“We’ve always relished the insouciant twinkle in Bute’s eye – and we l-o-v-e LOVE head Helen Lowe, who hides a no-nonsense steeliness behind her warm, smiley exterior. Her girls adore her, but parents, cross her at your peril: she has no time for tutoring, and results-driven tiger parents looking for a fast track to St Paul’s will get short shrift. Why is Bute so special? A) Its admission system – a ballot for places at 4+, selective assessment at 7+ – which means that classes are mixed ability; b) the non-competitive academic ethos – no setting, no streaming, no exams until the 11+. In Mrs Lowe’s words: ‘Every girl can run her own best race.’ Add in the fab facilities, the sporting successes, the sparky staff, the confident, chatty girls…a winning combination.”
