Wimbledon High or Putney High

[kamayani]

Hi All
My daughter has been offered a place at both Putney High and Wimbledon High. She is quite a sporty child and right now is into swimming (she swims with a local swim club 4 times a week).
While Putney doesn't have swimming as a sport, we felt there were quite a fair bit of options in terms of other sports. While WHS has swimming as a sport, Im not sure if she will be taken in the team if there are better swimmers available.
Apart from sports, she loves art and I think she needs an encouraging environment to thrive.
Any advice that helps us choose between these 2 schools will be really appreciated.

What was your gut feel when you went round the schools? DD was at WHS and was very happy but she really didn’t like PHS when we looked around so it was an easy decision for us all.
Which is the easiest journey? Does your daughter fancy lacrosse or hockey? Does she like purple?!
Which Head did you prefer? (Don’t know the current PHS head but I have a lot of time for the WHS head).
They are both pretty similar results wise/ facilities wise/ opportunities wise etc etc but with a different feel so I’d just go with your gut!

Not entirely sure but can you ask PHS if they still participate in swimming competitions and how it works? That said, both schools have very high performing swimmers so it may still be possible that your DD doesn't get to participate.. Lacrosse vs hockey is def something to think about too!
They're very similar schools so I would go with gut feel and DD's choice.

Well, she quite liked Putney but is yet to see WHS. She wants to have a lot of extra curricular activities but tbh I think at this point she is more led by my views.
I spoke with PHS about swimming and they do take part in the big galas. Im assuming that lack of swim support will get substituted by the wide range of other sports they offer.

With WHS, I havent been able to get a read on how much they support all kids - or is it more focus on just the alpha girls. How balanced is the approach - academics and extra-curriculars.

WHS mum here. School is definitely NOT focused on alpha girls... in fact, that was the reason we chose it (DD is in Y9) - very inclusive and not a "certain type" apart from being engaged, collaborative and intellectually curious. Most girls have at least one key area of extra-curricular focus but there are plenty of clubs, activities to do / try. Academics are obviously strong but so is the focus on "playfulness" - having fun, trying things, ...and the sense of camaraderie of the girls is great!

As @whswhs says, vibe is different to PHS (like her, our DD loved WHS but did not warm to PHS) but you know that the academics and opportunities are going to be of a similarly high calibre (with some differences - eg. More swimming at WHS, lacrosse vs hockey, different clubs) and both backed by the GDST infrastructure.

PS Feel free to pm if you have any questions

just wondering how you’d characterise the difference in vibe at the two schools? Do you think Putney is more of a hothouse?

PHS mum here - one in Yr 9, one at uni now.

My girls would both fall about laughing if anyone said PHS was a hothouse. It’s the antithesis in their experience. Lots of fun along the way then lots of support when public exams crop up. The school is forward-thinking and has a real ‘can do’ attitude, shared by staff and pupils. Both my girls have participated in a multitude of activities and made lovely friendships. It’s a busy school and whatever your strengths, you’re still going to be in matches, plays, writing essay comps, designing furniture or whatever so it suits enthusiasts and ‘can do/will do’ girls well.

But the striking thing there is that girls are really encouraged to question and put forward suggestions for how things could be tweaked or changed entirely to run better for them - there is a really open conversation able to take place which is not the case in all schools. That may also be true of WHS - no clue, sorry - but it is a massive part of the PHS vibe: open discussion and working together.

Both my girls had a strong preference for PHS when choosing; our next door neighbours have a daughter at PHS and one at WHS as their girls liked the different schools better. There’s no bad choice here - great heads in both schools, solid curriculum, good teaching, GDST network behind both. If your daughter really didn’t feel a difference and have a preference, go for which is nearer?

We have quite a few friends with DDs at PHS and I don't think they will describe it as a hothouse.
At the time of choosing (DD is in Y9), we preferred WHS curriculum (interestingly, PHS's one is now more similar than it was back then), approach to teaching (felt more traditional at PHS) and overall vibe (maybe influences by the fact that PHS attracts more central London girls - so more Putney, Fulham, Chelsea; leadership and messaging on school ethos was more to our liking at WHS). We were as close to one as to the other but preferred also WHS location.

They are both really good options and we know plenty of families happy at both. I would just go on personal preferences re: vibe and ease of commute.

PHS parent here and completely agree with this comment. Also, PHS has just moved to 9 GCSEs rather than 10, to allow for more extra curricular and expansion. A good thing I think. Mirrors WHS I believe? There is no bad choice here, and in my view, don’t concentrate too much on which sports they do or don’t do. There’s plenty of choice for everyone and by year 10 most girls focus on just one or two anyway (or none if they prefer!). The Artemis programme and new extra curriculum are really where the added value comes in. It is a fabulous school.

thank you so much all! It really helps to get a view for both schools.
and quite clear that both schools are similar.
WHS is really a 10 min walk and so the commute is amazing.
Really grateful to you all for helping us through this.

Anyone have direct comparison of WHS to Surbiton High?

If it's a 10 minute walk, why would you put your kid through a commute every day? That's nuts. She'll be so grateful at some point she chose WHS as that going back and forth gets old pretty quickly, especially as you get older and more responsibility kicks in. There's not much in it to be honest. Known kids at both, got daughter at one of them, I'd say choose the nearest school every time when it's a choice like this and they're both brilliant schools. She'll be commuting for the rest of her life. Why start at 11, when you can wait until your 20s to do that?

My girls would both fall about laughing if anyone said PHS was a hothouse. It’s the antithesis in their experience.

I’d laugh, too! It’s definitely not a hothouse. I totally agree it's a lovely, nurturing environment and the girls are so happy—my experience is just with the Junior school, though.

For us, it can sometimes feel like a bit too much 'busy playing' without enough stretch. It’s wonderfully inclusive, but it just lacks that competitive edge in academics and music if you’re looking for a more merit-based, serious atmosphere. What I mean is, if a girl is truly excelling, it doesn't feel like that excellence is particularly singled out, rewarded, or even protected and encouraged.

WHS mum here. My daughter is in Year 8. The school definitely isn't the type to focus on the alpha type—in reality, I think it's probably the opposite. The school tries to find good things to celebrate for as many students as possible. In terms of sports, the school is extremely inclusive and tries to cover a broad range of sports, involving as many girls as possible in all sorts of competitions. If your daughter trains regularly, she's definitely in the swimming squad. The inclusive approach to music is the same. On top of this, there is an extensive list of other fun extracurricular clubs. This means the school doesn't have particular strength in any sport discipline or in catering to groups like children from the Royal College junior department. That's the reason I like the school. Children get involved in a greater variety of extracurricular activities, with no pressure to be extremely outstanding. In Years 7 and 8, there definitely begins to be more homework, but I wouldn't say it's a hothouse at all. It's an inclusive and fun place to be, but the school definitely highlights and expects effort and proper behaviour. Children are generally proud of the school. If your daughter is into swimming and lives a 10-minute walk away, I would think WHS is a good choice. Having friends locally to socialise with is probably also an element I think a teenager would benefit from.