Yes, I went to a school named ISIS. Yes, I understand that's hilarious since half my family are…read moreMiddle Eastern. No, I'm not going to make any jokes about it. It really speaks for itself, doesn't it? It's review #1992 because that was one of the years that I may or may not have been here. The C.E. stands for Church of England, but no I'm not Christian, nor am I Benteke nor Gray. Way more interesting than the latter. Sexually speaking. It wasn't an in-your-face religious school though. You'd hardly have known God was running it. Or god, if you prefer. Isis was - by far - my favourite school that I ever went to. I have love for Peers because of the teaching staff, but not the students. I have love for SS Mary & John but not how in-your-face-religious it was. But Middle School? That was my jam. We owned the place. We ran competitions, we ran the halls, we ran the fields. I was a track star, and occasionally a soccer star. I was friends with the geeks and with the "jocks" although they were never known as such back in England. Yes, life was good back then. I missed the first year of Middle School because of my Mum's escapades in Manchester, stealing us away and all that. But when we were returned, I had a wonderful time in this wonderful school, and I feel like it gave me more of my formative years and the basis for my (questionable, lol) intellect and Oxford University education, than anywhere else did. So shout outs to Mrs Little in Year 6, Mr Ford in Year 7 (ouch) and the lovely Mrs Webb in Year 8. Two wonderful women sandwiching a rather awkward little man that everyone was scared to death of. He was from Sunderland, you know. A Mackem from Wearside. I wonder how he's doing these days. Years later, I went back to participate in sports day and was enamoured by a girl named Heather. A teacher, but dressed very provocatively. It turned out she wasn't a teacher... she was a student that looked 10 years older than she was. Very very very very underage. Let that be a warning to you. You just never know. It's not worth it. Sleep with old people instead. My best memory of Isis was when the hottie music teacher and the married, nightmarish, awful Science teacher (Mr Rose) kicked us out of a music practice room at break time, and then went in there together, drew the curtains and locked the door. Mr. Rose later divorced his unsuspecting (maybe?) wife and married our music teacher. You go girl. Except, yeah, she was way too cute for him. But that's life. We would have liked to have loved her, but we were just kids. Her candle burned out long before we ever reached puberty.

Tucked away on Farm Street, surrounded by residential mews and mansion blocks, the Jesuit Church of…read morethe Immaculate Conception could almost define the phrase 'hidden gem'. It is worth making a special effort to visit. The church itself was built in 1844-49 as a base for the Jesuit order in London, following the Catholic emancipation of 1829. The architect behind this jewel was Joseph John Scoles (1798-1863). He designed a number of Roman Catholic churches and, on the basis of the Immaculate Conception alone, deserves to be better known. For its early date, it is a remarkably confident, and accomplished, example of Gothic Revival. The facade is a fair introduction to the church, the (liturgical) west door surmounted by a striking Decorated Gothic west window, filled with delicate tracery in a bold rose design. But the interior steps up a gear: eight bays of clustered marble-clad columns, tall clerestory windows flooding the interior with light, all drawing the eye to the chancel and the high altar. The nave and chancel ceilings are stencilled and painted, the aisles vaulted. Every surface is covered with marble or decoration, the aisle chapels filled with sculpture and intricate blind arcading. Most notable is the chancel reredos, designed by Pugin, the stone brilliantly gilded, but there are some interesting side chapels too, one of which has a sculpture of "The Homeless Christ", showing Him wrapped up on a life-sized park bench. It became a parish church in 1966 and also has a significant ministry of outreach to refugees, young adults, LGTB+ Catholics, Japanese and Filipino congregations, and those considering returning to the faith. It also has a notable reputation for music. The church is open every day, with daily masses and confession.

Looking for something beautiful and quiet, off-the-beaten track in London? This is one of them. The…read moreChurch is absolutely breath taking - both the exterior and interior. The surrounding park (Mount Street Gardens) are also well kept and very beautiful. Try and stop by to explore both the Church and the gardens if you're in the Mayfair area.

It is a very underperforming and toxic school. Children have problems and the teachers don't listen…read moreto the children.

Hampton Hill Junior School is a large (360 pupils) junior school nestled on St James' Avenue not…read morefar from Hampton Hill High Street. It is housed in a rather picturesque building dating from the 1920s, though it has been expanded and improved since. Hampton Hill Junior School educates pupils from years 3 - 6 (ages 7 - 11), and is linked with Carlisle Infant School (meaning that in most cases, pupils will finish Carlisle in year 2 and progress fairly seamlessly with their classmates into HHJS). The headteacher, Bill Jerman, is excellent. He is a strong leader, taking no guff from the children! He impressed me particularly when my daughter attended. I was writing a paper (I was a mature student doing a part time degree) on religious education and collective worship, and asked, after a parent teacher evening, if I could attend a 'normal' (as opposed to harvest) assembly. He told me I could, and we arranged a date. It occurred to me afterwards that I hadn't told him who I was. I arrived on the appointed day, worried that no-one would be expecting me, but sure enough, he greeted me, got me settled before the children arrived, and then discussed the yearly assembly programme and RE scheme of work after the assembly. My daughter had good teachers with a couple of truly excellent ones. The school runs extension programmes for gifted children which benefited my daughter, and also taught French (in a fun, non pressurised way) to its year 6 pupils. All in all, this is a very good state junior school, which prepares its pupils admirably for secondary school and beyond.

