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Original poster

Berkhamsted or St Columba’s St Albans

30 replies

Amore2010 · 21/02/2022 08:54

Berkhamsted Boys or St Columba’s St Albans?

They seem like chalk and cheese, but we have offers for both, we’re confused and needing to make decision. We’ve recently moved from London and are new to the area.

DS is extremely sporty, competitive, very average academically, stronger in English than Maths, loves science, DT and STEM. Confident socially but doesn’t cope well under pressure especially if he feels he is falling behind his peers. Good pastoral care is a must.

I was swaying towards Berkhamsted, their facilities are impressive but really want a school that will support his individual needs and I think St C is a much smaller school and will do a better job?
I have been reading here that Berkhamsted is pushy and competitive, which sounds like a lot of hard work to be honest. DS will never be an academic high flyer so a well rounded education is our priority. We want him to be encouraged by his school to achieve his best as he can be a little lazy, but happiness comes first.

OP posts:
TizerorFizz · 21/02/2022 10:29

Yes. Berkhamsted get rid of some from their prep that they consider not good enough.

I think you might want to consider if your sporty, competitive, boy needs nurturing. You don’t seem to think he’s shy with no confidence. So I would go with Berkhamsted. My DDs were confident and decent schools do look out for all pupils. I didn’t see many requiring special nurturing where mine boarded. Except in the first few weeks. As he’s not boarding I would suggest he would be fine and the sports provision is what you really want for him.

Original poster
Amore2010 · 21/02/2022 09:48

Thanks! I hear mixed messages that 11+ boys places are very competitive for external applicants at Berkhamsted, but given they take their entire prep cohort into senior school probably explains why it’s mixed ability. I have heard however that those on the lower end of ability are being asked to leave the school if they don’t meet expected learning standards?

Similarly I think St C I used as back up for those that didn’t get into the Herts grammar equivalent and St Albans boy.

I think academically they may be very similar. What I can’t choose between is on extra curricular and sports which Berko is better at or the pastoral nurturing style that St C is really known for!

OP posts:
TizerorFizz · 21/02/2022 09:26

@Totalwasteofpaper
And did all the 6th form get identical results? Probably not. My DD did similar at a lower ranking school. They always have bright DC but not the volume of other schools. It’s the lower end of academic results that determine where they are in league tables and, in fact, the view of the school by parents. How many are at the top end also affects a school. In Bucks the vast majority are in the grammars, except a few girls at Wycombe Abbey. Berkhamsted is near Bucks. It’s used by Bucks parents as a back up. However it’s not Wycombe Abbey!

Totalwasteofpaper · 21/02/2022 09:09

Highly anecdotal....

My "non academic" (at age 11) relative went to st Colomba' really enjoyed it, and got 4 As at a level!!!!
They are in their 20s now so school may have changed

TizerorFizz · 21/02/2022 09:04

Berkhamsted isn’t a high flying school in the league tables so locally people don’t think it’s pushy. The grammars in Bucks take a lot of the very bright children. People I know have used Berkhamsted for DC who didn’t get into a Bucks grammar.

I think it’s a notch above St Columbia’s. It’s presumably less pressured that St Albans Boys? However I only know DC who have been to Berkhamsted and they were sporty but ok at academics. Not grammar types though.

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