Wimbledon / G&L - school life, sports, etc

Rainbells · 18/02/2024 17:43

Also wondering what lunchtimes look like - do clubs take place at lunchtime? Is it easy to get food or are there long queues? Enough places to sit to eat? Thank you!

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QuiteAJourney · 18/02/2024 18:33

@Rainbells My DD is at WHS (Y7). Happy to provide some information (also feel free to DM me). Focusing on your specific questions

Most clubs are at lunchtime apart from sports and some music ones. There is a 'double period' lunch break, with one period used for lunch and the other one for clubs (with most DDs taking the opportunity to do so)
Lunches seem to be well organised (including early pass cards when a certain group needs to be prioritised) and there is plenty of space in the restaurant
Sports clubs are usually in the morning (only 2-3 after school). PE lessons are in the school (onsite facilities, including swimming pool), games at Nursery Road (less than 10 minutes' walk away).
Matches are sometimes in the evening during the week, sometimes at weekends. It depends on the sport and level (A and B teams are naturally busier, but all girls that want to play representing the school at sports can do so.. but if the don't and prefer other activities, that is fine too).
on the travelling question, I was not sure if you meant for fixtures - if so, the school usually organises things, girls are taken from the school site and to [if you meant more generally, quite a few girls are local but my DD has friends living in places from Fulham to Kingston, Barnes or Weybridge, to name a few)

The vibe is that of a busy school but not pressurised at all, very much focused on girls being independent and making their own choices (e.g. it is them gathering information on clubs and selecting them, rather than the parents), encouraging personal responsibility.

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Rainbells · 18/02/2024 19:50

Thank you - so helpful! I have some follow up questions so will message again later when I have more time. Thank you!

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QuiteAJourney · 18/02/2024 20:49

@Rainbells Glad to be of help. And very happy to (try to) answer any other questions either on this thread or feel free to DM me if easier.

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Lolakath19 · 18/02/2024 21:16

Very similar vibe at G&L.
Lots of clubs and extra curricular on offers mainly during lunchtime (from music clubs, trampolining, fencing, cricket, neuroscience, drama, to bracelet, maths club etc)
Netball and hockey squad (team A to F) are in the morning and lunch time.
A few clubs after school (rockclimbing, kickboxing, football etc).
Year 7 go first at lunch time and each year group has their own time. They have just extended the dining room and it is now a fantastic place with outside table as well for sunny days.
Sports are all on site so no need to travel.
Fixtures are in the afternoon or after school against other local school (putney, SPGS, Latymer) and school a bit further away depending on the sport (St Benedict for example for fencing)
In Year 7 I don t think there is any fixtures during the weekend. Not sure in the years after.
Feel free to PM as well.

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SouthKenTuition · 06/07/2024 09:09

Hi, former teacher at G&L here. The sports facilities are excellent e.g. plenty of tennis courts, indoor gym on site. I'd say lunch queues are manageable - there's a big canteen where pupils go for lunch. Pupils can also have their lunch outdoors on a sunny day. Also, G&L is probably in a better location than Wimbledon.

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MysticCatLady · 06/07/2024 16:23

SouthKenTuition · 06/07/2024 09:09

Hi, former teacher at G&L here. The sports facilities are excellent e.g. plenty of tennis courts, indoor gym on site. I'd say lunch queues are manageable - there's a big canteen where pupils go for lunch. Pupils can also have their lunch outdoors on a sunny day. Also, G&L is probably in a better location than Wimbledon.

Not better located if you live near Wimbledon though. Strange comment.

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SouthKenTuition · 06/07/2024 16:44

G&L has a number of other academically strong independent schools nearby like SPGS, LU, and SPS, which suggests that people who attend schools of this calibre are more likely to live closer to Hammersmith than Wimbledon.

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QuiteAJourney · 06/07/2024 17:48

SouthKenTuition · 06/07/2024 16:44

G&L has a number of other academically strong independent schools nearby like SPGS, LU, and SPS, which suggests that people who attend schools of this calibre are more likely to live closer to Hammersmith than Wimbledon.

I am afraid that your comment has made it even less clear what you mean by 'better location'. You refer to that fact that 'people who attend schools of that calibre are more likely to live closer to Hammersmith than Wimbledon'. If you obviate the 'that calibre' part, it is a truism - of course, if people will tend to live closer to the a point close to the schools than they attend than a random distant point (in this case Wimbledon). Like @MysticCatLady , WHS is better located if you live in Wimbledon or surrounding areas / areas with good transport links to it (the closeness to Wimbledon Station is a plus); G&L is better located if you live in the Hammersmith or surrounding areas or areas with good transport links to it (the closeness to Harmmersmith station is a plus).
Incidentally, the reference to 'that calibre' is, imho, rather strange and makes it sound like you think that the ability to enter those schools is concentrated in one area.... but surely that is not what you intended.

