Hertfordshire secondary private schools (particularly near St Albans)

[hertsgirls]

We have two DDs, our eldest is year 3 so I'm just starting the process of thinking about secondaries.

She does pretty well academically and is meeting or exceeding expectations in most areas, particularly reading and spelling. Socially she gets on well with others but seems quite innocent and young for her age compared to some of the other girls in her class. She is not particularly sporty (takes after me!) but enjoys music and dance.

She can be very shy at first and doesn't enjoy being the centre of attention. She responds well to being stretched academically but won't necessarily put herself forward so relies on the teacher being able to recognise her ability.

We have some very good state secondaries nearby, other children in the road seem to attend St Albans Girls School, Roundwood Park or Katherine Warrington. Of the three I think I prefer the idea of STAGS as I think she'd do best in a single sex environment. I'm worried that all three are big schools though so she might end up getting a bit lost?

I'm also considering independents but barely know where to start with this as both DH and I went to state schools. Which schools have a good reputation for both the academic side of things as well as pastoral care/a nurturing environment? Again I think I'd prefer single sex. I'm assuming if we want to go down this route we'll need to start thinking about tutors pretty soon for the entrance exams.

Grateful for any experiences and any tips on useful forums/websites to help make sense of it all??

Single sex:

Queenswood
Abbots Hill
Royal Masonic
Berkhamsted
St Albans High (very academic)

St Margarets in Bushey also worth a look - going coed but still girl heavy.

I think they all have transportation from St Albans.

@zodlebud thanks, are you saying those schools fit my criteria? Or are you offering a list of schools for me to research?

Abbots Hill is renowned for pastoral and gets very good results. Couldn’t be further from a hot house if it tried. Only goes to 16 though.

Queenswood has it all although fees reflect this. Great pastoral, your daughters progress tracked continually (each girl is expected to reach their potential), inclusive sport, drama, music etc.

Royal Masonic feels a much bigger school and more “London”, but a very popular choice in the area. Has a lot going on.

Berkhamsted is a bit marmite - you either love it or hate it. I personally struggle with any school that culls children not making the grade though as it seems as odds with their pastoral care.

St Margarets, a bit like Royal Masonic but not as big. Getting very popular these days.

If your daughter isn’t top of top sets already, St Albans High probably isn’t the right place for her. For the right girl it’s a brilliant school. I do know girls there who have struggled going from top of their class at primary school to “just” being mediocre there.

I personally also really like STAGS. We live too far away to get a place but it would have been on my list.

I would definitely look at Abbots Hill, Queenswood, Royal Masonic, St Margarets and STAGS. Berkhamsted too but like I said, you’ll either love it or hate it.

@zodlebud this is fantastic information, thank you so much. I'll definitely take a lot at all of these. Abbotts Hill in particular sounds like a really good fit.

Can I ask what it is you like about STAGS? It appeals to me too, the only thing which worried me is that I noticed the OFSTED parent view results aren't as glowing as for other schools in the area but obviously that is only one relatively small piece of the data puzzle!

It's not our closest school, but based on admissions data from previous years we would stand a good chance of getting in through the lottery.

Honestly, STAGS was a gut reaction thing. I liked the head, the way the staff talk to girls, the girls seem happy and well adjusted. It has a buzz about it. I also liked Sandringham School for the same reasons.

Large schools aren’t necessarily a bad thing. There’s more children from which to find your tribe so I wouldn’t necessarily be put off by size alone. I would head to a couple of open days in September / October and see what you think.

Stags is a good school and does well for academic girls. Many leave at sixth form to go to mixed schools but other seems pretty popular. Purely anecdotal but the girls I know who went there seem as successful and perhaps happier than the ones who went to the high school? Less pressure maybe.

The private schools mentioned above would be quite a trek from where I guess you live. Abbots Hill would be ok. Others would mean an early bus start or a drag if you drive.

Katherine Warrington looks very nice although of course very new still.

You can’t go wrong with any of the state schools in Harpenden. They are large but pastoral support is good and standards are incredible. Go for a visit then consider if you really think you will get much more for the extra fees by choosing an independent school.

@newgirls I think you have guessed correctly yes, I've been looking at the journey times and Abbotts Hill definitely wins on that front.

@mabelthecow that's a fair challenge. I know the state options do have an extremely good reputation in this area. I guess I just want to make sure I've considered all angles before making a decision! And I'm finding it harder to know where to get information on the private schools than the state schools.