11+ Haberdashers Girls, Highgate, Latymer Upper or Godolphin & Latymer????

[loveyouradvice]

Hi. My mother has just amazingly said she'll fund DD private school fees - she's currently y5 at local primary. I find the decision terrifying - how do I choose? She is bright but not brilliant, creative, relatively uncompetitive and a dreamy kind imaginative soul - I would love to find somewhere that can bring out the best in her, stretch her academically and allow her to enjoy life and the activities she loves (drama, art, etc) as well as continuing to be the very lovely person she is. I'm a bit concerned about all the talk about the superbright schools making kids feel inadequate if they are in the bottom half of the year, etc. What do any of you know about these schools? Or others within reach of NorthWest London? She is now being tutored and hopefully would get in.

Have you considered Channing, it would probably suit a creative type (it is just down the road from Highgate). If you are concerned about her being in a super-bright school what about Belmont/Mill Hill. Mill Hill is becoming more academic under the new head, it has lots of extra-curricular stuff and they try to find ways for all to shine.

Well personally-*forget" hothouse askes-- Haberdashers-highly pressurised academic environment.
As a left of fiels..how about Queenswood? here

I would second Queenswood - it comes across as a really nice, unpressured environment where girls are happy and do well. Daily pick ups or flexible boarding. Definitely worth a visit, even if just to get you started. Start your visits early (actually asap and don't wait till Year 6) and you will find you soon find out what you like and don't like and what fits your daughter.

If she's non competitive then not Habs

really useful advice... I hadnt heard of Queenswood so will take a look... its been suggested she is more academic than Mill Hill but again Ill investigate as I like the approach. Great to hear from people - and look forward to hearing any other thoughts!

Hello. I do know quite a lot about Queenswood. It really depends what you want and how much you want to pay. As a day school, it is very expensive - just short of boarding fees. Days are long if you want best value. If your DD wants to leave at 4 pm every day, you may find this expensive. Drama is exceptional but art very average. Art room locked at weekends and evenings so girls could not get in to complete work. Lots of Chinese girls boost academic results, especially in Maths and Sciences. Over half of Year 11 left in July 2011 and only about 25 were left, although more recruited. Some girls are happy but the number leaving has risen to a flood from a trickle so do not be persuaded by smart new buildings, chic senior staff and slick patter. Look behind this to see if it will really suit. Sport valued above ALL else - tennis and hockey. You do have to conform to a "norm" to be valued and this pushes girls away if they develop in a more quirky or individual way. Queenswood girls call life there being in the "purple bubble" and you either love it, or hate it! A lot of us thought the recent Inspection was a work of fiction! This was a brilliant school, but does not listen to parents and is paying the price with low recruitment and lots of leavers.

Thanks guys for all your input..... guessing the best way of approaching it is just to keep talking and looking at these schools and eventually it will become clear! Part of me is just longing to send her to the local state school, though the rest of me feels it would be mad to pass up this opportunity for her

CHANNING

Latymer.

Most definitely Latymer, I trust FT's rankings the most - Latymer Upper came 25th in the independent schools table this year regarding both A level results and GCSE results. It was the top co-ed school apart from the Perse School in Cambridge - which I think is absolutely brill. Their facilities are fantastic - just as good as St Paul's etc, and in 2012 they got 50 people into Oxbridge. Latymer Upper is one to watch!! It is however one of the hardest schools to get into in the country due to huge amount of applicants

Haberdashers. My daughter was very very happy there, no pressure at all. It is usually parents whose daughters were unable to get in who like to malign it and write about pressure.

Why not sit her for 3 or 4 schools and just see where she gets in? Get her some practice papers before so she knows what she will be doing.

North London Collegiate is good too where my other one went.

Have a look at the Sutton Trust destinations of leavers page 27 or 29 on this link www.suttontrust.com/research/university-admissions-by-individual-schools/ as it shows which universities schools sent pupils to.

Zombie thread - wonder which school OP decided on and why.

We havent decided yet! She sat lots of exams- amazed us by getting interviews at all.... She likes Latymer the best, we like Highgate the best..... others looking good.... waiting to see who offers us places and then decide!!!

loveyouradvice, if you are still there after all this time, I would really appreciate to hear your thoughts on Latymer Upper and G&L. My own DD sounds a bit like yours (in terms of both academics and personality), and is also moving from state. She will sit the tests for a handful of schools in January 2014. And what did you actually decide?