Latymer (grammar) or Highlands School

[Superness]

I would really appreciate your help in choosing between two schools for my dd. Highlands (N21) or Latymer? I am going round in circles here as I find big decisions very hard to make. I’m probably overthinking it!

I’m not totally sure why we got a tutor a year ago and decided that dd would sit the eleven plus for Latymer and DAO but we did. Fast forward to now and we are pretty much guaranteed a place at Latymer (grammar) if we put it first on our CAF.

On travel, Highlands is a ten minute walk away, Latymer two buses (but only 3 miles away). Dd is not phased by the journey but having to leave the house by at least 7:45 each day may wear her down.

The majority of dd’s state primary will go to highlands. We don’t know anyone who will go to Latymer. Dd doesn’t mind and says she’s looking forward to making new friends.

Highlands is a great school. We know it. We have a son there doing well and enjoying it. The relatively new head is making further improvements. There’s a great feel locally about the school. I also hear Latymer is a fantastic school and is highly sought after. It’s place in the league tables is impressive. We’ve not been able to visit.

I feel that Latymer might be an amazing opportunity for dd and I don’t want to deprive her. She’s quite excited about it. On the other hand, I feel she could miss out not going to her local, excellent comp, walking to school with local friends etc. And of course two children in different schools is an added complication.

I’s this decision a no-brainier? I’d be grateful for your insight/views.

An absolute no brainer Latymer every time.

Thanks for replying minsmum. Would be keen to hear your views as to why.

I would say Latymer too. I'm not a "grammar or bust" person at all but I know a lot of people at Highlands (teachers and students). I know it has a good reputation and I'm sure some of that is deserved but I know students who have just left who have been really let down (in my opinion) by the advice regarding uni/careers etc. Compared to the local selective schools the advice was woeful and really inadequate. It actually made me incredibly sad to see what happened to this particular student I know who absolutely has done the wrong thing in terms of their career aspirations - I tried to intervene but they followed school advice. I don't know how many students have had that experience but they definitely said they weren't alone and that the school didn't seem to know how to manage those with higher career aspirations (apologies if that's clumsy phrasing).
I would pick Latymer. There will be plenty of children going there from close to Highlands.

I lived in N21 and went to Latymer - they journey's fine.

I would look at the attached 16-18 options as pp has mentioned.
Latymer balloons at 6th form, and from what i saw on .gov website the A level results aren’t all that phenomenal.
Yes the GCSEs are very high, but you would expect that with a selective school.

It might be possible that 11-15 at Highfield followed by 16-18 at Latymer could be an option?
I chose a secondary school based on the 16-18 provision.
But there’s so much movement at that stage I actually think neither of my kids will end up staying there for 6th form!

Other way to look at it is to check out the subjects Latymer offers at GCSE. If your kid is super excited by the option to take a different language for example, than french, or even 2 languages, then it might be worth it.

I would go with Latymer too. Highlands is a great school but I don’t think it compares with Latymer.

Thanks anydream, that is disappointing to hear about the career’s advise for leavers. It’s such an important time in a student’s life and needs to be done really well.

Thanks echobelly, I think the journey is doable, I think I’m just asking myself whether it’s worth it in terms of what dd will gain.

Thanks igneo, agree the a-level results at Latymer aren’t wonderful. I guess we would also have the option of moving to another sixth form after Latymer if necessary (given we have secured a place now). I’ve looked at the gcse options too, dd is not a massive language person but does like the idea of Latin and Russian on offer there (but would have preferred Mandarin!). Nor is she a huge music person! She is v good at creative writing and loves art and design.

Thanks pinkchocolate too.

I’m grateful for all your input.

Pretty much.

I don't know Highlands but we had a choice of local outstanding comp or Latymer and went for the latter. The journey is long but they seem to enjoy the independence and social aspect. DD1 also didn't know anyone when she started but has made friends pretty easily. We did say to her if she really hated it, she'd be able to leave and go to one of the local schools but wouldn't have the option the other way round until A level. It sounds like your daughter is keen.

The language choices do seem a bit old-fashioned I've no idea why they do German as a second language instead of Spanish. Latin or Russian start in Y8. But DD says they recently sent round a questionnaire asking if people would like to learn Spanish, so she's hopeful they may start that as an option too. No Mandarin on the cards as far as I know!

See, if you’d have moving for 6th form in mind, i’d question Whether it was worth the extra travel time etc. It’s not like your kid isn’t going to get the gcse grounding they need to do well at A Level at the local school. If the 6th form was outstanding, and Latymer seniors had an advantage in getting a place, I’d go for it. But otherwise, just go for the easy option. GCSEs are gruelling without extra travel time/ pressure due to selective school.

