SPGS or CoLG
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HotCrossBun
- Posts: 129
- Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 8:24 pm
- Location: West Essex
Re: SPGS or CoLG
No comments what so ever about NLCS coming out. I did wonder if CLSG will have to do the same. Perhaps they should have jumped with NLCS and shared the development of a new exam?
I agree DAO. What was suggested by CLSG would be nice and convenient for CLSG, but doesn't make sense for individual families. The "ecosystem" of London selective schools has changed over the last ten years. There are more and more candidates vying for the same number of places.
CLSG operates an interview that will weed out the "over-tutored" and show how the child's thought processes work. However, to get to the stage the candidate must succeed in a written test that is essentially a "knock-out tournament." That creates the tutoring arms race.
With the odds getting longer for individual candidates, they compensate by applying to more schools. It is rational from the individual candidate's perspective.
In this situation, the schools have more power to change the balance than any individual. If they don't like what they see, the onus is on them to make changes. What those would be, I do not know! A computerised pre-test? Some sort of London selective schools "clearing?"
I agree DAO. What was suggested by CLSG would be nice and convenient for CLSG, but doesn't make sense for individual families. The "ecosystem" of London selective schools has changed over the last ten years. There are more and more candidates vying for the same number of places.
CLSG operates an interview that will weed out the "over-tutored" and show how the child's thought processes work. However, to get to the stage the candidate must succeed in a written test that is essentially a "knock-out tournament." That creates the tutoring arms race.
With the odds getting longer for individual candidates, they compensate by applying to more schools. It is rational from the individual candidate's perspective.
In this situation, the schools have more power to change the balance than any individual. If they don't like what they see, the onus is on them to make changes. What those would be, I do not know! A computerised pre-test? Some sort of London selective schools "clearing?"
Re: SPGS or CoLG
I have a daughter half way through CLSG. At the prep school she attended, it was generally considered that the brightest girls would probably get offers from CLSG, NLCS, and Habs, but only the super-brightest would get into SPGS. And that is how it seemed to turn out, year after year.
IMO The USP of CLSG (don't you just love all the acronyms?) is that it is an inner-city independent. It definitely attracts more state school girls than some other independents, and it definitely has more girls who live in the Islington/City/Highbury end of town.
In our experience, the interview wasn't all that different to any of the other independents, though this may have changed, and was fairly straightforward with the usual "what is this painting about" and "what television programmes do you watch?" ice-breakers.
The head is right, you must be fairly confident your daughter will enjoy a reasonably intense, hard-working environment, though the teachers don't put the pressure on the girls, the girls seem to do it themselves. The cohort is very mixed, quite quirky and, again in our experience, perhaps less wealthy/helicopter parents than at other indies.
It's a great school. Mostly sensible but lively girls, good teaching, great communication, and an enviable setting if you're not looking for a leafy campus and lots of sports fields. And as long as you're happy for your daughter to commute. No mollycoddling at this school, no 4x4s at the schoolgates etc.
Oh, and apply to as many as you want, I don't think the head is right about that, just make sure your daughter doesn't have to sit more than two or three different exams.
Good luck and, remember, it really is just a school you're applying for here - at the end of the day, there's not a great deal to choose between any of them, it's more a matter of finding the right fit for your child, and that is a very hit and miss judgement bearing in mind how much they change over years 7-11. My daughter is already moaning about how she's sick of school and wants to go to a co-ed for sixth form….
IMO The USP of CLSG (don't you just love all the acronyms?) is that it is an inner-city independent. It definitely attracts more state school girls than some other independents, and it definitely has more girls who live in the Islington/City/Highbury end of town.
In our experience, the interview wasn't all that different to any of the other independents, though this may have changed, and was fairly straightforward with the usual "what is this painting about" and "what television programmes do you watch?" ice-breakers.