G&L is one of the most academic schools in the country and considered more difficult to get into. It is clearly a great school on many accounts and, from the comments of mums on this thread in IRL, has much to offer.

WHS is still strongly academic but comparatively easier to get into than G&L (but still usually top 20).

Both attract cohorts from quite a wide area - speaking from personal experience, my DD is at WHS and has friends from Fulham but also Weybridge or Sutton. Similarly, we know of children at G&L that travel daily from Hampstead but also from Wimbledon.

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SouthKenTuition · 06/07/2024 19:12

I think it may well be the case that there may be some correlation between how close someone lives to central London and the academic ranking of the school they attend. I am sure there are exceptions as you have pointed out, and of course not all the top independent schools are in London, but many of them are. It wouldn't be unreasonable to suggest that, in general, people in London who live closer to central London, could have better access to facilities, private tuition, resources, and networking opportunities, which can potentially give their children an advantage e.g. better prepared for 11+ admissions tests. There is a reason why Oxford University looks at postcode as part of their contextual data when it comes to admissions. People who live near central London are more likely to know more people from SPS, SPGS, LU in their network which can be very advantageous.

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wasthesummerof69 · 06/07/2024 19:31

@SouthKenTuition - you have posted seemingly in every thread mentioning g&l today. All very odd. Are you tutoring lots of girls at G&L? They shouldn't need tutoring.
Arguably WHS is in a far nicer/ safer location that g&L if that is the sole reason for choosing a school??

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SouthKenTuition · 06/07/2024 19:43

I am just offering my opinion and my perspective as a former member of staff at G&L, as it may give a more rounded perspective, to add to those who may have only visited the school once or twice as a candidate or know friends whose children go there. I haven't worked at many other places so I don't feel I have much to contribute when it comes to other schools like SPGS or Westminster. However, I have tutored pupils at many of the top independent schools in London including SPGS, G&L, St Paul's etc. It is a misconception that tutoring is only for pupils who struggle because it is often used by high achievers to get even further ahead.

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QuiteAJourney · 06/07/2024 22:39

SouthKenTuition · 06/07/2024 19:12

I think it may well be the case that there may be some correlation between how close someone lives to central London and the academic ranking of the school they attend. I am sure there are exceptions as you have pointed out, and of course not all the top independent schools are in London, but many of them are. It wouldn't be unreasonable to suggest that, in general, people in London who live closer to central London, could have better access to facilities, private tuition, resources, and networking opportunities, which can potentially give their children an advantage e.g. better prepared for 11+ admissions tests. There is a reason why Oxford University looks at postcode as part of their contextual data when it comes to admissions. People who live near central London are more likely to know more people from SPS, SPGS, LU in their network which can be very advantageous.

People in Central London find more convenient to get to schools close by (same as everywhere) - that does not make one location better than the other, that is what you stated.

As for opportunities/ tutoring / etc, the comparison was between Hammersmith and Wimbledon, which are similarly affluent and well connected areas. (I doubt very much that many residents of Wimbledon / Wimbledon Village will get getting contextual offers from Oxford any time soon), at least on account of their postcode.

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Swissknife · 06/07/2024 23:10

A girl I know from Wimbledon chose GL over offer from Wimbledon High at 11+.

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SouthKenTuition · 06/07/2024 23:13

There is actually a quantitative way to check, using ACORN, which is what Oxford uses for Contextual data, where one can see the category number assigned to each postcode. Perhaps the difference is too minute as to whether it'll make a difference in Oxford admissions, but there is a difference e.g. somewhere near Hammersmith like Iffley Road is category 1, but somewhere near Wimbledon like Courtney Road, is category 2. I haven't checked other places so there might be category 1 places in Wimbledon but that's just an example that there can be differences in location, at least based on this metric.

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QuiteAJourney · 06/07/2024 23:35

SouthKenTuition · 06/07/2024 23:13

There is actually a quantitative way to check, using ACORN, which is what Oxford uses for Contextual data, where one can see the category number assigned to each postcode. Perhaps the difference is too minute as to whether it'll make a difference in Oxford admissions, but there is a difference e.g. somewhere near Hammersmith like Iffley Road is category 1, but somewhere near Wimbledon like Courtney Road, is category 2. I haven't checked other places so there might be category 1 places in Wimbledon but that's just an example that there can be differences in location, at least based on this metric.

None of those relevant for the comment about contextual offers that you made...and both groups rather likely to value and foster education.

