Henrietta Barnett vs Woodford County High

[Sly74]

My daughter has sat the Woodford County High exam (WCH) & the Henrietta Barnett (HB) exam. She has done really well and now it’s the dilemma of choosing which school to put as the first choice. We live in Woodford & are in the Woodford County High catchment area. HB is such a prestigious school and is higher on the league table than WCH but is much further away!

Do we choose:

1. WCH - local and there is a direct bus that takes her there in about 20mins.

2. HB - my husband will have to drive her there which will probably take an hour.

Any comments & opinions will be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone, just came across this useful thread and wondering how everyone’s respective little ones are getting on at WCHS and HB? Planning ahead for my little one.

We are in the same dilemma - live in Redbridge and can’t choose between Woodford county and HBS and Chelmsford- any advice??? How are you finding hbs and the travel and teaching etc??

grammar school dilemma- can’t choose between Woodford county, HBS and Chelmsford County High? Live in Redbridge so Woodford is nearest. Any thoughts and experiences with any of these schools? Travel to the schools? Culture and environment? Pastoral care? What would you do or what have you done when facing a similar dilemma??

Hi, we are in the same position you were in a few years ago. DD got through to the 2nd stage at HBS and we are now trying to choose between HBS, Chelmsford and Woodford - but live in Redbridge. How are you and DD finding HBS? How’s the travel? Is DD finding it ok or too much? Overall are you pleased with your choice/ decision to pick HBS? Pros and cons of the school? Sorry to be asking so many questions- just so confused and struggling to decide which to put as top choice on CAF form.

As a parent of an HBS girl (she left a few years ago and is now at uni), I would say that no school is worth travelling 2 hours a day or more for. I really don’t get this HBS obsession, yes they get excellent results but these are super bright girls, what do you expect? The teaching isn’t amazing, there are good and bad teachers like at any other school.

I would strongly urge parents to choose a secondary school that a child can get to and from by public transport.

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