NOTTING HILL AND EALING, WEST LONDON PRIVATE SCHOOL

[ealinglife]

I am looking for senor schools for my DD.

Any views on West London schools - particularly NHEHS??

I have heard positive things about Latymer Upper and LEH, but not much for NHEHS.

We are in Ealing so NHEHS would be ideal, logistically...but would like to invite views?

It is academically sound yet I do not sense as much enthusiasm for it as others.

Views appreciated!

Have you visited NHEHS and other West London schools yet?

The best way to get a feel for each school, and how suitable it is for your dd, is to visit. You could then ask specific questions which may get more of a response than your very general question.

Most London day schools are very good for a dc who is a good fit.

QGMum

Thanks for the response; I did visit NHEHS, LEH and Latymer.

I asked some questions of each school, when I visited.
Yet I came away feeling that each school (understandably) did expound benefits and virtues of itself
Eg. all required bright, motivated children; all expressed sports/activities which would more than suffice for my child

However, I felt that the statements made were not useful, to aid comparison/differentiation...I thought other people/parents/carers might be the best input on this.
Eg.
what is good/bad about each
(perhaps most important) assuming a child is bright enough to deal with the academics, what type of child would/would not thrive in each

I am starting to look at girls/co-ed schools in West London too. I haven't visited NH or LEH but visited Latymer and Hampton (next door to LEH) for DS 3 years ago. I found Latymer crowded and not particularly welcoming but DH really liked it, and all the parents I know (n=5) are very happy with the school. I think NH and LEH are both academically strong. LEH is miles away in a non inspiring suburb, whereas NH is local and leafy. I only know one mum with 2 girls at NH and she seems very happy with the school. Godolphin and Latymer is closer and seems like an excellent option. St Augustine's Priory has jumped 100 places in the independent league table this year and is going stronger, a good option too, although the 6th form is really small and girls tend to go somewhere else at that stage. The gov league table is not reliable for SAP as it does a mixture of iGCSES and GCSES. Depending how old your DD is, St Benedict's might have turned a corner by then as apparently the new Headmaster is changing things around significantly I am told. My DD is only in year 4 so I am not sure yet how academic she will be so I am keeping an open mind. My understanding of pushy girls schools is that they can be hard for some girls to deal with. I have another DD who started in a co-ed secondary this year and finds it less stressful than her all girls primary school, in her own words: "instead of talking about the other girls in their backs, we talk about the boys!" with a big grin on her face.

My dd is at NHEHS and I've found it to be a great school which promotes a strong work ethic in the girls and encourages them to be independent learners.

A new Head has just joined but it's not clear yet what changes, if any, he will make.

Only negative I have is that forms have 30 girls which I think is quite large for a private school. Some teachers don't seem to know my dd that well, or indeed, at all. If your dd needs nurturing then I would avoid. A motivated, self starter will do well there.

@QGMum: Slightly OT, but any colour on the Junior school would be much appreciated.

@LondonMum8: sorry I don't know the junior school

@QGMum: One proxy would be the performance of the girls coming in from the Junior school vs the external intake. Any observations?

Hi I am adding to this thread late in the day but maybe it will help others. I have a child at this school and I profoundly disagree with the point that the school is for a self starter.

Yes, the forms are of 30 but that is just your form. Not your group you are taught in. The groups are quite small.

I am a parent to boys and girls of different ages and I have a wide network of friends with children at different schools and I can say with my hand on my heart that NH&EHS has the best pastoral care out there. Apart from maths, they do not set, they also do not chuck out if GCSE results are poor, staying loyal to their girls. I wish to god I could find a school like this for my boys. My DD has some health issues and her annual report from her Paediatrician even reported on the excellent support she was given. The SEN support is amazing. The teaching is not uniformly amazing (is it anywhere), there are always things to improve but is a caring, listening school with in the whole exceptional teaching and I don’t know anywhere better. My daughter has done exceptionally well academically there, and I don’t think she would have achieved it anywhere else because she needed pastoral support.

If you want a caring school that can enable your child to do their best you can’t beat NH@EHS, also they now have coaches so you can actually get your child there and back if you don’t live in Ealing.

The mums I know who have children at Habs girls regret their choices, ditto G&L and LU. A clever girl will do well anywhere. NH@EHS is the best in my view and you should definitely consider it if you can get your child there. They really take care of your child and the classes are not big. At A level they are tiny, 6-8 nowhere to hide. The only other schools where parents I know are universally happy is SPAGs. This is my snapshot although others will feel differently.

Junior school is great, very happy, girls do equally well but some get itchy feet and tend to leave for 6th form, it’s a long time to be at one school.

New head has not made any discernible changes apart from the coaches ands seems a steady pair of hands and taking a gentle approach.

An extraordinary post.
How sad that your friends with children at Habs, G&L and LU regret their choices. Of those three, G&L (at least) is renowned for its pastoral care as well as the academics. LU is also a brilliant school, but co-ed and bigger.
What is SPAGs?

St Paul's Girls' School

I have never seen SPGS written as SPAGs. And more than a year on, that post from 'northlondoncat' still looks extraordinary.

I would avoid Notting Hill senior school if your daughter needs a nurturing environment. If she is a self starter and confident she will do well. The school is rather inflexible. Their A level results are improving after slipping over the last few years. The junior school is excellent.