Habs boys vs st albans boys vs John Lyon 13+

“Not much in the extra curricular department…” at St Albans?!

“CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE:
Sport
Athletics
Basketball
Chess
Climbing Club
Cricket
Cross Country
Dance Club
Dedicated Athlete Scheme
Fitness
Fit Fun Fridays
Girls' Netball
Girls' Rugby
Girls' Lacrosse
Hockey
Rugby and Rugby 7's
Scuba Diving Club
Shooting
Strength Training
Swimming (Autumn and Spring Term)
Tennis
Water Polo Club
Improvers Swimming
Indoor Games
Nerf Club
Football Club
Sports Team Conditioning
Art and Design
Art Club
Optic Photographic Society
Young Designer Makers Club
Drama
Drama Lower School Production
Middle School Drama Club
Music
Brass Ensembles
Chamber Ensembles
Chamber Orchestra
Choir
Clarinet Ensemble
Close Harmony Group
Concert Band
Flute Group
Guitar Group
Jazz Band
Live Band Workshop
Orchestra
Percussion Ensemble
Recorder Ensemble
Recording Studio
Sax Ensemble
String Orchestra
Wind Band
Science
Astronomy Club
BioChem and Beyond Club
Dissection Club
Science Club
Third Form STEM Club
Stephen Hawking Society
Gaming
Board Game Club
Bridge Club
Chess Club
Indoor Games
VEX IQ Club
Warhammer Club
English and Reading
Book Club
English Allsorts
Literary Society
Religious Societies
Christian Group
Islamic Society
Jewish Society
Sikh Society
Languages
Deutsches Film Café
French Book Club
German Lower School Games Club
Japanese Language and Culture Club
Languages Puzzle Club
Spanish Society
Computer Science
Coding Club
Computer Science Club
CCF and DofE
CCF
Duke of Edinburgh's Award
Misc
Cooking Club
Flight Club
Geominds Society
Gaia Society
Gay-Straight Alliance
Green Council
Junior Geominds
Lower School and Third
Mindfulness Club
Form Hub (wellbeing)
Quiz Club
Maths and Economics
The Harry Schofield Mathematical Society
Economics Charity Challenge
Economics Journal
Economics Society
Mathsplus
Maths Club
History and Politics
History Film Club
History and Politics Society
Debating
Debating Club
Junior Debating
Model United Nations (MUN)
Classics
Classical Greek Club
The Hylocomian Society
Lower School Classics Club”

This, OP, is why you should take the opinions of random Mumsnetters with a kilo or two of salt.…Best of luck in making a decision.

who have you heard these things from?

did you and your son go to open days and talk to students and teachers?

do you know current parents?

why not ask for another visit?

you will get a bunch of opinions on a forum. Some informed and current and first hand and some outdated and second hand

i think it is a busy school focused on academics at its core but with many opportunities beyond that assuming your son is generally keeping up with the learning side.

It’s also become a lot more nurturing and focused on providing an all round education vs just results in recent years (see the recent good schools review for example)

your son is 13 so relatively mature and should have a good sense of which school is a good fit and vice versa all of these schools must think he is a good fit to make him an offer.

Assuming he is at a prep what does the school think?

Have you been to visit them to see the facilities ? Which one did you prefer?

Oh yes, if you’re not smashing it out the park, you very quickly get a tap on the shoulder. Those grades aren’t made by kid gloves.

hi OP, I also replied to your other post with this question. Have you visited both schools? I think they have a very different feel. Depends what you and your DS prefer. I know happy (all rounder) boys at both.

I don't know anyone at John Lyon but by reputation it isn't in the same league as Habs, or St Albans.

Results, facilities and "desirability" wise, the order is Habs, St Albans and then JL as the other posters have said. That said different factors such as feel, commute, scholarships, siblings etc come into play and different families will make different decisions.

I've heard bad things about St Albans and all the boys i know that went there left before A'levels. Two although passed their gcses well were told they weren't high enough for their A'levels (by that meaning all A's) and should find another 'suitable' school. One was kicked out after GCSE because he was over excited after GCSE exams and burnt his text books. Constant letters home if an assignment showed a grade slip, letters home about other petty behaviour related things. Not much in the extra curricular dept much emphasis on academics.

STABS is very good for the right sort of boy, academic and applied. I know some lovely lads that go there and love it. I can’t really compare and contrast but a sporty girl left HABS as the only extra curricular seemed to be the library!

I would have thought the order was as you have them in your question. What’s to think about?

These schools have very different levels of academic achievement and vibes

I would have thought for most people it would be a straightforward choice of Habs absent other factors like distance, siblings etc