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St Paul’s Girls’ School (or SPGS) is an independent day school for girls in Hammersmith, West London, with a history dating back to 1904.
The school believes passionately in the importance of educating their 750 girls aged 11-18 and this is reflected in their exceptional exam results. Of its leavers in 2020, 38% went on to study at Oxbridge, and many more went to other top Russell Group universities.
It does not give priority to siblings of current students meaning all candidates must work harder to get in.
Student-teacher relationships at St Paul’s are informal but respectful. Girls don’t have to wear uniform and don’t follow strict rules & regulations either, instead they’re expected to use common sense and respect. Girls are encouraged to explore ideas, challenge beliefs, and develop their own concepts. Whilst an incredibly exciting place to learn, It may not suit every student.
Sport is a vital part of St Paul’s life, with a wide variety on offer. The school wants to give every girl, regardless of her ability, a chance to be actively participating in a sport she loves. Sports on offer include athletics, netball, tennis, hockey swimming, fencing, lacrosse, horse riding, rowing, kickboxing, and dance.
There are a wide variety of music, drama and co-curricular offerings with a huge number of clubs.
Results
St Paul’s Girl’s admits approximately 110 Year 7 pupils to its senior school each year. The window to register your daughter for Year 7 entry is from anytime until early November of her Year 6. There’s a registration fee of £125. This does not need to be paid if the application is for a bursary place.
The job of a Nightingale Tutor can start here, we will happily guide you through this process and advise on any further questions you may have.
The non-verbal reasoning skills test a girl’s natural ability and potential, rather than her learned knowledge. Girls are asked to problem solve, based on a series of pictures and diagrams; very often being asked which is the odd one out in a sequence. Here’s where a good tutor can really come into their own, as reasoning is rarely taught in schools. At Nightingale Tutors, we believe a strong performance in these tests can set a child apart and work hard to prepare our pupils for them. We will continuously expose them to similar questions as well as run courses & workshops on the subject from our classroom space.
Your daughter’s tutor will have been selected for their knowledge & experience of SPGS’ entrance process and will work incredibly hard to prepare them for unique challenges of the CEM; particularly pacing herself. Please contact Nightingale Tutors if you would like any assistance here.
Girls who do well in the CEM test will be invited to sit the entrance exams in early January. The entrance exams consist of 75 minute long papers in english, mathematics and comprehension. The comprehension paper tests may lean on KS2 science skills and tests organisational and deduction skills as well as logic. A Nightingale tutor will make sure no stone is unturned when practicing and preparing your child for these examinations and offer a range of services alongside your child’s tuition. This includes:
One-on-one interviews take place in late January. The interview is key to getting into St Paul’s Girls’ but it should be noted girls should not appear over-rehearsed. Nightingale Tutors has a wealth of experience preparing children for the interview and will work to ensure they feel at ease & comfortable before the big day.
SPGS look for bright, confident girls; naturally curious, ready to learn, confident speakers and good listeners who can work well with others, particularly their classmates. St Paul’s needs to know that your daughter will be a good pupil and a good classmate; someone both students and teachers will enjoy having at the school. For this reason, girls should know as much as they can about St Paul’s and the reason they want to attend.
A SGPS interview should be a conversation. Our tutors will ask your daughter to consider why she wants to attend St Paul’s, what St Paul’s can offer her, and what she can offer St Paul’s. We’ll also encourage her to talk passionately about what interests her. This can take the shape of a personal portfolio of her accomplishments containing artwork, photos, poems, sports certificates or even a journal entry from an educational visit. Having this portfolio with her will increase your daughter’s confidence, as she’ll always have it to spark conversation. The portfolio will also help the interviewer find some common ground to talk on. Our tutors will help assemble your child’s portfolio as well as practice talking about it.
Girls must be able to articulate strong opinions and justify them to an interviewer who may disagree or question them; again, this is something a tutor can help students practice. We will also advise parents on how they can help sharpen these techniques at home.
Your daughter can get a taste of what it’s like to attend St Paul’s Girls’, as well as an opportunity to meet staff and students by taking a tour or attending a school Open Day event. She’ll be much better prepared for her interview, and more confident as a result of the visit. Many open days have not been happening because of the pandemic, however virtual tours are on offer to better acquaint your daughter with the school.
© Nightingale Tutors 2023.