Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Original poster

Habs Girls

71 replies

taliach · 15/02/2010 11:01

Hoping someone can offer some opinions.

We have been offered a place at Habs girls at 5+ but I keep hearing how pressured the school is. On discussion though, this turns out to be "what people say" rather than direct knowledge.

I've toured it and it didn't seem like that to me - certainly not in comparison to NLCS for instance. ie, no homework in year 5, lots of learning thru play, etc

Does anyone have a daughter at the school who can give me any background? We have places on offer elsewhere but we really like this school - we just want to make sure they'll take care of DD there as well as teach her!

TIA

OP posts:
avocet · 18/02/2010 17:39

I have a son and a daughter at the Habs schools. They are both very happy and busy but not overworked.

But anecdotal evidence is not what parents need. The ISC inspection reports are more objective.

janieann · 22/02/2010 13:47

I went to Habs girls and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Yes I did very well academically but I would have anyway and would have been much happier.

stressed2007 · 22/02/2010 15:14

When did you go there? How recently?

janieann · 22/02/2010 22:46

I was there in the 80's but from what I hear it hasn't changed very much. Interestingly when I met up with some friends recently we all said we would never ever send our dc there... If I was you I would try to speak to as many ex pupils as you can. Hope that helps and good luck

stressed2007 · 23/02/2010 08:29

why would n't you?

Original poster
taliach · 23/02/2010 15:14

Hi All,

Thanks for everyone's opinions! We've decided against the school for reasons of travel time - we have a place already at a lovely prep that is much nearer so we're taking that. We were very tempted by the idea of avoiding the 11+ stress so seriously considered the extra journey time necessary for Habs but on balance its just going to be too difficult.

Very interesting to get everyone's thoughts though, thank you for them!

Stressed - sorry haven't replied to your CAT.. Hopefully the above answers your q's and good luck with your decision.

OP posts:
stressed2007 · 23/02/2010 15:35

Just out of interest what area are you?

Original poster
taliach · 23/02/2010 17:18

Hiya stressed - we're in Nth London..

What do you think you will decide?

OP posts:
ImSoNotTelling · 23/02/2010 17:34

They have the coach for the journey if that's a help. It was the reason my parents chose habs.

My experience would echo the others, again this is from years back though (left in early 90s).

If you are bright, confident, pretty, highly competitive and extremely stable it will be wonderful.

If you are in any way lacking, have personal problems or problems at home, health issues or anything like that it is tougher. I would echo what others said re pastoral care it was non existant. Also bad/difficult behaviour of other sorts (we dressed like tarts basically, many anorexic/bulimic/obviously quite disturbed behaviour) had a blind turned as long as academic performance was good.

The juniour school was very cliquey - there was plenty of bullying - verbal not physical though.

Like I say this was years ago though and is just how I see it.

If you are a "habs type girl" then you will receive an excellent education and have plenty of opportunities.

picklepud · 24/02/2010 10:24

Went there for sixth form. Loved it. But quite naive at the time so probably a lot of stuff went over my head. I wasn't super bright, although I thought so before I got there (one of the best things about me going there actually, was a bit full of myself) and made friends I am in touch with to this day. I wouldn't send dd there for a number of reasons, but none of them to do with how I feel about my time there. Experiences of others are so subjective so don't take my word or anyone elses for it, go see and decide on how you feel about the place.

tinu2512 · 25/02/2010 15:05

Hi I have read this thread with interest as we have had an offer for our DD today to Habs at 11+, we are now not sure which way to go as some of the negative responses here, and others that I have come across elsewhere, have made me worried that this may not be the school to choose for my DD.

She is a lovely confident and independent girl who I expect will do well wherever she goes, but I want her school life to be one that she enjoys not regrets, am totally confused now.

stressed2007 · 25/02/2010 15:17

Join the club!

picklepud · 26/02/2010 11:16

mostly, the people who got on well and enjoyed HABs won't post on here. It is bound to be wrong for some. WHat was your gut feeling?

stressed2007 · 26/02/2010 14:49

why would n't they?

creditcrunched · 26/02/2010 15:26

tinu - first of all, well done to your dd!

