Secondaries from Golders Green? (private?)

[Hellenabe]

Where would you apply? We can afford private but not crazy levels like St Pauls. Friends have recommended St Margaret's but results don't seem to be too strong versus others. HB feels too much of a stretch. Any thoughts? My list has NLCS, Habs at present.

NLCS / Habs /SHHS / CLSG / Highgate / Channing

There is school coach from Golders Green to SPGS too

HB is a state school

My daughter is in South Hampstead High School - very manageable commute from Golders Green. She does same every day and is very happy at school.

@EKLondon23 I was thinking of South hampstead but was worried about the pressure they may put on the children. How do you find it?

@PreplexJ Thank you for these. I meant HB feels like the pressure will be huge on the children.

it is intensive for sure - academically but also with plenty of extracurricular but my daughter loves it.

You already consider NLCS and Habs, maybe HBS had huge pressure but I don't think the difference will be by an order of magnitude. Same as SHHS compared to these schools.

I mean you're in the prime area for the N London Indies. Crazy levels, do you mean fees? Because most privates are in line with each other fees wise and they will only go up substantially.

@Foxesandsquirrels yes fees as I had a look at St Paul's and we definitely couldn't afford that

That's fair but you do know that's only about £3-5k a year more than most of the N London Indies? If you don't have that kind of buffer, I'm not sure I'd be looking at Indies as the fees will be increasing astronomically in the next couple of years. Mill Hill increased by 9.5% this year as an example.

@Foxesandsquirrels "that's only about £3-5k a year" after tax can do 1-2 family holiday a year for me I believe it is the full tuition fee in the eyes of education secretary.

@PreplexJ thanks for pointing out the obvious. It is also easily an amount a school will raise their fees by in a years therefore catching up with St Paul's fees. To wouldn't be sending my kids to an indie if that's not a buffer I have.

Most indies will raise fee at a similar rate, so don't think it will be catching up if the gap is not any wider.

The 3-5k is probably already a buffer for some or the sum that makes the family not feeling lifestyle being compromised so it does make a difference.

Where is your daughter at school at the moment? Is she at a prep and where have they suggested she should target?

As others have pointed out most private fees are in the same ballpark but if you are looking at NLCS, St Paul's, CLSG you have to be confident that fees aside she is exceptionally bright and exceptionally hard working.

Habs, South Hampstead, Highgate etc are all very high achievement too and in a large part the pressure comes from the girls themselves as well as the environment.

I would suggest you figure out first if you really can afford private and if so go and see the schools and get a sense of whether it's a good culture fit and whether academically she stands a chance of a place. But be realistic about fees, now is definitely not the time to step into fee paying if it's a stretch. It's only going (sharply) in one direction at all schools.

A yearly saving of 5k for seven years can fund either a university degree or a hefty deposit on a house. We picked a GDST school for this exact reason.

@PreplexJ that wasn't the case this year. Mill hill fees jumped massively higher than some others. It's a gamble really as you just don't know if it'll be your kids school that makes that huge leap next year.
@eatim not saying 5k isn't a lot, I'm just saying that there's no guarantee the school op chooses will stay with their fees at the level OP can afford. The % increase people are seeing is insane.

@Foxesandsquirrels are you talking about Mill hill or Mill hill international? I don't see Mill hill jump significant higher than other schools. Also the schools that charging higher fee are already on a high baseline if fee goes up broaderly you can probably sure they won't be making the gap any even

@PreplexJ Mill Hill. Really? It jumped 9.5%! International even more. I get what you mean, the baseline does make a difference but this level of increase has never really happened before so it's hard to predict how it'll effect the more 'affordable' options. I'd just be concerned that if the op can't afford £9.5k now, will their income increase to being able to afford that in 2 or 3 years time? As it's very very likely that's the amount fees will be in most Indies. Mill hill is already £8.6k. If their increase is the same next year, that'll be £9.5k next year already so once the OPs child presumably starts.
GDST schools or City are the most affordable that's for sure, but GDST is also not in the teachers pension scheme which is effecting their recruitment of teachers, esp in the sciences.

The jump are broadly across all schools, inline with the record high inflation figure (and wage too). I don't think it is unique to a specific school. No one can deny this is abnormal time compared to past 10 years but the same can be argue for mortgage or other things.

@PreplexJ I agree with you, my point is exactly that, the jump is across the board and if a £5k buffer isn't possible now, whether that's for fees or mortgage or bills, than I just wouldn't be going down the indie route. Far too risky.

If you think HBS is too much pressure then I don't think NLCS will be any better, honestly.

@StressedMumOf2Girls i think im hyper cautious about these things as i just want my children to be chilled about things but at the same time i worry im not pushy enough! With HBS, i think its more the pressure to get in as so many girls want to go there.

All these schools are insanely competitive to get into. If you are reading stories on here or in the press about private schools closing down and worrying about not having enough pupils let me assure you that isn't the case in North London where competition is as fierce if not more so than ever.

Agree with @StressedMumOf2Girls

"All these schools are insanely competitive to get into."

I think there are still some difference in terms of entrance competiveness, for the listed private schools above you can probably tutor/prep with much less intensive to get in at least one or two. As for HBS you need to prep much harder and it is still not guaranteed as many of their parents won't compromise for any fallback options.

@PreplexJ yes that's what i mean, the pressure to go to HBS seems off the scale competitive.

There is going to be pressure of some sorts at all those schools. How much pressure will depend on your own DD’s personality. Some kids let pressure roll off their back and are fine. Some worry about the tiniest of tests and the differences between marks in the single digit. No school will be perfect but you do know your own daughter best. You’ll just have to pick the one you think is best.