Heath House School Blackheath SE London

[beanievet]

Hi, I'm looking at Heath House school for my daughters. I really like the small class sizes, overall pastoral care and success at 11+ exams. I'm put off by the lack of facilities. There is zero outside space. Does anyone have any experience of this school? Are the children happy in this environment?

I looked at Heath House too but prefer Blackheath High. Have you looked there?

blackheath prep has larger class sizes, great 11 plus results and a huge, well used field - have you been to one of their open mornings?

A cousin of mine has her DS there and he and she are both thrilled with it - he started off in one of the local state schools and was absolutely miserable but has blossomed at Heath House. She sent her DD (very different personality) to Blackheath High and hated it and has now sent her DD to another school entirely.

Hi, yes we've got a place at Blackheath High and are waiting for an assessment from Blackheath Prep. I think I like Blackheath Prep the best but have heard all kinds of rumours about the entrance assessment and so seems unlikely statistically we will be offered a place. I like the high school but would prefer co-ed schooling. Something about Heath House just really appealed to me... I initially dismissed it due its lack of facilities but then I started to wonder if it really was a hidden gem of a school - a small, nurturing environment that could really bring out the best in the pupils... but then wondered what would happen if my dd turns out to be a whizz on the netball court (for example) and that there might not even be enough girls in her year to form a team. When I asked the head teacher about the lack of space she said the children run around on the heath for exercise, that's fine a lot of the time but what about playing games like hide and seek etc during break-time? On the open heath they must have to stay in vision of the supervising teacher. I'm finding it so hard to choose a school for a 3 year old when I really don't know what kind of a person she will grow to become and what her interests/abilities will be. I'm sure all parents can relate to this. Anyway, thanks for the replies to this thread.

My cousin whose son is at Heath House has him enrolled at the Trinity School of Music on Saturdays and he also does swimming at the weekends and I think some other sport outside school during the week.

they do use the Heath a lot. Another thing to consider is the friendship pool. Am i right in saying HH has very small classes? If so, what would happen if friendship cliques form and she is not part of them? all too common unfortunately with primary girls ...
Bit of an urban myth about the BP assessment. Look on other threads about 3/4 plus assessments. They are not looking for a super brainy child who can already read. they are looking for a child who has potential, who can engage (they take the children to another room now) and is also a little 'quirky' I think.

beanievet - That is so true. I've been trying so hard to figure out what kind of school would fit my 2 year old, but it is really hard to tell where his interests will lie in 4 years time. Fair enough that I won't get the state school of my choice, but I'm finding it hard to accept that I'd still have to make compromises of one sort or the other despite choosing to pay out for a 'good' private school. Have you accepted a place at Heath House?

The children at Heath House school seemed very bright and well behaved but a lot of this may be due to genes and the family environment they live in. The school buildings looked very small and cramped, with lessons going on even in the entrance hall when we arrived, due to a lack of room; the school doesn't have significant outside space of its own. The Head owns the school and there is no independent board of governors. She shows families around every day for 2 hour tours in a very "grandiose" manner and did not appear to assess our child at all, just scrutinized us. The Head stopped 1 school pupil after he had politely and appropriately said good morning to her and asked him to repeat good morning Mrs.... in a more subservient way, which seemed unnecessary to us. The school is very small with only 1 class for each school year. I think we will go to a more mainstream school that is not the monopoly of 1 person..

The previous , earlier, independent school inspection reports of Heath House also had concerns re: the management and leadership of this school so worth reading these too.

The previous , earlier, independent school inspection reports of Heath House also had concerns re: the management and leadership of this school so worth reading these too.