St Mary Magdalene Academy vs CSG (and girls schools in general)

[AngryAngie]

If you were choosing between these two schools—by moving nearby—which would you choose?

DD is sensitive and a bit shy. From what I have heard I think CSG is a good fit but a girls school might be a deal breaker for us. She's an only child, so no brothers. I didn't go to a girls school so find it hard to imagine how her relationships might develop.

Any opinions welcome, including from people who've just visited either school, know other people with kids at either or just have a perspective on girls schools

I don't know much about those specific schools but I think for younger teens, all-girls schools can be a gentler environment with more potential best-friends in the mixing pot. There's also less differentiation between "boy subjects" and "girl subjects" at GCSE. My DDs went to one, against my better judgement at first, but it worked out ok and I can now see some benefits.
They can always leave and go elsewhere at 6th form (or CSG admits boys then anyway).

No idea where either of these schools are. You realise mn is multinational?

There are a lot of Mumsnetters in North London who do know.

It comes over a bit ‘if you know you know’, though; sorry OP. Better to mention the full names or borough names so everyone else can scroll on. Anyway, I don’t have kids at either school (are you talking about Camden?) but know friends who have had girls there if it’s Camden.

I think it’s really hard to generalise about mixed or girls’ schools, because they are all so individually different in school culture. It depends on your child too- for example I would think carefully about sending an anxious or perfectionist girl to an academically pressured school like Camden unless she’s already very able. But a girl who enjoyed the academic stimulation of it and thrives on competition could be in her element.

I’d pick Parliament Hill over either! But I know plenty who are happy with Mary Mags. Would DD be likely to do well in the selective (Governors’) test for Mary Mags so that you wouldn’t have to move so close?

CSG=Camden School for Girls

I’d definitely send a girl to a girls school. It seems the perfect way to keep a bit further from the patriarchy for another five years. Who wouldn’t want that for their daughters?

I am not sure that CSG is more academically pressured as a school than say Parliament Hill Fields (Parli). I don’t know much about Mary Mags. At CSG there does seem to be a large cohort of parents who put pressure on their daughters. Or maybe that’s unfair, maybe it’s not pressure, but an interest and expectation of high grades in everything and an expectation that THEIR child will do well.

I am not sure I’d choose CSG because my daughter is shy and quiet. I may send her there despite that. However the same holds true for Parli. On the balance of all I’ve heard it seems easier to be the shy quiet one at CSG.

@Cuckoo48 Thanks!

@Cloverforever I see a lot of posts titled with school names I don’t know - there are a lot on the first page of the board right now - but I do take your point

@Schoolschoice Yes, Camden School for Girls

@HonorHiding I really like the sound of Parliament Hill but location-wise it doesn’t work

DD is quite averse to doing the Governors Test for Mary Mags or indeed any test or interview. She is academically able, though not pushed at her primary, but doesn’t enjoy competition. So maybe Camden wouldn’t be right for her?

Thanks @DDCSG - you seem like an expert from your username...

Mary Mags is also academically pushy (direct experience).

I think that both are excellent schools but personally I would choose CSG for a girl. Doesn’t research show that girls do better at all girls schools?

@Goldfishmountainclimber Thanks for replying. Good to hear you think both are excellent.

Not sure if you're still looking for info but I know both schools and have a child at one of them. Feel free to PM me.

CSG have had a new Ofsted report although it doesn’t look like it’s been made public yet. It was better than I was expecting, but they are now Good rather than outstanding. I’m not sure if or how that matters and I’m sure they’ll get straight onto the issues that were acknowledged.

@Diagnosticdigressions yes please have PMd you

@Camdenish thanks - Ofsted is not everything and other things about CSG are the attraction for me (curriculum etc) - but interesting to know. And I imagine it would lead to the issues being addressed and things improving.

Mary Mags also just got inspected and were judged ‘good’ — the highest they could get with a section 8 inspection. The report says there was enough evidence to be judged outstanding if it had been a section 5 (and there will be one of those soon).

How do you know about the CSG inspection Camdenish? Interesting that it's no longer outstanding - there are lots of schools in North London (and elsewhere I'm sure) that haven't been inspected for so long that these sort of results don't surprise me. There's a primary school that doesn't have a single member of staff leftover from the last inspection back in 200whatever.

FWIW a close friend has two kids at each of the schools (or have finished in the last few years). She strongly prefers Camden - says it's more intellectually vibrant, creative, respectful of the pupils. Mags she finds a bit of an exam factory, but good at that and good too at pushing children to aspire. However, she is seeing it through the prism of those individual children (two girls and two boys) and so inevitably the same school can seem different depending on the child. I have two children at the same school and there are so many prizes and opportunities that I'd never have known about without the second more teacher-pleasing second.

(Both school, btw, have reputations of making sure that tricky children don't hang around)

I saw it via a friend of a friend. The parents at CSG were sent the report. It’s in no way damning, but does say something like the school don’t necessarily track progress well? I think that was it. So hopefully easily solved. Although I read on here once that it was an amazing sixth form, with a school attached, and the report did make me think of that!

I am interested to read the Mary Mags report.

I am sure any of the North London schools will be various shades of great. It’s good to have good choices.

@Valleyofthedollymix thanks for the info from your friend. DD isn't tricky so I don't really fear that personally.although obviously it doesn't reflect well on the schools

@Valleyofthedollymix @Camdenish
The CNJ has reported on the outcome of the inspection and interviewed the head (very odd to do so without it being publicly published and available on Ofsted's website):
www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/article/camde-school-for-girls-loses-its-outstanding-ofsted-rating

Thanks Banana. Yes, odd! It took ages for CNJ to acknowledge Acland Burghley’s improved Ofsted.

I saw the letter from the Head and thought it was hilarious. The school seem to have been downgraded for being a bit of an exams factory and their justification is, but we’re an exams factory!

....there are lots of schools in North London (and elsewhere I'm sure) that haven't been inspected for so long that these sort of results don't surprise me

Both Ashmole (LB Barnet) and Latymer (LB Enfield) have also lost their long-held Outstanding ratings in the last few months.

Would someone be able to clarify for me confusion over Further Maths GCSE and Higher Maths GCSE. I have searched the boards and believe i have understood this correctly, but for the sake of clarification…. Further Maths is an additional paper to, not instead of, the Higher Maths paper. So you would sit both papers at exam time. It is an additional GCSE - is this understanding correct?

Oh sorry, thought I was making a new post -‘pls disregard 😔

Mind if I PM you? Thanks

Me? Sure