Remember that whatever school it is, there will always be people who don't like it. In the end you have to go with your own gut feeling. If you think your dd will be happy and do well, then that's what matters.

The fact that you posted that she is "confident and independent" and will probably do well anywhere is very telling. Good luck!

picklepud · 26/02/2010 15:35

I might be wrong, but I guess they'd just be getting on with things. That's not to say it isn't heavily wrong for some. But I felt supported and wasn't a hugely hugely super bright or confident type, in fact quite the opposite before I joined.

stressed2007 · 26/02/2010 15:59

hurrah for habs!

tinu2512 · 26/02/2010 17:31

Thank you Credit

Ww will make the decision this weekend with our DD, but am leaning towards Habs if DD is happy too.

fiveweeksandcounting · 27/02/2010 09:12

Well, I went to HABS and was very happy there but that doesn't mean that I don't echo the thoughts of those who have made some criticisms of it. It's a wonderful school where the ethos is achievement and that there is nothing that you can't do if you put your mind to it. However, what anyone says it is highly competitive and those who are not the brightest of the bright can founder if they don't have the confidence to accept that they're still bright, just not as brilliant as some of the brightest.

It's a girls school and it's not small, classes in the upper school were of 30, although I believe that there are plans to reduce the size, so on the back of that it's simply not going to offer the pastoral care that a smaller more intimate school will offer. It also has 1000 girls, and that many girls in one place will generate a whole mix and there will always be the usual issues that teenage girls experience ie bitchiness, anorexia, bullying.

My personal view is that to be in one school from 4 or 5 is too long, very few of the girls who came in at that age made it to 18 and were either desperate for change or couldn't handle the pressure.

Would I send my kids there? If they were bright and more importantly resiliant then yes, absolutely. My son could have sat the 7+ this year and IMO I think that he's a HABS boy through and through and would absolutely love it but he's not tough enough yet, he still cries and gets frustrated when things don't go his way so we're waiting until 11 when we hope that he'll handle the pressure and competition better but yes, it's my dream to send him there. My daughter is younger and although she's sharp and bright she's a little bit quirky and I really don't know at this point if it's the school for her, I can't see her toeing the line and if that's the case then HABS is absolutely not for her.

So, hope that helps a bit.

proudestmummy · 11/09/2010 21:30

I was there from 1976 - 1991 and yes, it provided me with a wonderful education. However the ethos left me emotionally disabled for a very long time - absolutely lacking in confidence and any belief in my own abilities, both professionally and personally. Our daughter has just started at 4+ at a gorgeous co-ed school in Aldenham. The option of HABS was there for us but I would never take that risk with her well being. The school moto is Serve & Obey - to my mind no more need be said....

riya1995 · 30/04/2011 12:21

I am currently attending Hab's an am in Year 10, I believe that it is a competitive school and has a fair amount of pressure placed on the girl. However I find the atmosphere fun, enjoyable and a good crowd of friends helps you cope. Furthermore the teachers are really helpful when you do not understand a subject and individual head of years help you cope withe the pressure and any problems with friends, other girls, teachers etc. I have a lot of friends who have been in the school since they were five and who are happy. Also people always talk about how amazing the junior school was (experiences, teachers etc.). So I would recommend the school.

aliciaxxx · 29/10/2011 19:26

I'm in year 11 at habs and I think habs isn't a healthy environment to grow up in (I've been here since I was 4) and I have been begging my parents to let me move schools for a very long time. riya1995 is correct, your friends do help you through a lot, but they don't offset the fact that anything you tell the school councilor or a teacher in confidence soon finds its way to every member of staff which, in my case, was soul destroying.

academyblues · 30/10/2011 07:00

How awful, Alicia. I'm sorry to hear that.

oldmum42 · 30/10/2011 18:07

I live in Scotland so I know nothing of Habs except this - my DS1 has just started at Oxford (one of the smaller Colleges), and there's a large handful of Habs girls and Habs boys in his year intake (of around 90 students), so they obviously get the academic results and the confidence needed to apply to fot-flight Universities.

oldmum42 · 30/10/2011 18:08

Top Flight!

Swipe left for the next trending thread