Henrieta Barnet vs Nonsuch

Hello.

I have just moved to the area and I'm interested in my daughter attending HBS. I'm aware that in the first paper they are tested on English, Verbal & NVR, however does anyone have any advice on the 2nd round English? Any information would be appreciated as their doesn't seem to be much out there.

Many thanks,

I have a DD at Nonsuch and it has been perfect for her - she is a quiet very able very hard-working gir, did excellently in her GCSEs and is predicted all A* at A level. She has also thrived socially, as there's loads of music clubs (teacher-led, 6th-form led, outside expert-led), but there's also loads of drama, sports and more academic clubs, opportunities to take part in various challenges, opportunities to take responsibility, etc, and there's certainly the full range of personalities so you don't need to be quiet, just hard-working. Only downside is that her schoolfriends live over quite a wide area so difficult for them to socialise much outside school. If you live closer to NS than HBS and she is anything like my DD then send her there. I know nothing about HBS but NS has been 100% the right school for my DD.

If you and your DD really prefer HBS over Nonsuch and any other options and you are prepared to uproot your household from South to North London to facilitate this, then put HBS first on your CAF and Nonsuch second. If it turns out that she wasn't quite so high up the rankings for HBS after the priority places were allocated, but Nonsuch was as sure a bet as you believe it to be, then your DD will get Nonsuch and be on the waiting list for HBS.

Just in case Nonsuch also didn't turn out to be such a safe bet, you would be wise to name at least one 'banker' from your local schools, unless your non-HBS / non-Nonsuch Plan B is an independent school place or elective home education.

Oh, and there is nothing intrinsically wrong with extracurricular clubs being run by sixth formers - and it gives them a nice 'position of redponsibility' to reflect upon in their UCAS personal statements.

Certainly, @Dido2010. So you really can't put too much store by comparing recent years' results at all.

Or the 2010-2019 A Level Results. (2019 and 2020 are generally to be distorted by Covid enforced changes.)

What people often mean by 'more academic' in this context is 'more selective'. Due to having a larger intake, more similar options for girls to choose from in the area, and a more inclusive catchment policy, there is a larger range of ability upon entry to Nonsuch than HBS, hence a bigger spread of results.
Progress 8 scores are similar, so you can be confident the same girl would do equally well at both schools.

HBS is also the more academic school of the two. Check out the A grades for the 2022 A Levels.* How can you possibly make that comment based on one year's results? They could have had a more academic than average (for them) year group. It happens that some years are cleverer than others, even in the most academic of schools.

@happymommmy , For Sports and for PE, as well as the on-site facilities, HBS uses the two grassy areas in front of the school, the tennis courts there and the playing fields on the Heath, one block away.

HBS is also the more academic school of the two. Check out the A* grades for the 2022 A Levels.

Agree with @hockeygrass.

There will really only be a very small pool of parents/locals who will be potentially more impressed about your DD going to one of the schools over the other. And once they're beyond school age, I doubt anyone in wider circles will be bothered!

Unless your child is a formerly looked after child, there is no way at the moment of being sure of a place at Henrietta Barnet, given you don't live with 3 miles.

Or indeed nonsuch in reality, though you would have a much better idea on this as you should know her score and if you live in the catchment area/sutton/pupil premium.

Tbh I can't see the any strong reason to move, if you genuinely have a good chance for nonsuch.

HBS second stage occurred a few weeks back (300 candidates were called back for 100 spaces), but people wont know if they have a space before March, although those within the 3miles catchment will have one guaranteed if they passed 1st round.

@happymommmy , your dd will almost certainly achieve the same GCSE and A level results at both schools. Why would you choose to move house and to a different place for this. Nonsuch is a great school and she will no doubt do well. (All dc loose interest in clubs at all schools in the U.K. after year 9 - private or state).

The two schools are so far apart that vanishingly few people are likely to have had a chance to compare them.

Nonsuch has an outstanding reputation and is an excellent choice for an academic, hard-working girl. It is, however, pushed for space and the atmosphere is quite perfectionist.

It would not be a good fit for a child who is not so able, and you would need to keep an eye on any girl with anxiety problems - but that seems to be par for the course with grammar schools.

All the girls I have met who attended Nonsuch did well academically, but while some loved it, others have mixed feelings.

Depends how you’re defining ‘best’. If you mean exam results then yes of course they are outstanding, these are some of the cleverest girls in the country.

But the teaching is very mixed. And I think their recent Ofsted wasn’t great.

I loved Nonsuch when I visited it for my dd1 3 years ago and that's where she sat both stages of the Sutton 11+ exam.

Didn't visit Henrietta Barnet, so can't comment.

Nonsuch is a superselective girls grammar school that usually ranks very highly in league tables. I don't know exactly how it compares to HBS but it's comparable enough IMO, considering how far apart they are geographically.

Never heard of Nonsuch 🤷‍♀️ But HBS is one of the best schools in the country

Which school do you think would suit her best and which other schools are you considering ?

Where do you live?

@puffyisgood why do you say that families do themselves a disservice by moving into a grammar area?

P.S. and do you realise your comment is a slur as you feel it's important to specifically mention certain ethnicities?

This said, you might try the elevenplusforums website. There are families on there who apply to up to around half a dozen grammars in various disparate parts of the country.

Honestly I would just rank first whichever one is logistically easier. Are you planning on moving or will your DD commute?

The second stage has happened in Sutton and results come out before 31st Oct so you have the information before applying. It is not a guarantee of a place though.

Have the places been offered yet? Won’t exams be still happening now (second stage)?