SPGS or NLCS

Mark Thyme · Post by **Mark Thyme** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:35 pm

Can anyone help? We're trying to decide between St Paul's Girls School and North London Collegiate (acceptances arrived yesterday). Is anyone familiar enough with both to give a nuanced sense of how they differ?

sherry_d · Post by **sherry_d** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 6:36 pm

Just dont know about the schools but I just wanted to say congratulations to your DD, those 2 schools are VERY strong academic schools so she has done well and I can understand why its such a good difficult choice to make.

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 8:32 pm

From an academic perspective both schools achieve similar results. However, the schools are miles apart in terms of distance and why not select the school that is easiest to travel to from home?

surfcrazy · Post by **surfcrazy** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 10:27 pm

Have a similar dilemma with the same schools in question. The boys are at St Pauls, so it would appear to be the logical choice. However, DD has other ideas, so will probably opt for the nearest commute as this is terribly important to her.
Both are excellent schools, so very lucky to have this choice. Still holding out for Henrietta Barnett (slim chance). Alternatively it looks like SHHS or Highgate are in pole position, but quite frankly this could change as I have realised that what we as parents may think is the best choice may not be in the eyes of the child and my priority is most certainly geared towards a happy child.
Good luck with your decision and many congratulations to your daughter.

Mark Thyme · Post by **Mark Thyme** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 1:10 pm

Follow up...Of the five sets of parents I know with the same choice to make, I think all, including us, are tilting towards St Paul's. It just seems to have that something extra, though whether that's reputation or really has something to do with the ethos and quality of girls and teachers, I don't know.

The dilemma now is between SPGS and Henrietta Barnet.....

Sue123 · Post by **Sue123** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 2:37 pm

Hi there. I still don't quite get this. As Ellie pointed out, these schools are miles apart in terms of distance - and even if you live exactly half-way between the two or rather three alternatives, you must be contemplating a journey of well over an hour each way for your DD and far more if you don't live half way - and you say there are four other families who are pondering the same choice? How can such a long commute be in the interest of the pupil? Assuming the difference between SPGS and NLCS at least is marginal as fra as you are concerned - and it must be, otherwise you wouldn't be on here asking - don't you think that the long commute will outweigh any marginal advantage one school may have over the other?
Secondary school days are long, as I am sure you know - and once, they get home, there is homework to do, which will increase steadily as they move up through the school - not to mention any after-school activities. Between these three, I would definitely, without hesitation, choose the school with the easiest commute!

Mark Thyme · Post by **Mark Thyme** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 2:58 pm

We live in Hampstead. Journey times range from 30 mins (Henrietta Barnet) to around 45 mins for the other two. Both NLCS and SPGS are chocka with girls from the area. So clearly the commute is worth it for many people and, we suspect, us.

If commute time was the main consideration she'd probably go to Haverstock School.

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 3:00 pm

My DD was offered NLCS last year and had we accepted it, my DD would have spent one and a half hours each way on the school bus, which is far too long.

I was also concerned that all my DD's friends would be in North London and beyond, which would have meant lots of long journeys to see friends etc.

I am not sure that the reputation of SPGS is down to the "quality of girl". My niece is a current pupil at SPGS and she is no different than any of her friends attending other schools.

Sue123 · Post by **Sue123** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 3:19 pm

I did not say that the commute should be the main consideration when choosing any school anywhere but that, in my view, it should be when choosing between SPGS and the other two.
I assume that you have timed the runs - I, too, live in North London, and doubt whether Hampstead to SPGS is do-able in 45 minutes - if it really is, then I think that is just about an acceptable travel time. I was thinking that the Southern end of North London (which is where I assumed you lived) would imply a commute of an hour at least, probably more like 75-90 minutes on a bad day, of which, sadly, there are many on London transport.

Mark Thyme · Post by **Mark Thyme** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 3:19 pm

Ellie, clearly an hour and a half commute each way is too long. I did it for work for a couple of years at one point. It was miserable and I wouldn't want to wish it on my child.

As for SPGS versus other schools, I really don't know what it is but there seems to be something there. The headmistress of my daughter's primary school, from which about a third of girls get offers to one or both of SPGS and NLCS, says she knows of no cases where one had an offer from SPGS but not from NLCS, whereas the reverse is not unusual. And in the past the vast majority of girls with offers to both have opted for SPGS.

But that's why I originally asked for nuanced differences.