Habs boys for an academically average child

[UnderwhelmedEnid]

Hi, my son has an offer from habs boys which tbh I am surprised about. He is desperate to go there but all I’ve heard is that it’s a tough and competitive environment.

i am keen to hear from other parents who felt the same way about their kids who might also had chosen an academic environment. DH feels we may as well give it a shot and if he’s unhappy we can move him elsewhere. I’m worried he’ll be crushed.

If the school thinks he’s able, I’d give it a shot.

Bizarre to put him in for the exam, and then refuse to let him go (when he wants to!) because you personally doubt his ability.

Why did you enter him?

He wanted to go for it. I’m really proud of him. I just want him to have a happy 7 years.

What do you mean by average? Average for a deprived state primary or a selective prep school?

DS is in a selective independent school that goes all the way through. Wanted to try for habs. He’s happy where he is and could stay there.

I had a friend whose son got in to Havs boys “by mistake” (his mum agreed to let him sit the entrance exam to keep his friend company). So he went to the school. He was bright, but not noticeably - preferred Star Wars and tennis to books.

However he did brilliantly at Habs and got an Oxbridge offer at the end of his time there. He was perfectly happy and not at all stressed out by the experience.

From small acorns, and all that. The school will mould the child, I’d give it a shot!

One of my friends was concerned about this for her DS at an academic school (not Habs). She asked the school to provide his test scores from the application process and give her a view of where he was in the cohort so she could try to assess whether he’d just scraped in or got in comfortably. Not sure if that would help you or if they’d provide this info?