Co-ed private senior schools in north London

[PandaDad2013]

We live in Harringay (N4), with two children. Our son is in year 5, and so we're only a few months away from needing to apply to senior schools for 11+ entry (at which stage we want to go private).

Both children are in our lovely local state primary school, where they're happy and thriving. This does however mean we have no prep-senior route mapped out for us, and parents we are friends with in our year don't have older children who have trodden this path already.

I'm struggling to find a great deal of choice for us, given intra-London travel is so slow, meaning our search radius isn't huge. My worry is that our options are limited, and therefore we're putting all our eggs in one or two highly competitive baskets.

Thus far, we're looking at Highgate and North Bridge House (Canonbury). Are there any other recommendations for co-ed schools that are a reasonable commute from our area? Friends in Clapham whose eldest daughter is a year above ours, and starting senior school in September, have accepted a place outside of London reasoning that the travel time by train from Clapham Junction rivals commuting to a school within London, which got me wondering whether any interesting schools may lay further north (or indeed south) along Thameslink.

Any insights or recommendations highly appreciated!

Not sure if Forest School is an option from there?

Forest School and Mill Hill/Belmont. I'm not sure NBH Canonbury is a usual backup for Highgate tbh.

Have you looked at North London Grammar school in Colindale? My ds started in y7 and is in y9 now - just started his GCSEs and is absolutely flourishing there. They’re very reasonably priced compared with other private schools and have good school transport from most local areas.

Depending on where in North London you are, both St Margaret’s (Bushey) and Aldenham have coach routes.

We have friends who live in Islington and daughter commutes by bus to Forest. I'd have thought it was quite far but they say it's no bother at all. She's 12.

Also have you looked at Latimer grammar in Enfield? It's state but has amazing results and facilities.

hertfordshire should be reachable - st Columbas (st Albans) sherrardswood (Welwyn) and haileybury (Hertford) are private Co-Ed. Not sure if you’d be in catchment for Dame Alice Owen (Potters Bar) - coed selective state school with a wide priority area for the academic/music tests. Second Latymer (Edmonton).

Kings Alfred might suit.

If you can drop the Co-Ed, then city boys and city girls are both great schools and a reasonable commute.

Look up the Good Schools Guide and you'll get a map of all the likely options

King Alfred's is a certain type of school, mainly frequented by those whose kids are unlikely to have to work for a living. Habs girls and boys are working much more closely together so whilst it's not co-ed look at that. Mill Hill but it's much less academic than the others.

Yes, you would be in catchment for Dave Alice Owen I think - I know someone in Highbury just offered a place there.

Like others have suggested I would definitely look at Forest. I've heard it's a lovely school, and I’m pretty sure they have a school bus service from the Harringay area. You can look at their bus routes here:
ridekura.com/forest-school/

Another thing to consider is if any of the schools you’re considering have sibling policies. I’ve heard Forest has an unofficial one, but I expect Highgate does not. You may be considering co-ed for reasons other than allowing your DCs to attend the same school but just something to keep in mind.

The Highbury candidate will have earned a place under the special arrangements at DAO for those living or being educated in Islington (which exist for historical reasons, DAO having originally been an Islington school). It’s not a normal “catchment area”. DAO’s website explains which postcodes you can apply from and which you can’t.

Thank you everyone, this is extremely helpful, and heartening to learn that our options are greater than at first believed. I shall be spending my Friday night going wild through a load of school websites!

A few more thoughts from a fellow north Londoner:

NBH isn’t in the same league as Highgate by any stretch, and isn’t usually a target for those who can get in elsewhere.

Highgate is increasingly difficult to get into at 11+, and many locals target earlier entry points to get around that. They have recently discontinued 13+ entry, which has added extra pressure at 11+. No sibling policy.

Forest is well-liked, and many children travel there from Islington and Highbury.

King Alfred’s is unconventional and therefore a bit marmite - its style will either appeal to your family or not. Popular with celebs.

Latymer Grammar is great if you can get in (and free!). The exams in early Y6 are highly competitive, and many contemporaries of your Y5 will have been preparing with or without a tutor for some time already.

Belmont is the prep for Mill Hill (the latter starts at 13+, so if DC get in at 11+ they spend 2 years at nearby Belmont first). Personally I didn’t rate Mill Hill when we visited in Y5, but you might like it!

St Margaret’s in Bushey is lovely - co-ed 2-18 on a large green campus with a lovely pool and their own woodland (complete with mountain bike trail). Their school coach routes into N London are being extended all the time but may not currently serve you (I do know that they go to Muswell Hill but not sure abiut Harringay). Worth an enquiry to the school office, as their numbers are booming since going co-ed and there will be more extensive bus routes in 2023-4 than currently - the new routes may not have been published yet.

Generally: your Y5 was born in a high birthrate year (though a bit off from the baby boom years of current Y6 and Y7) so be prepared to apply to a range of schools as co-ed in the area is very sought-after.

Ah no @LarkDescending I was talking about the lesser- known Dave Alice Owen's school, it's got a much wider catchment, ha ha.
^
Seriously, that's interesting about the historical link to Islington, I had no idea. ^

I would definitely apply to a few single-sex options as well tbh, even if you’re only thinking co-ed at the moment. UCS and City Boys (mentioned previously) are easily commutable from Harringay, though both as competitive as Highgate. They also both have nearby girls school options (South Hampstead High and City Girls) if you have a bright DD, so they could eventually commute together.

However, the reality for most families in private school in London is that their kids often end up at different schools in different areas, either due to single-sex options, different academic abilities or sometimes just luck as it’s all so competitive. They also typically have at least a 45 minute (often more) commute - which may be hard to fathom coming from a local state primary where you can walk to school! But I’ve heard the kids adapt quickly and often enjoy commuting with school friends.

One other thing (mentioned previously too) is that if you haven’t already, you probably need to start prepping your DS for the entrance exams, either through tutoring or on your own with Bond books, etc. Children in prep schools have the advantage of getting in-school prep (though many do tutoring as well) and the exams aren’t easy, even if your DS is at the top of his class. If you try for a grammar school place (and I’ve heard Latymer is fantastic), those exams are usually very early in the Y6 autumn term, so it all comes quite quickly! Private school exams are later, usually December / January.

Thank you @LarkDescending and @Jackal313 for that insight, very much appreciated.

We're about to start with Atom Learning, which came highly recommended.

The lack of a sibling policy is a little alarming, but I guess it is what it is, and along with the commute time one of the prices we pay for living in London.

Just to note, Dame Alice Owens has a siblings policy.

Also with regard to single-sex schools, there seem to be more options for girls in the north and central London area. Only applying to co-ed right now for DS (in the hopes of both attending the same) might unnecessarily limit your options for him as DD may have more choice later on and could end up anywhere.

I’ve heard Atom is great (standard for most prep schools I think), and I’m sure will prepare him well. Good luck with it all!

Mount House in Enfield if you want a non-selective private school as a back-up.

St John's (the Ridgeway) if you want a very strict traditional school. They have a door-to-door bus service and gorgeous grounds.