Blackheath High School? Any feedback?

[KSEmum]

Hi,

I am considering Blackheath High school for my daughter who has just turned 6. Please can I ask if there are any parents out there who have some experience of this school and can give me a feel for what kind of school it is. In particular, how academic, how pastoral, how supportive it is and what kind of opportunities the girls have there?

Also really interested in what type of reputation the school has locally as I can’t find much.

I’m finding it really hard to make this decision in lockdown without being able to see the school! Will be really grateful for any help!

Thank you so much in advance!

I know two people who send their daughter there.

They both are very different and with very different children and they both think it is great.

I would wonder why you would not go state at primary level as the area has good state primary schools and then look at the school for secondary?

OP, I’m confused, as you say she’s 6, is she already at primary, and you’re considering this for secondary?

I did a tour of the school last year, and was impressed by the building and facilities. They’ve just done a refurb, costing a few million, and it’s great.
The Head is ever so slightly patronising, IMO, and there’s a slightly snobby air.
Having said that, I’d be happy for my DD to go there for secondary.
As the previous poster mentioned, the state primary schools are very good, however.

Hi Both,

Thank you so much for coming back to me. Yes daughter is already at a prep school a little further out but we’re keen to move to an “all the way through school” so that we don’t need to worry about the 11+.

Really grateful for your feedback and thoughts and great to know your impressions!

Maybe look at Colfes too as the facilities are much better.

Good luck!

Blackheath High doesn't have as good a reputation as some of its sister schools- are you anywhere near Bromley High? Better grounds and reputation...

Thanks for this! We are closer to Bromley High actually but didn’t get a great feel for the school when we visited a couple of years ago. We found it a bit cold. Now that we’re more keen on an all-girls school and all the way through I might try and see it again before the 7 plus. Really grateful for any thoughts on this as well!

From what I have heard Bromley high has a better rep but also the grounds can not compare to Blackheath Girls.

According to my friend Blackheath Girls is seen locally as somewhere to send your child if you can't get into a more competitive school or grammar. But then she may like it like that because she has a super bright child and always goes on about 11 plus this and that.. so maybe take that with a pinch of salt.

Thanks! That’s really useful to know. Apart from
Grammar are there any other competitive, all-the-way through schools in the area? Daughter is very bright but there only seems to be Eltham College and I don’t want to put all our eggs in one basket.

Thanks for the help!

the grounds cannot compare to Blackheath Girls?

Blackheath High has no on site sports facilities at all -they barely have a playground after all the building works -whereas Bromley is on a very green site which hosts netball, hockey and cross country competitions and they have their own pool...

Eltham College are really trying to attract girls at the moment so they can be co ed. Plus they don't start until Y3 so have far more places at that age than any other school.

Colfes is the only other 'competitive' school...

I meant there is no comparison between Bromley and Blackheath Girls! Apologies I made an error there!

Agree entirely with your post Cbong.

My best friends DD went to Bromley High in the Junior School. She left quite recently to go to Sevenoaks School. Bromley High was very nurturing and not cold at all- she was very well prepared and got into all the superselective grammar schools and schools like Alleyns and Jags too I think. Eltham is a great school too but obviously co-ed. I would say both Bromley High and Eltham are good for bright, all round kids but you really don’t need to be a genius.

I would say Jags is the most academic all through girls school in South East London. Alleyns the mixed version, possibly now with Eltham College in second place after Alleyns.

Thanks so much for all your comments! These are all really helpful! We’re quite new to the area so don’t know too much about the various schools and local reputation. Thanks for your help. I think we’ll try and take a look at Bromley High again before the 7 + and try these out.

Alleyn’s and JAGS both a bit far for us for now but something to consider, possibly for secondary school.

Our daughter went to Blackheath High Juniors. You ask ‘how academic, how pastoral, supportive’? I’d say reasonably supportive - yes. But not all girls equally. (Quieter, shy girls tend to get ‘overlooked’ a little but if you ask the school will try to help if you ask.) There are many caring supportive teachers at the school.
Academic? Definitely not. We consistently felt that our daughter was not stretched or challenged enough. If she finished her work in class she would often be given another sheet of work to do printed off some website - rather that a tailored piece of work to challenge her. There was a rumour that the school ‘held pupils back’ because most of the brighter pupils leave for grammars or other private schools - so there was no incentive for the school to stretch the girls. I can’t say how true this was. But what was clear was that most of the girls that did well enough to get into a grammar or top private schools around did so with tutors help for a couple of years. BHS is certainly not a prep. They give NO advice or support to help with getting into any other senior school except Blackheath ( not advice on exams, 11+, tuition, even which school might be best for your child). So it seems to be a feeder for the Seniors… If we had our time again we might have gone for another school. Overall the best summary for this school would be: very average and not for the more academic child or for the children that need a more tailored education.

Hello! Resurrecting the post as in a similar position. Wondered what you eventually ended up doing? We’re also split between Bromley, Blackheath and Eltham. We’re closest to Eltham but keen on an all girls school. Would love to hear an update!

Hey, also keen if to hear if anyone ended up in Bromley high and what their experience is?

@UltimateworrierWondering if you ended up at BHS and wouldn’t mind sharing, if so, if your child is happy there? We’re considering too and hear mixed feedback, but mostly hear-say - would really appreciate a first hand experience.