Heathside School Hampstead, London (Help!)

[Jane000]

Hello all,

I’m new here so I hope that I’m posting in the right thread.

Our two children are both signed up to start at Heathside School in Hampstead London from January (we are relocating from the US) but a friend over there has sent me a link today to an article in a local paper that has given me serious heebie jeebies about the idea.

She also sent me a link to the report referred to in the article which makes for seriously frightening reading if it is true.

Can anybody who is a parent at this school (or who knows the school well) tell me whether this is all a whole bunch of scare-mongering or whether they’d advise that we find somewhere else double-quick?

Hope you can help - other than that, we’re looking forward to moving to the UK!

Bloody Norah!

Ofsted do sometimes place disproportionate emphasis on box-ticking, but that report is a comprehensive savaging. It sounds as if the head (who is also the owner, which is a massive conflict of interest) has no handle on the practicalities of running a school in an acceptable way, and no interest in changing that.

Hampstead and the wider area has loads of good state schools, and the local population is very mobile, so I’m sure you’d be able to get places in a decent primary school where you’d be assured that the place was being run by competent adults who didn’t profit from corner-cutting.

OMG this is a truly damming report. If I were you I would definitely look elsewhere.

The further problem with a report like that (if you needed more problems) is that even if you were happy to tough it out, I would expect a significant number of other parents to pull their dc out, and probably quite a few teachers to be looking for other jobs to avoid being last off the sinking ship.

One of my dc was in a school that had an unfavourable ofsted and went downhill with frightening rapidity as a result. It was not a pretty experience, and ours was a state school so we weren’t even paying £££ for the privilege.

Honestly, there are loads of good state and private schools in the area, why sign up to pay thousands of pounds for one that is clearly hitting the buffers big time. I’d also expect other local schools to be inundated with applications from Heathside par3nts, so I’d be inclined to move fast and decisively.

Erm I agree with the above. Have you tried giving king Alfred’s a call? They’re across the road from heathside and much more stable but very similar ethosz

In case this helps, our DC (8 and 10) are at this school and we are pulling them out as are dozens of other parents. Everything in the OFSTED report is true (if not worse) which is a shame as when we first started there, it was a much smaller and better-run establishment. The head-teacher has over the past few years embarked on a massive expansion at the expense of the quality of welfare and education of the children. As well as sharing premises at a local army facility they also teach children above a pub that is owned by the headmistress (although the pub is not currently open, it apparently will be soon). As the Ofsted report pretty much states, kids are shoe-horned into any and every space they can grab with little attention paid to safe-guarding.

I can only think that the head has either gone mad or become very greedy (or both) - she owns the school with her husband and there is no board of governors keeping an eye on any of this. DH looked at their accounts at Companies House today and told me that last year she paid herself £550,000. I suppose that we at least know now where the fees go and why nothing is spent on the school.

I actually feel sorry for the staff who really do suffer whilst trying to do their best. As others have suggested, you'll not be surprised to hear that most are also trying to get out as soon as possible.

So, no, it is not scare-mongering I am afraid and you are right to be very concerned. I would certainly be looking elsewhere - we are going to look at King Alfred tomorrow morning but there are plenty of good schools in the area. Please do message me if you want further advice on local schools - I’d be very happy to help.

In the meantime Heathside is most definitely a sinking ship (or one that has already sunk).

Thank you all so much for your replies (and pm's) - I am so very grateful. It does seem as though looking elsewhere is absolutely the right thing to do so I will start calling other schools in London first thing tomorrow morning. I can see that there is clearly going to be a flurry of people wanting to get out of Heathside.

It sounds as though we found out just in time - all thanks to the good people on Mumsnet. I am so glad to have found this community!

Hi Jane000, you’re lucky that you’re moving to an area with an abundance of fantastic schools. Do you have boys/ girls and need other suggestions? Definitely call king alfreds though, my nieces are there and rave about it!

you’re lucky that you’re moving to an area with an abundance of fantastic schools.

yes and no. It's one of the most competitive areas in London for school admissions. King Alfred's is very unlikely to have a chance vacancy and I would do your research before considering it if there is one - it's a very niche way of learning, very alternative. What you might call a Marmite school - you love it or you hate it. Anecdotally lots of kids there also have private tutors. Lots of threads here about it.

@Jane000 if you want to say here how old your kids are and whether boys/girls then I'd be happy to give some more detailed advice, or by PM if you don't want to give that much information on the thread. I know the area quite well.

