Habs boys or common entrance?

[Toratoratora]

Hi everyone , I have 2 sons at habs boys in elstree in the prep school and am thinking of moving them to a prep school that takes them to common entrance standard with good links to Winchester, St. Paul's, Eton, Radley, Harrow and the rest.

Obviously I'm somewhat torn - in habs they are at a good school with great academic results, but not happy with the school management (arrogant and unresponsive) or the overall feel of the school (not great at sport, slightly uninspiring set of other children/parents, and for a school with such high academic standards, there are too many duds).

Has anyone else gone down this route? I'm attracted by the boarding option at 13 which in unavailable at habs and I think he will be in much more like-minded company, with a richer set of extra curriculars and academic options (early languages, Latin etc).

Any advice welcome from people who've made the switch or have boys in both systems.

Thanks in advance.

Habs prep prepares them for Habs senior which is for very highly academic children - with a lot of sport.

The schools you mention do other things really well including sport and extra curricular but I would say Habs senior has the best academic in the real world results out of the ones you listed. If you want early languages/classics they are more niche areas.

hg Your experience is obviously very different to mine! As regards hovering parents. (They seem to slacken by about year 8.)

OP Exactly how old are your boys? Over or under 10 and a half? You may be too late for the usual route to Radley but possibly not for some of the others.

Have you looked closely at admission procedures for each of the schools you're interested in? The details are on their websites.

You certainly jumped in at the deep end, OP.

My first post was about children's party invitation list (what was I thinking?) on AIBU. That was an interesting experience.

Wow. This kind of op makes me glad we use state education.

"I would say Habs has the best academic in the real world results out if the ones you listed"
I'm not sure what "real world results" are to be honest but it's generally accepted that Westminster is at the top of the league table in terms of actual A levels results/top grades with SPS snapping close at it's heals although I accept there is little to choose between most of them. In terms of Oxbridge entry both SPS Westmminster and Eton and Winchester are ahead of Habs.
I'm also not sure what is meant by "early languages/classics" all those mentioned will generally require a candidate to sit CE/entrance exam in at least one MFL, most preps introduce French very early not just half an hour a week but 3-4 times a week, ditto Latin at most preps Latin is started in yr 4, many will also offer Greek.
I think OP you need to decide what sort of education you want for your DC, four of those you listed are proper full boarding schools, it's inevitable that they will have different ethos and culture, have a much broader curriculum and offer a wider range of extra curricular activities including sport, intellectual activities, drama, music etc than a school like Habs which is a day school (no critisism intended).
You may not be too late for those you listed in fact some your definitely not too late but wouldn't hang around too much if moving your DS's is on your mind.

I made it clear I was talking only about Habs secondary

Yes Laurie you did. I'm unsure what you're trying to say, probably because sometimes I can be a little obtuse, when you state "if you want early modern foreign languages/classics they are more niche areas".

shorthand, freehand - right

this thread makes me glad that I am happy for my DC to go to the "less prestigious" public schools near where we live

If your eldest is Yr 5 then you have missed St Pauls as the cut off for 13+ is Feb of Yr 5. Eton is 10.5 yrs old. Radley seems to be ideally several years before you thought of having children . Westminster is end of Yr 5. Harrow is end of Yr 6 but does consider late entries unlike some schools.

So there may be options available to you but you might need to act fairly fast.

Though of course I guess the OP could try 11+ entrance into SPS (via Colet), Westminster (via the Underschool). I imagine if your sons are at Haberdashers now you must live a very long way from St Paul's though I know boys do travel very long distances to go to all of these schools.