There is intelligent life outside Central London and places where children can flourish..and people that choose not to live in those areas even if they condition afford it and value their children's education

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MysticCatLady · 07/07/2024 00:00

@SouthKenTuition Courtney Road is in Colliers Wood not Wimbledon. It's more than 2 miles away from WHS. I don't get the comparison. Unless there's another Courtney Road? If you're going to compare Iffley Road it should be with Mansel Road surely? Anyone who can afford the Hammersmith schools or the Wimbledon schools (Wimbledon High or Kings) are privileged and affluent.

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MysticCatLady · 07/07/2024 00:03

Sorry for derailing your thread @Rainbells . My DD has just completed year 11 at WHS and I agree with @QuiteAJourney 's description.

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HawaiiWake · 07/07/2024 07:52

SouthKenTuition · 06/07/2024 19:43

I am just offering my opinion and my perspective as a former member of staff at G&L, as it may give a more rounded perspective, to add to those who may have only visited the school once or twice as a candidate or know friends whose children go there. I haven't worked at many other places so I don't feel I have much to contribute when it comes to other schools like SPGS or Westminster. However, I have tutored pupils at many of the top independent schools in London including SPGS, G&L, St Paul's etc. It is a misconception that tutoring is only for pupils who struggle because it is often used by high achievers to get even further ahead.

Thanks for being transparent that some top pupils at super selective schools do tutor to get competitively ahead.
We know a family with a son and a daughter that has a tutor online for English that expand their views for essays based school works. They doing very well and their class participation and ideas are years ahead. Not for us but we found that there are more families like this but not as open about it.

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flowerdress · 07/07/2024 08:58

@SouthKenTuition - what about all the North London schools? Highgate/SHHS/NLCS? Not central but immensely high achieving.

I’m not sure I believe there are many kids being tutored who are simply trying to ‘get ahead’. I have three kids at one of the schools mentioned above, I am friendly with a lot of families! The (very few) children I know who are being tutored are the ones who are struggling academically…

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Swissknife · 07/07/2024 15:41

flowerdress · 07/07/2024 08:58

@SouthKenTuition - what about all the North London schools? Highgate/SHHS/NLCS? Not central but immensely high achieving.

I’m not sure I believe there are many kids being tutored who are simply trying to ‘get ahead’. I have three kids at one of the schools mentioned above, I am friendly with a lot of families! The (very few) children I know who are being tutored are the ones who are struggling academically…

On the contrary, I have DCs in two of the schools mentioned above. I must say, I have observed a significant number of children I know being tutored for various reasons, and it is quite prevalent.

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wasthesummerof69 · 07/07/2024 15:58

I also have children at 2 of the schools vaguely mentioned. Tutoring definitely goes on - I'd say it's either the kids who are struggling ( who have possibly been tutored all through school) or the kids with extremely ambitious parents who are determined their DCs will go to (what they consider) to be the 'best' schools and Unis. Sometimes it may be because a child has been unlucky with a particular teacher etc and just needs a bit of extra help.
In my experience, when one of my DCs has been struggling with a particular subject at some point there has always been extra help available- drop in sessions, help from older pupils etc. never felt the need to pay even more money for tutoring.
I don't think @SouthKenTuition is telling us anything we don't already know about the fact that tutoring goes on!

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flowerdress · 07/07/2024 17:25

@Swissknife and @wasthesummerof69 - I just slightly raise an eyebrow at a tutor suggesting that lots of kids at top schools are being tutored to ‘get ahead’. It’s simply not my experience and I know multiple families well enough to be confident it’s not commonplace.

I know 2 families where the kids were/are struggling with the academic pace. One left for sixth form and the other probably will too. The school were very supportive to them, but to be frank - if a child needs tutoring on top of what’s offered by a top school, it’s probably not the right school for them. Plenty of kids achieve amazing results/get into brilliant universities without tutoring!

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wasthesummerof69 · 07/07/2024 18:14

flowerdress · 07/07/2024 17:25

@Swissknife and @wasthesummerof69 - I just slightly raise an eyebrow at a tutor suggesting that lots of kids at top schools are being tutored to ‘get ahead’. It’s simply not my experience and I know multiple families well enough to be confident it’s not commonplace.

I know 2 families where the kids were/are struggling with the academic pace. One left for sixth form and the other probably will too. The school were very supportive to them, but to be frank - if a child needs tutoring on top of what’s offered by a top school, it’s probably not the right school for them. Plenty of kids achieve amazing results/get into brilliant universities without tutoring!

I totally agree with you! That's why I think it's just the ones really struggling or the ones with Uber Tiger parents ( at the Uber competive usually Boys schools...)

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emmalol · 07/07/2024 19:19

Two of my friends used to teach at top London private school, but now they’re full-time tutors. They’re making way more money than before because the demand is just massive!

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Wimbledon / G&L - school life, sports, etc