Mill Hill School (Academic)

[Deadline99]

Anybody knows what's going on in Mill Hill School with the new head? There are new teachers with little or no teaching experience.

What make you think parents of MH are not ambitious towards their kids? I think the school needs a strong academic deputy head, in my opinion.

I didn't say that. I said the most ambitious ones academically will try for a more academic school. Those who stay may well value the sport or the pastoral care over the academics which is fine.

It tends to be those who cannot get into the better more academic schools who go there and always has been the case.

Highgate competition is fierce. My son is gifted in maths and can do some of 11+ questions and he is 8 years old. He took 7+ at Highgate and was on the waiting list for four months before he got in. Now at Highgate he is an exceptional student. My other son took 11+ this year at Highgate and wasn’t even called back for an interview. We are waiting for Belmont result due this 14th. I’ll be happy if he gets into Belmont not because it is a lesser academic school but my son is a different person than my younger one.
The whole exam process is just pathetic. I’ve personally experienced it for two 7+s and one 11+.
If academic schools like Highgate/UCS/Habs etc only take exceptional kids then what are they claiming the glory for. My younger son who is in Highgate can excel in any school.
My older son is down and dejected after receiving rejection letters from UCS and Highgate. I’m supporting him with so much love as I know he is a great kid and will do well in life. A school like Mill Hill will give me a rounded education and he loves sports too.
After 5 years of all this exam stress I’m asking myself was all of this worth it??? I know kids who just took one exam in a non-selective school and are super happy.
I have friends who studied in so called third world countries and went on to Harvard, Cornell, Cambridge etc etc
So for me my older son’s happiness is all I want. With his friends getting interview calls from every other school in London it has hit him hard and he is only 11 years old. He only took 4 exams. Got an offer from one, two rejections and we are waiting for Belmont.
It’s a rat race and not worth losing your sleep over as all kids are great in their own way and will do well in life.

So trueSQ77.

I still think the teaching at MH is not good enough (not all subjects though). But the fact that the deputy academic head is leaving is good news. He’s certainly not popular with students and parents.

If academic schools like Highgate/UCS/Habs etc only take exceptional kids then what are they claiming the glory for

very true @SQ77 and the same can be said for some tutor. The famous Arlette for example, interviews potential tutees in reception and only takes those who are way above average, so success at 7+ is not surprising.

I didn't mean to paint a bleak picture of MH - I have friends with kids there who are very happy, they are generally very sporty and value the facilities and sport more than the academics. Having also experience lots of failure at these arbitrary entry exams I totally agree it's the right school for the right child that matters. But it is an uphill struggle for somewhere like MH to improve when it has a reputation as a second choice and a less academic option.

@SQ77 thanks for sharing all that. I can really imagine how jaded you must feel having dealt with selective exams a few times. I’m on my first run. I’d be interested to hear how you have found Highgate for your younger DS. My daughter has been offered a place at 3 and my DS is waiting to hear post-interview at 11. He has also been interviewed by City and Westminster but we love idea of having at least two kids in same place so may even turn down WM or City for Highgate. Is that madness? Does your younger DSlove it at Highgate? Is he stretched enough? Would love to hear whether you think current Highgate hype is worth it. Ps we wed looking at Mill Hill for our middle son so this thread v helpful. Thanks everyone.

Anyone know much about the scholarships at Mill Hill - How many kids from Belmont get scholarships when entering senior school at 13?

I have heard it is relatively small by comparison to what is offered to external pupils coming from other preps.

Shame about the academics - it has a lot else to offer but the declining results appears to indicate leadership/governance don't see it as important.

Mill Hill's results are no better than the local comprehensives. great facilities if you are sporty though.

And that’s the crux of it. The results simply aren’t good enough if you have a good state option. Why would you pay over £20k per year if you can get your child into Mill Hill County, HBS, QE boys and girls or the Jewish / catholic faith schools? Answer: most locals wouldn’t which means that along with those competing for the tier 1 private schools they’re fighting against the state schools who have significantly better results at GCSE and are in another league at A level (when Woodhouse college (state 6th form) becomes an option

My son is loving Highgate. Some kids who joined from 3+ are struggling to keep up with the kids who joined in 7+. My son is very academic so it’s the right school for him. Having said that, Highgate lacks diversity and some parents feel uncomfortable.
Congratulations for your son as he is very academic to pass through to interview stages as it’s not easy. I would suggest you decide based on your kids abilities and personalities so they are happy in a school which fits right. Best of luck.

My son is loving Highgate. Some kids who joined from 3+ are struggling to keep up with the kids who joined in 7+

yes that's common. Friend of mine has a child there from age 3, now in senior. says his daughter spent the whole of year 3 catching up with those who had come in, who were effectively a year ahead from doing the 7+. The new intake got a nice chilled year in return for all the stress they had in years 1 and 2! they had all levelled out by the end of year 3.

