Mount House School in Barnet

[littlebull]

I've just been looking at private schools in North London as an option in case DC does not succeed with the super selective grammars.. it looks like a small, nurturing school which we like, but is it academic? Would appreciate some insight... thanks

Since the new head arrived I think their has been a greater emphasis on academics, but it will take a few years for that to feed through to exam results. They are never going to compete with the academic independent schools in the area, but I've not heard anyone mention that their child isn't very happy at the school.

@XelaM the new head came from one of the Perse schools in Cambridge so will know what a fully functioning school should look like.

If your DD's current school is too academic and pushy (looking at Habs & St Albans) look at some alternatives. Somewhere other than MHS.

St Margaret's Bushey
Queenswood
Belmont / Mill Hill
North Bridge House (Hampstead)
Palmers Green High (no outside space to speak of)
Channing
Francis Holland Regent's Park
King Alfred School
Your local state school (?)
Are all better than Mount House.

Isn't your DD only in YR7, you and she won't be so keen to move to Mount House once she gets to YR9.

Soma - you always reply to threads about MH negatively, without ever giving any details. What are your actual issues with the school? Historical or current?

@northlondondad1976, I don't understand why you tagged me. I think my post was balanced. See my first paragraph about the new Head.

Soma - Because you listed a lot of schools that you said were better than MH and said look somewhere other than MH. You also insinuated that something goes wrong at MH from year 9 onwards.
I'm genuinely interested in the negative's about MH, as I have a daughter who is in year 5 and has it on her short-list.
You were also very critical of the school in a different thread last year.

@northlondondad1976 If your DC is in Year 5 then you have time to research all your options and come to your own conclusions. I don't want to derail the thread.

Really interested to hear both the positive and negative, so please explain in more detail @Soma if you can. There is nothing wrong with the school my daughter is at the moment. It's just her friends at Mount House are trying to convince my daughter to switch. She goes riding and some of her horsey friends are at Mount House and really love it. I'm trying to figure out if the school is really as lovely as they say or if they like the fact that it's laid back on academics. Their outside space is also much smaller than her current school.

@soma @northlondondad1976
Would be great to hear your children's experiences of Mount House.. good and bad.. thanks. I do hear children who are there are very happy, perhaps it's the teaching?

A friend's very academic DC is there they are all happy with the school. They chose it because it was most affordable for them.

Another chose it because their DC is not academic and they felt the school won't be too pushy.

Like has been said local people with kids there say their kids are happy and they are too.

When we went to see it, the student showing us round said she'd given up a place at Henrietta Barnett to join the school in Y7. She was going to Cambridge to study Law. This was 2018 or 2019.

The reason I mention all this is, it seems cater for all.

What I've realised since my kids started secondary school is, not to be blown away by facilities your kids might end up not being interested in. Like huge sports fields and your DC isn't keen. Or fancy DT facilities and zero interest. Speaking from experience 😂. Appreciate one might not know what they'd be interested in though.

That's a really good point previous OP.

Facilities look wonderful in lots of these places especially those with swimming pools, yet my DC hates swimming lessons.

The thread is not too old and I need some opinions.

I have a daughter in year 9 who goes to St John's in the Ridgeway. She has been struggling there for the last year or so with no support of her mental health and not getting better. She was adamant she will stay and 'cope' but clearly she needs change though it is perhaps the worst time having in mind the GCSE. So, we have been thinking of moving her Mount House but I am still unsure how academically good they are. Although St John's is brilliant on paper and it worked well for my son (19 now) but for her is a nightmare.

I would love to hear some feedback from people who are there really. Thank you

@Mum2017 if it was a choice between St John's and Mount House, I would choose MHS. It doesn't matter how academically strong a school is, if your DD is unhappy. It is my understanding that MHS have picked up quite a few pupils from St St John's over the years

The only thing I'd say @Mum2017 is that quite a few seem to be leaving for 6th forms elsewhere this year. I am not entirely sure why but two said they "need a change". One is less academic, one very much academic so there isn't a pattern.

We have been told that Mount House has a 5 years contract which expires this year (not sure if a contract or a lease) and the school, if not profitable enough, might change its usage (not to be a school anymore). Is that really possible or is only a rumour?
I guess pupils may need change for various reasons. Mine is struggling with friendships (or the lack of them or toxic relationships) at school and this is really affecting her a lot...

@NOTANUM it is my understanding that a good number stayed on for sixth form in 2019, none in 2020, and a handful in 2021. Many of the girls leave for Woodhouse, Finchley Catholic, and bigger independent sixth forms, like Queenswoods, St Albans, Hampstead Fine Arts, King Alfred etc.
The school was particularly strong in the creative arts, and I heard that a favoured teacher left in 2020 and a number of girls left for that reason.

@Mum2017 what sort of 5 year contract? The nuns who owned and ran St Martha's owned the buildings outright.

@Mum2017 sorry posted too soon. When they sold the school and it became Mount House.

I am unsure as that came out during a meeting this morning between my husband and the head of St John school.

Then I would take what your head says with a pinch of salt and speak to the head of Mount House directly. Lots of independents accept pupils into Year 10, without issue. What subjects has your daughter opted for?

I think schools that have a single owner or owning family like St John's tend to be a bit sniffy about schools owned by private equity companies (Albion Capital Group in this case).

She wanted to take Latin but her favourite teacher just left. She is still undecided whether to take geography or history and wants to take triple science. Art is her favourite subject.

and I thought we shall take their words with caution and ask MH when we go there next week.

@Mum2017 art, Latin, history and classics are very strong at Mount House. Although Latin isn't as popular as classics. Most of the GCSE art students get 8s & 9s, with the odd 7.

@Mum2017 it you scroll up the thread, you will see that I advised PP to look at other schools, but if I had to choose between your current school and MHS, it would be MHS every time.

We have been offered a place at Mount House and we really like it - it seems small and nurturing with a good headteacher. I was just wondering if anyone's children go there and how they find it?