Boys secondary schools in the UK near London

[Wendyxoxo]

Hi luvs, we have been looking at a lot of schools nearby. We live in North West London. My DS has shortlisted three schools that he loved, but I am not sure if its the right choice because of how hard the exams are. He liked (in order):

1. Harrow
2. St Albans
3. Westminster

1. Habs (Liked it compared to the other options)

I am worried about if he is going to get in. I don’t want to lower his morale and therefore am utterly perplexed by his three choices. We have heard that Harrow is not too hard as long as you have money and perform decent in the exam and quite good in the interview. However, St Albans and Westminster seem a bit of a stretch. For St Albans, I have heard you need a glowing reference and need to perform amazing in the interview. (my best friend’s son goes to habs because he couldn’t get into St Albans). My son is academically able - set 1 in Maths and English, but his reference is weak. So we don’t think he is able to get into St Albans. Can some of you give me some advice on some other schools (I am thinking MTS) and how to convince him.

Thank you guys xxxxx

Is your ds at a prep school that goes up to age of 13 to prepare him for Harrow?
Are you aware how difficult it is to get into Westminster and have you visited and seen the site?

Why do you expect his reference to be weak?

I am wondering if you are from the UK as you don’t mention the prep school he is in. He really needs to be in the right school to enable the preparation for these schools and Harrow is full boarding.

What do you mean by refenence?

How old do your DS? Is he in a prep or a state school and which Year group?

If at a prep, which schools has head recommended?

What is 'weak' about his reference?

Hi, my DS does go to a prep school in North West London, that goes up to Year 8. His reference might be weak because he messes about sometimes. In school, he hasn’t had many achievements such as awards, titles etc. His school is a Harrow feeder, but the Head recommends the day version of Harrow: John Lyon and Merchant Taylors. A lot of kids from his school go to those two schools, but DS didn’t like either one (preferring MTS of JLS).

I reckon Merchant Taylors and Habs are a lot harder to get into that St Albans. And if you think St A is a stretch you have not got a hope in hell for Westminster.

You need to talk to your prep school head again, and listen to what he says. It is his job to help your son get into a suitable senior school. If he says he’ll get unit MTS then I would grab that with both hands.

@HoyaSaxa, Thank you so much luv, but how do I convince him. He wants to get into St Albans, Harrow and Westminster, I have talked to him and he said that he is fine if he doesn’t go to Harrow because he reckons that he might get homesick. But he is adamant about going to any other school than St Albans. The head says that St Albans is much much harder than Merchant Taylors because they pick based on reference and interview more than the exam. The exam my DS is doing for St Albans is really hard. Only 50 places in 260. I don’t want him doing the exam because I don’t want him to lose self confidence.

Can you guys please educate me on the difficulty of schools.

This is what headteacher and all my friends are saying:

1. Westminster
2. St Paul’s
3. Habs/Harrow/St Albans
4. Merchant Taylors
5. Mill Hill
6. John Lyon
7. St Margarets Bushey

Level of facilities:

1. Harrow
2. St Albans
3. St Pauls
4. Westminster
5. Habs
6. Merchant Taylors
7. Mill

DS is really into science and loves St Albans because Stephen Hawking said that he wouldn’t be in his famous position if it weren’t for the school. DS is holding onto that sentence of his stubbornly. Also StA are World-renowned for their science facilities.

@Wendyxoxo , as you know when you are in the prep school system you have to listen to the prep school head. The school won't let you register and have your ds sit the Westminster entrance exam if they don't think it's the right school for your ds or he hasn't got a chance of getting in.

A ratio of 260 ds for 50 places sounds fine as the schools often offer a ratio of 3 offers for each place so that's 150 offers to 260 applicants.

Listen to your prep head and tell your ds that like everyone else in his class you will be following the advice of the school and once your have the offers in front of you you can decide what to accept.

Habs has only about 20 places at 13+, some of which are deferred from 11+. You haven’t said which year group he is in now, but for Habs they are clear that it is best to apply at 11+, whether for immediate or deferred entry.

"Also StA are World-renowned for their science facilities" - really? I don't think that they are, or that they are any better than MTS. Or any other good private school. We were not that impressed when we looked round.

And the Stephen Hawking thing is just a bit stupid. you need to sit him down and tell him that just because a genius went to a school what - 50 years ago? - it's the right choice for a chatty boy to get a 9 in his GCSE physics. You have to be the grown up here.

St Albans is a good boys school. It's pretty academic, but frankly some of the boys that got in from our local prep schools are not heading for all 8s and 9s for GCSE, it's not that hard to get into so if your boy is finding the exam hard, he will struggle with getting into other more academic schools like Westminster.

