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Secondary education

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Original poster

St Paul's Girls School Occasional Places

56 replies

puzzledmom · 27/12/2022 10:50

Hi - I'm looking for any insights into what to expect and how to prepare for SPGS occasional places assessment for Year 8? Any advice would be highly appreciated. Thanks

OP posts:
PreplexJ · 13/06/2023 21:17

"It might not be a perfect analogy, but the five HYPSM uni's also have the largest endowments by a wide margin. I'm not sure."

Depends what aspect you are referring to? Fund raising from the wealth? Or providing financial aid for student and funding for research activities? I doubt it is a good anology to the latter and a lot of private schools do a better job.

"really we'd have to look at what they spend per pupil versus other schools to see if it is materially different."

I did try to look at different schools balancesheet a few months back, not from an accounting background myself it is hard to do comparison across different schools (some GDST school or school with junior section has share cost function and international provision make it even more tricky). But it seems to me that the extra spend the school standout is on staff costs I'm not sure how does it direct translate to spend per pupil.

PreplexJ · 13/06/2023 21:24

LondonMum20222 · 13/06/2023 21:03

It seems blatantly obvious that those who are most vociferous in their criticisms of SPGS are those without a child there (and, very likely, those whose child was not offered a place when they applied, whether they claim to have been offered one or not).

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It is pretty obvious the greatest defender of the School is the one who's child haven't applied the school yet, but start getting exam prep info in MN years ahead.

Waitlist1234 · 13/06/2023 21:37

@LondonMum20222
I am not sure where you got that re fees
SPGS fees for next year are 9,982
G&L is 8,236 plus around 300 per term for lunches

PreplexJ · 13/06/2023 21:41

Waitlist1234 · 13/06/2023 21:37

@LondonMum20222
I am not sure where you got that re fees
SPGS fees for next year are 9,982
G&L is 8,236 plus around 300 per term for lunches

The mum who take the school as holy grail from day one.

I'm truly sorry to offend other mums by this. Yes it is my scarcism and generalisation, yet it is not idiosyncratic.

LondonMum20222 · 13/06/2023 21:45

Waitlist1234 · 13/06/2023 21:37

@LondonMum20222
I am not sure where you got that re fees
SPGS fees for next year are 9,982
G&L is 8,236 plus around 300 per term for lunches

A G&L parent told me they were going up to c.£9300 per term from autumn 2023, plus lunches on top. Maybe they were mistaken. The website doesn't have next year's fees on there yet, but given they were £8395 this term (according to the website) and most private schools seem to have gone up c.7-12% I'd be surprised if G&L were going down!

bjmin · 13/06/2023 22:07

So SPGS is intentionally targeting rich people I guess?

PreplexJ · 13/06/2023 22:17

bjmin · 13/06/2023 22:07

So SPGS is intentionally targeting rich people I guess?

It is the results of choice and direction the school took, it might not be intentional.

The bursary percentage of 12% has been stagnated for years and it's 10 years ago 20% never met. Then look at other private schools around...

SamPoodle123 · 13/06/2023 22:21

LondonMum20222 · 13/06/2023 21:45

A G&L parent told me they were going up to c.£9300 per term from autumn 2023, plus lunches on top. Maybe they were mistaken. The website doesn't have next year's fees on there yet, but given they were £8395 this term (according to the website) and most private schools seem to have gone up c.7-12% I'd be surprised if G&L were going down!

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Hmm if this is true, I wonder when they plan to tell the newcomers starting at G&L this September? I have not heard this yet...

PreplexJ · 13/06/2023 22:25

@SamPoodle123 yes it is pretty bad for GL if this is not communicated to parents by now. And GL just raised their fee 6 months ago?

bjmin · 13/06/2023 22:35

I think you're right, however they got there, their main focus is attracting very wealthy families.

SamPoodle123 · 13/06/2023 22:40

PreplexJ · 13/06/2023 22:25

@SamPoodle123 yes it is pretty bad for GL if this is not communicated to parents by now. And GL just raised their fee 6 months ago?

If they just raised their fee, I cannot imagine they would do so again so soon. I will ask someone I know with an older dd at the school.

LondonMum20222 · 13/06/2023 22:48

@SamPoodle123 You haven't been told fees yet? I remember on the other thread people talking about fees being communicated soon after Easter. I'd definitely contact the school and ask about that.

Waitlist1234 · 13/06/2023 23:29

Fees at g&l are reviewed on a calendar basis rather than school year. No increase in fees will happen in September. The next increase will be for the spring term and communicated when it comes.

SamPoodle123 · 14/06/2023 06:34

LondonMum20222 · 13/06/2023 22:48

@SamPoodle123 You haven't been told fees yet? I remember on the other thread people talking about fees being communicated soon after Easter. I'd definitely contact the school and ask about that.

We were sent fees when we got the offer. But the paper gave the dates as 2022/2023.

Bigginswade · 23/07/2023 07:19

@laurasparrows sent you a PM X

Paleypark · 23/07/2023 10:11

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Waitlist1234 · 23/07/2023 11:06

What do you mean by that (around the family background?). Was this girl on WL after 11+ or did she do the assessment for occasional space?

Bigginswade · 23/07/2023 12:48

@Waitlist1234 according to SPGS website, priority for occasional spaces are given to girls without a current school place.

Paleypark · 23/07/2023 13:13

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

BonjourCrisette · 23/07/2023 18:41

Well, what is the story then? Posting this type of stuff without any context comes across as unsubstantiated gossip at best and malicious at worst.

BonjourCrisette · 23/07/2023 23:51

Actually, on reflection, when I get a minute in the morning I am going to report both of your posts. This child (if any of this is true) is identifiable to any parent with a daughter in the same year and you've basically just said she didn't get her place on merit which is a terrible thing to say about a child who you probably don't even know. So I suggest you ask for your posts to be withdrawn.

Bigginswade · 24/07/2023 05:15

@BonjourCrisette I hope you don't mean my post? I was clarifying to the other poster with info from then school website. For occasional spaces, girls must sit an assessment but priority is given to girls without a current school space.

bjmin · 24/07/2023 06:45

BonjourCrisette · 23/07/2023 23:51

Actually, on reflection, when I get a minute in the morning I am going to report both of your posts. This child (if any of this is true) is identifiable to any parent with a daughter in the same year and you've basically just said she didn't get her place on merit which is a terrible thing to say about a child who you probably don't even know. So I suggest you ask for your posts to be withdrawn.

I completely agree 👍

BonjourCrisette · 24/07/2023 07:16

Bigginswade · 24/07/2023 05:15

@BonjourCrisette I hope you don't mean my post? I was clarifying to the other poster with info from then school website. For occasional spaces, girls must sit an assessment but priority is given to girls without a current school space.

Of course not you!! I meant Paleypark.

Bigginswade · 24/07/2023 07:37

BonjourCrisette · 24/07/2023 07:16

Of course not you!! I meant Paleypark.

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Thanks for clarifying :-)

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