St Paul and King's

[veryworriedmum]

My child is in year 5 and we have been in the UK for less than a year. We searched for a lot of websites and it seems the academic ranking of the 2 is quite similar, St Paul's may be higher overall but in some years King's is higher. Also, their Oxbridge acceptance seems quite similar, St Paul may be only marginally better and sent a bit more to US colleges.

However, among our friends, not just foreigners like us but also locals, they seem to have a firm pecking order in mind: Westminster, St Paul, King's, and almost all in this order, with some considering the gap between Westminster and St Paul only marginal while the gap between St Paul and King's much wider and some even consider King's half a notch below. All these don't quite match the academic results (A Level and GCSE) I saw on the school websites.

Can someone provide any insights? We are still new to the country and are in the learning process. I know the topic may be a bit sensitive to some, so I am equally happy if comments are provided via private messages to me.

I would by all means encourage parents with inspiring and academic strong kids to apply these schools.

It is when you have the offers, do keep in mind the factors previous posters mentioned (think all are very valid and sensible) before taking it.

It's nothing like 50% international Universities at any of these schools. More like 20%. St Pauls sent 39 to overseas universities last year (mainly USA) and 180 to UK ones. KGS similar. Westminster may be more but hard to find the info!
LU is similar although sends more to European Universities as well due to the high level of European parents in the school (who often favour Co-Ed).

"St Pauls sent 39 to overseas universities last year (mainly USA)"

I think many of whom may have happily settle with Oxbridge in the old days but recent years boys candidates are directly competing with a lot state sector so they have to find Ivy's as alternative acceptable routes.

I may be missing something on the Westminster University destinations page but they only mention Oxbridge, Imperial, UCL and LSE and lump all the other UK universities into 'Other'. I find that a bit irritating and maybe says something about the school and parents.

Westminster was 176 to UK, 40 international (35 to US and 5 to EU).

Personally I think SPS is still very sought after and it does have the established name. If you have a choice of SPS you take it….just my opinion.
SPS and Westminster have been, are and will always be the top 2.

“SPS and Westminster have been, are and will always be the top 2.”

@Caps0218 we got your view in every possible thread already, but even it is true, how was the top 2 being useful for a individual child?

Historically, and things may have moved on, but Westminster used to have a shocking reputation for bullying. On that basis I didn't bother even asking for the prospectus in 2002.

They are all great schools. It depends whether what is most important to you is the vanity of small differences between highly thought of schools. Or which you and your son feels is a better fit for them, where they are most likely to be happy and thrive.

I would visit them and apply to those you feel would be the best fit, then see what your options are for deciding at the end of the process.

Can anyone pl throw some light on social, emotional and economical side of things at St. Paul’s? We are a normal, single earning family, wanting to give our only son a school that’ll support him not just achieve his academic potential but give him various opportunities to explore different sides of his personality in his teen years. We don’t want to land up in a school that’s just aping our society where the strong become stronger and those a bit soft, are pushed behind, pigeonholed!!

I would suggest you apply the find out yourself during the process.

@Hommegirl , you know if you are aiming for 11plus there are only 36 spaces and your ds will spend 2 years at the junior school before moving to the senior school. It's incredibly competitive to gain an offer.

Depends what you mean by soft.
In the junior school I think they are actually very kind to each other. Yesterday my DS’s son’s team lost at rugby, at least 3 of them were crying about the fact they had lost afterwards, which is seen by the others as totally normal/fine (these kids are 12-13 years old).
One child said in a lesson that he had 2 friends out of school and none in school (child is definitely very odd). Think they all cringed, but my DS told me no one laughed or sniggered, and it wasn’t mentioned again afterwards.

So from that point of view, I wouldn’t worry. On the economics side however - it is extortionately expensive, and I would question thevalue for that money, to be honest.

No, we are actually sitting the 13+ at 11 years of age.

Are you coming from state or private? As I think they want state dc applying for 11+ and private for 13+, or if you go for 13+ they have to approve of the school you are going to until 13+ (most likely has to be prep so you are not too behind when joining at 13). This is my understanding at least.