St.Albans Vs Merchant Taylor's

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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Queenbee01
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 2:01 pm

St.Albans Vs Merchant Taylor's

Post by Queenbee01 »

Hi All, my DS has got offers from St. Albans & Merchant Taylors. His inclination is more towards MT. St Albans is also a very good school.

We also prefer MT but commuting to MT can be a bit of a problem as they do not have coaches to Welwyn Garden City where we are based.

Did any one of you have a similar dilemma and which school did you choose, also any feedback about both the schools, what are the pros & cons will help?

Thanks
Londonb
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2018 5:15 am

Re: St.Albans Vs Merchant Taylor's

Post by Londonb »

Our DS is at St Albans and loves it. This year the A-level results were lower than expected and so the league position dropped. This, I understand, was due to a few boys getting complacent and not preparing properly. The headmaster has acknowledged this and taken steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again. You’ll see the league position rise in the next few years as a huge number of North London boys are joining.
Queenbee01
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 2:01 pm

Re: St.Albans Vs Merchant Taylor's

Post by Queenbee01 »

Thanks Londonb
Moon unit
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Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:14 am

Re: St.Albans Vs Merchant Taylor's

Post by Moon unit »

Can you be sure at this stage the league table position will improve?
mad?
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Location: london

Re: St.Albans Vs Merchant Taylor's

Post by mad? »

Moon unit wrote:Can you be sure at this stage the league table position will improve?
Does it matter? Both are great schools, one easily accessible and one not. A league table reflects the performance of the DC in a school in one year (8 years ahead) but it does not reflect or predict the performance of the OP's DC in 8 years time.
mad?
Daogroupie
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Location: Herts

Re: St.Albans Vs Merchant Taylor's

Post by Daogroupie »

Queenbee,

Your ds will have lots of local friends if you choose St Albans,

The journey is very very easy, quite a few of the teachers at the school also live in WGC.

There is a big pickup in Valley Road and just over the White Bridge.

He will make lots of friend on the coach.

In the Sixth form he will be able to get himself there and back on the local buses.

He will love the school, I know many boys there.

MTS is a great school if you live in the area but not if you live in WGC.

What is that you both prefer about MTS? DG
Moon unit
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Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:14 am

Re: St.Albans Vs Merchant Taylor's

Post by Moon unit »

I don’t think it does matter.
I was just wondering how someone could be certain it would.
Also wondering why boys from North London would improve league table position?
Last edited by Moon unit on Sun Feb 16, 2020 8:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.
mad?
Posts: 5621
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 6:27 pm
Location: london

Re: St.Albans Vs Merchant Taylor's

Post by mad? »

Moon unit wrote:I was just wondering how someone could be certain it would.
Indeed.
mad?
Queenbee01
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 2:01 pm

Re: St.Albans Vs Merchant Taylor's

Post by Queenbee01 »

Hi Dao,

He is into sports and he likes sports there and we think academically MTS is better (based on this year's results). Is there no one who goes to MTS from WGC?

Thanks,
ToadMum
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Location: Essex

Re: St.Albans Vs Merchant Taylor's

Post by ToadMum »

Queenbee01 wrote:Hi Dao,

He is into sports and he likes sports there and we think academically MTS is better (based on this year's results). Is there no one who goes to MTS from WGC?

Thanks,
You yourself say that there is no organised school transport, looking on Google, travelling between the two is a complete nightmare and surely not that many parents would commit to a nigh-on 40 mile round trip.twice a day to play Mum's - or Dad's - taxi?

This is obviously a bit of a silly question, but, given the distance, is transport not something you considered before entering your DS for the entrance exam?
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
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