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Original poster

which to choose NLCS or Habs at 4+?

38 replies

rinol · 07/02/2009 12:41

My dd has got into both schools but not sure which to choose!I have another dd at Habs....decision decisions!.....i'm leaning towards NLCS!...any advice welcome

OP posts:
frannikin · 07/02/2009 13:22

Where do you want her to go at 11? What's the journey like for you? You probably live closer to one or the other. Does your dd at Habs get the coach or do you drive? Would you be prepared to do the drive for your 4yo dd? They didn't used to let them use the coach that young.

Most importantly, what suits her?

Habs senior school I hated (it was 7 years of hell for me) but junior school I loved and wholeheartedly recommend.

Original poster
rinol · 07/02/2009 15:39

Frannikin...I'm interested to know what happened at senior school.My dd at Habs loves the junior school and has been there for 5 years.(so far so good)!She does take the coach but i would have to revert to going by car in sept.(not too bad)...I live closer to NLCS.Obviously both dds want to be together....I'm not sure what suits her!...At 11 i'm hoping dd at Habs will get a scholarship!but will try other schools too.

OP posts:
myredcardigan · 07/02/2009 19:53

You need Xenia, she had one daughter at each!

gollygee · 07/02/2009 20:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Peachy · 07/02/2009 20:07

You could consider an archive search, am pretty certain this is an annual thread (clearly some very bright kids in MN land)

Gollygee that's unfair, should people only ask for advice about bad things?

Hope you find the one that's right for your DD

nkf · 07/02/2009 20:09

Why not send them to the same school? For your own convenience if nothing else. Are they so wildly different? I guess not. If they were, you wouldn't be dithering.

myredcardigan · 07/02/2009 20:15

I'd send them to the same school for logistical reasons but as I say, keep this bumped for Xenia, she had one DD at each!

gollygee, why bother posting?

gollygee · 07/02/2009 20:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

sunnydelight · 08/02/2009 10:23

Get a life gollygee.

I don't know either of the schools rinol, but all three of mine ended up in the same school for the first time last year (5-15 so they span the range!) and it has definitely brought them all closer. They can all get the school bus together as well which is fab. Unless you have a really specific reason for choosing different schools for them I would keep them together.

thirtysomething · 08/02/2009 16:54

gollygee I don't hang around on boards where i don't feel I'd have any common ground or anything useful to contribute eg. I just don't 'get' home educating children at all, but accept that lots of people think it's best for their kids- therefore i don't hang around on those threads.....do you see where I'm going with this?

Getting back to the OP, I don't know either of these schools as in a different part of the UK but agree that having two children at one schools makes them closer and would certainly make life easier for you? I think you'd need strong reasons for choosing the other school really.

averyboringname · 08/02/2009 20:13

Unless there was a firm reason why your dd2 would not get on at Habs, I'd send her there as it will be nicer for them to be at the same school and to have that shared experience when they're growing up and as adults too.

Both are superb schools as I'm sure you already know so well done to your dd.

Btw, what were the assessments like?

thinkingabout3 · 08/02/2009 22:29

Habs purely because it will make all the logistics much easier and there's not really much difference between them and green is nicer than brown

averyboringname · 08/02/2009 22:57

And where IS Xenia?? This thread is just made for her.

FritztheDog · 09/02/2009 08:00

Hi, I went to Habs, and had a few friends at North London; my impression is that Habs is slighly more conventional, North London produces an extremely confident, thinking out of the box type.
The families at North London seemed to be more bohemian intellectual types. They had scuffier cars, didn't care so much.... (waits, cowering, to be shot down)
Personally though, I'd go for having them both in the same place.
I loved Habs.

muniratu · 09/02/2009 11:55

Hi Rinol, Please can i ask u how u prepared ur dd for the assessments, my dd didn't get either!!

lisalisa · 09/02/2009 11:59

i am also interested to know what they ask in these asessments?

averyboringname · 09/02/2009 12:30

Maybe miruati because you use text speak....sorry but it's not very popular on here.

averyboringname · 09/02/2009 12:31

not that I can type your nickname properly - sorry. I meant muniratu.

