State Secondary Schools in Maida Vale and West Hampstead Areas

[Mayio]

Hello
We are considering relocating to the UK for work (Luton area) from Australia late December. We still are a little unsure as to whether to reside closer to work in terms of outskirts of Luton (i.e. St Albans etc) OR London. We think are more interested in London - possibly Maida Vale, West Hampstead areas also more accessible to Luton for work.
Transitioning from Australia is a little complicated due to my daughter's ages 15 and 13. What would be good/reputable state secondary schools to consider? The girls are musically and creatively inclined, but also keen for a balance with other academic subjects. Ultimately, looking for a warm and welcoming school, with good academic standing. Ultimately, where we live may depend on the schools we decide to apply for, so flexible at the moment. Any ideas please??

I'm going to leave aside the complexities of transferring into the English education system with a 15 year old as I don't have any expertise in that area, and that's not what you're asking about. So purely on schools...

There are a number of state secondaries in the areas you're talking about, the two obvious ones would be UCL Academy at Swiss Cottage and Hampstead School, (which despite the name is actually on the borders of West Hampstead and not near Hampstead village itself). There's also the Harris Academy St John's Wood, which is very close to UCL but in Westminster borough (the other two are in Camden). There is a thread on here at the moment about Harris schools, I don't know this one particularly but it has the reputation locally - whether justified or not - of being a second choice to UCL. Harris have only had charge of the school (formerly called Quintin Kynaston) for about 3 years so it's early days for them.

UCL: has a specialist science bent, with engineering a speciality. Teaches Mandarin, and all children are in vertical "tutor groups" through their time at school - it's a particular system of education and not to everyone's taste. The GCSE results don't really reflect how oversubscribed the school is, but do reflect the very diverse intake. I know some people who are very happy there, others who wouldn't touch it with a bargepole. I believe they've introduced some art aptitude places this year but don't know much about that - again, there was a thread here about it fairly recently, have a search.

Hampstead - another school that divides people, but I know a lot of kids there and they and their families are almost universally happy, even those who did not put it first preference when they applied. The results are decent at GCSE and good for 6th form. Again it has a very diverse intake - it did once have a poor reputation before the current Head took over (I'm talking more than 10 years ago now) and some people locally are still very snobby about it. It's not a "sought after" school for the middle classes but I would have been happy to send my own child there. I know some very bright, lovely young adults who have been through the school in recent years.

BUT with children the age of yours, my advice would be to contact the excellent Parliament Hill School to see if they have spaces in the right years. You could then position yourself near the London Overground which makes for a very easy journey to Gospel Oak. It's a girls' school - which you may or may not want - with a fantastic reputation both academically and for arts. It's just had a major rebuilding programme, with brand new faciliites, though I hear they are looking a bit empty having just opened this term, but that will change. It's top of the Camden league table for progress this year, beating Camden School for Girls which people get hysterical about but which I personally think is a bit overrated (you will be hard pushed to find a space there anyway, let alone two). The league tables are not anything like the whole picture, and the way the government's progress scores are calculated is a very blunt instrument, but it's an interesting indication of how a school is doing. Parli is massively oversubscribed in the current Year 7, but with older girls you may find they have places. Ring them up.

Other schools to consider are Haverstock, near Chalk Farm (again, accessible on the Overground via Kentish Town West), which is a good school but I would personally favour Hampstead, though again I know people who are very happy there. If you were in Maida Vale you'd be in the right area for the Paddington Academy but I'm afraid I don't know it well enough to give any comment.

The whole position changes again if you qualify for a faith school - Marylebone School for Girls (CofE) in Baker Street, La Sainte Union (Catholic) in NW5 both have an excellent reputation, are single sex, and you have to have years of weekly church attendance to qualify for a place, again unless they have vacancies in the right year groups. St Aloysius (CofE) and St George's (Catholic) are the mixed faith schools in the Maida Vale area. I can't comment on either though I'm afraid.

You will need an address in London to apply for any of these schools, as far as I know. You may want to speak to the admissions offices at Camden and Westminster in order to ascertain which have vacancies, and see their websites for the in year transfer process. Good luck, you're picking a great part of London to come to!

Zinnia, thank you so much for this comprehensive feedback to my query and situation. You have listed a number of mixed and single sex options to consider. In particular, I was not familiar with Parliament Hill School, so will contact the school directly re vacancies for in year admissions, so thank you! On another note, and as this is a new experience for our family to relocate to another country, how safe is it for children to walk to and from school particularly when it is dark in the winter? The increase in knife attacks around London is starting freak me out!

It's completely the norm for secondary age children to travel to and from school by themselves here. My 11yo started this term and I couldn't believe how many of them are out and about on the tubes, buses and trains. I do walk with her part way to her bus stop in the mornings, but only because she's so young and don't expect to still be doing that by the spring! In practice many kids go with friends, inevitably, as well.

It's London, so areas vary street by street, but both W9 (Maida Vale) and NW6 (West Hampstead) are largely safe parts of town, and likely to be busy at the times your daughters would be travelling. WH in particular is a big interchange (brilliant transport links!) so always bustling.