The head is right, you must be fairly confident your daughter will enjoy a reasonably intense, hard-working environment, though the teachers don't put the pressure on the girls, the girls seem to do it themselves. The cohort is very mixed, quite quirky and, again in our experience, perhaps less wealthy/helicopter parents than at other indies.
It's a great school. Mostly sensible but lively girls, good teaching, great communication, and an enviable setting if you're not looking for a leafy campus and lots of sports fields. And as long as you're happy for your daughter to commute. No mollycoddling at this school, no 4x4s at the schoolgates etc.
Oh, and apply to as many as you want, I don't think the head is right about that, just make sure your daughter doesn't have to sit more than two or three different exams.
Good luck and, remember, it really is just a school you're applying for here - at the end of the day, there's not a great deal to choose between any of them, it's more a matter of finding the right fit for your child, and that is a very hit and miss judgement bearing in mind how much they change over years 7-11. My daughter is already moaning about how she's sick of school and wants to go to a co-ed for sixth form….
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HotCrossBun
- Posts: 129
- Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 8:24 pm
- Location: West Essex
Re: SPGS or CoLG
Thanks Highwater for sharing your insider perspective. 
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tiffinboys
- Posts: 8022
- Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:00 pm
- Location: Surrey
Re: SPGS or CoLG
Thank you, highwater.
Re: SPGS or CoLG
My daughter joined CLSG in September and loves it.
The new head is not putting anyone off - the old head said the same things when we went to the Open Day. They're being realistic - for example they say, consider your journey today and think if your daughter will be able to cope with it every day. They are very sensible as they highlight that girls they accept will likely get into SPGS and NLCS as my daughter did - so don't do a daft commute.
As I understand it the pass mark to get an interview last year was very high - esp in the maths - 90%+. The interview is tough - my daughter got the head of Yrs 7 and 8 for hers and it was about an hour and they make them do maths in front of them, respond to a piece of art, read a poem and respond to it, respond to a made up animal picture etc - there are no what's your pet called questions.
Yes they dis have to take another form as virtually no one turned down their place - but they were piloting a new system - just straight offers, no wasting list as otherwise they have ended up with girls lower down the list who then struggle. The school told me that directly. I presume they will give slightly fewer firm offers this year. It is a very academic school - the head teaches my daughter Spanish and she takes no prisoners - but she's wonderful. The school is aglow with the joy of learning and the spirit of success for girls - it's very friendly and very ethnically diverse and interesting. If you can get your girl in there - go there!
The new head is not putting anyone off - the old head said the same things when we went to the Open Day. They're being realistic - for example they say, consider your journey today and think if your daughter will be able to cope with it every day. They are very sensible as they highlight that girls they accept will likely get into SPGS and NLCS as my daughter did - so don't do a daft commute.
As I understand it the pass mark to get an interview last year was very high - esp in the maths - 90%+. The interview is tough - my daughter got the head of Yrs 7 and 8 for hers and it was about an hour and they make them do maths in front of them, respond to a piece of art, read a poem and respond to it, respond to a made up animal picture etc - there are no what's your pet called questions.
Yes they dis have to take another form as virtually no one turned down their place - but they were piloting a new system - just straight offers, no wasting list as otherwise they have ended up with girls lower down the list who then struggle. The school told me that directly. I presume they will give slightly fewer firm offers this year. It is a very academic school - the head teaches my daughter Spanish and she takes no prisoners - but she's wonderful. The school is aglow with the joy of learning and the spirit of success for girls - it's very friendly and very ethnically diverse and interesting. If you can get your girl in there - go there!
Re: SPGS or CoLG
I have girls at SPGS and CLSG and both are similar in terms of academics. My eldest has achieved 10 A * at CLSG and her sibling at SPGS is predicted the same. Both schools have high expectations and the girls will need to buckle down and work hard, particularly from year 9 onwards. CLSG has a more diverse intake and dd has close friends from a range of backgrounds, which is great as it is good preparation for the real world.