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Original poster

Boys secondary schools in the UK near London

35 replies

Wendyxoxo · 25/12/2021 12:50

Hi luvs, we have been looking at a lot of schools nearby. We live in North West London. My DS has shortlisted three schools that he loved, but I am not sure if its the right choice because of how hard the exams are. He liked (in order):

  1. Harrow
  2. St Albans
  3. Westminster
  1. Habs (Liked it compared to the other options)

I am worried about if he is going to get in. I don’t want to lower his morale and therefore am utterly perplexed by his three choices. We have heard that Harrow is not too hard as long as you have money and perform decent in the exam and quite good in the interview. However, St Albans and Westminster seem a bit of a stretch. For St Albans, I have heard you need a glowing reference and need to perform amazing in the interview. (my best friend’s son goes to habs because he couldn’t get into St Albans). My son is academically able - set 1 in Maths and English, but his reference is weak. So we don’t think he is able to get into St Albans. Can some of you give me some advice on some other schools (I am thinking MTS) and how to convince him.

Thank you guys xxxxx

OP posts:
HoyaSaxa · 26/12/2021 22:07

"Also StA are World-renowned for their science facilities" - really? I don't think that they are, or that they are any better than MTS. Or any other good private school. We were not that impressed when we looked round.

And the Stephen Hawking thing is just a bit stupid. you need to sit him down and tell him that just because a genius went to a school what - 50 years ago? - it's the right choice for a chatty boy to get a 9 in his GCSE physics. You have to be the grown up here.

St Albans is a good boys school. It's pretty academic, but frankly some of the boys that got in from our local prep schools are not heading for all 8s and 9s for GCSE, it's not that hard to get into so if your boy is finding the exam hard, he will struggle with getting into other more academic schools like Westminster.

A far more important point is that the head of the prep will have a relationship with all these senior schools. For whatever reason he does not think that St A's is the right one for your boy. I think that reading between the lines he is not prepared to give your boy the reference that he needs. So apply if you want, but start telling your boy that it may not be the right school for him.

If the head thinks he can get into MTS then I would start by encouraging that.

JessyCarr · 26/12/2021 21:14

Habs has only about 20 places at 13+, some of which are deferred from 11+. You haven’t said which year group he is in now, but for Habs they are clear that it is best to apply at 11+, whether for immediate or deferred entry.

sunshineclouds24 · 26/12/2021 18:14

@Wendyxoxo , as you know when you are in the prep school system you have to listen to the prep school head. The school won't let you register and have your ds sit the Westminster entrance exam if they don't think it's the right school for your ds or he hasn't got a chance of getting in.

A ratio of 260 ds for 50 places sounds fine as the schools often offer a ratio of 3 offers for each place so that's 150 offers to 260 applicants.

Listen to your prep head and tell your ds that like everyone else in his class you will be following the advice of the school and once your have the offers in front of you you can decide what to accept.

Original poster
Wendyxoxo · 26/12/2021 12:50

@HoyaSaxa, Thank you so much luv, but how do I convince him. He wants to get into St Albans, Harrow and Westminster, I have talked to him and he said that he is fine if he doesn’t go to Harrow because he reckons that he might get homesick. But he is adamant about going to any other school than St Albans. The head says that St Albans is much much harder than Merchant Taylors because they pick based on reference and interview more than the exam. The exam my DS is doing for St Albans is really hard. Only 50 places in 260. I don’t want him doing the exam because I don’t want him to lose self confidence.

Can you guys please educate me on the difficulty of schools.

This is what headteacher and all my friends are saying:

  1. Westminster
  2. St Paul’s
  3. Habs/Harrow/St Albans
  4. Merchant Taylors
  5. Mill Hill
  6. John Lyon
  7. St Margarets Bushey

Level of facilities:

  1. Harrow
  2. St Albans
  3. St Pauls
  4. Westminster
  5. Habs
  6. Merchant Taylors
  7. Mill

DS is really into science and loves St Albans because Stephen Hawking said that he wouldn’t be in his famous position if it weren’t for the school. DS is holding onto that sentence of his stubbornly. Also StA are World-renowned for their science facilities.

OP posts:
HoyaSaxa · 26/12/2021 11:25

I reckon Merchant Taylors and Habs are a lot harder to get into that St Albans. And if you think St A is a stretch you have not got a hope in hell for Westminster.

You need to talk to your prep school head again, and listen to what he says. It is his job to help your son get into a suitable senior school. If he says he’ll get unit MTS then I would grab that with both hands.

Original poster
Wendyxoxo · 26/12/2021 11:19

Hi, my DS does go to a prep school in North West London, that goes up to Year 8. His reference might be weak because he messes about sometimes. In school, he hasn’t had many achievements such as awards, titles etc. His school is a Harrow feeder, but the Head recommends the day version of Harrow: John Lyon and Merchant Taylors. A lot of kids from his school go to those two schools, but DS didn’t like either one (preferring MTS of JLS).

OP posts:
AnotherNewt · 25/12/2021 22:48

How old do your DS? Is he in a prep or a state school and which Year group?

If at a prep, which schools has head recommended?

What is 'weak' about his reference?

Franklin12 · 25/12/2021 22:08

I am wondering if you are from the UK as you don’t mention the prep school he is in. He really needs to be in the right school to enable the preparation for these schools and Harrow is full boarding.

What do you mean by refenence?

JessyCarr · 25/12/2021 21:57

Why do you expect his reference to be weak?

sunshineclouds24 · 25/12/2021 16:19

Is your ds at a prep school that goes up to age of 13 to prepare him for Harrow?
Are you aware how difficult it is to get into Westminster and have you visited and seen the site?

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