My DD attends. Old Palace did have a rep as a very academic school that became less academic when it merged with Croham Hurst School, a non-selective Indie Girls school, about 15 years ago. Now it’s a bit overshadowed as the poor little sister of the Whitgift family, but I think that's unfair , it’s a much smaller school than Whitgift or Trinity , doesn't really have that huge London intake neither, (or the long history) but it benefits from the huge cash reserves of Whitgift in the form of deep pocket bursaries . I'm hoping with their reserves, fee increases should be less harsh over the coming years with VAT increases etc.
It’s a local school really, compared to Whitgift.
These days it’s a good school, bit old fashioned, I don't really like the old fuddy
ways of inter-house rivalry, badges and competitiveness, but my DD has really
close friends of all ages and everyone seems to get along.
Results are more in line with schools like Blackheath GDST or Sutton GDST rather than heavyweights like Jags, but like most London Indies, they benefit from well resourced parents and selective entry. Facilities are good, heated pool, playing fields and music and science labs
It has lower fees than its rivals, Reception is around 15K and senior at 11+ around 19K compares well to other London Indie schools, but it still a lot.
But facilities are good, heated pool, etc, lots of sport, water polo, hockey, tennis, etc, tons of clubs, school bus routes all over south London from Putney down to Kent and Surrey proper.
Most girls move to the senior school, I'd say about 25% leave for either more elite schools like Jags or one of the great non-fee schools that aren’t far from Old Palace like Wallington High School for Girls, but of course with no fees, they have much much higher applications, so some parents use Old Palace as a Prep, knowing the girls will be ahead of any state primary and top up with tutor for selective state at 11+, but its not the majority by any measure.