London Co-eds - Latymer, Emanuel, Alleyn's and Harrodian

[Springtoday]

What are your thoughts on the London co-ed schools? We are looking at Latymer, Emanuel, Alleyn's and Harrodian. Anyone have dc at one of these schools? Or have opinions on these schools? Would love to hear from you.

According to my uncle who's a private school teacher Harrodian has quite a poor reputation academically. Mick Jagger's son went there when he got refused for several others. Not saying that's the reason he thinks that btw. But I've asked him before and he always says it.

I assume it's easier to get into than somewhere like Alleyn's.

Emanuel is hugely popular nowadays. I was surprised that it's results weren't better (25% A* at A level vs 39% at Alleyns, not super clear but looks like 2 Oxbridge offers) given the level of demand for places there. It's a nice coed in a very wealthy location without much local competition. Alleyns is a league above in my opinion.

Very different schools in rather different locations too. Latymer is considered the most academic one and rather innovative in terms of the curriculum (including doing away with GCSEs). Alleyn's follows in terms of academic results, considered more 'arty' but still traditional. Emanuel is very much in demand with results in the increase and benefiting from good transport links. Harrodian's results are rather similar to Emanuel but location can be tricky for many and it has a reputation as having quite a few children from a showbiz / celebrity background (it can be a bit marmite). In addition, if considering coed, and depending on location, you might want to consider others like Ibstock, Kingston Grammar and Thomas's in Richmond. There are more coeds towards Surrey too that can be easily commutable from London.

I don’t think Emanuel was as popular as Alleyn’s 7/8 years ago so they wouldn’t have had the same pool to select from. It will take a while for academic results to catch. I have three kids and didn’t consider Emanuel for the older two, one of whom is currently in sixth form but youngest has it as her preferred school.

When did Emanuel start getting more popular and more selective with their intake? I do remember our head saying it used to be no problem to get in there and then for a few years no one got in from our school.

Atm we are trying not to have favourites, but thinking between Latymer and Emanuel if we are lucky enough to get offers from both.

What's everyone's views of Kingston Grammar & Thomas’s? We really liked kingston when we looked round - seemed a bit more down to earth than some

@todayortomorrow I agree with you - academically I would say a tad above Emanuel (but below) Latymer. A lovely school, solid and down to earth. From quite a friends with DCs there, very welcoming and strong on the pastoral.

We looked at Thomas's, but it felt all too new and not sure of it so did not apply. DS is big on sports, so want to send him somewhere already established and where we knew there would be enough sports teams for many fixtures.

Also Westminster and Trinity will be going co-ed

My understanding is that Trinity is coed for Sixth Form only. The Whitgift Foundation, which runs both Trinity and Whitgift has not ruled out them going coed and many assume that it will be Trinity.
Westminster has been coed for sixth form for decades but will be coed from 2028 (Year 9 onwards)

Check Emanuel website 2024 results , looks like 30% A levels Maths Astar, 77% Maths Astar/A. Alleyns is 44% A levels maths Astar, 74% Maths Astar/A.

Emanuel 5 Oxbridge, can’t find Alleyns leavers destination.

Latymer Upper most academic but no GCSEs, Alleyn, Emanuel.
Harrodian seems more academic. Kingston Grammar.
Ibstock.
Thomas, very new secondary school.
Westminster under 7+ with girls, Going fully coed in stages.
More coed day options which is helpful since it has become a popular option since coed boarding schools with VAT are getting very expensive.Very different in feel and locations so do go to open days.

Thanks, will check out KGS as well. I did have a look at Thomas's but too new.

So you think co-ed will become more competitive because the VAT?

Interesting, I thought Westminster was becoming coed from 7+?

Westminster starts at 13. Westminster Under School is also going coed.

I have a 20 year old and when he sat the 11+ he got in but his friends didn't, thought they got into DC/Trinity/Alleyn's/Whitgift si I think it has been difficult to get into for a long time, even under the older HM leadership. I think it was because they were looking for a certain type of children and they were taking also almost all siblings a well.

Yes indeed, this is exactly the impression that we got when visiting Harrodian. It certainly did not have the vibes of a mainstream school, looked more like a posh hotel with fancy carpets and paintings but no pics and no pieces of work done by its students displayed (like it's been the case in all the other schools that we visited). Harrodian also has an opaque and idiosyncratic admissions system which defies usual logical reasoning. Weird place, to be avoided

Also, we did not see any science labs in Harrodian or works produced by the students. If anything, it's just arty and for the super rich.

There are definitely science labs and also artwork from the kids all over the school. I suspect sour grapes for some reason.

We applied to both Harrodian and Emanuel last year - got offers but rejected for different reasons although we liked both (though not as much as other options). Did not apply to LU or Alleyns for logistics reason though, at a push, we could have made LU work, we had other options closer. We know families with children in all and generally happy. Some thoughts

• Harrodian is arty and has a wider percentage of celebrities and media parents than other schools but it is not the academic basket case that some present .. their results are in line with, for instance Ibstock. It works well for creative children and has a slightly eccentric feeling that some families like. It is also very much a local school
• Emanuel is academically on the up and has become the "go to" school in the Clapham area plus it attracts kids from all over due to Clapham Junction in the doorstep. Good school for all rounders and work quite an urban vibe.
• LU is the strongest academically of the 4 mentioned. Big and brilliant for confident children (even if quietly so). They are doing their own thing by not having GcSEs and that has become an important point for peope deciding whether to apply or not.
• Alleyns is seen as the most creative / liberal of the Dulwich 3 and I would see more similar in vibe to Emanuel but with academics in between Emanuel and LU.

Depending on the area, Ibstock and KGS are useful additional references.

Highly recommend Kingston Grammar, one of my DD's goes there and the other two to single sex , top league schools. She wanted co-Ed. I love KGS, academically my daughter has done brilliantly, she's bright but wasn't a keen learner when she joined and is now absolutely thriving. Kids come from all over London and Surrey. Her friends are really lovely well rounded kids which are girls and boys. The pastoral care is top notch.

@kittyquiet we did love KGS and have lots of friends with very happy kids there. Good on the academics and pastoral as well as extra-curricular, inspiring headmaster and staff and really down to earth.

@QuiteAJourney yes it's great, just looked it up and it's ranked 36 in the top 400 Uk private schools.