The recent knife violence is terrible and a huge tragedy, but as long as your daughters are sensible and streetwise they are unlikely to be caught up in it. I'd be lying if I said local parents aren't concerned, of course, but I don't know of anyone who is moving away for that specific reason.

Feel free to PM me if you have any more specific questions.

(Oh and this being Mumsnet, I'm fully expecting someone to come along and disagree with everything I've written so far! )

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/compare-schools

This website will give you some stats on schools. I think the chance of you having 'school government consider' is pretty slim. You'll find that the more desirable schools are full up and it'll be especially tricky for your 15yo as students are in the middle of their GCSEs. When you move, the local authority must offer you places somewhere but it needn't be near or the school of your choice. So you might want to ring up the local authorities in the areas you're interested in.

Generally, you'll also find that inner London schools serve largely the inner city children and the affluent families usually go down the independent route. Just mentioning that in case you thought you'd have the loveliest state schools in the most expensive areas.

Not government- 'schools to consider'

Actually Zinnia I agree with everything you’ve said

As the train to Luton runs directly out of Kentish Town you might want to look at living around that station. Living close to the station in the Tufnell Park and Kentish Town area would place you well for Acland Burghley school.

AB is a mixed sex comp and is on the up after having a bit of a rough time. There is a higher proportion of boys to girls there as there are more girls schools than boys schools in the area. The school building divides parents as there are those that love its Brutalism and those that think it looks like a prison camp. It’s certainly worth a look.

JoJo is right that the local authority (ie Camden or Westminster, depending if you go for West Hampstead or Maida Vale) will have an obligation to offer you places and that they won't necessarily be in your first choice of school (or indeed the same school). That's why it's a good idea to call the admissions offices to ask for advice and get details of schools with vacancies in the right years, though with the obvious caveat that a place available now might not still be there at the end of December.

Also most schools have a sibling policy, so if you get a place for one of your daughters at a preferred school, the other should be high on the waiting list. Prioritise your 15yo, it will be more difficult for her in the middle of the GCSE course as JoJo says.

And yes, the wealthy will usually - but not exclusively - send their kids to private schools, but there are plenty of professional middle class families who choose comprehensive schools for their children, whether ideologically or because you have to be very affluent indeed these days to afford London house prices + private school fees! Camden and Westminster are both classed as inner London boroughs, and the schools will have a mixed intake - one of the benefits of living here, to my mind.

Agree with @PhonicTheHedgehog about Kentish Town too!

Thank you all. I appreciate the realistic feedback and although a good state secondary school option around the North/West parts of London does not sound so hopeful, consulting with the local Borough's regarding our circumstances sounds worthwhile. Alternatively, if a good state school option is viable in areas outside London, in proximity to Luton, we may also need to explore this option. Living nearby Greek schools and church is important to us, so difficult to make the whole package work.

www.standrewsgreekorthodoxcathedral.co.uk/

www.stanargyre.co.uk/about

Those are Greek Orthodox churches around Kentish Town. I’m not sure if that’s the right sort of church for you?

I wonder if you could get your 15 year old a place in the school year lower than her age group so she starts her GCSE from the beginning?

This has been considered, however, as we are uncertain as to how long we will be in the UK, there is the issue of my daughter not wanting to stay down a year, and not be with her peers/friends etc.

Thank you PhonicTheHedgehog for the Greek Orthodox school/church details. I have made contact with this school but have seem to also be oversubscribed and not responded to my queries. Still an option to consider - thanks again!

OP, you could maybe consider the borough of Barnet. It’s an outer borough with many good schools. There are tube stations for getting into London and it’s not too far from Luton either.

Thank you JoJoSM2, will also look into Barnet!

Hello
Just touching base to let you know after arriving in London our girls now attend a school in Friern Barnet and are settling in well. We are trying to find a rental ATM and reasonable and safe areas to live in, that work for the girls commute to school and my commute to work in Luton. Our budget is around 1600-1700 pcm and so far we are considering North Finchley, and possibly West Hampstead, Golders Green, and even saw a great place in Wood Green close to both WG & Ally Pally stations but not sure how safe it is, given its notorious history/reputation, particularly during winter and girls returning home from school in the dark? Any thoughts/feedback/ideas?
Best
Adventures4MTM

I'm assuming you've gone for international (Dwight school) or friern Barnet/wren academy. You options are pretty open but if your commute from ally pally is good I would choose there tbh. The ally pally side of WG is nice and pretty safe. It's also an area where the girls could enjoy London without being as far out as Golders Green or as congested as West Hampstead. They would have lots at their doorstep. I believe Dwight school has a coach too.

I second the Ally Pally part of WG. The area near Heartland’s school.
Hobart’s is the estate agent to use for rental’s in that area, really know there locality.
I’m sure the other areas you’ve suggested are good too but I don’t know them well enough.

Hello again,

We may be exploring different school options commencing in September in London's north (N22) and wondering what you may consider to be good options for girls in year 10 and year 12. Ideally, we are aiming for a school that has a good balanced education, offering languages and good arts subjects.
Looking forward to your reply.
Adventures4MTM