London grammar and private senior school entry 2025 part 2

[CruCru]

Here is the new thread for when part 1 is full.

@meuntilmarch2025 I think we are going to choose Tiffin GIrls..... 14 hours to definitely decide....

@Whattodo303 what are your other options? We have LU, G&L, Putney..

@meuntilmarch2025 LEH and SHS.....

@Museumvisitor can I ask what’s making you go with Tiffin over your other choices? If you take no fees out of it?

It's definitely a tricky one, but this is the best academically for us. Our DS thrives when he has that level of cohort and more pacy teaching, which is what I think he'll get. And they have a good set of extra-curricular activities ( we don't need masses of this as he has plenty out of school too).

We're taking a bit of a leap here, but fees at private school for 7 years scares the hell out of me, even though we can afford it right now. I just don't think there's enough in it for us to justify potential financial nervousness!

We are coming from state primary too, so used to the nuances around that already. I guess if we were already used to private school style and the fees were really not significant, or we didn't already have local activities for him, we might think differently.

Thanks @Museumvisitor Sounds similar to our son, he thrives with the academic pace and being challenged. He’s not massively sporty but is keen for co-curricular clubs.

We’ve been paying for private primary so are used to the fees (not quite as much as is ahead though!), but the thought of being on the hook for 5 years makes me feel slightly sick.

We’d be looking to move for 6 form though, state /grammar.

My head is saying one thing, my heart another. 😫

We still haven't made the final decision but today is decision day.
It's Alleyn's at full fees or St Dunstan's with a scholarship. Large price difference which we are somewhat sensitive to.
However, today we will decide. Any final thoughts for us?
The state school allocation is a "no" from us.

@SELondonFamily1 do you have a ds or dd? Really struggling with our decision too with DC and Alleyn’s. Head says one school and heart other school

which school will your dc be happier at and make a difference in your family life ie siblings?

DC has a firm offer from his 2nd choice school and on the reserve list for Clsb. Is anyone on the clsb reserve list get an offer? I believe their deadline for response is 5th March

I have a DS, we would prefer Alleyn's but struggling to overcome the projected costs, DS seems to be happy with either option.

We didn't actually apply to Dulwich College because at the time I didn't think an apparently strict and all male student base would suit him. Having said that, I think we do have a regret of not applying and there is a chance we would have gone for it. Overall, DS has expressed a preference for Co-Ed now so probably, out of the choice, we would have gone with Alleyn's.

Between the two schools (Dulwich, Alleyn's), we seem to believe that Dulwich wins on facilities but I haven't had a full tour of the college so unfair to draw conclusions

We've picked our state option and declined CLSG and scholarship offers at a couple of Consortium schools.

It was hard to send those decline emails, but we got our "outside chance" state allocation. It's a very strong school and I think it will be a happy school & a good life for my DD - along with offering a good education. Glad we can start saving for university too.

Good luck to everyone still deciding! Not looking forward to doing this again with other DCs!

Good luck!

when you say saving for university interested to know what that means. Is it to cover the gap between student living loan and real living costs?

or are you planning to cover fees too?

not something we are thinking about as yet but see a lot of comments about university fees but I always thought the commitment was very moderate compared to 7 years of school fees

We have enough set aside to cover university fees provided they go to university in the UK. I’m a bit horrified by the trend for kids to go to university in the US because we can’t afford it. When it comes to living expenses, it will depend on where they go. My husband (Cambridge) had much lower living expenses than I did (Newcastle).

Lots of US universities offer very generous scholarships which cover most if not all costs.

The daughter of a family friend got an athletics scholarship, despite being not an especially talented athlete (according to her dad!). The initial scholarship amount wasn’t enough to cover the fees and expenses and when they told the university, they were given an increased amount that covered it all.

I’d be more concerned that if my kids studied in the US they’d never return to the UK 😭

We had offers from Royal Russell and Dulwich Prep as well as a state scholarship space at Chestnut Grove in Balham, and a space on the waiting list for Alleyn’s. Definitely not a sporty kid or family 😂 but DC being a debating school plus the free learning approach, added to the fact he got a scholarship all really clinched it for us.

Anyone Tiffin Girls over G&L? Still have 1 day to decide... very hard to decide..

Is there anything that really, really stands out about Alleyn’s being a much better choice for your DS than Dunstan’s?

The money from a scholarship is obviously a great perk but it’s also a big sign of how much that school loves your kid and wants them there. If you like the school and they like him, that sounds like a great pairing.

I would go Dunstan’s in your position (and several of my DC’s classmates have) unless there is something that is really pulling you to Alleyn’s - something you can put your finger on and know (to yourself) why it’s a brilliant place for your child.

@FlakyShark I'd like to be in a postion to pay tuition fees, accommodation and a very basic amount for food for DC at Uni. They can work to fund extras, but ideally they'd graduate with no debt (a gift my parents gave to me which I am very grateful for to this day).

My DC also keen on the US 💰💰- and almost everyone in our family has advanced degrees so I would want to pay tuition for that too if that's the path DC wants to go down. Noted PP on US scholarships! Something to look into down the road.

Nevertheless, it will all add up so glad to have a few more years to save by not spending on secondary school fees now.

Funnily enough one of the reasons we opted for Alleyn’s is the focus on US universities, particularly for sports scholars. At the open day there was a stand to discuss US options in the Edward Alleyn Hall. This year’s uni offers were published a few days ago and include US offers (plus 24 Oxbridge offers).

Link in case anyone is interested:

https://www.alleyns.org.uk/media/filter/news

That’s interesting

in our figures I’ve stopped budgeting after potential school fees!

I guess even then one year of private school is about 3 years of uni fees

all adds up as you say though!

I expect that one year of school fees will be university fees plus living expenses.

I do see your point about the scholarships. I think it is that we would not be eligible for a bursary in the UK (my daughter was offered an academic scholarship in one of her school offers but that was 5% of the fees). It may be that we will look into that when the children are a bit older.

@meuntilmarch2025 we are going to choose Tiffin Girls over G&L (already declined GHS CLSG WA).

You’ve probably made your decision now, but if it helps, we’ve declined Alleyns for a school with an academic scholarship. Ultimately it’s a big cost over 7 years, and we felt our DC would be better off being top of a less selective school than middle of the pack at Alleyns.

we were super impressed with st Dunstan’s and would have gladly sent DC there (but they preferred another school)

Hi @SupermarketMum ,

We made our decision and there was some relief in the family last night. We have chosen St. Dunstan's with a scholarship and declined Alleyn's and Trinity School Croydon. There were a number of factors, not least financial, but Alleyn's would have needed to get everything right in order for that kind of sacrifice for us. Honestly, the other schools were more organised and in some areas, more impressive.

Ultimately, we've all woken up happy with the decision and that's how you know it's right for us. Thank you for sharing your perspective, it helps a lot and all the best to your DC as well!

What did Alleyn’s not get right @SELondonFamily1 ? I know a number of families saying yes to St Dunstan’s but I also know a number turning them down. It’s known for its good marketing but poor communications. That’s not say the school is bad - just don’t expect a slick back office like the foundation schools.