City of London School for Girls + Universities
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T.i.p.s.y
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Loopyloulou
- Posts: 878
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T.i.p.s.y
Did you go to Cheltenham Ladies College then Loopy? 
I have a few friends whose children board there and I have been quite surprised by the tit bits of info they have passed on, but even more surprised that they do not think this is a problem. No cap on weekly pocket money so some girls have a fiver and some have over a thousand pounds per week!
Apparently the wealthier girls buy friends and popularity by buying gifts for other girls. Mind you, when I went to Shrewsbury I discovered that a pupil who was a member of an Arab Royal family had bought his House flat screen TV'S, X Boxes etc whilst the other houses had to make do, hoping they would land a pupil who would be so generous. I disagree with all of the above mentioned.
I have a few friends whose children board there and I have been quite surprised by the tit bits of info they have passed on, but even more surprised that they do not think this is a problem. No cap on weekly pocket money so some girls have a fiver and some have over a thousand pounds per week!
Apparently the wealthier girls buy friends and popularity by buying gifts for other girls. Mind you, when I went to Shrewsbury I discovered that a pupil who was a member of an Arab Royal family had bought his House flat screen TV'S, X Boxes etc whilst the other houses had to make do, hoping they would land a pupil who would be so generous. I disagree with all of the above mentioned.-
another mother
- Posts: 269
- Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:46 pm
Whatever else the incident with the music teacher is not 'indicative of problems at City'!!! Nor the reason for a number of girls changing at GCSE! It was extremely sad, misguided in terms of the individuals no doubt, but there was nothing any school could have done beforehand to prevent it, given it was a genuine coup de foudre. Don't get me started on the court's decision! But the whole thing has been kept incredibly low key and is NOT a topic of fevered discussion or disgust among any parents I've come across. What problems do you possibly imagine it could be indicative of??!
Girls who are leaving are doing so in the main in search of co-ed and BOYS. Do not underestimate the pull! As others have said it is a trend for many girls, certainly in central London though I'm sure across the country! (Do not want to be metropolitian here and am not a Londoner by birth, just marooned here by job circumstance and love for the big bad city!). Some have been at City since the prep and want a change - a few want Westm., and all it brings, but the big change this year is UCS which offers a similar, and many would say, even more relaxed and liberal set up to City, but with masses of boys!, and has now had two years of mixed co-ed sixth. It's also close to where a lot of girls live -as is Highgate. A couple are going back into the state system for ethical or financial reasons. - though don't know anyone who thinks it will 'improve their entry chances'. One or two are going to board. One or two girls and parents want something less high octane or less pressurised.
Totally agree about the Oxbridge numbers not being the be all and end all. What remains impressive is the range of high-end courses the girls are going on to - and the breadth of universities - almost without exception terrific and with 9 to Edinburgh (not easy from English indie) last year (out of 72 not 64 incidentally - though some are taking gap year and applying this year) and a number to the States, the options seem pretty good all round. Not everyone has a wonderful time at Oxbridge despite all the powerful incentives and beauty it undoubtedly has. And anyway it's a huge lottery getting in and if you make the mistake of pinning all your hopes on it, you can end up thinking anything else is second best. Ain't necessarily so.
I also gather that some of those who have decamped to other places (best nameless) in the past, have found the ucas prep much less than their friends who remained at City.
Of course it isn't perfect but I don't believe any school is. My DD has had an extremely happy and busy and stretching time there so far and although it isn't easy when some friends go, there will be a new cohort too which should bring something fresh to the mix. The year this year incidentally is 82 - I think they take in more at year 7 these days but don't know - final point is that things change a great deal over fiveyears. If CLSG bring in the pre-U or the IB (a major reason NLCS hangs on to ambitious students) - or amalgamate more with CLS it could be very different by the time you reach year 11. And at least you know you will get offers pretty much everywhere else if you want to move!!
