St.Albans High School

[lovelymoo]

Anyone been to or have kids at St.albans high school. Thinking of sending DD1 there next year, DD2 will follow the year after and DD3 Two years later.
Any views appreciated

Thanks

My DD went there and I look after four of the teacher's childre. Two of whom will hopefully go there in September 07 providing they get in! ( They take the entrance on jan 11th for 4+ entry) I'll be doing the school run and after school care!

Ask any questions, I love the school and DD loved it even more!

[email protected] if you want to email me

As i have three girls the fees will stretch us a bit till i go back to work. Did your DD go from 4+ or just from 11+. We live in chiswell green so killigrew is our nearest JMI school. It is a really good school but not sure if they go to a state primary school and join STAHS at 11+ it means they will have a disadvantage against those that start from 4+. My DH doesn't think it will be a problem.
Sorry my daughter is due to start in 2007 at the school and nursery next sept.

It is not necessarily a disadvantage starting later lovelymoo. As you probably know there is entrance at 7+ and 11+. Not sure about at 7 but certainly at 11 when they move from Wheathampstead to St Albans the numbers increase. You will get many outsiders starting then - not sure they are necessarily at a disadvantage although the junior school girls only have to pass the exam to get into the senior school. The girls from other schools are obviously competing for remaining places.

We are very happy with it - DD is Year 10 and started in Year 7. Has had various quite severe health problems along the way and they have been very understanding.

Hi Alibubbles! (used to be sylvm - just realised I had a different persona and you wouldn't recognise me!)

We have looked round the school and i love it definatly want my DD's to go there. I liked it better than the others we went to and the fact its only 20mins from our house. We could easily afford the fess for all three if they started at 11+, I think DH would prefer this too. Did you have a tutor for your DD before she took the entrance exam. My main worry at them starting at 11+ would be they have made friends from a previous school and then starting a school where the girls have been there since 4+ and already have groups of friends, My main concern is that they may not feel they fit in coming at a later stage.

I'm not sure what the numbers are but I think you will find a lot of girls join at 11. My DD was at a small prep school in Potters Bar - they did everything necessary to prepare the girls for entrance exams so no we did not have a tutor. However if you were coming from state school, imo you would definitely need one as state schools do not prepare them for these exams only SATS (which are later anyway). They all have verbal reasoning tests which is not difficult - they just need to be prepared properly.

I really wouldn't worry about friendships - these change a lot at this sort of age. DD had girls start in both Y5 and Y6 at her prep school and girls have started virtually every year at SAHS (because people have moved away) and they are soon integrated. DD stuck with a couple of girls who she was with at her prep school, one is still a good friend but not the other, the rest are a mix on girls who were in the junior house at SAHS and others who came from other schools.

lovelymoo, my DD nad DS went to Kiiligrew and I was a governor there for 10 years. You probably live near a friend of mine, I know CG well.

My DD got in at 7 and at 11, but at 7 we decided to leave her at Killigrew as she only joined when she was 6 and idi so well, got Level 4 in all her sats and she was so happy there, we decided to wait until later.

We didn't have her coached at either age, she sat with a few friends who didn't get in, though they had been coached.

I don't feel that coaching should be necessary, having said that, I have coached a couple of friends 10 year olds for 11+ entry - they all got in! ( One St Albnas Boys school)

Killigrew is a good school, not as good as it was since thearrival of the new Head in the juniors, I know she is not too popullar, but then neither was the last one! The last one did turn the school round and send it flying high, ressults have dropped quite a bit, but then they aren't everything.

The days of "liz chiz"are gone, she was a brilliant Infant head, and the newish one is good too.

I went to Killigrew infant school and remember being really happy there and i was certain i wanted my kids to go there, but now we are in a position to send them private i am in two minds. I def want them to go to an independent school by the time they are 11+.
Did your DD have to take the entrance exam again at 11 even though she passed it at 7 or could you just pospone her place.
Thanks for your help should have asked these questions when we went but it was all so much to take in at the time.

Lovelymoo, I am sure I probably know you! What age are your daughters?

DD took it again at 11, passed but chose to go to Dame Alice Owens, but for various reasons ( there is a thread abput it) she left at the end of year 8 and started at SAHS in year 9. Mrs Daly ( God rest her soul) in her inimitable way said, we took her at 7, we took her at 11, you have turned us down twice so this is your last chance, cheque for £500 non refundable on my desk by noon tomorrow - goodbye!!

Where did you go to secondary school yourself?

There are 40 places at 4+ and 8 more become available for 5+, so if you don't get in at 4 and are top of the list then there is a good chance at 5. There are then about 24 places at 7, ie another form and I think 60 at 11. ( Not sure on that, but it is 3 girls applying for every place)

Places at 13 are dependent on someone moving out, we were very lucky!