Harvington School is a leading independent private school and caters for girls aged 3-16 (and more…read morerecently for boys 3-4.) They set high expectations of their students and staff and their GCSE results are exemplary. "Harvington School is a school with a social conscience and a heart; the caring, warm and all-embracing nature of the school is one of its most unique characteristics and one which underpins the core values of the school's philosophy." Entry Requirements: Test, Assessment Subjects taught: Art, Biology, Chemistry, Computing/ICT, Coordinated/Combined Science, Dance, Design and Technology (DT), Drama/Theatre Studies, English Language, English Literature, French, Geography, History, Mathematics, Music, Physical Education, Physics, Religious Studies, Spanish Activities: Ballet/Dance, Board games, Choir, Computing/IT, Dancing, Debating/Public Speaking, Drama/Theatre Studies, Duke of Edinburgh, Life Saving/First Aid Sports: Athletics, Cross Country, Fitness Training, Gymnastics, Hockey, Netball, Rounders, Swimming, Tennis Really good school, provides good education, professional staff and teachers.

My daughter is in her final year at Harvington, she stayed from Nursery to Year 6. The school is…read morevery loving and nurturing, the teachers bring out the best in each child.It gave her a wonderful self-confidence. She especially loves Drama and Science with dedicated and enthusiastic teachers and the many clubs on offer. The fact that it's a small school allow for as close as you can get to one-to-one teaching.I know she will miss it when she leaves.

I am not sure what to make of "School of Life". On one hand it is novel concept, on another hand it…read morescreams tweedy intellectualism with a dash of Kumbya Atheism. I liked the Robert Emerson book of essays for 2.50 on sale, and a book about teaching your grandma how to text. This place offers free tea and course for adults about love and life.There are little presents here (like poster books of quotes, that are like SO DEEP). I find this place a bit pretentious in an unassuming way. Unsure what to make of it even now.

I totally agree with the individual who reviewed the School of Life - he goes under name, Rory…read more And yes, I totally admit, that I myself do not know what to make of the School of Life. Apparently, the School of Life declares itself to free from dogma, not affiliated to any religious, educational, charitable or other organisations. I cannot see how that's possible to be honest. I know, as well as everyone else that the School of Life, was or still is owned and founded by Alain de Botton, author and philosopher, along side with Sophie Howarth, a former curator from the Tate Modern. I know that the shop has changed substantially since 2008, when the School of Life first opened it's door for the first time. As of late, my retail experience while browsing inside the School of Life philosophy bookshop, has been somewhat completely disappointing. I find all the staff very cold, dismissive, ignorant and more importantly, totally disinterested in what you are looking. I wouldn't even waste your brain cells on the School of Life - at all. To call themselves, "School of Life" seems nice and beautiful on the outside. But on the inside, as soon as you walk into their premises, I find the staff incredibly cold, rude, condescending, patronizing, true ignorance and very distant. To be very clear to anyone who reads this: the staff at the School of Life, never say hello to you, when you enter their premises and they never say goodbye to when you exit their premises. That to me, is totally unjust, considering that they stock some pricey black crew-neck Philosophy jumper, designed by Bella Freud; I'd rather go to Dover Street Market, to buy a Comme des Garçons jumper from those guys, at least I am being served by polite and decent Japanese retail staff unlike the rotten and cold rude staff members at the School of Life. Considering the retail prices are slightly more expensive then in Mayfair shops - I seriously hate the staff who run the School of Life, with absolute passion. Mentioning ignorant, I find the retail manager (male) - I find him totally ignorant, impolite and very dismissive. I will not mention any names of staff members, however I will confirm that the staff who run the School of Life, a total waste of human DNA.

Brandlehow is an absolutely fantastic school - it is vibrant and full of happy, energetic children…read more The teachers are totally dedicated to their pupils, teaching them all sorts of advanced and unusual topics - the general knowledge is far beyond what I learned at the same age (and probably older) - for example, my daughter (4-5yrs) not only knows the names of the different types of cloud in the sky, what all the different organs in the body do (as well as where they are), but also all about carnivorous plants and the different religious festivals going on throughout the year. This is on top of reading and writing incredibly well for her age (they use the Jolly Phonics system, which is a lot of fun for the kids) and doing loads of exercise and different sports. I am extremely impressed with the school and its staff. If you're lucky enough to get a place here, I'm sure your child will thrive. It's a great place!

