CLSG, Highgate, Colfe’s(50%), Blackheath (40%)

[FrozenSE]

Difficult decision to make for daughter’s 11+.

She is currently attending a coed state school. a balanced girl but not competitive. Tends to get worried about minor things…

Hard to resist scholarships from Colfe’s and Blackheath but ranking wise the other two win. I really liked Highgate but commute is about an hour and it’s very expensive. Heard Colfe’s may put kids into different classes depending on their academic performance. Anyone knows? Thanks!

The Curriculum Policy for Colfes is on the school website
https://www.colfes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Curriculum-Policy-whole-school-Jan-22.pdf

Scroll down to Overview of provision: Senior School

Also, within the subject area sections, it says that pupils are set for Maths.

What’s the journey like to each of these schools? If your daughter gets worried about minor things, an awkward journey will be awful.

I'm assuming you're somewhere towards the south end of town. I've known two families with kids at Colfes (one on a scholarship) and they were all happy with it. They have a big sports programme. It seems to have a good balance of academic vs extracurricular.
We are currently managing an hour-long commute for early secondary and I can tell you it's hell. Don't do it if you don't have to.
A worrier is more likely to have perfectionism/anxiety exacerbated at CLSG or Highgate. They're also more likely to be middle of the pack there. whereas someone near/at the top in a slightly less selective school is likely to get more opportunities to be picked for teams etc - better in some ways to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond.
Bear in mind fees are likely to keep increasing by 5-6% per year. Also people can and do move for A levels - a long commute is much more manageable at 16 than 11.
In your shoes I would take the shorter commute and the scholarship and sod the league tables. Your child sounds like a smart cookie and will probably get top grades anyway, particularly if they're somewhere they're happy and they're not knackered commuting.

Agree with pp, stay as local as possible or move house, a long commute makes a huge difference in years 7-8.

City is competitive and has lots of overconfident girls so probably not the right fit.

Yes, go local unless the scholarship makes that impossible.
Do you have the luxury to think about it without money involved? Where would you choose if they all cost the same? Ideally that will be your choice. The less desirable schools will always try to ‘win’ students away from more popular ones with scholarship offers. The likelihood is an able child will do really well in either and a bid scholarship makes a significant difference to lots of families. Presumably though, you applied on the basis it would be full fees.

In the end, you know your financials and need to do what’s best for the whole family factoring in important things like other kids, having holidays, having pension provision, realistic journeys etc etc.

Highgate is a great school but it’s competitive. It’s also too far away from you. Knock that one off the list.

DC is from coed state so maybe stay local at coed? Travel plan, you need to check, we noticed schools further away but TFL options or car was quicker due to traffic than those showing closer on map. Even if it is far, some parents travel that route for work so not an issue. Go to offer days with DC to get a feel which is more suitable. Good offers and all the best.

We’re in a similar boat OP. We’re likely to go with a local, less prestigious school with a scholarship. Ultimately it will enable us to save for uni fees!

I should also perhaps mention the scholarship kid I knew at Colfes had turned down offers from CLSG and other schools to go there. Parents felt it was a better fit as, having been to the CLSG open day they felt the ultracompetitive/ perfectionist culture was unhealthy. An 8 at GCSE would be seen as failure. I know another child/family previously at CLSG who withdrew for similar reasons.

My DD is in yr7 at Colfe's and is thriving there. They are set in yr7 in Maths and literacy. There is further setting in other subjects in later academic years.

Did you not apply to state grammars as well?

Similar boat here too, with a simpler commute to Colfe’s or either a more complicated or more expensive commute to Eltham College, and a kid who is confident and able but can really struggle with perfectionism.

We’ve booked in for the offer mornings at both and I’m hoping something will stick out to help us decide as so far we are clear as mud. Thanks to those who have chimed in with experience of past/current students - that’s really helpful.

Good luck OP and well done to your DD!

