11 Plus Exams Forum

Does anyone have recent experience? We are south London based and have been looking more locally, but have widened our net and I'm interested in CLB. Of course 11+ application deadline is next Friday and we've long missed the only open days they do in September!

If anyone has a general low down on the school (and maybe how it compares to the South London independents!) would be really useful!

For context DS passed Bexley 11+ and is through to St Olaves stage 2. Also looking at Eltham College, Trinity and Colfes. I’m feeling a bit all consumed by it all!!

Compared with the Indie schools you list CLB is more academic and more diverse. The key difference though is that DC will travel form all around London to get there so friendship groups can be very dispersed. It is also an urban school, this will either decrease or increase its desirability depending on your preferences of course.

It’s a very good school according to our friends. Big drawback for us was the lack of on site sports field - their fields are in Grove Park. There is a small Astro turf playground and the swimming pool.

I like urban and diverse...and actually it being in town is a big plus because I work nearby so actually seems more reassuring than having him travel around the depths of south London alone! I do worry about the sport though - DS loves sport - I wish I hadn’t missed the open days!!

Do CLB do this exploding offer system I’ve read that the girls sch does? That would make it a big no I think as we wouldn’t even be able to consider and go to the offer day!

No they do not.

City boys and City girls are separate schools in separate locations. DG

Daogroupie wrote:No they do not.

City boys and City girls are separate schools in separate locations. DG

But a not unreasonable question, given that at least one of the other London indies (linked to CLSG only by the fact that they are both girls' schools, no shared name) has done exactly the same thing in the past?

Indeed.

And it underlines that, unlike the state schools, the private schools are able to run their admissions how they think fit and do not have to adhere to any code of conduct. DG

Daogroupie wrote:Indeed.

And it underlines that, unlike the state schools, the private schools are able to run their admissions how they think fit and do not have to adhere to any code of conduct. DG

Actually, I have a memory that at the time there was the big fuss about CLSG (?2 years ago), the head of whichever Indie schools organisation - who was/is the head of another school - popped up to say that the school's behaviour did contravene their code of conduct. Whether it was the same association as the one that CLSG itself actually belongs to, I don't recall.

Thanks - good to know!