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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

North London private secondaries for non-academic boys

29 replies

Rrelaxo · 02/03/2021 14:44

Hello all,

I have just recovered from the 11+ saga with my daughter, who was lucky to get a place at South Hampstead. After a short week of relief, it is time to start thinking about my son. He is in Y4 and is a July baby, so one of the youngest. He is now at a good state school in Hampstead. Relatively strong in math, awfully behind in English. We have gradually started giving him additional support and thinking about secondaries.

He is a bright boy, but still too immature to take 11+ process seriously and he definitely wouldn't do well in a high-pressure school (if he even got in). So probably the likes of UCS, Highgate, etc are out of the question. I am looking at alternative schools with nurturing environment and good sports facilities. Mill Hill is one obvious option, but maybe you could recommend other worthy options to consider that will not give me grey hair in terms of preparing my son for entrance exams and not making him lose any interest for learning along the way if pushed too hard? Thanks a lot!

For now slight preference for boys-only, but will also look at co-ed to evaluate all options.

OP posts:

mdh2020 · 02/03/2021 14:48

John Lyons? Does it have to be a private school?

Soma · 02/03/2021 15:09

@Rrelaxo , have you considered Aldenham? There is also North Bridge House Hampstead. DD has a friend at Canonbury who seems to like it, but I think Hampstead is marginally better.

Original poster

Rrelaxo · 02/03/2021 15:16

[quote Soma]@Rrelaxo , have you considered Aldenham? There is also North Bridge House Hampstead. DD has a friend at Canonbury who seems to like it, but I think Hampstead is marginally better.[/quote]
Thank you, i have indeed just registered for an open day at Aldenham - I understand they provide a nurturing environment and give strong support with educational needs (we are suspecting our son might have mild dyslexia, but not confirmed yet).

NBH is a known option - i hear mixed reviews though. We will check it out as well.

OP posts:

Zodlebud · 02/03/2021 15:40

Aldenham or St Columba’s College in St Albans. They have a bus route from Winchmore Hill and Mill Hill. It is going coed but very gradually with girls starting in the sixth form and reception in their prep. I think the plan is that the girls will move up from the prep over the years to make it fully coed over many years as opposed to all at once.

Soma · 02/03/2021 16:00

I think St Columba's College going co-ed, might be in part due to St Martha's in Hadley Wood going co-ed and changing to Mount House. They used to do socials etc. together.

Yes, the pastoral care is supposed to be good at Aldenham, and learning support helpful. If your DS is musical, then Mill Hill is much better than Aldenham.

Camdenish · 02/03/2021 16:06

I know a few sets of parents who are v happy with North Bridge House.

King Alfreds?

Joy93 · 02/03/2021 16:15

@Rrelaxo

KAS or Heathside - both really lovely nurturing schools, co ed, relaxed, supportive. KAS has progression through to their senior, while Heathside has amazing 11+ progression data. Although both tricky to get into Year 5 Prep.
Good luck :)

Soma · 02/03/2021 16:15

King Alfred is a very nurturing school, but tricky to get into for year 7, as there are so few places for new pupils, on average about 10 a year. OP could try for an occasional place before then.

cakefortwo · 02/03/2021 16:30

Hi @Rrelaxo

I feel your pain! But well done on South Hampstead :)!

I agree with @Joy93 - KAS and Heathside are both really good schools - not fair to say not academic though - both schools stretch their children but are inclusive at entry. The Head of KAS was the interim Heads at Heathside - hence the similar ethos. Dukes Education now back Heathside, so financially sound as well as being an amazing school.

Always worth exploring both .... then you can choose !!

Love2dance · 02/03/2021 16:30

Also heard good things about Aldenham (and the site is lovely) and St Columba's re pastoral care and nurturing. So difficult to decide I really feel for you. DS1 it at St Albans but DS2 was a very prem summer baby with dev delay, dyspraxia/DCD and possible ADD. We knew StAbs just would be too much for him. We are in N London and due to COVID have not managed to move so do not feel DS2 would manage the journey anyway. We have decided to go state (Marylebone Boys) as heard v good things about it (from an ex-prep school parent). Good luck.

Reeewwwww · 02/03/2021 16:31

Forest School? Or is that too far? And it's mixed.