Original poster
rinol · 09/02/2009 16:48

hi all...thanks for the feedback....i have 3 weeks to mull over my decision!....
Muniratu and lisalisa....for both assessments the 1st stage for both schools were mainly group play;in NLCS they asked dd to cut in a straight line!,also shown some shapes;in Habs she had to do some colouring!and draw a picture of her family..1st stage is all about interacting with others as the assessment is in groups of about 10 girls....The 2nd stage for both schools is a 1:1 interview with a teacher for about 30/45 mins....In NLCS she was asked to sing a song!(she enjoys singing so no problem there!);also shown some pictures and timed to see how fast she was at recognition ....In Habs she had to do 2 puzzles;listen to a story and answer questions.They also asked her where she lived and the name of the road!....All in all i'm happy that they are over!

OP posts:
fillybuster · 09/02/2009 17:01

I loved NLCS - I was there from 10 (senior school, was just young) - had been at South Hampstead previously (hated hated hated it) and was sooooo jealous of all my new friends who had clearly had a fab time in the Junior school. Although that started at 7 at that time...

My sister went to NLCS from 7, which still the youngest (she was desperate to go there as soon as she saw it when I started) and also totally loved it.

I don't know what its like now, but NLCS always seemed to produce more 'individual' types than Habs, can't really explain it very clearly but there was a lot about the ethos of the school at the time around allowing children to be themselves. I think some of that might have changed now, though: for example, they started enforcing a proper school uniform when I was doing my GCSEs (we were exempt, but until then there had just been vague 'guidelines' and you were encouraged to interpret these in an individualistic manner!).

Anyway, they are both good schools, so its a nice choice to make (But definitely definitely definitely NLCS!!!!!)

fillybuster · 09/02/2009 17:03

I loved NLCS - I was there from 10 (senior school, was just young) - had been at South Hampstead previously (hated hated hated it) and was sooooo jealous of all my new friends who had clearly had a fab time in the Junior school. Although that started at 7 at that time...

My sister went to NLCS from 7, which still the youngest (she was desperate to go there as soon as she saw it when I started) and also totally loved it.

I don't know what its like now, but NLCS always seemed to produce more 'individual' types than Habs, can't really explain it very clearly but there was a lot about the ethos of the school at the time around allowing children to be themselves. I think some of that might have changed now, though: for example, they started enforcing a proper school uniform when I was doing my GCSEs (we were exempt, but until then there had just been vague 'guidelines' and you were encouraged to interpret these in an individualistic manner!).

Anyway, they are both good schools, so its a nice choice to make (But definitely definitely definitely NLCS!!!!!)

fillybuster · 09/02/2009 17:03

I loved NLCS - I was there from 10 (senior school, was just young) - had been at South Hampstead previously (hated hated hated it) and was sooooo jealous of all my new friends who had clearly had a fab time in the Junior school. Although that started at 7 at that time...

My sister went to NLCS from 7, which still the youngest (she was desperate to go there as soon as she saw it when I started) and also totally loved it.

I don't know what its like now, but NLCS always seemed to produce more 'individual' types than Habs, can't really explain it very clearly but there was a lot about the ethos of the school at the time around allowing children to be themselves. I think some of that might have changed now, though: for example, they started enforcing a proper school uniform when I was doing my GCSEs (we were exempt, but until then there had just been vague 'guidelines' and you were encouraged to interpret these in an individualistic manner!).

Anyway, they are both good schools, so its a nice choice to make (But definitely definitely definitely NLCS!!!!!)

fillybuster · 09/02/2009 17:03

oops, sorry ...network problems...

narnia2 · 09/02/2009 23:05

What's the age gap between your daughters? I do think there is also an argument for being at separate schools. Is one duaghter often in the others shadow? does one daughter try to emulate the other? - if so better to be at separate school where they can grow to be individuals yet at home have the chance to share their experiences from different schools, but still allowing them to develop a closeness. As you're in the fortunate posistion of choosing between a ferrari and a lambourgini why not get the best of both worlds - my vote's with NLCS for you!

Judy1234 · 10/02/2009 19:52

My daughters were at both - one at Habs and one at NLCS until they were 18. They adored both schools. There are many more similarities then differences. NLCS is more London ish so her friends tended to be more central and the other more Herts.

I felt they did almost exactly the same standard of work and types of books and courses. NLCS tends very marginally to do better in A level results but they're usually both in the top 10 schools in the UK over the last 10 years. I preferred neither. I liked the Habs carol services although my Catholic daughter often went to Jewish assembly as it was closer to her class room! NLCS doesn't have a carol service .These are such tiny differences that it doesn't matter. If NLCS is nearer you go for that one.

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