"Iwanttoliveforever," you need to check your facts before posting malicious gossip. This actually sounds like a post from the deputy head who seems to have been sacked for misconduct. Is this the DH that you are referring to??
Heathside is a fabulous school, except for the deputy head who they had to get rid of. Very little in the Ofsted report rings true. Most children are happy beyond imagine, classes are small, and the teachers are passionate about what they do. There are a few short-comings, but the things that matter are there. There has been an outpouring of support from parents following the Ofsted report, which seems to have been set off by the person who was forced to leave and who decided to be vindictive (it looks as if she is still out of work). Please note that the Ofsted report Sept. 2017 was outstanding!

Iwanttoliveforever says that she has children in the school that she is intending to move out.

I read it as her husband looked at the accounts. If the school in in this state and the head is paying herself over half a million a year, it doesn't really matter who looked tbh.

@iggyj How can posting my own experiences and opinions be construed as malicious 'gossip' (the definition of which you need to look up)? Am I not entitled to comment without being insulted?

Until not that long ago, we were very happy with the school and I was and am very supportive of the staff but I do happen to fully agree with the OFSTED inspectors in this case. We are by no means the only parents taking our children out of the school. And I am sure that there are many parents that are still supportive. Each to their own.

I do not believe, however, that one person alone can set off an OFSTED inspection particularly as a separate, inspection had taken place in July which was only published last week: files.api.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50035981. Are you telling me that the same single person was responsible for both but has only just been fired? To me it looks like OFSTED went in once and were so concerned that they went back under their own steam.

As @thehorseandhisboy correctly pointed out, my husband simply looked at the public accounts on the Companies House website for the company that owns Heathside which clearly shows that the sole director (the Headmistress) was paid £551,167 in the last financial year. If that's what she wants to pay herself then that's obviously her right (with no other directors or shareholders to have their say). It is my opinion - and not gossip - that this money is sorely needed elsewhere within the school.

I am sorry that you take exception to my comments but to call them malicious gossip is really upsetting and unfair.

Hi OP,

I am a new parent with two DC at Heathside. I knew it was disorganised and chaotic - I went in with my eyes wide open. You have to 'buy in' to the culture there. It is a very busy, bustling school with far more activities and spirit than I have seen elsewhere. It's either a school you can work with or not.

The OFSTED report was damning, I agree. However, both of my children are the happiest I've ever seen them. They talk about having 'the best day ever' and one has had 4 school trips already this term and is far more galvanised than I've ever seen him.

The staff are dedicated and brilliant. The headmistress has made mistakes and I believe she acknowledges this and in fact, this report will probably be the best thing to happen to the school.

If you are a parent who is very concerned with details and who needs to have a school with strong organisation, this isn't the school for you. If you are happy to roll with the punches, have texts the evening before a netball tournament or a home clothes day - then come. Don't listen to the naysayers and trust your instincts. Either way, the report will only be a force for good and a big wake up call for the management and the headmistress herself.

What a bizarre report. A school that ends half way through gcse? Where do the kids go at 14? I can't believe any parent would be happy for their kids to be in an environment with such a lax attitude towards safeguarding, it doesn't sound just a bit chaotic it sounds like a disaster waiting to happen

Gosh, I hope the local state schools aren't expected to go over their Published Admision Number (PAN) to accommodate a lot of children from Heathside! I know that the state schools will be fine at the infant level where infant class size rules apply but I can see problems at junior level. It's difficult enough getting state school places for local children as it is. New End wont be able to accommodate everyone and I notice the other localish state that might have places haven't come up in threads.

Where are you planning to send your children to school Ilovesunflowers?

@SeeTwoTo No, schools won't be going over their PAN to accommodate fleeing Heathside parents. That's not how in-year admissions works. Parents applying to Camden for a state primary will be given a place in a school which has spaces. At the moment there is capacity in many schools in the area as the birth rate dipped post-2009, though it varies by cohort/year. The Hampstead schools would not be expected to soak up the extra children by themselves. Luckily there are excellent primary schools across the Borough.

They’ll be given a space in a school that has spaces, these are likely to be in “good “ schools as I don’t think there are any “requires improvement” schools in Camden. This wouldn’t stop parents applying for a preferred school without places and then appealing for a place when they don’t get in. Or moving next door to an Outstanding school and leapfrogging the waiting list. Anyway, let’s see.

