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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Hampstead Hill School - any experience?

25 replies

firstimer30s · 02/11/2016 17:22

Hello
Has anyone got experience of Hampstead Hill School?
Considering it for 3 yr old but would love any feedback!

OP posts:

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horsemadmom · 02/11/2016 19:41

All 3 of my DCs went to HHS. Loved it! What do you want to know?

lunchboxtroubles · 02/11/2016 20:57

A relative of mine left a couple of years ago. You go there to get into good schools at 7+. They want you to stay til 7 - if you sit anywhere at 4 or 5, they won't guarantee your next year's place. I liked the owner when I went to look round but figured I would at least double the fees in the amount of parking tickets I would get dropping off and picking up!

horsemadmom · 02/11/2016 23:47

Regarding 4+/7+, you are certainly welcome to sit 4+ (my DD1 left at that point) for NLCS, SHHS, St. Christopher's etc. And Boys sit for the4+ and 5+ at The Hall. HHS just wants to have you down for the pre-prep to know how many places will be available for new starters. There's no financial penalty involved in leaving before 7. It's just good manners to let them know if you are planning on staying for pre-prep. You'd be shocked at the number who don't communicate that.
Parking is always stressful but it's no better at any of the other Hampstead schools. Find a good car share rota if possible- cuts down your risk. I only got one PCN in 10 years (3 kids) and that was because DS hid in the toilets at going home time to avoid his ballet lesson. There is a fair amount of parking in South End Green if you are tactical about drop off time.

lunchboxtroubles · 03/11/2016 19:45

Horsemadmom you may be out of date as your kids are in sixth form now. HAS make it very clear that anyone sitting 4 and 5 plus cannot guarantee their place in reception/Y1 at HHS

lovinbeingmum · 04/11/2016 15:14

Hi firsttimer,

Do you have any specific queries? We have been there since the little one was 2. For the early years, I really don't think there is a better place. Great pastoral care. They are very well taken care of, learn so much (without realising they are learning), get good warm food for lunch. The teachers are extremely approachable and at least I feel that we are working as a team.

On the 4+/5+ debate, yes, they do ask you to let them know if you are sitting assessments. And yes, you are not guaranteed a spot for reception if you are sitting assessments (like it would be at any nursery I suppose). But, again, as I said, it is not antagonistic rather a team approach. Friends who left at 4+ had a chat with the headmistress and were quite pleased with her feedback on the child, which school they would be suited to etc. The children were prepped for the assessments. There are lots of kids who have gone on to their number one choice schools at 4+/5+.

However, from Reception onwards, the school is a bit of a mixed bag. That is a whole other conversation.

So, finally, for a 3 year old - go for it! Its a great place!

newmummycwharf1 · 04/11/2016 18:56

We are also hoping to get a place at HHS for our 2 year old. We would be planning to move on at 4 - hopefully to The Hall or somewhere similar that goes to 13. I had thought we would stay to 7 if we dont get our preferred 4 plus schools. What do you mean by mixed bag @lovingbeingmum

Original poster

firstimer30s · 04/11/2016 21:20

Thanks all . I suppose the real question is whether it is somewhere you'd recommend staying in after 4+?

OP posts:

Original poster

firstimer30s · 04/11/2016 22:04

Lovebeingamum, are you planning on keeping your DCs there after Reception?

OP posts:

lovinbeingmum · 04/11/2016 23:38

We stayed on because we really like the school.

What I mean by mixed bag is more to do with the whole 7+/11+ debate. If 7+ is the chosen path, then one has to be ready for the pressure of preparation. Some kids may not be.

As of now I feel the school is managing children of different interests and abilities really well......but then we are not yet done and dusted with the process.....I continue to hope for the best....

lunchboxtroubles · 05/11/2016 11:35

lovinbeingmum the threat of losing your reception place if you sit elsewhere is not at all standard for pre preps. It isn't the case at Golders Hill, annemount or the avenue. I think it's a disgusting this to do to parents at a stressful time. Of course you have to give a terms notice if you're leaving but the place should be open until you give that notice, whether or not you sit elsewhere.

