Moving to Harpenden/St Albans

[oneluke]

We have taken the plunge and decided to move out of central London to Harpenden or St Albans. There are a couple of threads which discuss the good schools, but as these are now a bit out of date, wondered if anyone has any advice? We are currently leaning towards Harpenden as a location. Primary schools are most relevant now, but hope not to have to move for secondary either!

Does anyone know which primary schools are the best/which are less well thought of? In particular, it would be good to know any thoughts on The Grove?

Also, does anyone have any advice about Hatching Green as a location compared to Harpenden proper?

[BellaBear]

I love living in ST Albans, but agree with what many posters have said re schools - it dominates the local press and loads of kids haven't got into any of their three choices (google Herts Advertiser) and been allocated a school miles from where they live

[QueenofHerts]

Redbourn & Wheathampstead - lovely villages but you will have to drive to either Harpenden or St Albans for all facilities. May be fine when kids younger but more problematic when teens

Unless you plan on going private, a very high percentage of children from these villages do not get a ranked secondary school, and end up allocated a school in special measures in Hatfield, Hemel or st albans. Some do get a good school eventually, but only after months on waiting list. It's a big local issue and makes the news in local press every year.

There may be mnetters from either village who would give a better view on this and the drive to the station.

[oneluke]

Thanks for all the advice!

Does anyone have any views on Redborn or Wheathampstead, both in terms of location and schools. Seems like you might get more for your money there!

Also, does anyone park at the station and know whether this works out ok (other than the extortionate cost). Is driving to the station in the morning practical or is traffic horrendous?

[JLo2]

I'm completely biased as I live in St Albans so I will try not to get into a debate about which is best The only thing I would say is the two towns have a very different 'feel' about them and the one that will suit you is the one that feels right for you. It really depends on what you are like and what you are looking for in a town.
Both have excellent and very sought after schools, although getting a place in them is the fun bit I certainly don't agree with St Albans having fewer families - they are having to expand the number of primary school places because there are so many.

[QueenofHerts]

There were certainly a fair number of children in Harpenden (Southdown mainly, I think) without ranked secondary places this year. Same happens in St Albans too. Not sure what the situtation is at Primary level - but in central St Albans there are simply not enough primary places at the moment - there's stuff about this in the mnet local threads.

Remember that though Harpenden has 3 excellent state secondaries, one of them is a church school with a churchgoing requirement; so if you're not into church your choice at secondary level is more limited ... though many tend to miraculously rediscover their lost faith 2 years before application day. And lose it again 1 day after admission results day.

[verygreenlawn]

That's so true about the independents, they can drastically change the dynamic as people will wait to see what state school they get allocated. We were on the waiting list at Aldwickbury for ds1 - in fact we were miles down the list - but the head said we would definitely get a place after Easter once all the state school allocations had been firmed up. Sure enough the place came up at Easter (though by then we'd decided we preferred another school anyway ....).

[Clockface]

Three was one particular year when it all kicked off. I can't honestly remember when that was, and it was seen as an abberation.

I taught some kids there from the villages around, but never from Harpenden town. So maybe it was a storm in a teacup. Who knows?

[Swedes]

Clockface - I think that's more urban myth if you live in Harpenden proper. I know lots of people who live in Redbourn who got places at Harpenden secondary schools so it wouldn't make sense that people from Harpenden proper get rejected. But I do know Wheathamstead and surrounding villages sometimes get allocated Welwyn Garden City schools which doesn't please them. And I have heard that years ago people from West Commmon and Hatching Green (which are not Harpenden proper) had problems with state school allocations. But I think that has been resolved.

Also Harpenden has a huge number of children who attend independent schools. When you apply for a place at a selective independent you also apply for a state school place as back up, even though most people will not take it up. Therefore at first allocation there are always a huuuuuuge number of rejected places at Harpenden state secondaries. We got allocated our first choice state secondary school and rejected it because DS1 was offered a place at an selective independent.

[Clockface]

Jut to add - slightly tangentially - I have a lot of time for the Hemel school. It has some fantastic staff and some lovely kids. But there are a lot who come from v. challenging backgrounds and with much lower than average literacy / numercay skills (and general life skills).

I can see why parents would want for their dc not to go there because of that but being an idealistic socialist I do wish the state system was fairer all round and there wasn't such an obvious 'haves and have-nots' dichotomy of so-called comprehensive schools - which unfortuntaly is the same all over Herts.

[Clockface]

Yup!

[Litchick]

Clockface - would the school be AC?