I’m heartily sorry for the children and families at Heathside. However there is something that makes me feel uncomfortable about the State picking up the pieces.

However there is something that makes me feel uncomfortable about the State picking up the pieces.

Why? All those children were entitled to a state place from reception. As you say, they won't be jumping any queues, they'll be treated the same way as kids who move into the Borough mid year. What's to feel uncomfortable about?

@SeeTwoTo I take your point but tbh I think schools with spaces will be happy to have them filled. Fewer children = less income (though this is calculated on census day in October so new joiners now won't help this year's funding). As you say there are no RI primaries in Camden to my knowledge so you never know, people might even discover their children are happy in the state sector.

Having said that I think it much more likely the Heathside children will mostly end up at other private schools, especially the Y7s upwards.

My DS did an assessment morning there last year and I was disgusted at the way he was treated and the attitude of the teachers. When I collected him the teacher whose class he had been in could barely be bothered to acknowledge me. When we looked around I was struck by how chaotic the place was and how loopy the headteacher was. I thought at the time, I assume she must be more practical/capable than she seems.

I am a parent of a child at Heathside and would like to make a few observations.

1. Heathside, as other parents have noted, is a wonderful school for children. My child is extremely happy there (having transferred from another school we were concerned re: transition and it couldn't have gone more smoothly).

2. Yes there are other great schools in the area - but it depends on what you are looking for. The reason we choose Heathside is that many of the other prep schools in North London are more 'hothouse' and very focused on exam results and academics rather than building the 'whole child'. I have no respect for schools that select children based on some random 'academic' assessment aged 4 and then take all the credit for he wonderful results they achieve 7 or 8 years later. While Heathside does not have the same 'factory' approach to learning as other schools (and given that it doesn't academically select pupils on entry) - its results and academic outcomes are on par with any of the more selective schools in the area. Hence why from an academic perspective it is considered Outstanding.

3. While the outside space immediately around the school is limited - the children are taken to the Heath practically every day. They also participate in Forest School sessions a number of times a term. This is one of the other things that really attracted me to the school. Very few schools in the area have lots of outside space but, from what I know, Heathside is the only one to actually really take advantage of the Heath daily.

4. The school has been somewhat a 'victim of its own success'. Children and parents spoke very positively about the school which lead to a huge increase in both demand for places but also with parents who wanted to keep their kids there for as long as possible - hence why it started to extend into Boarding & GCSE provision. However, as is obvious from the Ofsted report, the school expanded too quickly especially into provision of Boarding and GSCE curriculum and, like what often happens in the world of business too when a company grows too fast, it didn't build out the correct processes and governance procedures as it grew from an intimate 'everyone knows each other' to a much larger school.

5. As you can imagine there is a lot of discussion both among parents and with the school itself on the back of the Ofsted report. The school is taking the feedback very seriously and has put in place a clear action plan, including material changes in governance structure and more involvement from parents. While all this was going on this term, the children continue to be happy and thriving - the teachers (at least the ones I have experienced) are great and really care about the children and the school and there isn't any sign of a mass exodus as of yet. I believe most parents and teachers want the school to succeed and are working hard to implement and see the results of the agreed action plan.

6. Finally, as noted above - Heathside is, and I expect it will continue to be, a bit disorganised but with that comes a charm and a really warm atmosphere - it was the only school I visited where the children actually ran up and hugged the Headmistress!
   The powerpoint presentations and super structure I saw at other schools put me off - I'm one of those people who believe that children should spend their childhood as much as possible running around, exploring and not always just following instructions. I believe that the skills that our children will need to thrive in the future will not be based on their ability to memorise stuff and pass exams. But that's just my view and I appreciate that many others prefer the structure that comes with some of the other schools in the area.

Ultimately this is a very personal decision and I appreciate that, on the back of such an Ofsted report, it would be a challenging time to send your child to Heathside. As noted above some parents are withdrawing their children, but as I have observed most others are keeping their children there in the belief that by working with the school we can ensure what makes Heathside a magical school for children can be retained while it manages the challenges that come with fast growth.

Only time will tell if I am right or wrong on this but for now I continue to give Heathside my vote of confidence.

Best of luck with your choice - its never an easy decision!

They’re recruiting a bursar at the moment so I’m guessing they’re trying to divide responsibilities and get it all sorted.

Skim read the thread so apologies if it's been said and I missed it; if you cancel their places at this short notice make sure you're not liable for a full terms fees each.