A far more important point is that the head of the prep will have a relationship with all these senior schools. For whatever reason he does not think that St A's is the right one for your boy. I think that reading between the lines he is not prepared to give your boy the reference that he needs. So apply if you want, but start telling your boy that it may not be the right school for him.

If the head thinks he can get into MTS then I would start by encouraging that.

@sunshineclouds24, no I think in the exam there are 50 places for 260 applicants. That is a less than 20% chance of DS getting in. Usually the child goes to the school they want, DS wants to get into St Albans but teachers aren’t giving the right feedback so that he can get in. At the end of the day, the child should go to the school that they want.

P.S. DS is in Year 8 so exam isn’t too far for Habs and St Albans.

Thank you all for your help will try my best to convince DS of MTS xxxxx

@HoyaSaxa, really?? I have heard that on the worldwide spectrum StA is much higher in terms of facilities. The science is of university standard, the music is phenomenal and serves all types of people. A scientist. An actor. A musician. I have also heard that it holds many oxbridge offers and other Russell Group universities, as well as many going to Ivy League schools and other top Drama and Music schools such as Juilliard.

If he’s already in Y8 then entries are already closed for all these schools, surely. Where have you entered him for?

I don’t think it’s accurate to say (in London) that “usually the child goes to the school he wants”. Independent day places for boys are a bunfight. If you are lucky enough to get more than offer, great. Then the child can go to the school he prefers out of those which have chosen him.

*more than one offer

@JessyCarr, Nope the exams are in January

I know that exams are held in January, but entries for them have already closed. So you must already have a final list of schools you have entered him for. Most of this thread reads as though you are still trying to narrow down a list of choices.

At this point in Y8 it is just a question of head down until the selection procedures are over and he has done his best. Gently discourage him from setting his heart on any particular schools. Once you have offers in hand, attend offer-holder days and make a final choice.

You don’t mention how your DS will get to school. A lad I know didn’t take up a place at MTS because the coach didn’t stop near his home although it went passed the end of the road. Habs Boys are now working more closely with the girls school and sharing facilities.

Commuting won’t be an issue, we are close to the coach for St Albans and Habs, and MTS is an easy drive.

@Wendyxoxo , would you be able to list the schools you have paid the registration fee for and your ds is sitting exams for in the next few weeks as it would make this thread have a bit more "structure"?

@sunshineclouds24

These are the following schools my DS is taking exams for:

• St Albans
• Habs
• Merchant Taylors
• Harrow

Has he done the online test then? Used to be in nov/dec.

I used to work at a prep in HA1. Lots of our boys went to MTS or Habs. A few to Harrow. John Lyon if they struggled to get in elsewhere- it’s a nice school, but a more mixed intake.

Harrow better for an all-rounder, the other two for academic boys. But you need to listen to what your Head is telling you.

best of luck to your ds, I'm sure he will do well and you can make your decision once you have the offers.

Harrow Admissions

For Year 9 (13+) entry, the process comprises three separate stages:
STAGE 1
References are requested from current schools and all registered candidates sit the ISEB (Independent Schools Examinations Board) Common Pre-Test, an age-standardised and adaptive series of tests in English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. This test is sat either at a boy’s school, at an alternative educational establishment or test centre, e.g. the British Council.
Boys sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test between October and May of Year 6, although it is advantageous for the candidate to sit the test between October and December of Year 6. The Admissions department can access the results of Year 9 applicants who have sat the ISEB Common Pre-Test for other schools, once these applicants have been registered with us. Please note boys applying to multiple schools that use the Common Pre-Test, can only take the test once per academic year. In the event of a candidate taking the test more than once within a single academic year, we will be informed, and the first set of results will stand.
More information about these tests is available at the ISEB website (iseb.co.uk).
STAGE 2
The results of the ISEB Common Pre-Test and references will be reviewed before boys are selected to go forward to Stage 2 of the assessment. Boys who perform well in the ISEB Common Pre-Test and have strong references will be invited to meet at least one House Master between January and June of Year 6 (this is why it is an advantage to sit the Pre-Test in the second half of the Autumn term rather than later on). Those boys who pass the Pre-Test but are not invited to meet a House Master during Stage 2 will meet a House Master when they come for the Harrow Test (Stage 3).
STAGE 3
All boys who pass the ISEB Common Pre-Test in Stage 1 will be invited to Stage 3, the Harrow Test, which comprises:
▪ a computerised English and Maths assessment (30 minutes each)
▪ a short-written essay (20-25 minutes)
▪ two interviews: one with a House Master and one with a Senior Master

OP has your DS already completed stages 1 and 2? This must have involved a strong reference from his Headmaster. If not, how is he entering for stage 3?

I am assuming a boy who has performed well in stages 1 and 2 of the Harrow process would also be a strong candidate for the other schools you mention.