Harrow School or Fettes?

[Jpickin]

My son is looking to start Year 9 and wondering which school to go for? Harrow of Fettes? Anyone has any experience.

Both schools are in the city, both near the airport etc so focus for me is now more on the school itself, well rounded, and opportunities it offers after secondary school education

Also, what is the student population during the weekends or exeats weekends?

London vs Edinburgh
Boys vs Coed

I know Harrow is wonderful snd boys definitely stay in. I’ve met boys from there as DD had a boyfriend who went there and they were all personable, well educated and had good manners!

Yes. That's the thing would it be better to go for London vs Edinburgh?
Single sex vs coed?
One of the top independent school in English vs the top independent school in Scotland?

Both schools have good reviews that's what makes it more difficult to choose

@Jpickin , the SE has m much warmer weather than Scotland, where does your dc live at the moment and what does their school advise and where do they normally send students?

I would not call Fetes the top independent school in Scotland. Scottish indepent day schools usually have better results. I don't know anyone at either school but would have thought Harrow would be more academic. I don't think Fetes is particularly hard to get into as most clever Scottish children will go to an independent day school or their local state school (if it has a good reputation).

Academically, Harrow does not belong to the top indepedent school category either, not much difference to Fettes.

Harrow takes a few who are not necessarily top academics but one of DDs friends got 5 A levels there and went to Oxford. Some very bright boys go there on scholarships too. It’s a school with something for all sorts of boys. I cannot comment on Fettes. However Harrow is very special.

he currently schools overseas so advise regarding school choice is varied. Students from his school go to different schools in different regions.

Harrow isn't that academic is it? Has a reputation for producing thugs.

I guess that is the question right? - Is there any thing Harrow can give the students that Fettes wont be able to or has less off and vice versal?

Why don't you focus on airport access, guardian for exeats, half term etc, these care issues matter as much as the teaching etc.

Does your ds want co-ed or all boys? I'd say it mainly came down to that. I know some nice people who went to both schools, some of the Harrow lot didn't love the all-male atmosphere and none of them sent their own sons to Harrow, preferring co-ed for them.

Yes - done that side of things. Both schools have easy access to airports; We have guardians for both locations etc. That's the reason am focusing on other aspects

Interestingly we revisited this topic a couple of days and the choice between Boys or coed will have to be the deal breaker because am struggling to find other arguments for or against.

DS does not have a preference. So a tricky one for us to decide on.

Thank you everyone for your contributions. Hopefully someone with experience of both or either schools can chip in soon

@Jpickin I rather suspect all
of DDs friends who went there would love DC to go there and their families have used it for a couple of generations. So not first time buyers. Harrow has the huge advantage of being near London and everything on offer there. Boys seemed to really enjoy the school and work hard. DDs friends all went to prestigious unis and have a variety of careers. Some were on scholarships and others not. I cannot see why you wouldn’t want it plus it’s not a huge school. Change for co Ed if you must at 6th form. Some do.

Harrow will have more international kudos if that's important to you.

Why have you narrowed it down to those two in particular?

If you're looking for a Scottish equivalent of Harrow in terms of single sex education, Merchiston Castle School is all boys, big boarding contingent and close to both the city centre and the airport.

@Jpickin if you are looking for full boarding then choose Harrow. I know both schools really well and Fettes is not full boarding. Lots of Edinburgh day pupils at Fettes. Harrow boys are only home for exeats and Holidays so they can really build a community in each house. DS is a Harrovian and like What @TizerorFizz says, my DS and all of his friendship group from school were and still are lovely guys and contrary to popular opinion on MN they all got into excellent Unis and are really all rather bright!!!

If you are Chinese, I’d say Fettes as they have a very large Chinese contingent.

Fettes isn’t overly academic though, so that might be a consideration.

Thank you all. Food for thought!

So I choose these 2 schools because I am looking for a school that mostly ticks all the boxes -

• proximity to airport, friends or family close by,
• diverse or relatively diverse (don't think any of the top top ones are diverse so willing to settle for relatively diverse if the school ticks the other boxes,
• good pastoral care,
• academic or relatively academic - so at least kids that put in the effort with proper teaching support should end up in good universities,
• good networking and
• most importantly a school where kids are taught the value of character - humility, respect, kindness, responsibility etc. These are values we are instilling in our kids and don't want them to loose it by choosing the wrong school or environment.

I also think I might frequent Scotland more hence the Fettes option but wouldn't want to deprive my DC of a life time opportunity if Harrow provides that above Fettes.

So really my question is will Fettes also provide the short term and long term opportunity Harrow would give?

Personally I'd say Fettes would tick those boxes - a good student there will end up at a good university. The same is true of Harrow but you seem to prefe Scotland. Some would say Harrow has more of a 'brand', I'd argue it also has a 'nice but dim' brand (probably unfairly) so it works both ways. I am biased because I prefer co-ed and have friends who went to Harrow who didnt like it but others here are fans, only you can choose obviously ...

Op this is a really big decision - you and your son need to come over and visit half a dozen places, you’ll get a tour from the kids, to meet some teachers, get a proper feel for the place. Then you can ask more detailed questions when have narrowed it down to two or three. if you really really can’t visit, look at the good schools guide and a few other sites. Right now it seems you’ve barely done any research - I do think you might live to regret it.

Around north london you can look at Stowe and Rugby and (second division but still well known) Haileybury, as well as Harrow.

Other than how many boarders they have at the weekend and what do they do, ask who your child can go to if they are in trouble, and who the school wouldn’t suit (any head who isn’t willing to answer the last question quickly and honestly isn’t confident in their school)

As to your question about networks, I don’t think there’s much in it. Harrow hasn’t remained super fancy the way Eton and Winchester have, it’s pretty much in the general well known public school rank.