NW London school with a good balance?

[CHope]

Hello,

Our daughter has the opportunity to go to the schools listed below. We would love a school that is academic while being nurturing as well. Good preparation for the 11+. Solid teaching. Teaching children to think for themselves. Good community. Creative. Decent sports. And has all the bells and whistles because we’re paying for it! ... or close to it. :)

St Christopher’s
Trevor Roberts
St Mary’s Hampstead

Anyone?🙏🏻

I’ve heard great things about both Trevor Roberts and St Christopher’s but I don’t know St Mary’s. One thing I liked about St Christopher’s when we looked round was what scruffs the girls were - they looked like they were ready to get stuck in to whatever they were doing. Plus it had a lovely library.

It’s early but what do you think of the leavers’ destinations for all these schools?

Be aware that however laid back they are, the vast majority of parents will tutor for the 11+ from about year 4.

Thank you, Cru Cru! The leavers’ destinations seem to be pretty similar. How is Trevor Roberts? I don’t hear much about this school.

Thanks Redstapler! Yes, I heard the majority of parents tutor... which is crazy because we’re all ready paying school fees.

My DD went to one of the schools on your list. At our school, at least, there was a very strong relationship between how much the parents tutored or otherwise did extra work with their kids, and their children's exit results.

At any "very academic" school, state or private, part of what you get is the "opportunity" for your DC to sit among children who are doing extra work outside of school. Whether that's a plus or a minus depends on your tastes.

Thank you, user149. If we have to tutor, then that’s ok. We’re trying to figure out which is the best school environment for our children. I’m finding it difficult.

We’d like a warm nurturing school with good academics(not hothouse-y). Nice families. Caring teachers. Well-rounded. A place that will prepare them for secondary school. Consistent. Encouraging. Fun.

We toured so many schools they’re beginning to blend together!

How did you know which is right for your child?

St Christophers school is going through a though patch at the moment leadership wise... the head teacher is there temporarily and the board is searching for a permanent head. The issue I heard from parents there is that the parent members of the board of governors is very vocal and was a contributing reason why the previous head only stayed a short time. I think she was highly regarded prior to joining StChristophers. I think all three schools you mention will prepare fully for the 11+ but the day to day environment will have a different feel and ethos, just depends on what you are after. Also, Trevor Roberts being co-ed adds a different dimensions still as is St Mary’s until the boys leave at age 7. I have heard St Mary’s is quite friendly and suits quiet and boisterous girls unlike perhaps St Christophers.

Hi nomorefortnite. Yes, I’ve heard about the headmistress at St Christophers. They now have a former headmistress as an interim. Are the parents not very friendly at this school? Is it well rounded?

St Mary’s is all girl beginning at Reception. I heard it’s a friendly school. A parent told me that the staff is transient. Students are as well since it’s Catholic as many come from all over the continent. Academics are ok, beginning improvement. Could have a more in-depth and bigger music department.

Trevor Roberts seemed like a lovely school. Didn’t mind that it’s co-Ed. Small facilities though.

How did you know which is right for your child?

We didn't. We took our best guess based on the information we thought we had at the time, much of which turned out to be wrong and even more of which turned out to be irrelevant. I look back and wince at how we drew conclusions on the flimsiest of evidence which subsequently proved to be incorrect and how, once we started favouring one school, we magnified all its supposed strengths and minimised all its potential weaknesses.

That's not to say that you shouldn't keep trying your utmost to make the best decision that you can. I'm just saying that you should keep a healthy skepticism about how much you can know about a school before you start and how much you can know about what will most suit your child before they grow.

St Christophers school is going through a though patch at the moment leadership wise.

St Christopher's has been going through a tough patch leadership wise since Susie West left. By the time the new permanent head comes on board in 2020, they will have had six heads in six years (counting Christine Lough twice).

I think all the comments you heard about both Trevor R and St Mary’s rings true to me as I had friends at both schools and they’ve both been very happy there academically and pastorally. I would say, there is not much in the way of academic difference as clever kids do well at any one of these schools, do bear in mind that St Mary’s do not assess and St Christophers do, although they will take siblings without assessment. So the year on year results will vary a bit on intake. From the parents I know at St Christopher’s the feedback is more mixed, area for those not particularly happy focus regarding pastoral issues and not academic related. I think if you’d seen all the schools, they will all do equally well academically. I think Trevor Roberts being a fully co-ed school mean that there are fewer girls to field sports matches. My daughter went to another local girls school and her school played sports matches with St Christophers and St Mary’s and pretty much all other girls schools but not TrevorR, so something to think about if by “rounding” you are also after the full sports experience too.

“That's not to say that you shouldn't keep trying your utmost to make the best decision that you can. I'm just saying that you should keep a healthy skepticism about how much you can know about a school before you start and how much you can know about what will most suit your child before they grow”

Really true, User149!! It’s so hard to know until you’re there. Thank you for your valid input.

Thank you, nomorefortnite. Good point about the sports at a co-ed school.

Our girls are more toward average and above average. They’re well rounded. Love the arts as well as sports. A good music and drama program would be nice. My husband and I would like a school to encourage them academically as well. A fun atmosphere! I want them to enjoy learning. :)

We have a child at St.Christopher's, and we are pretty delighted with the school. We have been at the school through all the changes of head. It's my impression that the ethos, systems and curriculum are firmly embedded (probably going back to Susie West's time) so the changes in leadership have not impacted on our daughter.

Mrs. Lough (currently interim head for the second time) is lovely and very efficient. Pupils and parents all seem to adore her.

St. Christopher's is an academic school with a high-achieving bunch of girls, but the ambience is fun and arty. In terms of pastoral care, we have been very happy. On the few occasions when anyone has been mean to our daughter, it has been swiftly and effectively dealt with. The staff seem to manage these issues in such a way that the girls become good friends afterwards.

The parents are generally lovely too. St. Christopher's is a high-achieving, academically selective school in Hampstead so there are lots of sophisticated, wealthy and high-powered parents. They are very friendly, and I haven't noticed any competitiveness/boasting at all amongst the parents. I think that kind of behaviour would be frowned upon.

Drama, art and music are valued highly at St. Christopher's. The girls do a play every year, and two assemblies.

Hope that helps!

User1980, this is wonderful feedback. Really helpful. Many thanks!