The 6th form, depends on how many they lose post GCSE, DD's year only 3 were available. This year a few going off to boarding school, so they gain a lot from Abbots Hill as they only go to 16.

My eldest daughter is 3 and currently goes to the preschool in chiswell green. I went to Marlborough from 1989 onwards but i lived in bricket wood at that time

We too are thinking about SAHSFG for September (reception entrance). Am concerned about competition for places though (have heard it is very over-subscribed) and also whether she will 'fit in'. By this, I mean that we are not particularly rich and am concerned that she may be in a class with other children who have ponies and ski-ing hols all the time IYKWIM. Lovely school though.

My kids won't be the up there on the ponies and skiing holidays scale either (can't ski anyway). I was worried about this but now know people who went to STAHS and they reassured me that some people are mega rich but some are just normal people and they all integrate just fine, the issue of money isn't a problem.
The only other thing i'm concerned about is the extra stuff you have to pay for on top of the fees, don't want DD's to be left out of extra curricular stuff

in our experience, sahs is not like this - we do not have a huge house, ponies etc. Some people do have big houses of course, others save every penny to enable their girls to go there. No one we have come across, looks down on you. IMO the senior school does not have the best facilities of all the private schools in the area but it is very special regarding ethos and achieves brilliant results. I think it is like a good old fashioned girls grammar school. I suspect that Wheathampstead House has far better facilities but I do not think you should select a school on facilities (unless they are awful of course).

I know that you mean. However, DH comes from a rich family. He said that at his private school there was always someone richer than you and not everyone went on every trip etc anyway.

Would be handy if Wheathampstead House had a nursery (enough space in grounds surely) then it would help with reception places (like Beechwood Park) with its Montessori.

My and my DH went to a state secondary school although i did Ok my Husband not as well.
My siblings didn't do to great either and its just put me off sending them to a state school We have both got really good paid Jobs, not me anymore as SAHM but could work from home if needed and we would like our girls to to privately educated as we can afford it - only just. We have no experience of private schools as we don't really know anyone that has to ask of their experiences. I am fine with them going to a state primary school but don't want to move them around too much or decide i wish i had sent them from 4+ when its too late.

I have been doing the Chiswell Green nursery run for the last year, Babs knows me well! ( I have been going there for over 12 years on and off) Anne G was my daughters brown owl

There were not many extras on the bill, only lunches, music lessons if you want them. SAHS have always prided themselves on being an all inclusive fees school, not like St Columba's where DS went. Books were extra, paper, files everything even had to pay exam fees.

SAHS include all that and nore.

A lot of people come from very humble backgraounds with small houses, but put everything into paying the school fees. Yes there are some very very wealthy families, but then there are some far far wealthier families at some of the local state schools that I know of - no names!

DD has friends from 2 up 2 down cottages and friends from mansions, they have all slept on our unfinished conservatory floor, squished up together and they are the loveliest of girls, I get a warm feeling when I remember all of the times there were many of them here for barbies, lunch, pre party etc.

One girl of a titled very rich family has a friend who lives in a tiny house and shares a tiny bedroom with her sister as her best friend and it is a very genuine friendship on both sides. They have both left and are still close friends 6 years on. The priviledged girl always makes contact every time she is back in the city with her 'poor' friend

Several 'ordinary' families have sent their girls to SAHS from Chiswell Green and surrounding area.

lovelymoo, Your three must be closer than my two who are a year apart!

Remember, there is nothing lost by your child taking the entrance, if they make the grade they stay on a list of continuing interest, especially at 11 and I know sosme girls who have been offered places in year 8 and moved successfully.

toottoot, I agree with you about a nursery, but I would lose all my business. I have been asked about it before when they were still in St Albans, it wouldn't pay me enough!

What a small world must def see each other around then.

You are the queen of schools noone knows as much info as you not even the taff at the school
I think i will try and get DD1 in for reception and see what happens from there i can always refuse the place and try again at 11+

fuschia0703, Hi, Sorry, I forgot to acknowledge you!

Lovelymoo, is your daughter sitting in Jan 07? The two I look after are going on different days as they are nine months apart, so they do pu them into age groups when assessing them.

I wish that i had insisted DD went at 11, but Dame Alice is an excellent school and free! DD didn't miss out though, she was accepted very quickly and has made some very lovely long term friends.

no she will sit next jan i think as just turned three due to start nursery next september hopefully at killigrew.
DH says we should keep her at Killigrew as DD2 will be at Mrs Sullivans so less driving around and start them at SAHS at 11+.
I to think this may be a better idea