Aldenham or Haberdashers

[EmilyBingo]

DS has got into Habs and Aldenham in Elstree. He is state educated, sporty and loves maths (level 6) and we are split about whether Habs will be too harsh. We phoned the school and they said their selection process is very good - and not to worry. Aldenham would be fine but will he realise his full potential? Need help.....

Omg I can't believe you're asking.

Habs.

And we'll done him.

well

They are completely different!

If he is a L6 in Maths in Y6 then Habs is more likely to be the right school for him academically.

Not sure what you mean by 'harsh'?

Habs Sports is really good and the academic side is also good.

Completely different schools.

Habs is highly academic and culturally mixed. It is quite Norf London-centric.

I don't think harsh is the right word, but the pace can be brutal. It does what it says on the tin. I know lots of very bright boys who are very very happy there.

They do however manage out anyone who doesn't keep up.

Aldenham is much more mixed ability. It's co -ed and takes all comers so less academic. Far more gentle and friendly. It is however not as mixed culturally and far more moneyed IYSWIM (it costs a lot more, there is some boarding and takes the Radlet crowd)...

I know happy kids there. Ones who aren't bright have slotted in well, and ones who are have done well (though probably not challenged as they would have been at Habs).

Habs. If it doesn't work out you can move him. Aldenham is a lovely school with great pastoral and extra curricular but it suffers from being right next to Habs and from there being so many goods state schools with better academic results. They often lose the not quite good enough for Habs boys to places like Immanuel College / St Colombas which are much cheaper or Watford Grammar / JFS / Parmiters / Yavneh which are free.

He sounds like a Habs type if he is L6 at maths already with a couple of months to go before SATs, and sporty.

Know some very happy Aldenham parents too.
I imagine Habs is like driving in fifth gear and Aldenham like 3rd but might be wrong. Seems to me that Aldenham is a way of stepping out of the uber-tutoring, pushy North London education rat race which might appeal.

Another thought is will he cope with moving from presumably being top of the class or one of the top in his primary to being in a school full of very academic children? Conversely will he prefer and thrive with loads of equally bright peers rather than being the very academic minority?

If he got into Habs then he's meant to be there and will be fine. He will have fantastic opportunities there. Aldenham is not even a close second.

Thanks everyone, Habs it is. Thanks for all your comments - we feel he's a Habs boy and hope he has the determination to keep up academically. Thanks again all.

To be honest I can't see why you were applying to Aldenham if there was a remote chance for him to get to Habs. Aldenham is not academic at all. If you think Habs could be too harsh for him try other north london schools which are of lower academic standard than Habs but of much higher than Aldenham.

Sorry just saw you made a decision. Good luck!