Southwark Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral Church of St. Saviour and St. Mary Overie, has a…read morefascinating history that dates back over a thousand years. Its origins can be traced to a monastery founded in AD 606 by Mellitus, the first Bishop of London. The original structure was a wooden building and was later rebuilt in stone around the 9th century. Over the centuries, the cathedral has undergone various renovations and additions, resulting in the magnificent structure we see today. The location of Southwark Cathedral is of great historical significance. It stands on the south bank of the River Thames, near the site of the ancient Roman bridge that connected the City of London with the southern part of the country Inside the cathedral, children can discover a rich collection of paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts that span different periods and styles. The Cathedral has a lovely garden which is a haven at all times of year but especially in the summer. A quiet space to sit for a while. Whilst the lovely cafe serving delicious coffee and cakes is a nice way to escape the crowds of London bridge

I chanced upon this spot as I was going through Borough Market and I am so glad I did. So much…read morehistory and splendor at this cathedral. I spent some time meditating in the pews and had a wonderful visit overall. It's free entrance as well which is nice.

We attended Sunday's Choral Mattins at St. Paul's Cathedral. What an amazing Cathedral to visit,…read morebut I think most attendees were tourists (like me). We arrived early and were allowed to sit with the choir up front. What a great honor to sit with a great vantage point of the service. The choir is composed of children and adults, men and women and the voices are extraordinary. The service was beautiful and I couldn't help but think about the people who had attended over the past 300 years. The Cathedral was designed by the great Christopher Wren and is gorgeous inside with massive arched ceilings and ornate marble archways and statues. The choir seats are a dark aged wood with beautiful carving. Photography was not allowed inside so my only photos are of the outside. Tours during no the week are available and going up into the dome is supposed to be an extraordinary experience where whispers can be heard far away. After the service, the bells rang outside in an amazing display.

After booking reservations online weeks in advance, the hard part was waiting to see Christopher…read moreWren's masterpiece on the inside. Because the building does not open until 10am, the front doors are closed and guests are expected to queue up. Surprisingly, there are no signs to tell you where to queue up, so people are waiting in front of the doors until they open. Upon entering, my bag is inspected and you can pick up an audio tour device which has not only information about the cathedral, but has reflection and prayer passages where you can take a seat (there are plenty) and just be. At intervals, the pastor will ask everyone in the building to be silent as he prays for our world. After the prayer and blessing, the pastor makes himself available to anyone. Taking time to pray to God for us and our world was special. While the audio tour was good, talking to the red-sashed volunteers was special in that they had information that was not in the audio tour. For example, the wood carvers would leave a signature on the carving that would be unique like a hidden rocket ship with stars behind some carved vines. If you're a Harry Potter fan like me, you can ask a red-sashed volunteer to show you the Dean's Staircase, a stairway leading to Professor Trelawny's divination class that was used in the film. Unfortunately, you can't walk up the staircase, but you can take some amazing photos. Walking to the Stone Gallery and Golden Gallery requires climbing up 31 flights of stairs, so train well before you arrive. Not only does the Stone Gallery give you a closer look at the paintings on the Dome, but the wall offers a neat little trick, but it takes two people. If you speak into the wall, another person standing on the opposite side (180°) will be able to hear you. On a non-foggy day (good luck with that), you can walk around outside and be able to have stunning views of the city. There's so much to say, but I would rather you experience it for yourself.

Westminster Abbey was one of the highlights of our visit to London. We arranged for a special…read moreMedieval Monastery tour of the Abby that included learning in-depth history. The 90 minute tour cost £15 plus general admission. We booked on-line two weeks in advance. We arrived early with our tickets stamped for opening at 9:30. Security staff scans and queues up visitors by ticket times and there was a line that had well over a thousand people waiting to enter. All general admission visitors are given a headset with a wonderful guided tour upon entering. There is a logical pathway to follow and learn about the Abbey. Hannah was our private tour guide. She was wealth of information about the history of the Abbey and the people that were important. As part of the tour we had access to parts of the facility that were not part of the normal tour route. We were also allowed to sit in the choir seating for a brief lecture. It was invigorating to sit where royalty had been. The tour is fabulous and very worth the money. The Abbey is mostly French Gothic, but a mix of styles as different King's added on sections and chapels during their reigns. Much of the Abbey was restored after the damage caused by looting after the Reformation and additional damage caused by the WWII Blitz bombing. Most of the stained glass has been replaced. The history dates back over 1000 years and we saw evidence of an ancient door and uncovered mosaics. There is a lot to see, including graves of many notable people and royalty. Restrooms are available towards the end of the tour (but expect a line). There is a cafeteria and several gift shops. Current renovations are adding additional guest restrooms. Wear comfortable walking shoes, expect uneven floors. Arrive a bit early to go through security. I highly recommend a visit. I wouldn't bring young children.

This highly visited tourist attraction was founded in 960 AD. That's insane! It was rebuilt in…read more1245. Also insane! UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tourist must see, especially if your first time in London. Incredible Gothic architecture that's really wonderful to be able to see up close and personal. Nothing short of awe-inspiring. Super close to Houses of Parliament which makes for easier sightseeing.