The Compton School or Archer Academy in Finchley, opinions please!

[sammyvine]

We are moving soon and debating about where exactly in Finchley to move to (if possible) as my children will be going to secondary in the next couple of years.

I know both of these schools are highly rated and sought after and the catchment for Archer Academy is very tiny so I will bare that in mind. I have heard really good things about The Compton school, particularly when it comes to pastoral care.

One thing that is important to me is diversity. Is Archer diverse because from looking at the school website it doesn't look diverse at all which is surprising considering its a London state school?

Anyone have any info on both?

Hi, I don’t know much about the school since my children are still in primary. I live extremely close to Archers and can confirm that it is very diverse.

Just because it's a London state school, doesn't mean it'll be diverse. There are pockets around that area in N London where the schools are not diverse at all. Both of those schools are in areas where housing is very expensive unless you have a council property and so the student population is of two extremes in a sense. This is increasingly the case across London state schools though.
You're pretty spoilt for schools in that area so I would get the house and work from there.
Both the schools are popular with parents who don't want Fortismere. They are both strict. When I worked in a local primary school, 1/4 went to Compton, 1/4 APS and the rest to Fortismere. We never had problems with the kids who went to the first two.

Note that I don’t have children in these schools but know many attending both. Archer is the more middle class group and academically reflects that. Compton is more economically mixed but has great outcomes for their kids. Archer has no 6th form or didn’t until recently at least.
I would be happy to send my DC to either.

@NOTANUM

Note that I don’t have children in these schools but know many attending both. Archer is the more middle class group and academically reflects that. Compton is more economically mixed but has great outcomes for their kids. Archer has no 6th form or didn’t until recently at least. I would be happy to send my DC to either.

I don't think Archer has a sixth form? I do agree with you that Compton does look diverse and the intake of students looks mixed. I am not sure about Archer in that regard as it's a fairly new school.

@Meadowbreeze

Just because it's a London state school, doesn't mean it'll be diverse. There are pockets around that area in N London where the schools are not diverse at all. Both of those schools are in areas where housing is very expensive unless you have a council property and so the student population is of two extremes in a sense. This is increasingly the case across London state schools though. You're pretty spoilt for schools in that area so I would get the house and work from there. Both the schools are popular with parents who don't want Fortismere. They are both strict. When I worked in a local primary school, 1/4 went to Compton, 1/4 APS and the rest to Fortismere. We never had problems with the kids who went to the first two.

This is very true. Not all London schools are diverse. Both schools are in Finchley which is mostly a wealthy area.

APS used to be diverse especially in take as many students used to come from Wood Green which is one of the poorest parts on the borough on Haringey. I think recently the catchment for APS has shrunk so the school has become very middle class.

Archer doesn't have a 6th form but its students have right of entry to two local 6th form colleges, one being Woodhouse College which is a selective college in North Finchley with an excellent reputation (Archer students have to meet the required grades, but if they can, they're first on the list)

@sammyvine yes, very much so. Heartlands has got more and more like that too although it's still quite diverse, it seems a lot of their intake is now kids on the Alexandra park side who can't get into APS. You can tell the difference when looking at the older years vs lower.

@MousesBack

Archer doesn't have a 6th form but its students have right of entry to two local 6th form colleges, one being Woodhouse College which is a selective college in North Finchley with an excellent reputation (Archer students have to meet the required grades, but if they can, they're first on the list)

Compton didnt have a sixth form for a while and then opened one, so maybe the same will happen with Archer.

I do like the diversity of Compton and it seems it's not just a school full of middle class kids (which isnt a bad thing) i just like diversity. Archer going by replies in here seems to be predominately middle class.