I think the whole independent school landscape is rejigging due to the VAT. So the richer parents will make different choices and only the uber rich will still access the very expensive schools. As exam results are primarily a product of the IQ of the kids they take in, we may well see schools offering scholarships that were previously less prestigious outperform those that were previously more prestigious (with no scholarships) but overcharge/put social justice for all above their own. The prestigious schools tend to only do bursaries but they are neglecting the middle class bright kids as a result who cannot afford the fees. So it will be very interesting to watch the impact on exam results long term.

OP for the fees do a 7 year spreadsheet assuming a 5 per cent yearly increase, take into account the scholarships and all known extras (cost of transport, lunches if extra. Music or lamda lessons etc - some schools bill those and are charging VAT so you are paying 44 pounds a 30 minute lesson now vs 25 pounds in other schools), these things all add up.
Personally I would go Colfe’s with the big scholarship because I think plenty of parents will be doing that and you will likely find a good strong cohort. If it also happens to be local then even more of a plus.

I’m surprised Colfe’s has offered such a large scholarship. They moved away from that approach previously, so scholarships were a token amount with the funds being redirected to means tested bursaries for those in need.

OP we are in similar position to you. We are likely to choose Colfes for the reasons others have said above. VAT is certainly more of a factor for us this year in balancing cost against league tables and Colfes is a v happy school. Hope to see your DD if you do.

My DD1 went to a school that was apparently 45 mins away on public transport. In reality, she needed to leave 75mins before school started to make sure she wasn’t late. She did it for 3 years. She loved the school, but moved for sixth form as the journey was gruelling. I would always go local if possible.

What has been your experience of Colfe’s laptop policy? Do the laptops have access to the internet during the school day? I’m not a big fan of their policy to swap books for laptops, but I’m more concerned with the kids having access to the internet during lessons and the school day

Yes the surfaces have Internet access enabled (obviously with appropriate firewalls and content blockers etc) which the kids need to access applications etc during lessons. The surfaces aren't used all the time - paper and books are still used where appropriate.

In the lessons, teachers can monitor from their display exactly what students are accessing on their devices so any attempt to access anything they shouldn't would be shut down and addressed (I'm not aware of this having to happen in my experience).

The students are told quite strongly that devices are monitored and that the school can see what they are accessing both in school and out of school.

Outside of lessons DD will use her surface for homework in the library or if she needs to contact any member of school staff.

I actually find it quite useful as phones are not allowed to be used during the school day (this rule is enforced) so if I need to contact DD or vice versa we can just drop each other a quick email.

Thanks that’s reassuring!

does your DD find that kids email each other during the school day?

@SupermarketMum , I don't have a ds at the schools mentioned but at another school that uses laptops and the ds all know that everything they do is monitored by the school so they would never email each other if it wasn't school related. The teacher can cast whatever is on the students laptop onto the white board at any point. At my ds's school the students can't receive any external emails either.

Eventually GCSEs will move to an electronic platform so the dc need to use devices at school as part of learning.

Finally made the extremely difficult decision. We have chosen Colfe’s. 50% scholarship is definitely an important factor but the decision is not just about money. We liked the students and teaching staff. Academic performance, sports facilities, school bus, happy smiles, nice snacks..And the families we met are those we’d love to have a coffee or bbq with. It just feels right.

Reasons for rejecting other schools:

CLSG - great school but too indoor

Highgate - long commute for Isle of Dogs residents. Bus only goes to Shoreditch. And quite strong boys culture. Most families live within 3 miles of the school

JAGS - lovely school. Good facilities but long commute

Eltham (20%) - long commute, school bus available but train from Lewisham is every 30mins I think.

thank you to everyone who replied to my post!

Congrats on your choice OP. We’re making our decision tomorrow as doing a final school visit, but we’re likely to go Colfe’s too. Always a risk with a new head incoming but we spoke with him briefly and he seemed very nice.

The new head is coming from my son's school. He is absolutely excellent and I'm sorry he's leaving us (but clearly a great move for him).