City vs Highgate

[Twinmumofthree]

We’re in the fortunate position of having offers from both City and Highgate (and UCS, but have decided against it). Highgate is a bit closer. We’re struggling to decide.
I like City’s kind, grounded, non-flash atmosphere. And that it is unashamedly academic.
Highgate is a bit more convenient (and would have more local friends), and its green space is wonderful. I quite like its Christian ethos. Our son is currently not sporty, but at 6 it is too early to be sure and it’d be good to give him the option (I think). He’s also not cool! Would that be a problem at Highgate do you think?

We have a younger boy and girl too, so would hope for them to all ideally go to the same school in due course.

Which school would give the best all round academic education? The best broad general knowledge?

Thanks for any thoughts.

I guess you are talking about 7+, have you read the 7plus thread
in the primary section? Your ds has done really well, esp with the Highgate offer, your biggest Highgate concern should be reading their admissions policy to see what Highgate does for siblings.

Congratulations - these are great offers. Nothing to separate these two schools in terms of results, teaching qualify and history. You cannot go wrong. Yet you have to choose...For me it would come down to the following three factors:

1. Co-ed vs single-sex. City boys mix a lot with City girls but it's not the same as being co-ed as Highgate is. Does your boy prefer/would be happier in one of these two environments?
2. Demographics/culture: City is more 'grammar-like', down to earth, with many kids on bursaries and a very egalitarian ethos. Its iconic location inspires pupils to be 'in the thick of things' - politics, art etc. Highgate has a traditional 'public school' feel, and more affluent demographics (together with the attitudes that come with it). The difference is a matter of degree (there are super-wealthy families in both schools) but it is quite noticeable between these two schools. Which 'feel' or 'demographics' are you most comfortable with? What crowd do you want your kid to be part of?
3. Commuting. If City is longer than 40 minutes, and Highgate is walking distance, then - other things being equal - this would tip it.

Good luck with your choice and congrats to your son!

Thanks so much for your reply. I’d not read the 7+ chain- I’ve just now read the latest section, and yes, it sounds like he did well! Gosh.
I’m kind of ok with sibling thing- I had a chat with Highgate and they said that in theory there is no sibling policy, but if your child and another is really similar, they’d choose the sibling. So that’s something.

This is really helpful analysis thank you!

On the co-ed point. My boy is quite shy and not v macho. Aged 6, he’s friends with lots of girls (who are starting to reject him from their all-girl cliques despite a co-ed school). As he grows up though, do you think he would continue to be friends with girls if it was co-ed, or actually, in an all male environment, might he more happily make friends with the milder boys? Who knows.

On your culture point. I’m ok with old fashioned and grand. (Which is more Highgate). But I struggle more with modern ostentation and flashiness. Which I rather suspect might also be Highgate. Thoughts?

Is Highgate welcoming to awkward, slightly geeky, uncool kids?

Thank you!!

Good overview, but just to add when it comes to demographics, it’s very similar. Highgate School doesn’t have the typical 'public school' feel at all. it got completely different feel as it became more selective. Majority of kids don't come form Highgate and travel from all over (mostly North and NW London). Both schools are generous on bursaries. Both schools might have 1-2 super rich families in class. Ethnically both schools are very diverse, though City has a larger proportion of Chinese and Indian students especially at Junior level, while Highgate has a mix of kids of non-UK born parents coming from all over.

Co-ed/single sex: at Senior Level, City Boys and girls have some interaction (games/classes) but this is limited to once a week only, in Highgate they'd interact daily. Having been both through single sex and co-ed with my kids I'd much prefer co-ed all the way but its a personal choice. There is no right or wrong.

The biggest difference between the schools is facilities, City Junior has no playground kids can go to public meadow but they are restricted in what they can do there as its public and the space is limited while Highgate has vast grounds. Highgate Junior has a wide range of afterschool clubs, so you can basically sign your child up for a club on a daily basis. They participate in a lot of competitions and tournaments, encouraging kids of all skill levels to participate. It can be music, choir, sport or chess depending on kids interests. They have kids with differnt personalities in each class from shy and geeky to sporty alpha (City has kids with different personalities too, there is not much difference there).

Commute is also an important factor, a lot of City kids travel by tube or school bus, parents cant drive there given the location, so there will be a lot of families with both parents working in City.

Good luck with a choice, both are good schools!

OP well done to your DC, getting an offer from Highgate was incredibly hard this year! My niece sat 7+ and she is on RL now (she got an offers from all other selective schools in North London and Latymer but only wait listed in Highgate ) they said none of the kids form her prep got an offers from Highgate. Its their first choice and we are all keen for her to go there, as I have one of my DDs there!

To add, it doesn't have posh or public school feel, all the kids in my daughter's class are normal middle class families with working parents.

I didn't feel any modern ostentation and flashiness at Highgate, its a normal selective school with bright kids, though the grounds and their Junior school building is beautiful and does kids give a way a posh private school vibe (minus annoying roof renovations they are going through at the moment!), but its just the grounds and the building to me.

To compare, a member of an extended family is in City and it also seem to be a nice school, but it does lack facilities especially its Junior Department, i think that's the only difference, plus teaching body in Highgate is more established, especially in its STEM departments.

On Highgate’s culture (mainly senior school which might be slightly different to primary), there is a -rather polarised- thread here:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4994966-highgate-school-culture

All with a pinch of salt of course, and it may vary from year to year.

OP: “awkward, slightly geeky, uncool kids” - that sounds very City to me.

My nerdy and slightly geeky girl is very happy in Highgate, there's a diverse range of personalities in each class. She is certainly not a minority there. The school is very good on the emotional well-being and pastoral care.

As for that thread on Highgate culture, these sorts of threads always come up just before the acceptance deadlines, so id take it with a pinch of salt:) the places on the reserve list are very precious, so some posters may be secretly hoping to bring some negative attention to get more declines)

OP needs to read more details about Everyone Invited, if anything, this was related to some posts with anonymous comments from 2020 who claimed they graduated a while ago, so presumably those kids were students when Highgate was a completely different school. It has a different environment, demographic and social groups now with kids passing stringent selective criteria to get in. Despite the fact there have been questions about the credibility of that site, Highgate was the only school (a few schools got marked before the site was closed for comments due to lack of credibility) that took it seriously, instructed an independent review and encouraged the girls to protest and speak out publically.