[Clockface]

BTW My nephew is about to start in the 6th form at Roundwood (having been through independent school thus far). He had to have an interview...cripes!

[Clockface]

Just to throw something in...

I used to work at a state secondary on a deprived council estae in Hemel Hempstead. A couple of years ago (I think) there was a furore because a large-ish number of people from Harpenden did not get into Harpenden schools (overstuffed) and were sent to my school in Hemel instead. THey were not best please as you can imagine. I think mots of them managed to get out on apeal but that dose go to show how oversubscribed the Harpenden / Snorbens schools are.

Most of the kids on the Hemel estate whose parents have got the nouse get into the CofE school in Snorbs, Townsend. They go to church for three weeks when their dc are in yr 5 and hope to get in on that basis...

[kkey21]

And also wherever you do decide to go to-theres a fabulous very experienced babysitter who can get to both areas!

Both areas are lovely for their very own reasons. I have nannied in both for a number of years. I would say Harpenden is my favourite but then that maybe because i spent 4 years there nannying it became my second home!

Roundwood was a favourite school then amongst the Mums i knew, but my charge went private.

[stripeypineapple]

We live in St Albans, on Napsbury Park anyway (some lovely houses for sale here...) just outside of town and my DD goes to Fleetville Infants which is good, we do have to drive there but unless you're RC the schools closer to here aren't up to much.

There's also Cunningham Hill Primary which has a cracking ofsted and a groovy purple uniform, they're a bit closer to us but they didn't have space because we joined later in the year.

I'm ever so pleased we moved to St Albans, it's a lovely town, I'm not familiar with Harpenden yet but I'm sure you won't regret your move whichever you opt for.

[princessmel]

I remember the burning down of Kiss. I was supposed to go that night but went to a party in Harpenden instead! I don't think I knew the guy who's party it was...

We all had to go to Kudos and Visage till it was re opened.

I met dh in Batchwood a few years later

Went last year, on a whim after a Virgin Vie party and loads of wine...!! I felt OLD

There is a lot of 'friendly' rivalry between stA and Harps schools at 6th form age especially. Both are nice. I prefer StA, I've lived here for ever though so I would. Better toen for shopping, eating, mooching etc.

Sorry nothing about schools there

[EachPeachPearMum]

Lol dearthworm!

[usernametaken]

The Lea is situated in a mixed catchment area but still a good school in comparison to the rest of the country...just not for the lot who live in Harpenden!

You can't go wrong with any of the schools in Harpenden.

[JamInMyWellies]

Oh yes I had forgotten about the accidental burning down.

Vergreenlawn I wonder if we knew each other in a previous life.

[Dearthworm]

Harpendon is just like mooncups: I had never heard of it till I joined MN, but on MN everybody seems familiar with it. There seem to be loads of MNers in Harpendon.

(Sorry for pointless hijack.)

[Swedes]

Edam sorry . Here are the links

the Lea Primary School

the Grove Primary School

[Swedes]

Edam - Here are the league table results for The Lea Primary school which is widely news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/08/school_tables/primary_schools/html/919_2412.stm regarded as Harpenden's poorest school]] I can think of lots of people who would find it perfectly acceptable.

And here are the league table results for the Grove school that you were raving about http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/08/school_tables/primary_schools/html/919_2299.stm their attainment results are v v similar.
And interestingly 13% of the Lea's pupils have SEN and over 30% of the Grove's pupils have SEN - so it would seem the rumour that the Lea has a high proportion of children with SEN is incorrect. I don't personally see what would be offputting about SEN anyway.

We are completely spoilt for choice in Harpenden for schools at all ages compared with eleswhere.

[Merrylegs]

Yep - that was it: Little Whore House on the Hill.

Charming.

Twas the local lads, thinking they was well funny.

Coz it was like a Girls' School

On a hill.

I know. Vile, eh?

(God, forgot about Batchwood and the burning!)

(Sorry oneluke, we have gone orf topic somewhat. As you were...)

[cookielove]

i'm sorry to form youthat stags is sometimes called whores on the hill, as is another school in st.albans

i'm to young to know about the burning down, wasn't it called kiss before it burnt down?

i thinki was 13 when it was set fire to

[verygreenlawn]

JamInMyWellies, we clearly used to move in the same circles! I remember Snatchwood and Slags! Anyone else remember Batchwood burning down "accidentally" some years back?!

We've moved between St A and Harpenden for many years now, really just comes down (for us) to the availability of the right house at the right time when we happen to be moving. Schools not an issue for us, I'm currently looking at another move to Harpenden as it happens ....