Chigwell, Forest or Braeside

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Offer day next Thurs - we know we have offers for 2 as invited for scholarship interviews. Which one would you pick for a quite young for her age, quirky girl. Likes music, drama, sport - good at them all not exceptional. Same academically good strong all rounder hence scholarship interviews. Doesn't play roblox, among us etc so not quite helping with her peers interests at the min as obv with lockdown they are mainly communicating on social media and mostly via those games. No interest yet in make up which seems to have gathered pace in the last month looking at the WhatsApp messages. Otherwise she's pretty much like a lot of 11 year olds - likes reading, colouring, drawing, writing stories etc.

For me, Forest probably because I like the diamond structure. If you prefer a bigger site then Chigwell. Also depends on which one is easier to get to. I don't know Braeside but I think it is a smaller girls school (?) and may not offer as many opportunities as the other two.

Thanks - all fairly easy to get to we are the middle of the Loughton, Buckhurst Hill, chigwell triangle and the bus services for forest and Chigwell are pretty good. Braeside is the outsider but I like all girls and the fact it is only 20 a year so very personalised.

Forest sounds like a good compromise. Tuition is single sex but on the same site as the the boys. Works well. DD was there from pre-prep to 16 when she opted for Bancroft’s for A level as she wanted to start 4 a levels and then drop one and Forest wouldn’t allow this. She didn’t want Chigwell at all. I suppose if you want really small then Braeside could be interesting but I don’t think it’s seen as in the same bracket as Bancroft’s, Chigwell and Forest. Forest is big but it didn’t feel impersonal. Really warmed to Bancroft’s although didn’t expect to as DS had gone there and I had always found it a bit dry. But with DD it was totally different so I guess it all depends on the DC.

This brings back memories! I grew up in the same triangle but went to Roding Valley High School. I had friends at Braeside and Forest and then knew girls that went to Chigwell for 6th form.

From an outsiders perspective, if I had to choose for my child, I’d choose Forest. Braeside seemed nice but it is small and if friendships don’t gel then it will make for a very intense few years. My friends at Forest seemed very well rounded, not too ‘old’ for their years —like my school friends and I— and happy. Chigwell seemed quite high pressured.

I'd go for Forest or Chigwell over Braeside, as bigger schools so able to offer more opportunities. Also from personal experience I feel small classes can be a negative if your daughter isn't in too the 'trendy' stuff as much as others especially with all girls.

Also journey might be a consideration. Traffic to Forest can be terrible in the mornings, would she be able to go by train as that is much quicker. Obviously there is traffic to Chigwell but it's not as bad until your close to the school.

Makes a change from the usual "Chigwell, Forest or Bancroft's?" question.

Forest and Chigwell are at a level way above Braeside. Braeside is for those who don't/can't get a place at Forest or Chigwell (or Bancroft's,) but whose parents are scared of state schools.

If you choose Braeside you'll end up back here again in 5 years asking the same question because it doesn't offer Y12 and Y13 and there are way fewer places available for entry into Y12 at Forest or Chigwell, or Bancroft's than there are at Y7.

My daughters were both at Forest Prep. I would have been very happy for them to stay there for Senior School. The Forest music department is second-to-none and drama and sport provision is also excellent. The diamond structure works for girls I think. We also looked at Chigwell for the younger one (for 2020 entry) and were impressed - it just seemed a nice school and she would have done well there, but logistically it was the most inconvenient. They both ended up at Bancroft's as it happens as they fancied a change of scenery for Senior School. But, like I said, I would have been very happy for them to have stayed at Forest if that was what they wanted.

Thanks for all - we didn't go for Bancrofts - simply didn't like the feel. Dd is bright but not super competitive and I got a distinct feeling she would get in and then bump around the bottom. Interesting on Braeside currently it is being sold to me as the option to be v personalised, no slipping through the gaps and not a 'results' factory.
But yes the idea at 6th form of finding a place and the experience of changing to something so much bigger at the crucial stage concerns me.

Bring on Thursday! I think we are edging for Chigwell but simply because the headmaster was so lovely in the scholarship interviews - I'm not sure beyond the diamond structure there is much to hold between them and forest.

And yes I am scared of our state school option - not religious enough for Davenant, too far out for Debden so King Haralds for us.

Just out of interest OP, did you look at Roding Valley? I appreciate state schools don’t seem to be what you’re looking at, but I loved my time there (1999-2004) and would have stayed for 6th form. I’ve just had a browse of their website for nostalgia’s sake and it looks as though it went from strength to strength.

As it stood, I got in to Chigwell for 6th form on scholarship, went to Trinity in the end as found Chigwell too intimidating (just from impressions I think) and hated that too as in hindsight I suffered from imposter syndrome and very low self esteem, plus I lived in Chigwell so the commute was awful! Ended up in West Hatch which was just so terrible. I mean, next level terrible. Lots of friends went to Davenant and thrived though.

Ahhhh I’m struggling and jumping on post. Sorry.
Deadline day is approaching and Im so confused. I don’t know if to go with head or heart. I did not grow up around here (Loughton) so don't know the vibe of any of the secondary schools. We both had our hearts set on Debden High school as its the closest school, its ofsted outstanding and should be a done deal for her. We looked around on open day and my LO liked it. I was also impressed. The only thing i wasn't so keen on was the rush around tour at the school. We was in and out in 20 mins. The following week we went Roding Valley and was there for 2 hours. Head gave a speech, kids did presentations. The teachers answered questions. It was great and my daughter fell in love and now wants Roding to be her first choice.
I am in 2 minds now. Do i go with her and her heart. She has to be there everyday or do i go with ofsted and the school
being outstanding. Ive googled reviews which is mixed for both. Im
so stuck and feel what if i pick the wrong school for her just by first impressions. I feel like im so over thinking it!