Tatler UK - 10.2019

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LONDON

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tatler.com Tatler School Guide 2020

PHOTOGRAPH: MARTIN POYNER

cent are on a bursary. There’s no

rugby here, instead the focus is on

football, cricket, basketball and

water polo. An enormous Astro

sits on top of the school – a jumble

of Seventies-style buildings. But

don’t be deceived by the boxy exte-

rior: inside, the space fans out to

include squash courts, a sports hall

and an impressive theatre, which

stages many Edinburgh-bound

shows and recently a production of

Chess (written, directed and pro-

duced by pupils) in association

with the City of London School

for Girls. Pupils here are ‘liberal

and open-minded, comfortable in

their own skin, empathetic and

outward-looking,’ says the school,

which isn’t hard to believe when

you think that the pupils just have

to leave the library, stroll across the

bridge, and arrive at the doorstep

of Tate Modern.

CITY OF LONDON

SCHOOL

FOR GIRLS 

St Giles’ Terrace, EC2Y 8BB

Website clsg.org.uk Head Jenny

Brown, MA, from September;

previously Head at St Albans High

School for Girls Pupils 657 day girls

Ages 11–18 Term Fees £6,404

Oxbridge 23% Registration

November of year before entry;

£125 fee Admission School’s own

exam and interview Alumnae

Claudia Winkleman, ecologist

Georgina Mace

PREP Head Rachel Hadfield

Pupils 94 day girls Ages 7–11

Term Fees £6,404

Exciting times at this dynamic

school embedded in the heart of

the City as it approaches its 125th

anniversary. To celebrate, it is hop-

ing to raise an extra £1.25 million

to increase bursary provision, with

a percentage of donations matched

by the City of London Corpora-

tion. With so many museums,

theatres and cultural wonders on

their doorstep it’s no surprise that

CLSG students have a reputation

for being erudite, curious and very

clever. The school has its own en-

trance exam (and is adept at spotting

over-tutored candidates) and has

Pupils 1,600 boys: 1,470 day; 130

boarding Faith C of E Ages 11–18

Term Fees Day: £7,082; boarding:

£14,782 Oxbridge 12%

Registration By November of year

before entry; £150 fee Admission

School’s own exam, interview and

previous school’s report Alumni

Ernest Shackleton, PG Wodehouse

PREP Head Dr Toby Griffiths

Pupils 221 day boys Ages 7–11

Term Fees £7,082

‘They treat each boy as an individual

and although academic results are

obviously important, the journey

isn’t at the expense of the child.

The College’s aim to provide more

and more boys with bursaries is a

fantastic goal,’ says one Dulwich

parent. Indeed, a focus on diversity

drives this school; the 11+ intake is

50/50 from state and independent

schools, and boys come from all

over London. ‘What Dulwich pu-

pils do share is an insatiable curiosity

and pleasure in celebrating each

other’s successes, an ability to talk

to everyone, whatever their back-

ground or interests, and a sense of

social responsibility,’ says Head Dr

Joe Spence. Despite being a swift

12-minute train journey from cen-

tral London, the school sits on

been overwhelmed with positive

responses to offers – it’s best not to

wait around before accepting a

place. Academics are obviously

sparkling – students are expected

to achieve at least eight A or A*

grades at GCSE – and so too are

the arts; there are annual plays and

music performances with the City

of London boys. Extracurricular

activities can be quirky (cheer-

leading), and girls are free to start

their own clubs – recent examples

include the Young Politicians’

Society and Quantum Physics

Club. Despite the limitations of an

urban setting, sport is impressive:

the gymnasts are award winning,

and on Thursday mornings the

girls train for cross country by

running around the Barbican.

The school proudly states that

‘City girls are uniquely tolerant,

compassionate and self aware. By

the time they leave us, they are

ready to take on any challenges

that life may throw at them.’

DULWICH COLLEGE 

Dulwich Common, SE21 7LD

Website dulwich.org.uk Head

Dr Joe Spence, PhD, since 2009;

previously Head of Oakham School

70 acres of land and given the

abundance of space, sport domi-

nates: multiple sports teachers are

ex-professionals, and rugby and

football shine. Drama, too, is a key

part of life (the college archives

hold the world’s most important

collection of papers relating to

Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre).

‘Drama is an oasis. You can come

here and be any character you

want and travel the world. You can

even have super powers,’ enthuses

one Year 8 boy. This year was the

school’s 400th anniversary, and to

mark the occasion pupils compet-

ed in the Dulwich Olympiad, with

students from the 10 international

partnership schools joining for a

week of sport, performance and

music. Results are good – roughly

12 per cent head to Oxbridge each

year and an increasing number

cross the Atlantic for American

college. Results are important, but

really crucial, thinks Spence, is free

learning: education beyond the

curriculum. Don’t be surprised,

therefore, to see pupils attending

off-timetable days of inspirational

speakers or getting stuck into

Dulwich Creative Week, which

involves interdisciplinary activities

that challenge young minds and

provoke creative thinking.

EMANUEL SCHOOL 

Battersea Rise SW11 1HS

Website emanuel.org.uk Head

Robert Milne, BA, since 2017;

previously Deputy Head at KCS

Wimbledon Pupils 940 day: 470

boys, 470 girls Ages 10–18 Te r m

Fees £6,426 Oxbridge Occasional

Registration By October of year

before entry; £145 fee Admission

School’s own exam and interview

Alumni Michel Roux Jr, Tim

Berners-Lee, actor Joseph Quinn

A hop away from Clapham Junc-

tion, Emanuel produces balanced

pupils who positively tip the scale

in terms of exams. ‘The surprising

thing is that while Emanuel is an

academic school that pushes each

child to be the best version of

themselves, they also seem to grow

them into exceptionally nice, well

rounded adults,’ says one happy ]

At City of London School, four different

religions are represented with assemblies,

and boys are encouraged to attend a range

ALLEYN’S SCHOOL

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