St Helens vs NLCS vs South Hampstead Girls School

[Dad007]

Dear all,

Having been to open days of North London Schools and some in Hampstead area I have come back impressed with a few that seem to have good focus on extra curricular activities as well as academics. I have read other threads that hint things like NLCS is pushy about academics and St Helens is not that great with academics, Habs is balanced etc and am getting confused. Are there certain defining characteristics that differentiate these schools from each other? Specifically looking for what differentiates St Helens from NLCS from South Hampstead Girls School

Many thanks

Where do you live? That's quite a geographic spread. Commute into Hampstead/Swiss Cottage is not for the faint hearted.

Thanks Smalltoothbrush. We are open to relocate so that we are closer to a good school once DD get through the assessments. So as a step 1 we wanted to understand what really differentiates these schools.

For example if we relocate to Hampstead / Finchley Road area, then South Hampstead would be close and NLCS can be accessed via the coach route. St Helens would then be too far. But we do not want to relocate to Hampstead and thus rule out St Helens if it is where DD would thrive the most. See the dilemma? :) So we want to first get some view on these schools..

My daughter is in nursery at St Helens and we absolutely love it.
For me an academic girl will excel at St Helens and have many opportunities. The new head is very wise and has an exciting vision for the school.
I liked NLCS but for me being in an environment where brilliant is the norm worried me. All girls schools and the pressures do concern me and I just feel happier with St Helens.

Thanks jmf294. Did your DD sit for 4+ assessment at NLCS or you decided to continue in St Helens all the way starting with Nursery?

We have decided to leave her at St Helens. She is so happy and doing so well. In the space of 1 1/2 terms she is now writing and starting to read and still only 3.
She loves her friends and is greeted by a big hug every morning by them. Her teacher is such a warm person and really nurtures them.
Couldn't possibly move her even though the school run to habs would be a fraction of the journey.

Thanks jmf294. V. helpful!