Dame Alice Owen?

[lillyledbetter]

I have a bright, enthusiastic Year 4 DD. I'm thinking about secondary schools and whether or not it's worth going all in to tutor for the test schools. We live in Islington where the secondaries near us are fine but not great (in my opinion.).

Dame Alice Owen's test is an option and because we're not too far from Finsbury Park, this wouldn't be a crazy commute for us (Google maps says 33 minutes door to door -- but I've never done it).

Obviously tiny chance of getting in.

That said, I know little about the school besides its amazing reputation. Why is it so desirable? Is it really that much better than other secondary schools considered good in London (say, Parliament Hill or Camden School for Girls? -- both of which might be in reach of us, esp. if we move (which we have to do anyway at some point).

Any thoughts are very welcome!

Lovely grounds, good results, sibling policy, strong sense of pride in history, very middle class intake.
HOWEVER;
Think hard before sending your child to a school where all their friends are likely to live a long way away. Do you really want to be doing drop-offs and pick-ups out into Hertfordshire as they grow up and want to see their friends at weekends and evenings?

Mine had lots of Islington friends who tended to stay over at the weekend. It wasn't a problem for anyone I knew. They tended to move en masse via the train.

Are you in one of the right Islington postcodes for DAO?

Ooh, what are the "right Islington postcodes"? On the website it says: "All applicants who live in, or are being educated in, the London Borough of Islington." Thank you all!

You are absolutely right so forgive me. It’s only the North London postcodes that are specifically listed! i was so sure Islington was the same!

No worries at all, and thanks!

DAO has about a mile of walking / bus from the station, so it's a bit of a hassle but as I hear the Islington kids are happy doing that. Thinking that my kids would have friends in Herts and have sleepovers there etc would be harder for me to digest...

If you're happy with a longer commute, take a look at Henrietta Barnett if you haven't done yet.

I don't like how the DAO head comes across. It seems like she has turned the school to only be about exams, nothing else.
Also the way they deal with racism is also a worry.
If you are a person of colour, particularly Black I wouldn't send my child to DAO. A school where being called the N world doesn't lead to exclusion? That tells you all you need to know about the school.
I was shocked to hear that the head was Jewish, because you think would a Jewish person would take racist incidents seriously.

This is an interesting thread. Looking at the allocation of places for last year, 124 Islington children registered for the exam and 10 got in - the other Islington places went to siblings (9) and a music award (1).

I wouldn't send a dog I liked to DAO. Current head has turned the school into a toxic mess. Think Lord of the Flies. Fine if your kid is outgoing, academic, very mentally tough and resilient, and can brush things like bullying off. Do not send if sensitive, neuro-diverse, or from a minority group or have anything that marks them as different. They will suffer. That school has a racism and homophobia problem, a barely-functioning pastoral team, a "tick-in-the-box" safeguarding team and a non-existent SEND team. Its bullying, off-rolling and focus on reputation and exams rather than actual children is the best-kept secret in Potters Bar. they will always do what's best for them, not for your child. Be warned.

I know lots of young people who went there and a few in 6th form they’ve all enjoyed it. My children got just as good results and predicted results from going to a comp. The DAO children thatI know end up having such a long day, leaving home 7.20am getting home at 5pm and friends living miles away which when they start at 11 years old is tiring & then with homework. Also need collected after after school activities. I’d look at more local schools first

Wow we are in North London and I have never heard this. Didn't DAO win the award for the no1 state school in the country two years ago? Several of my daughter's primary friends went there and I've never heard a bad word about it. Isn't it THEE most desirable state school if you have more than one child?

Its reputation is superficial and not deserved. That's why I said it's a well-kept secret. It's not a state school, really. It's a carefully-concealed grammar. Its intake is almost exclusively exam entry or siblings of exam entry. Lots of privately-educated or tutored children go there. The head has stated in a prospective parents evening "do not send your children here if they have extra needs". I know plenty of kids who go there and it is great if you are a tough, resilient and academic kid. If not, forget it.
There is no "value added"- they hothouse and cram already clever children. If you can't keep up, you are put into the bottom set and you coast.
If you compare their exam results with other grammar schools their pass rate is not comparible, particularly at A level, but because they are a "state" school they are compared with other state schools and not grammars.
The pastoral office there is crammed full of children with mental health issues.
"N" word scrawled over bathroom walls and shouted at students, bullying ignored. God help you if you're LGBTQ+ or autistic.
I'm so glad my children left ages ago.

Are those people you know who go DOA White? They probably don't face any racial issues.
I would send my child to a school where calling a Black student the N word leads to just a slap on the wrist. What kind of school headteacher accepts that?

Actually, yes they are white and they are kids who passed the 11+ to get in and were very bright, confident, outgoing and popular in primary, so I wouldn't expect them to face the issues you and the PP describe. I'm just shocked as it's such a holy grail of a school for North London kids.

Does anyone have an update on DAO? We’ve been looking at the school for our daughter but I’ve been disturbed by the posts here. We are in Islington and seemingly out of the catchment for most schools. Nearest without a tight reach is Hornsey School for Girls. Private school is not an option. Thank you!

I should have said out of the catchment for most good schools - not any schools, the nearest is RI all the way.

St Mary Magdalene is a lovely school. I have a DC there in year 8 who has a nice bunch of bright, engaged friends. There is no distance criterion on the governors' places, for which you have to sit a quite low-stakes verbal reasoning exam. But you need to register for it by the end of this week I think to sit it in the Autumn of year 6, so get your skates on if interested.

I have never heard anything but good things about DAO and I know several people whose kids go there.

It's the Holy Grail of schools for any North London parent

I think some parent think it is "holy grail" because its sibling policy and it is a comprehensive school on paper.

Definitely not any, DAO is remotely too far away from a lot of north london areas.

Many thanks! We are looking at that school too and she’s preparing for the exam.

Very many thanks. We’ve registered for the exam there too! Glad your child is happy there.

Oh nice @Tomatosoupagain ! Good luck. It’s worth adding to your list. I’m always impressed by how nice and friendly everyone is there whenever I go in. And fine for the non-religious - we’re not!

That’s good to hear. We aren’t religious either. More in the “be nice to others and chew with your mouth closed” camp (to quote a phrase).