TinyTear · 10/11/2016 15:03

we had our eldest there from 2 to 4.5 and now she moved to Reception in one of the local state schools. She was there in classes 1, 3 and 5 and it was great. nothing to complain and the teachers were great.

my youngest starts there in January at just under 2 and will also stay until the end of pre-reception

i have also heard mixed reviews from reception onwards, but from 2yo to pre-reception i reccomend it wholeheartedly

adijagmom · 02/03/2018 10:04

Hey - sorry to pull this up after a year but I am looking to send my son to HH this September and he will be just over 2. I am working full time so am planning to send him there till 530pm. Has anyone else sent the youngers kids for the full day ? I am hearing a lot of people tell me that it is a very long day for a 2 year old but unfortunately I do not have much choice. Any thoughts ?

Justme103 · 24/04/2018 21:25

Personally, I would avoid this place like the plague!

horsemadmom · 25/04/2018 08:50

I did it when I had a newborn. 2 DCs coped really well.

Ninst · 05/09/2018 10:31

Hi Justme103
Why would you avoid HH? Have you had bad experience there?

Ananas1111 · 07/01/2019 22:35

Justme103, why do you say that?

Everyusernameistaken1997 · 29/01/2019 04:25

As someone who has been through Hampstead Hill school's Junior and Senior I would never ever send me child there. The food was great the but Head Mistress and all her posse of daughters who help run it were honestly like a gang of bullies, one memory I have that has never left me was when one teacher by the name of Vicky, a out run bully who clearly has a lot of baggage in life made all the kids (including myself) clean the the classroom, dont get me wrong this is good for kids to teach the responsibility in life but they made the kids do this exclusively. whilst cleaning up around the classroom I sustained a massive splinter in my thumb, trust me it was huge, I remember this as clear as yesterday. When I showed this too my teacher Vicky she literally said and I quote " Get back to cleaning". This was said to me a 5 year old.I was then sent home with this splinter as the teacher despite knowing full well did nothing about it. As I hear this Woman Vicky is still employed there wHich does not surprise me as Bullies look after Bullies. Only pleasant memory I have there was the food, DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN.

SherryM · 31/01/2019 09:20

Hi - when did you all register your kids at Hampstead Hill. Our DS was born in Nov-18. We want him to start school ASAP and have been offered a morning only place at Mulberry House for Nov-20 which we have to accept in the next 10 days. We are also on the waiting list for Hampstead Hill for a Sep-20 start. We have a preference for HH given it’s a full day school but they won’t give us guidance on whether we have a confirmed place until Jan-20 (for a Sep-20 start). So before we turn down the Mulberry House offer, I wanted to get a sense for our chances of getting Into Hanpstead Hill. We registered DS the week he was born. So will be great to hear from parents who got offers at HH when they registered and their sense for probability of getting an offer at HH. Thanks a lot for the rather long message

SherryM · 31/01/2019 09:20

Thanks and apologies for the long message :)

sanam2010 · 31/01/2019 11:05

the best person to answer your question is really the registrar at Hampstead Hill. Other than that, doesn't MHS have a full day school option as well?

Ananas1111 · 31/01/2019 12:07

My daughter goes to HH and registered few months after birth but others got in who registered a year after or even later. I would say chances are extremely high you get a place.

Ananas1111 · 31/01/2019 12:11

There is no junior and senior school at HHS - it’s a pre-prep. Are you sure you wrote on the right post?

SherryM · 31/01/2019 15:55

Thanks you very much Ananas1111. That's v helpful insight

SherryM · 02/02/2019 08:54

Ananas1111 - can I ask a quick question: did you daughter join HH at age 2? That's the entry point we are focused on. Thanks very much!

Ananas1111 · 02/02/2019 10:33

Yes she did. I really wouldn’t not worry. I was in the same situation and we even took the place just because we were afraid it was our only chance to get in (actually by then we would have preferred to start at age 3) but then lots and lots of people got in at diffenrent points

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