Tips, advice, insights into private girls school and state girls schools in North London area -

[SRKMC]

Hi, any tips and advice on which school to choose from in terms of STEM, inclusivity, diversity, extra curricular activities and where any signs of bullying are solved and where there isn't any lots of cliques! Looking mainly at Queenswood, Palmers Green High School, St Alban's High School for Girls, St Francis Henrietta Barnett and two state schools St Alban's Girl's school and Presdales. If there are any other girls schools near Hertfordshire (Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Wormley, Ware, St Watford, St Alban's area) please let me know. Thanks

Also academics and leavers destination!

What year is your DD currently in? For the state schools, including HBS, place of residence at the time of submitting your CAF at the beginning of year 6 will be relevant to your DD's chance of getting a place. Some schools have a later date - usually by three or four weeks - by which you can update your address and have the new address used for the ranking for national offer day allocations, but on the other hand, some individual schools have a cut-off date earlier than the CAF submission deadline. Given that you can't possibly be in the priority admissions area for all the state schools that you name, plus nowhere in, say Ware is going to be in catchment for a school in Watford, presumably you will need to move for most of them? You need to look at each school's admissions policy.

Thanks for your message @MarchingFrogs
my DD has just started year 5 we have a home within 3 miles of HB that we have rented out and currently live in Goffs oak but by February next year looking to move if we need to for the school that she likes most. Are we able to put both houses down on the application? So any insights to the schools will be great.

If you move to Barnet, depending on the postcode you can be both in HBS three miles and DAO priority areas (or maybe your house already is?). It's co-ed though, I guess you're only considering girls schools? I'd probably choose DAO over HBS but depends on the child.

HBS is hard to get into even for 3-miles candidates as you know.

STAHS is a good down to earth school or at least it was when my DD got an offer from them and I researched the school.

Not sure what you mean by diversity but Palmers Green is predominantly S Asian (as well as HBS obviously). STAHS is more diverse.

Why not Habs if you're considering private? I haven't checked the league tables in a while but it's usually higher than Palmers Green.

HABS has a wonderful pastoral team and is definitely worth looking into. Academically at the top with diversity and inclusitivity a priority. The girls have so many opportunities.

@Ubertomusic thanks for the advice, Habs is 30 mins away I know how great it is academically but the drive is putting me off, also heard there's been issues of bullying in certain years. In terms of pastoral care is Habs more strong in this area than Queenswood?

@Rocknrollstar thanks, will definitely go to the open day as it's on our list but just worried when some family members said there was some bullying during their time. I know how great it is academically, when my DD goes to the open day she will know straight away if it's for her, she really liked Queenswood when we went to the open day, she didn't like DAO and prefers a girls school ones with strong track record on STEM subjects as she's very into these subjects.

@Ubertomusic Also, DAO we visited and my DD wasn't fond of it. She prefers a girls school.

I don't know much about Queenswood, sorry, no friends went there.

Bullying happens in all schools, the only question is how the school deals with it.

HABS most definitely is not a diverse school, and I know this from experience. PGHS is mainly south Asian and I would say St Albans is more diverse, then any of the above. Academically, HABS has better results, definitely would recommend visiting the school and not during an opening event. Please do try and arrange a visit during a normal school day. Independent schools use opening events as an opportunity to sell the school, however in order to get an authentic feel, it’s better not to engage in these events.

PGHS is great. My daughter is in year 6 and will be going into the senior school. Small classes so they really know everyone and great academic results for a small school. My elder daughter went all the way through from 4-16 and loved it. Then to DAO where she did very well but wasn't really 'known' so was underpredicted in her a levels.

NLCS is not far from Hertfordshire. They've just won the Independent Secondary School of the Year (Sunday Times). The new headmistress is quite forward-thinking and visionary.

Slightly different location, but Herts and Essex High in Bishop’s Stortford is great - stellar results for a comp and impressive leavers’ destinations (published in detail on their website). Seems to be improving every year. A close friend’s daughter has just finished there and loved it - didn’t find it cliquey and has a lovely group of friends.