St Albans High School for girls

If moving into catchment is an option then check out Dr Challoners, Beaconsfield High and Aylesbury High.

Clement Danes is not a full grammar nor single sex so you can’t compare the two. They get great results and has an amazing reputation locally. I don’t know much about it though as we didn’t go and see it (we wanted single sex) and it’s a bit too far from us for me to know anyone with any up to date knowledge.

the top management does not seem to have any Oxbridge educated.

A friend’s DD goes there. The head is American and has an MSc from Oxford (if the footnote on the stationery is anything to go by....!)

From friends dcs who went there some were happy some not. The girls I know loved being close the town centre. I don’t think it’s as academic as NLCS or habs. But that’s my opinion. But I think it’s a nicer school.

My friend with a child there who isn’t that happy with it isn’t impressed with the pastoral. Her daughter has had a few problems and feels like they have tried to deal with them initially but the help fizzled out. The pastoral side isn’t bad but it’s certainly not an area it excels in.

It’s an exam factory in that they teach lots of very bright and ambitious girls who want to do well and they get amazing results. They do stretch and challenge the girls though as opposed to just teaching to pass an exam. Like I said - if you have a very bright girl it’s a great school and not as pointy elbowed as say, Habs and NLCS. It does let itself down on facilities though and fees don’t really reflect this. Depends what you want from a private education. I, personally, felt some of the girls grammar schools in Bucks were on a par, if not better schools.

I don’t think you can judge a head purely on whether or not they went to Oxbridge.....

It is an extremely academic school. They only take the very brightest so of course their results are great. The girls put a lot of pressure on themselves to excel and it can feel competitive as a result. Girls at the top of the top sets at their primary school often find themselves as completely average once they get there. But for the right girl it is a brilliant school.

I wasn’t that impressed to be honest. It felt flat and there wasn’t much “buzz” to the place. Their facilities aren’t as flashy as some of the other local independents and sports fields are off site.

I have friends with children there and all but one have high praise for it and they are all happy and doing extremely well.

Choose a school that fits your daughter not based purely on results or which educational establishment the head went to.