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Sarum Hall vs. Pembridge Hall

9 replies

LostinSJW · 29/01/2025 13:35

Sarum Hall vs. Pembridge Hall

Dear Parents,

Please help, I would love your advice. This winter, we went through the notorious and miserable North London 4+ assessments, but were beset by illness - my DD achieved a couple of waiting list places, but nothing solid.
We do have two concrete places at Sarum Hall and Pembridge Hall which I think are our realistic choices. Is there anyone who can share their experiences of the schools? I realise they are quite different, one being small and the other being comparatively large, but my daughter is relatively academic and strong willed (!) and I would like to give her the best chance possible for secondary school and the 11+. Does Sarum Hall have an academic or holisitic advantage over Pembridge Hall or vice versa?

I am slightly anxious about the new management of Pembridge following their purchase by the PE firm Inspired Education. The new headmistress at Sarum sounds great, but she has also only been in post for two years and the school is very small, it may run into trouble with VAT added to fees etc... Anyway, I would really appreciate your honest view on your daughter's and your own experience at either school and indeed any feedback you might have.

Thank you so much in advance for your help.

OP posts:
afewtoomanychoices · 29/01/2025 17:47

Although a while ago, all 3 of my girls went through SH. The building and facilities were fab for a small school. I of course have no clue about the future and VAT but it has always been popular right back to when I was young. I always hear that people struggle to get a place. I also like that it is not owned by a company such as inspired. I’m sure Pembridge is lovely too, I don’t have any experience of it

LostinSJW · 29/01/2025 20:10

Thank you so much @afewtoomanychoices, I really appreciate your taking the time to reply! May I ask how you found the 11+ process and finding the right schools for your daughters?

OP posts:
afewtoomanychoices · 29/01/2025 21:24

My girls didn’t all go to the same secondary but they really prepped the girls for the right school for them. I don’t know if they still do this but they it’s a one form entry all the way through except year 6 when they halve the class according to ability. They never said it was to ability but was quite obvious. My youngest daughter was placed in the lower set and was upset about this. But nevertheless she got into great schools. From her class I remember all 20 girls went to top schools and mostly their first choice. Only one memory of one girl who didn’t get NLCS but ended up at CLSG!

hopefulmum16 · 17/02/2026 19:56

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Redexpress · 21/02/2026 22:30

@LostinSJW i just saw this thread and wondered what your final choice was? Sarum Hall seems to achieve such great resulte year on year

NW3toNW1Mum · 09/06/2026 15:07

Sarum Hall used to be an excellent school under Mrs Smith, then managed to even improve under Ms Savage - and then was completely ruined by Ms Coles imo.

Redexpress · 09/06/2026 21:34

Can you please elaborate @NW3toNW1Mum ? Feel free to DM me if it’s a sensitive as we are genuinely considering this school

afewtoomanychoices · 10/06/2026 16:21

why out of interest?

w1wanderer · 27/09/2026 16:20

Former student here. I’m very late to this thread but I thought I would offer my insight. I attended Pembridge Hall 2011-2018. I had mixed experiences, but the negatives far outweigh the positives.

I agree with others on here that it is a very “posh” crowd. Some of the parents are extremely stuck-up and arrogant. This behaviour often passes onto the children and creates a toxic school environment. Teachers almost always land on the side of the child with the richest/most famous parents.

I don’t deny the quality of the education or that certain children couldn’t flourish here, but in my experience as a quiet, creative child on the shy-side, it was soul-crushing.

I had some lovely teachers, but many of them were, in my opinion: bullies. I was verbally put down. I was laughed at. I was humiliated.

I had a female PE teacher who recorded me during a dance recital. Being a 9-10 year old with low self esteem, I froze up. She played the recording in front of the other students and then told me she would show it to all of the parents at parents evening and that I should be embarrassed.

My art teacher (Madame Le-“something”), didn’t utter a word of encouragement or approval to me once, despite my great interest in the subject, attendance of clubs and natural talent in drawing. After looking at my portfolio she simply said, “secondary schools won’t be interested in this.” Even the other teachers looked shocked and confused. I now attend the highest rated art college in the world.

Not to mention that the telltale signs of abuse at home were completely ignored. In fact, when I would express my unhappiness and raise concern about my abuser, I was told off. This individual was even head of the mum’s association (or whatever they called it) for a period of time. At the High Court, teachers from PH testified that my behaviour dramatically shifted when this individual would come to the school. They said I would barricade classroom doors and hide under desks. Still, they themselves never took any action or even attempted to enquire with me as to what was going on behind closed doors.

I had many more unpleasant experiences, and I was not the only one. Years later my friends and I still recount our awful experiences.

All this to say, if even a fraction of the things I covered are still true today, save your money. Save your child’s self esteem. It’s not all that they make it out to be.

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