS,Henrietta Barnet,Tiffin et al and not the comprehensive down their street.
Remember, some of that 5% are families turning it down because they are either moving away from London, or financially cannot make it work versus another offer.
Phyllis321 · 27/02/2022 11:37

I went to Leeds rather than Cambridge. There isn't one right path for everyone.

pkim123 · 27/02/2022 12:02

@Phyllis321

I went to Leeds rather than Cambridge. There isn't one right path for everyone.
And again, as state earlier, the Cambridge offers acceptance percentage is below SPGS'
GlamGiraffe · 27/02/2022 12:35

If you want to be a barrister or a judge you dont Go to SPGS.
Some of the best chambers use this as a selection tool. They do not accept pupils from certain schools regardless of the person. SPS is on of them. There have been a lot of problems with the sustained extreme pressure which starts at certain selective schools.

pkim123 · 27/02/2022 12:54

@GlamGiraffe

If you want to be a barrister or a judge you dont Go to SPGS. Some of the best chambers use this as a selection tool. They do not accept pupils from certain schools regardless of the person. SPS is on of them. There have been a lot of problems with the sustained extreme pressure which starts at certain selective schools.
Can you please elaborate on "There have been a lot of problems with the sustained extreme pressure" and that relates to a career as barrister or judge? TA
Original poster
newsibling123 · 27/02/2022 12:57

@GlamGiraffe

If you want to be a barrister or a judge you dont Go to SPGS. Some of the best chambers use this as a selection tool. They do not accept pupils from certain schools regardless of the person. SPS is on of them. There have been a lot of problems with the sustained extreme pressure which starts at certain selective schools.
Just took a peek at this thread and saw your post @GlamGiraffe

I don't know if you're joking, it's hard to tell on these threads, but....

Just texted my relative, a QC Barrister, worked around a few chambers, some famous ones, and they said this is absolute bollocks.

Also I'm guessing this selection tool is just applied to women?

71% of the senior judiciary attended independent schools, with one in seven judges going to just five independent schools: Eton, Westminster, Radley, Charterhouse and St Paul's Boys.

OP posts:
SpikeySmooth · 27/02/2022 13:22

This is another world! Wow. The talk earlier in the thread of some private schools being feeders into Oxbridge just puts me in mind that if my state-school educated daughter wanted to study there the "feeder" private schools already have priority. Or that's the impression I get. She has no interest in going anyway

But aside from that, I can't afford private education (neither can most families) and whilst we are at the mercy of LA computer programmes when "choosing" a school I have found that the "best" school academically isn't always the best school for the child. We were first given the worst performing school in the Borough. I mean results don't count for everything but honestly, the head and management were so passive. Then she was offered a place at another school. Good results but rubbish extracurricular activities and poor pastoral care. We applied in the next borough, and got a school with decent results plus a sense she will feel cared for. She's thrived there. It's a balance.

@mnhq could we have a private school sub-forum? Thank you.

GlamGiraffe · 27/02/2022 14:38

@newsibling123 no im not joking. A lot of chambers we work with actively refuse certain schools when selecting their pupils. SP is on that list. Therefore in my experience certainly not bollocks.

Original poster
newsibling123 · 27/02/2022 14:56

And I assume St Pauls boys isn't? Or Westminster? Or Eton?

OP posts:
saraclara · 27/02/2022 16:04

@mnhq could we have a private school sub-forum? Thank you.

Seconding that. It's a whole different world, and at the moment it seems as though this branch isn't for your average parent at all.

Original poster
newsibling123 · 27/02/2022 16:23

[quote saraclara]**@mnhq could we have a private school sub-forum? Thank you.

Seconding that. It's a whole different world, and at the moment it seems as though this branch isn't for your average parent at all.[/quote]
@saraclara

It's only because Feb is the time all offers are made by private schools, and parents have to decide and commit with hefty deposits, so it's a pivotal time of year , I'm sure in March, (by Tuesday) when state school offers are being made this whole forum will completely change....

I'm signing off this thread (for good) as I think its run its course.

OP posts:
ForeverbyJudyBlume · 28/02/2022 15:22

Just remembered my friend's dd who rejected SPGS and Tiffin for her local, very bog-standard comp. She seems to be doing just fine.

pkim123 · 28/02/2022 16:31

@ForeverbyJudyBlume

Just remembered my friend's dd who rejected SPGS and Tiffin for her local, very bog-standard comp. She seems to be doing just fine.
I'm glad she's "doing just fine". Would she maybe be doing even better at Tiffin? Or even SPGS?
Onceuponatimethen · 28/02/2022 17:06

Maybe she’s doing a little less well but with no mental health problems and has time for a full social life?

morecookies · 28/02/2022 18:13

@ForeverbyJudyBlume

Just remembered my friend's dd who rejected SPGS and Tiffin for her local, very bog-standard comp. She seems to be doing just fine.
My friend's DD had a place at SPGS, Henrietta Barnett, CLGS, CLC, G&L , NHEHS and LEH and PHS and WHSG , a free place at JAGS and Channing, AND SHHS actually offered to pay her parents money to attend and they turned them ALL down.

And sent DD to the failing school at the end of the road,

Mum was right proud...

pkim123 · 28/02/2022 18:43

@MissHavershamReturns

Maybe she’s doing a little less well but with no mental health problems and has time for a full social life?
The implication being that if she went to Tiffin she would get mental health issues?
pkim123 · 28/02/2022 18:46

@morecookies I'm just curious, if she turned down all those wonderful schools, then why did she make her DC sit all those entrance exams? What was the point if mum was just going to "sent DD to the failing school at the end of the road"?

morecookies · 28/02/2022 18:52

[quote pkim123]@morecookies I'm just curious, if she turned down all those wonderful schools, then why did she make her DC sit all those entrance exams? What was the point if mum was just going to "sent DD to the failing school at the end of the road"?[/quote]
I think my 'friend' was following the trend on this thread to talk absolute nonsense about school selection Wink

pkim123 · 28/02/2022 18:53

Both my DC's were offered the Nobel Prize, but we didn't feel that it was the right award for them so we politely declined both.

Onceuponatimethen · 28/02/2022 19:01

@pkim123 not necessarily, but that’s why some people make those choices.

I’ve come across a few girls at close quarters from two of the schools people on this thread don’t understand anyone turning down a place at. One e.g was in the bottom third of a class studying for a particular professional qualification. Another didn’t get an Oxbridge place when a state school pupil I know did - same college and same year. Both these things happened 20/30 years ago. So lots of work to then not be top after school.

My own experience is that some dc at these schools are made anxious by the pressure. These are the dc who shouldn’t have been sent. For some they work well.

I wouldn’t send my dd to one.

pkim123 · 28/02/2022 19:05

[quote MissHavershamReturns]@pkim123 not necessarily, but that’s why some people make those choices.

I’ve come across a few girls at close quarters from two of the schools people on this thread don’t understand anyone turning down a place at. One e.g was in the bottom third of a class studying for a particular professional qualification. Another didn’t get an Oxbridge place when a state school pupil I know did - same college and same year. Both these things happened 20/30 years ago. So lots of work to then not be top after school.

My own experience is that some dc at these schools are made anxious by the pressure. These are the dc who shouldn’t have been sent. For some they work well.

I wouldn’t send my dd to one.[/quote]
I agree with you in that if you go to a top school, then you need to make sure you are in the top half of the class. If you are in the bottom half, then I don't think it's a good idea.