St Albans Girls School (STAGS - State Secondary School) Vs Royal Masonic School (RMS - Private School)

[Ranm]

My daugther is currently in Year 6 in a Private School. We have an offer from Royal Masonic (RMS - Private Secondary School). We are also expecting to get an offer from St Albans Girls School (STAGS) which is a Secondary, non-selective State School (please note, I am not asking about St Albans High School which is a Seconday Private school in the same area). Yes, we are in the catchment for STAGS.

I know that both schools are well suited for my daughter, but now I am torn between the two schools. My daughter's heart is set on RMS because she has current classmates who will go there and she loved the school as well, from the Open Days and visits during other events. However, STAGS is meant to be a brilliant school as well, on par or even better than some Private Schools, as far as I know. I would rather save my hard earned money and send her to STAGS than pay through my nose for RMS.
Would love to hear the opinion of those who have experience of both schools. Opinion about the school as well as the quality of the girls, in terms of their attitude and ambitions in life.
Would also love to know how I could convince my daughter for STAGS (of course, after I am convinced myself, based on your feedack).

'quality of the girls' isn't a great phrase tbh

I don't know anything about RMS but went to STAGS for a bit back in the day. It's a large, busy comprehensive with social selection based on house prices. I enjoyed my time there and have friends I'm still in touch with. We've all done well and are happy. That said, I went to the other all girls state school in St Albans too and had a lovely time there and also am still in touch with friends from there, who are all happy, well-qualified professionals too.

Given that people do anything they can to get into STAGS and you're guaranteed a catchment space, RMS would have to really persuade me.

Thanks @KindKylie. Sorry about the wrong choice of words - all I meant was, are the girls ambitious and go on to do skilled jobs / businesses and stay away from mischief (generally)?

Not having to commute from St Albans to Rickmansworth every day would be a big consideration for me. There is a school bus route but no late buses back to St Albans. Unless you are going to drive her there and back it could prevent her doing some extra curricular stuff.

Both are great schools though. We have a great selective state school by us which we all loved. I did ask myself was the private option we were also considering worth £20k a year more than what the state school offered? Was I prepared to bust a gut and work all hours to be able to afford the private school and compromise on family life? I decided no it wasn’t. But if we had the money spare then we would choose private. In the end we have a private school as first choice, then a state school and another private as third choice. We have gone for where we can see our daughter. Where did she seem to fit in best. It was never a private vs state question, just the school itself.

We looked at RMS and didn’t rate it. Albeit a while ago. My neighbour went there and she never wanted to do much! You need to look at 6th form destinations to get an idea of what pupils go on to do. It’s not very academic and STAGs would be better in my view. There are other private options in that area which are better than RMS.

all I meant was, are the girls ambitious and go on to do skilled jobs / businesses and stay away from mischief (generally)?

Tempted to suggest, When in a hole, stop digging, but I thought I'd look on its website at the school's leavers' destinations instead.

www.stags.herts.sch.uk/page/?title=Destinations&pid=261

The data is from 2017, but it looks good to me (of course, it would be a lot more impressive if it was only, say, half a dozen or so of the most respected courses at a specific 24 universities - 51 courses sounds as if rather a lot of girls must have been unwisely allowed to choose what interested them instead of what they should have been steered towards if they were to enter the highest paid careers and 40 universities means that some of them must have been similarly unwisely allowed to apply for, and accept offers from, non-Russell Group institutions, but presumably some of them will manage to get skilled jobs afterwards, regardless).

Of course, not everyone stays at the same school for sixth form, so presumably some of the leavers whose destinations are given hadn't actually gone all the way up through the school (and some others will have left after GCSEs).

I know plenty of girls who have done well from STAGS. I would be happy with it

Thanks @Zodlebud. Thats exactly what I want to confirm - which of the two schools is the better school, ignoring the fact that one is State and the other Private. Also assuming that both are suited well for my daughter.

Thanks @BubblesBuddy. I am also more inclined towards STAGS, but looking for points to convince my daughter. At 11, she is more interested in the activities they do at school, rather than decide on the basis of what they go on to do after passing A Levels. I wanted to know what STAGS do during the school life of the girls, that is better than RMS

Thanks @MarchingFrogs. My daughter is making her decision on the basis of the activities they do in school rather than what they go on to do later in life, thats the problem. I am trying to find a way to convince her

STAGS is a great state school. OFSTED outstanding, Progress 8 score of 0.81, 47% of GCSEs last year at grade 9-7 and single sex (assuming that is important to you). Large array of extra curricular activities, benefit of local friends, no commute and it’s free. Biggest downside is not half as much sport as RMS.

RMS is a good independent school but not one parents are generally racing to (their direct competition is the grammars, St Helens and Northwood College). Every girl who has ever applied from our prep has got in - a wide range of abilities. GCSE results a bit better at 57% grade 9-7 but they are selecting out the very weakest I would imagine. Amazing facilities and small class sizes.

The “better” school in terms of results and value for money has to be STAGS. Does RMS give you £20k a year more? Do you have £20k a year? What, as a family, would you spend £20k a year on if she didn’t go?

The thing is though, nobody in here knows your daughter or your financial background. There are so many other factors other than which should is “the best”.

Well, it was Outstanding back when the girls who left sixth form last summer were in the second term of year 7... Nothing to say that it may not still be, of course, but that was a whole school generation ago.
files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2202427

Still, given the recent pronouncement by Ofsted on the subject, the school should be due another visit fairly soon.

Does anyone know the class size at STAGS? Cant recall from the Open Day.
Have been searching the STAGS website for a list of Clubs for extra curricular activities, cant seem to find any. Any pointers please?

The class sizes at STAGS will be around 30 - it's a state school.

www.stags.herts.sch.uk/page/?title=Out+of+School+Hours+Opportunities&pid=140

Class sizes are 30. Sometimes one or two more if children get in on appeal.

Brilliant! Thanks @Zodlebud @KindKylie

Hey @Ranm. Coming back to this much later 😀 as we are now in the same position! Between STAGs and a private school. What did you choose???