To ask about good and bad secondary schools in Camden/Islington?

[HeronO]

Moving to the Camden/Islington border to be near DP’s parents for support/childcare etc.

Daughter aged 10.

Any opinions/recommendations?

Camden School for Girls.

Camden School for Girls
Le Sainte Union
Highbury Fields
All of the above are all girls school.
For mixed try Acland Burghley - not as good as the girls schools tho
Lots of indie options too

Ah thank you. DP’s from Camden but went to school in Islington so we are considering every option

Thank you - would consider mixed or all girls

Camden, Haverstock, Marylebone.
Ackland Burghley, South Camden CS, EGA, LSU, Parliament Hill. Highbury Fields.

DK which are good at the mo, but none of those are terrible I don't think?

Camdenschools are already covered above...

I thought Islington was a bit of a secondary blackhole for state schools thats why loads commute up to dame alice owen....

Thank you !!

if she goes to Parliament Hill it’s near the Lido !! - heard that’s a good one

Yes. And the kids of potters bar don’t get a look in. It’s a very flawed system but I hear the head is trying to crack down on all the loopholes various parents are jumping through.

DP went to an all boys school in Islington but according to him it’s now mixed and apparently changed names so we’re obviously considering that one but would definitely cast the net wider and take both boroughs into consideration

Go and look at them all - you will have lots of choice due to falling birthrate. Do you want strict? More free and easy? Mixed or single sex? Church/faith? Loads of good options…

Ah - either mixed or single sex is fine

not bothered about strictness

mainstream not church

@HeronO yep, next to lido. LSU is across the road from there too. I don't think any of the state schools have their own pool sadly. My mates daughter went to parli. She went on to become quite a successful artist. Dua lipa went there. Probably before the BRIT school. Lol.

Aw lovely ! That Lido sounds ace !

DP went to Holloway Boys school which is now apparently mixed and he said it’s called something else now - that’s state and I think they might have a pool but will have to double check. Gosh we’ve only just started considering all this. The other thing is - we were going to buy but looks like we will now be renting at first at least near DP’s parents. It’s frustrating how - we made our minds up on things - and then reevaluated. But with major decisions like this it’s best to take too long to decide - than not long enough. That’s my opinion anyway.

So we’ll look at her Dad’s old school but are throwing the field open and considering ALL OPTIONS !! - but not religious - mainstream only.

Even though I’m a spiritual person lol I say send them mainstream - then if kids want to be religious etc later on in life - they can be !

@HeronO quite a few Camden schools don't have a uniform. Camden, parli, AB, and I think some others. If that makes a difference!

It's true that if you're in Islington you're probably better off with Camden schools as they're generally better, or at least there's a few very troublesome ones in Islington that bring it down.

But there's quite a few decent options to be honest.

Highbury Fields girls school is good as is Camden school for girls. If I were in your position I'd probably be going for one of those 2

ah Thanks gosh I wish my school had no uniform!

my DP did the opposite lol - Camden last went to school in Islington! PIL still live in Camden

Ah fabulous thanks for the heads up

@HeronO haha! I went to one with a uniform and I was obsessed with breaking the code. Then another without and got bullied for my wacky clothes. So yeah, you probably can't win with that! 🤣

I would go for Parliament Hill personally. But would also be very happy with CSG. Don’t know enough about Highbury Fields to comment.

@HeronO Holloway boys used to have the worst rep in the 90s. It has to have improved since then. I'd hope! X

Haha definitely not! In my school they clamped down on things like wearing trainers - which I did quite a lot !

Thank you - will look into all these !

La Sainte Union is very good, but obviously a faith school which may not be your preference.

Ahh!! Luckily DP went there in the 80s so that’s him off the hook then!! I really hope it’s improved because understandably that’s the one DD wants to go to ! - or whatever it’s called now -,will have to look it up !

Thank you - it’s definitely worth bearing in mind though even if we’d ideally favour a mainstream school - the more potential options the better I think