Camden School for Girls

[befree200]

Hello, I am considering this school for my DD. Do you have any first-hand experience that you care to share? Any insights will be most appreciated :-)

[CSGCSG]

It’s fine. Very similar to Parli from what I can make out. Maybe a bit less liberal.

Parental communication was quite poor but is maybe improving under the new head.

It isn’t a private school for free. In my eldest DD year several families who thought it would be withdrew their daughters. I wonder if they’ll try again for sixth form?

It is quite small, as in each year group only has four forms. But maybe private schools are the same? I think a larger school would give more scope for friendships.

My DDs say it’s fine. They are glad they’re there rather than Parli or AB. Friends at Parli are loyal to their school. AB girls don’t seem to like their school.

[Mother007]

@befree200 May I ask did you go to CSG after all? How is it?

@CSGCSG 4 forms per year group is substantial and not small. How many girls are in each class? Personally I think CSG is better than Parliament hill but everyone's opinion is individual as I know people who said it was opposite. For example, CSG is more musical and would fit perfectly those musically inclined.

[CSGCSG]

@Mother007 really? I think of a four form secondary as being tiny. I can’t think of many smaller state secondary schools. It is 220 (pupil admission number)PAN so thirty in a form. There will be various numbers of children in each class.

[Mother007]

@CSGCSG . Thank you for responding. So if 220 admission number with 30 in a form 120 in total right?
We are on the WL to this school vs Private, so I have this dilemma.

[CSGCSG]

I’m sorry, that was my typo -it’s 120 in a year, and therefore four forms.

what wait lists are you on for it? Just a banding or a music too? What’s the indi option?

[Mother007]

@CSGCSG We are 10th in the banding A, no music/sibling or any other criteria VS Channing school.
Someone else raised a topic of CSG vs CHANNING. Just this dilemma... Should we get moved on the WL for CSG we take it or not...

[CSGmum]

My dds have or are still there. Also very happy with it. Would probably be equally happy with Parli. Wouldn't send my dds to AB though.

It is better for more able girls I think. I think it's better for more confident girls too, although my youngest dd isn't confident and is still enjoying it. My dds all think it's a good school although think it doesn't cater well for girls with any SEN- dyslexia etc.

People say that it is just like a private school but state. It isn't at all ime. There is a mix of backgrounds there and abilities (which I like). I'd never send my children to Channing or the like. My older dds have gone off to good universities and have As at A level and level 8s and 9s at GCSE.

[CSGmum]

Oh I like that it is smaller - it isn't a huge secondary school which is good in my view.

[CSGCSG]

We were 7 band A and we got a place on the last day of the state school holidays. Band A doesn’t seem to move as much as band B where I’ve known girls in the 40s get in.

personally, if you want a private school education, and can easily afford one, I’d stay at Channing. CSG is a good local school but it’s not a private school. I tend to think if you were offered Parli over Channing and took it, then take CSG. If you wouldn’t consider Parli, don’t take CSG.

[Mother007]

@CSGCSG @CSGmum thank you for the input ladies, much appreciated.
Prv is a stretch, and also the whole debate of Universities intake from prv and state is my mind.
In fact we were offered Parliament hill and declined it, but we always placed CSG over PH. For example, looking at various league tables CSG is often mentioned there.

[CSGCSG]

I work at a university. I’d send my child to private school if I had the money! Well, if I had loads of money! I’ve rarely seen anything true about private/state School and university on MN.

I suppose it depends on what league tables you’re looking at as to how you know if CSG is better? Remember they’re academically selective at sixth form.

CSG is not a private school for free. Money is obviously not so much if a stretch if you’ve already turned down Parli. I think you need to decide at what point you’d move your child from Channing. Places may come up in year 7 or even year 8? Would you move your child after she’s started school or only in the summer holidays?

[Mother007]

@CSGCSG @CSGmum i hope you don’t mind me continuing this thread.
we have been offered a place at CSG and thinking of taking it and declining Channing.
would you know is there around 30 girls in each form , no uniform - girls wear what they want? How is the food/lunches is it reasonable quality and not junk?

six form is a completely different world I hear abs I guess worth staying for just for it as it is very competitive to get to?

my regards and Happy Easter!

[Thighdentitycrisis]

Off topic for you but my DS went to 6th form and I found it to be a great experience for him. He has a very good friendship group from there that has lasted

[CSGCSG]

@Mother007

There are four forms in each year. 120 PAN so 30
in each form. Although they are mixed up from the beginning so not taught in form groups much. They have lessons by ability and some just by “carousel “ and I’ve no idea what that is!

You don’t send your child to CSG for the lunches. There is no space and time to eat. It’s a cramped site and they probably could do with being more creative about the lunch..The queues for food are long. We can’t afford to buy lunch everyday so DDs take packed lunch. But am told it looks disgusting-but isn’t that school dinners for you? It’s supposed to be horrible!

There is no uniform. There is a dress code, although this seems to have become lax over the time. Most kids seem to wear jeans/joggers and a hoody.

I think it’s been worked out that about half of each year stay onto the sixth form. A CSG girl from main school only gets a place at the 6th if they meet the admissions criteria. My eldest DD was a band A student at admissions but didn’t meet the entry criteria for sixth form based on gcse results.

if it was me I’d go private for main school and think again at sixth form. I think I said before that if you wouldn’t entertain Parli you’re unlikely to actually like CSG. Parli and CSG may have slightly different strengths but are really very similar. Neither are private schools. The fact you’re still asking makes me think that as a parent you’d be happier at Channing.

[Mother007]

@CSGCSG
Thank you for the informative response. It is very helpful. We don’t know much about the CSG because we honestly never thought the offer would come through as we live outside the catchment area. So I did not even try to find out about the school.
However, their music provision seems impressive bur maybe lacking g team sports.

[Mother007]

@Thighdentitycrisis
thank you! May I ask did you come from the private sector ?

[CSGCSG]

The music provision at CSG seems to be a lot better than that of other local states. But it’s still a state school. If music is your child’s thing it might be important but my dc have gone through largely unaffected by the music there.

And sport isn’t really a CSG thing. In fact the one sporty child I know left to go private as the private school could accommodate missing school do to sporting events where as the state school couldn’t.