Thanks Stokey. I have had similar thoughts that if it really wasn’t working out we could move her to her local comp, although I moved both children out of one local primary to another (yr 1 and 5) and found the whole process very stressful so I would really hope not to be in that position again. In hindsight it was, however, the right decision.

I think Spanish would be a great addition to the offering. Around here, the primaries all do Spanish.

You’re right dd is keen. If she wasn’t I would say let’s go local but feel it’s not fair to dissuade her from Latymer which she worked hard to get into without good reason.

Thanks Igneo, I don’t really have it in mind, it’s just that if it was the right thing to do, then it would be possible. I see what you mean though, the real aim is to get the grounding at gcse to do well at a-levels and I’m sure dd would get that at either school. I’m going to have a bit more of a look into the a-level offering at both schools.

Thanks.

Good luck with your decision!

My friend had a similar scenario with her second child getting into a selective school but then dc2 deciding she would rather follow her older sibling to the local comprehensive. In the end they decided she should try the selective school, knowing she would be top of any waiting list at the comprehensive and it would be very easy to move her but impossible the other way round. She actually loved the school she started at and never did move but it's an option if your DD does find the travelling too onerous.

@Anydream

I would say Latymer too. I'm not a "grammar or bust" person at all but I know a lot of people at Highlands (teachers and students). I know it has a good reputation and I'm sure some of that is deserved but I know students who have just left who have been really let down (in my opinion) by the advice regarding uni/careers etc. Compared to the local selective schools the advice was woeful and really inadequate. It actually made me incredibly sad to see what happened to this particular student I know who absolutely has done the wrong thing in terms of their career aspirations - I tried to intervene but they followed school advice. I don't know how many students have had that experience but they definitely said they weren't alone and that the school didn't seem to know how to manage those with higher career aspirations (apologies if that's clumsy phrasing). I would pick Latymer. There will be plenty of children going there from close to Highlands.

Really In what way were they let down? Did they pick the wrong uni/courses or something - i don't get it..

@sammyvine it is not my child so I don't want to give too many details. I just happen to work in uni admissions in the field that this student was interested in. It's a highly competitive field and most students I met have had their hand held through the process to some extent. Unfortunately they had zero chance of getting a place from the unis they applied to then took a place through clearing that they perceived would help them achieve the same goal and it will almost certainly do the exact opposite and be detrimental to that goal. Sorry I can't be clearer but it might be outing for the student.
To be fair this is not necessarily a criticism of Highlands in that they may represent most other similar schools although I suspect most schools would have tried to inject a note of realism and maybe if it hasn't been for covid etc it would have been better. It's just that Latymer will be better in this particular area at least.

@Anydream

My friend had a similar scenario with her second child getting into a selective school but then dc2 deciding she would rather follow her older sibling to the local comprehensive. In the end they decided she should try the selective school, knowing she would be top of any waiting list at the comprehensive and it would be very easy to move her but impossible the other way round. She actually loved the school she started at and never did move but it's an option if your DD does find the travelling too onerous.

Thanks. I think that is where I am heading and hoping that we would be in the same scenario re child loving it and not needing to move!

I have a son who went to Latymer. Great school, enjoyed his time there. I also have a girl who started at Highlands school a couple of years ago but we made the decision to pull her out. Highlands school is not the school is used to be.

@ boygirlmum thanks for your input. I know these type of decisions aren’t taken lightly so you must have had good reason to remove your daughter. I hope she is doing well in her new school.

My son is at Highlands at the moment, is doing well and enjoys it. When he joined a few years ago, there were issues with behaviour and discipline but the new head has worked hard to sort this out and the feeling is that it is much improved.

I’m mainly worried that my dd will miss out on going to her local school with local friends. It might not be as good as Latymer on the league tables etc but I’m sure she could thrive there.

However, the decision has largely fallen away, in the short term at least. We put Latymer first on the CAF and she is almost guaranteed a place on 1 March allocation day so we won’t be offered Highland’s. We will give Latymer our best shot and hope that we made the right choice.

Hi OP

How is it going for your DD at Latymer?

Latymer is a great school. I know many parents there - all very happy. It would be crazy to deny that opportunity.

my daughter leaves the house at 7:45 and it's no big deal at all.

Hi, to update, my daughter loves Latymer! She has settled in really well and made some nice friends. The travel is a bit tiring but I’m sure she will get used to it. She certainly wouldn’t change her school for another!