Watford Grammar Girls or Dame Alice Owen

[KEKE11]

Watford Grammer Girls or Dame Alice Owen.

Just got DAO letter and DD did well and also did well for the consortium exams too, now I need the help of this forum to decide which of the 2 schools achieves better academically and is better generally to help decide which one to put as my first choice.

[K1w1mum]

I think they are generally regarded as neck and neck academically.
I would look at the distance your DD would have to travel and your feelings about coed vs single sex schooling.
I have a DD in Y7 at WGSG and she's really enjoying the academic side of things, as well as the opportunity to join sports and music clubs.

[Daogroupie]

They are certainly not neck and neck academically. DAO is way ahead, it is the number one semi selective comprehensive in the country by results. But that is the not the only way to choose a school. What are your criteria? How easy will the journey be for you? Is your dd interested in sport, music or drama? DG

[herty]

Erm...

In the most recent FT rankings, WGGS is at 102, whilst DAO is 38 places lower at number 140. So DAO is hardly 'way ahead' by any measure. Watford Boys beat them both, at number 74, by the way.

http://rankings.ft.com/secondary-school ... hools-2012" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

School rankings vary according to what judgements are made and what variables deemed most important, so I am not suggesting that the FT table is the authoritative voice on this.

In reality, both schools are excellent...but different. You can judge the data according to your own criteria. Personally, I would place co-ed v single sex and location as the most important criteria for any prospective parent to weigh up. In terms of exam results, both get excellent results that inevitably vary slightly by subject; so if your dd is already showing a particular predilection towards a specific subject, then by all means examine the results for that subject carefully (eg WGGS is particularly strong on Art, DAO has a languages specialism). Otherwise, any bright child can and probably will do very well at either.

Which one did your dd prefer? That should play a major part in your decision, as after all, she's the one who has to go there for 7 years...

[Cutting42]

Hardly way ahead. In the 2013 comp list DAO are 4th (behind WGSB who are 2nd incidentally so not top PS) and WGGS are 10th with very comparable % results.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/le ... sults.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[herty]

X posted! I wonder how many other parents from semi-selectives are going to correct Daogroupie on this one?

[Cutting42]

X posted! I wonder how many other parents from semi-selectives are going to correct Daogroupie on this one?

Yes but I will cut DAOgroupie some slack, correct on most things and does advertise allegiance in forum name!

[Daogroupie]

Thank you guys, apologies all round. I have been severely blindsided today by the DAO results arriving three days early. I really was not ready for it! I had cleared the decks for Saturday morning but not for this morning! Watford Girls is a great school, we see them a lot in Athletics and Netball. Location would be my main criteria if I was in your shoes. DG

[mum1969]

The Telegraph link posted above is 2013 GCSE results. Think DG was referring to this link from an earlier thread -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/le ... hools.html

which is 2013 A level results. FT link is 2012 A level results.

A single league table doesn't really give the full picture

[Cutting42]

A single league table doesn't really give the full picture

No of course not, just a little gentle inter school banter. We are all fantastically lucky to have so many of the nations top schools in this area. I am reminded of this whenever I speak to work colleagues from other regions around the country where the school choice is considerably more limited.