@SQ77 @waterbottle12 That's interesting about the influx of kids into Year 3 leaving behind the ones that have been at Highgate longer. Thanks for that tip off.
Having been through 11+ with our eldest, we are just delighted by the fact that if DD joins Highgate aged 3, she could potentially stay there all the way and not put us through too much exam stress. Although quite weird perhaps to stay at the same school for 15 years!
@SQ77 also interesting about lack of diversity. I didn't think that would be a problem at Highgate, but obviously all these North London privates have their share of super-wealthy/privilege etc I felt on my brief visits to Highgate that it felt quite grounded. One reason we are leaning towards it even if we get an offer from Westminster is because it feels more normal than the intense ~(never mind super expensive!) Westminster experience. It's so hard though - people talk about making sure you fit your DC's personalities to the school you choose, but how do you know from a few visits what the schools 'type' is. My elder DS is very able, a little lazy and has coasted for primary school, but when he is stretched and pushed a little, he's capable of an awful lot, as the exam process has showed us. I'm trying to work out if Highgate would stretch him enough, or if - should we get an offer from WM or City- it would be madness to turn it down. He's not sporty either, so that's not an issue, but the thought of having two children in one school is very tempting, rather than him schlepping across London to WM. Sorry for long post - the wait is getting to me.

@Jane077
Did you get offers? Today was stressful. My son on waitlist for Belmont. He is so down. Wetherby for us.

@SQ77 Wetherby is great, no? Is your DS not keen? I know parents who massively rate it. Sorry your son feels downhearted- it’s such a harsh process.
DS has offers from Highgate UCS and Westminster. We know we are in very fortunate position. We are still likely to turn down WM for Highgate which seems a bit bonkers but I was really taken by HG and love the head - perhaps it’s just very good and PR!

@Jane077 I'd think very carefully before you do that TBH. Highgate is the trendy school at the moment and has a very slick head with a good patter, but I think you'd be crazy to turn down WM for it and I'd think carefully before turning down UCS too.

@SQ77 sympathies. I've been there, it's horrible.

@Jane077 tbh I see the appeal but I also think you'd be bonkers turning down UCS or WM for Highgate. It's only got so popular in the last 10 years or so and a lot of it is PR, they spend so much money on it. I wouldn't take it over schools who've had an outstanding reputation for hundreds of years.

@SQ77 my sympathies. We were in your shoes last year. Our DD ended up in our local 'good' state and she is flying academically and is so happy. Did you apply for any states by any chance?
Lots of people apply for Belmont as it's becoming a popular option for parents who don't want a hot house school but their waitlist does move so maybe try calling them after half term and see what the likelihood is.

@Malmontar thank you., very kind of you. Mill Hill county is outside our catchment area so didn’t apply. Didn’t want to put pressure on him for QE boys. I’ll call Belmont next week and see but I have faith that everything happens for a reason. I just want my son to be happy.

@Jane077 Wetherby is far away so DS not happy travelling every day for years.

@Malmontar @waterbottle12 My thinking was that since DS is bright, he will prob do well whichever academic selective school he goes to and get similar grades whether he is at Highgate, UCS or Westminster and since I'll have another child at Highgate and he won't have to do more than take a short bus to reach Highgate, this would be better for him than schlepping down on the Victoria line to Pimlico every day for next two years to reach WUS, then later to Westminster. But maybe I've overplaying the role of a 40 minute commute. UCS does seem lovely but again it's the wrong side of the Heath for us and I like co-ed side of Highgate.
@SQ77 ah I see the problem re: Wetherby. I'm also of thinking that a long commute is a big issue for a secondary school age child (see above) Good luck with Mill Hill waiting list Did you look at Forest?

With this Coronavirus crisis, anybody knows what is going to happen with the fees? If the students cannot go back to school (potentially) until September, is Mill Hill School going to charge the full summer term? Even if the teaching is made on line, it is not the same... no sports, no access to facilities....etc. Some parents will struggle financially and may not be able to pay the fee due to the current crisis. I hope there is clarification soon. It’s a difficult situation for everybody.

Schools generally are unlikely to reduce fees as their costs won't reduce. They still have to pay staff and insure the building which is most of the costs. I am hoping for them to maybe knock off the cost of lunch and the coach fee and not expecting any other reduction. Don't expect a free term, or 50% off or something like that unless you want them to lay off all the teachers.

I don’t think parents expect a free term but I don’t think the school can expect parents to pay for a service that is not completely provided. In fact, the online system has not been working properly. Lot’s of parents are already struggling themselves and don’t know how they are going to pay. The school may end up without lots of students.

But the schools expenses have barely fallen. Staff costs likely 70% or so and they are not choosing to close.

Nobody expected this crisis. Parents didn’t expect to lose their jobs either. Anyway, let’s see what happens. If there’s no money...there’s no money.