Brighton College or St Paul’s Girls School

4

Received both 16+ offers from Brighton College and SPGS and am really struggling to pick.

Brighton has a conditional offer, it’s quite high but I would say is manageable. spgs is unconditional.

Yet I personally like Brighton more, it seems more fun and less stressful and I genuinely look forward to boarding. And recently the new ranking came out and spgs dropped and Brighton came second… but ranking is not that important for me.

I would 100% have chosen Brighton it it weren’t for the conditional offer.

Please helppp

Reply 1

marcus.0

11

Personally, I know very little about Sixth Forms in the UK but from this post alone I can tell that you want to pick Brighton over St. Paul's.
Try your best to meet the offer and I hope all goes well.

Reply 2

Cy.nd_i

9

I feel like brighton would defintely be a better choice, and as someone that also just recieved an offer for brighton, I feel like brighton would be a good fit, especially because SPGS is also a bit unsteady with their score, while brighton is always placed between 2-5.

Reply 3

andromedagirl

4

Hi, SPGS alumna here (we call ourselves Old Paulina's)! I would say not to be too worried about school ranks, especially if your aim is to study at the likes of Oxbridge, St Andrews, Durham, or any of the well-established London universities (Imperial, UCL, LSE, Kings, etc.). SPGS doesn't only offer good teaching and an all-rounded experience, but also a strong network that will not only help in university but when you eventually start your career. As long as your predicted grades for the subject you hope to apply for are pretty good, the history and community that SPGS has carries more weight than anything else, like rank. For example, every Friday an external speaker (a scientist, lecturer, historian, author, etc.) who leads in their field was invited to talk to the girls and students could sign up to have lunch with them, which was such a great way to network even before starting a degree. There were also plenty of exciting trips abroad, competitions to apply to, extracurricular activities, and a lot of support for what ever you wanted to pursue (as long as you were also driven to achieve it). I think there is also a lot of heritage with SPGS, given the alumnae of the school, and it did really feel like a sisterhood when I joined for 16+ entry. Good luck with your decision!

Reply 4

Alijanee

OP

4

Original post

by andromedagirl

Hi, SPGS alumna here (we call ourselves Old Paulina's)! I would say not to be too worried about school ranks, especially if your aim is to study at the likes of Oxbridge, St Andrews, Durham, or any of the well-established London universities (Imperial, UCL, LSE, Kings, etc.). SPGS doesn't only offer good teaching and an all-rounded experience, but also a strong network that will not only help in university but when you eventually start your career. As long as your predicted grades for the subject you hope to apply for are pretty good, the history and community that SPGS has carries more weight than anything else, like rank. For example, every Friday an external speaker (a scientist, lecturer, historian, author, etc.) who leads in their field was invited to talk to the girls and students could sign up to have lunch with them, which was such a great way to network even before starting a degree. There were also plenty of exciting trips abroad, competitions to apply to, extracurricular activities, and a lot of support for what ever you wanted to pursue (as long as you were also driven to achieve it). I think there is also a lot of heritage with SPGS, given the alumnae of the school, and it did really feel like a sisterhood when I joined for 16+ entry. Good luck with your decision!

hello, thank you for your reply! I've made my decision to come spgs this September and I'm very excited. I was wondering if you could provide some more insight into the sixform life at st pauls, like any tips?It would be exceptionally great if you take STEM subjects (which is what I'll do, physics being my favourite subject) and talk a little bit about your experience on those? If not just randon tips for a new-joiner would be amazing!

Reply 5

andromedagirl

4

Original post

by Alijanee

hello, thank you for your reply! I've made my decision to come spgs this September and I'm very excited. I was wondering if you could provide some more insight into the sixform life at st pauls, like any tips?It would be exceptionally great if you take STEM subjects (which is what I'll do, physics being my favourite subject) and talk a little bit about your experience on those? If not just randon tips for a new-joiner would be amazing!

Congratulations! Great to hear you will be joining 🙂 wishing you the best of luck! I also pursued STEM subjects for A-Level (I read Theoretical Physics for my undergraduate degree). I would say that if you are hoping to study Physics at the likes of Oxford, Imperial, UCL, etc. I would definitely recommend taking Further Maths A-Level, SPGS would also recommend this as well (especially for completing the Oxford PAT exam). If you are hoping to take a range of different science subjects (i.e., Physics with Biology or Chemistry), that will position you well for applying to Cambridge for Natural Sciences. It really depends what you would like to do - but SPGS interpret Further Maths as not being as heavy as a full A-Level so will recommend you take it up as a 4th A-Level if those university destinations are your aspiration.

In terms of the actual school environment and ethos, looking back I realise there were many opportunities to help you develop outside the classroom! There are loads of extracurriculars (stick to only a few otherwise you'll be swamped!), and a student newspaper that is good fun to be a part of. Lots of music, theatre, and sports clubs/activities if that's what you're interested in. I would say have a good relationship with teachers, they tend to treat VII and VIII (Year 12 and 13) students with more maturity so be honest with them about your personal goals and they will definitely help you. I remember Physics classes to be a little tough (we had regular in-class tests and were expected to memorise and say definitions on the spot), so be alert! Also, regularly check emails because there is plenty to get involved with and to sign up to. And lastly, Paulina's experience quite a tough academic environment so don't feel bad if you aren't too happy with a couple of grades! Work hard and consistently, and also try to use the network as much as you can e.g., the Friday external speakers that come in (not sure if they still do this though). Good luck!

Reply 6

Pawsome

Original post

by Alijanee

hello, thank you for your reply! I've made my decision to come spgs this September and I'm very excited. I was wondering if you could provide some more insight into the sixform life at st pauls, like any tips?It would be exceptionally great if you take STEM subjects (which is what I'll do, physics being my favourite subject) and talk a little bit about your experience on those? If not just randon tips for a new-joiner would be amazing!

hey I’m also joining spgs in September!! Anyone got experience of math, bio, chem and geography there?

Brighton College or St Paul’s Girls School

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