Original poster

Rrelaxo · 02/03/2021 16:37

@Love2dance

Thanks for the tips and it is never too soon to start thinking about this! With our daughter's school in Hampstead, we will need to find a place to live that would work for both kids (also if they have to travel in the opposite directions :). But i see that most of the schools further out offer school bus options.

We will be visiting the open days and forming more opinions.

OP posts:

Original poster

Rrelaxo · 02/03/2021 16:39

@cakefortwo

Hi *@Rrelaxo*

I feel your pain! But well done on South Hampstead :)!

I agree with @Joy93 - KAS and Heathside are both really good schools - not fair to say not academic though - both schools stretch their children but are inclusive at entry. The Head of KAS was the interim Heads at Heathside - hence the similar ethos. Dukes Education now back Heathside, so financially sound as well as being an amazing school.

Always worth exploring both .... then you can choose !!

Yes, super proud of South Hampstead (less happy with the grey hair I got throughout the preparation process :).

Yes, Heathside is on our list. Our daughter actually got offered a massive scholarship there, which we declined. But i quite liked the school for our boy.

KAF hard to get into, i hear.

OP posts:

afewtoomanychoices · 02/03/2021 23:36

Look at Wetherby Senior?

XelaM · 03/03/2021 00:34

Aldenham, St John's Senior School in Enfield, Mount House School

TomorrowOnce · 03/03/2021 01:04

Wetherby Senior, Maida Vale School, Eaton Square Senior School, Kensington Park School, Knightsbridge School, Portland Place School
(all in pretty much central London)

lpsandmore · 03/03/2021 06:58

Heathside if you want local, they've just had go ahead for GCSEs. St Christopher's in Letchworth if you don't mind travel. They have a whole bus system going to N London with reasonable timings. It's like a more academic version of KAS.

mammmamia · 03/03/2021 16:03

Also interested in this topic

London1305f · 03/03/2021 21:30

This thread is very helpful. Are there any options I can add to this list for a DD?

Polly99 · 03/03/2021 21:45

For a DD look at Queenswood. It's mildly selective, has a rep for sports but I think gets the best out of girls on an individual basis without excessive pressure. I know of girls who have done extremely well there. If it's a bit far they have flexi boarding I believe. Also Queens College (at the back of Selfridges though).

TomorrowOnce · 03/03/2021 22:05

St Margaret's Bushey is lovely lovely - used to be girls only, now co-ed

John Lyon will start to be co-ed from Sept 2021

These are co-ed as well:
Maida Vale School (opened in 2020)
Eaton Square Senior School
Kensington Park School
Knightsbridge School
Portland Place School
Heathside School
Thomas's Battersea (opening in 2021)
Radnor House Twickenham

Additional for DDs:
Northwood College GDST (lovely grounds)
St James's in Kensington Olympia (likely oversubscribed, fab A-levels)
St Helen's (lovely grounds, likely oversubscribed)
Queens Gate (likely oversubscribed)
QCL is oversubscribed (lovely head)
More House School in Knightsbridge (lovely school, loved their choir/orchestra when we visited)
Palmers Green High School (lovely school, girls in pink)
St Margaret's Hampstead - tiny school, likely oversubscribed (besides SPGS which is understandable, the head here claims that there is such thing as a St Margaret's girl, really?)
SCHS (Streatham and Clapham) GDST - (likely oversubscribed)
Blackheath High School GDST (likely oversubscribed)
Croydon High School GDST (likely oversubscribed)
Sydenham High School GDST (likely oversubscribed)
Sutton High School GDST (rising star, likely oversubscribed)
Bromley High School GDST (likely oversubscribed)
St Catherine's Twickenham

XelaM · 04/03/2021 00:38

@London1305f I have a daughter and I was looking for nurturing schools with easier entrance exams in North London.

These are the schools I would recommend going for:

Queenswood,
St John's Senior School,
Mount House,
Aldenham,
St Helen's (although we didn't apply, but heard it's lovely),
Palmers Green High School (but they don't have a 6th form).

London1305f · 12/03/2021 11:40

@XelaM thank you. I will have a look at these. I always thought St Helen’s was quite academic though.

Soma · 12/03/2021 12:02

Ditto regarding St Margaret's Bushey, excellent pastoral care.

mammmamia · 12/03/2021 12:14

Does anyone have any information about how the co-Ed thing is going for St Margaret’s Bushey and John Lyon?

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