Perspective

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:36 pm

Any opinions or views on City of London Boys School please.

If a boy was offered 2/3 off school fees (non-means tested) at City of London School, in effect paying Â£1450 per term for an independent senior school education but they had previously not had any interest in the school because they did not rate it compared to other London schools should they accept it or fork out over Â£5 - Â£6k per term at a school they love and have no concerns about?

This is not my dilemma but a friends and I know some would love to have this opportunity but that is not where she is coming from. She is quite particular and thinks the boys are scruffy and she thinks it's quite rough and no better than the London comps. It would be good to hear if others think this is not the case. Please do not judge my friend, she is really looking for advice and I can't help her on this one.

another mother · Post by **another mother** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:05 pm

Rather a surprising view I'd say!

I was told a while ago that City Boys has a higher number of bursaries and scholarships than any other fee paying school (in London?? - not quite sure but it is something like 66% of boys are on some form of bursary large or small- don't quote me on the figure but it was impressively high). This means it is significantly more diverse than some others - which to my mind is a great thing - and I have heard it described as closer to a grammar. But never as a comp till now! If your friend wants every single boy to have huge houses and parents with city careers she might be disappointed - but there will be plenty of those nonetheless. Plenty of boys doing great music, drama, debating, .. don't think it's great for the madly sporty because of location but it's a great location nonetheless.

I'm not an expert but the boys I've met from there are honestly no more or less scruffy than from St Pauls, Westminster, UCS or Highgate - and anyway think how many haircuts she'll be able to afford!!

another mother · Post by **another mother** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:14 pm

Also should add that I haven't heard anyone complaining of it being rough at all - and I know a number of parents of boys there.
And nor are all London comps .. I don't mean to be judgemental but I think that could be construed as such

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:28 pm

As I was typing I was thinking that this is going to come out the wrong way

but English is not my forte!

I know nothing about the school.

Thea · Post by **Thea** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 6:54 pm

I think tTipsy's intention was not to emphasise the scruffiness point but to illustrate the very real dilemma?
I have a friend who had a similar dilemma - they were offerd a massive non - means tested scholarship (40%) for a school which was not their preference and but if fact a more' prestigious' school (central london - beigns with'w'

, and only considered it because financially the deal was so much better.
In their case, tho' they would have been better going for the school of their first choice - he left the other school after two (unhappy)years, could not get inot the first choice school at that stage, and is now at another school - reasonably happy but a compromise choice.
So it depends - do they really need the fee reduction for the less desirable (to them) school?

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 9:39 am

You have made a good point Thea and actually a similar thing happened to us with the choir school. I was not convinced to begin with and it was very easy to see the school's faults from then on and not it's strengths.
I have to admit though that I would find it very difficult turning down that size of scholarship. The other school she is looking at is in London too so I do wonder if they can be that different.

mystery · Post by **mystery** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 3:12 pm

Mmmm ......... the scholarship cannot matter to them that much or they would really need to accept it no questions asked, unless of course their local free school was much better.

They should therefore go to the school that they really like, because whatever other people think of C of L, for whatever reason they do not prize it.

P.S. How did they manage to get such a generous scholarship that they don't need? Does this school have loads of money to dollop out to buy in brains?