Girls who are leaving are doing so in the main in search of co-ed and BOYS. Do not underestimate the pull! As others have said it is a trend for many girls, certainly in central London though I'm sure across the country! (Do not want to be metropolitian here and am not a Londoner by birth, just marooned here by job circumstance and love for the big bad city!). Some have been at City since the prep and want a change - a few want Westm., and all it brings, but the big change this year is UCS which offers a similar, and many would say, even more relaxed and liberal set up to City, but with masses of boys!, and has now had two years of mixed co-ed sixth. It's also close to where a lot of girls live -as is Highgate. A couple are going back into the state system for ethical or financial reasons. - though don't know anyone who thinks it will 'improve their entry chances'. One or two are going to board. One or two girls and parents want something less high octane or less pressurised.
Totally agree about the Oxbridge numbers not being the be all and end all. What remains impressive is the range of high-end courses the girls are going on to - and the breadth of universities - almost without exception terrific and with 9 to Edinburgh (not easy from English indie) last year (out of 72 not 64 incidentally - though some are taking gap year and applying this year) and a number to the States, the options seem pretty good all round. Not everyone has a wonderful time at Oxbridge despite all the powerful incentives and beauty it undoubtedly has. And anyway it's a huge lottery getting in and if you make the mistake of pinning all your hopes on it, you can end up thinking anything else is second best. Ain't necessarily so.
I also gather that some of those who have decamped to other places (best nameless) in the past, have found the ucas prep much less than their friends who remained at City.
Of course it isn't perfect but I don't believe any school is. My DD has had an extremely happy and busy and stretching time there so far and although it isn't easy when some friends go, there will be a new cohort too which should bring something fresh to the mix. The year this year incidentally is 82 - I think they take in more at year 7 these days but don't know - final point is that things change a great deal over fiveyears. If CLSG bring in the pre-U or the IB (a major reason NLCS hangs on to ambitious students) - or amalgamate more with CLS it could be very different by the time you reach year 11. And at least you know you will get offers pretty much everywhere else if you want to move!!
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T.i.p.s.y
I have to agree with AM. The fact that girls get offers including scholarships to top inde's for sixth form is a testament to how sought after a CLGS girl is, and that can only be down to how well taught they have been and the character of the girls. If anything a CLGS girl boosts the exam grades of the schools they move too and with that in mind I would be concerned at picking a school that cannot extend any further, apart from in terms of gender socialising.
One thought AM. Do you know of any parents who moved one daughter and sixth form to another inde and then kept another daughter at CLGS? It would be worth finding out or asking a parent who did the move and now realises the grass was not always greener. Of course, parents do put on rose-tinted specks once they have made a decision as they cannot bear to think they got it wrong!
Unfortunately, to my detrement, I am the opposite! 
One thought AM. Do you know of any parents who moved one daughter and sixth form to another inde and then kept another daughter at CLGS? It would be worth finding out or asking a parent who did the move and now realises the grass was not always greener. Of course, parents do put on rose-tinted specks once they have made a decision as they cannot bear to think they got it wrong!
Unfortunately, to my detrement, I am the opposite! -
another mother
- Posts: 269
- Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:46 pm
I don't - but I do know of girls who moved to other schools and then returned in the autumn, either to City or to other all girls schools having decided it wasn't quite all it was cracked up to be.
It depends partly again partly on luck and whether you find friends easily but its interesting to hear that some CLSG girls have missed staff as much as friends when they've moved, which they hadn't perhaps expected!
It depends partly again partly on luck and whether you find friends easily but its interesting to hear that some CLSG girls have missed staff as much as friends when they've moved, which they hadn't perhaps expected!
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Loopyloulou
- Posts: 878
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:20 pm
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another mother
- Posts: 269
- Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:46 pm
Thanks Loopy -
I have my grumbles of course but I am often impressed by the commitment and communication from some of the staff DD has had and I do think DD and her friends are a pretty lovely bunch
Personally rather sad it's all a bit unsettled at the moment but guess that's part of growing up too.
I have my grumbles of course but I am often impressed by the commitment and communication from some of the staff DD has had and I do think DD and her friends are a pretty lovely bunch
Personally rather sad it's all a bit unsettled at the moment but guess that's part of growing up too.