Henrietta Barnett vs SPGS - question for those who had a similar choice

[Optionz]

DD has an offer from SPGS and has sat the 2nd round assessment for Henrietta Barnett school - we live in catchment so she will likely get an offer.

Current school is an all through private school - perhaps a notch below SPGS academically.

For parents who had a similar choice - what are some data points that moved the needle for you in deciding? The obvious points, of course, would be

1. School fees- these may be manageable for spgs right now, but not sure of the impact of changes in tax, policy etc.
2. Commute - longer for SPGS - about an hour on public transport vs about 25 mins for Henrietta Barnett. No intention to relocate.

How about aspects like

1. Needing to significantly 'top up' academics and / or extra-curricular activities yourself or via tutoring for either school (I am extremely time poor and in general want to minimize having to organise this)
2. Parent community - input / work expected
3. Ethos of school and children - we are a 'middle class' first generation immigrant family - nowhere near the general levels of wealth i see in our current school. Earned income, no inheritance.

What else should I be thinking of? We will not qualify for a bursary anywhere.

DD has always studied in a private school so far (state primaries weren't great where we live). My general stance right now is- should she not get on well at Henrietta Barnett, it would be easier for her to move back to the private system rather than the other way around. She is very bright and sat for the SPGS exams on a whim since many of her friends were, without any prep outside whatever she does at school. So I do trust her ability. Her preference is to stay on at current school because most of her classmates will continue (also a very academic school).

I want to do the best for her, but the decision doesn't seem to be very straightforward right now. I would hugely appreciate understanding how others went about a similar decision.

Thanks @NimbleCritic do you have / know a child at Henrietta Barnett? Is thus feedback recent?

This is current.

I had a friend with a daughter there (HBS) a few years ago. On the one hand they said it was easy for her to make friends e.g. because she'd meet people carrying a book under their arm that she had read, and would get talking. Whereas she had been at a primary with an anti-intellectual culture. So she felt like she found her tribe.
On the flip side, they had nothing good to say about the teaching or careers advice. Their daughter was acknowledged to be "quite good" at her degree subject and it was suggested she apply to somewhere like Warwick. She disregarded this and made it to Cambridge on her own with no support from the school (and did well there).
Friend said the main function of staff was to damp down competition between the girls, and the atmosphere could be intense.
This fits with the observation above about results being a self-fulfilling from selection at 11, not a result of any excellence in the teaching.

I don't know anything about any of these schools but what I would say is that the state sector is struggling hugely. HUGELY! I have one in Y13 and 2 in Y10 and I've noticed a change even in the past 5 years. Whole departments broken down due to inability to recruit, or a lack of support for 'unimportant' subjects (ie. Not measured as robustly as maths, science, English) such as design or languages. It's extremely sad and worrying. One of my DS's A levels has been totally messed up by having no staff to teach it. I don't think they're offering it anymore but that doesn't help him. This school is the best academically in the area. Then there's GCSEs being taught by unqualified staff (this is permitted j in academies). I'm worried about my younger 2 who are really bright - but we just have to supplement with some tutoring. Anyone whingeing about universities looking more 'favourably' on state students should know just how hard it is to do really well, especially across subjects, in schools like this.

So, in summary. Stay private but go for the cheaper option.

OP it will be difficult to get a real view online. There are a ton of people with girls on waiting lists which will say anything to get you not to take a place. I am not saying that that is what any posters on here are doing, but be careful. There is so so much competition around this particular school.

Some basic facts, HBS there will be maximum 196 girls can put themself on the WL, in theory. In reality there are about 100 girls on WL. Historical data the WL position at up to 40+ can get a place. Most of the girls in WL are living more than 10-20miles from the school at the time of apply, relocation or long commute will be a big hurdle. So there ain't tons of people really.

And I agree On PP comment about self-fulfilling prophecy to some degree.

It is not plain sailing in private or state schools these days. I have a lot of friends with kids in private schools who constantly complain that the school has zero awareness of cost of living crisis for parents and just keeps passing every cost on and that they are not getting value for money (and handing out bursary cash for free even if some parents are actually struggling). So there is that.
There are good and bad teachers in every sector as well. Top private schools tend to make sure that exam years are taught by the best teachers but if you are paying a huge amount for Year 7 and 8 and your kids are not having the best teachers in private schools and iPhones are allowed and kids are spoiled, I have heard all of that too.
It is not an easy decision either way unless you have so much money it won’t make a difference to you. A bright driven cohort makes a huge difference and it is far cheaper to get a tutor in one or two subjects or research uni applications yourself/get a consultant, then pay a school 20-25k plus VAT a year. I have also heard some friends complain that some private schools are now pushing DC towards US unis, which is fine for the super rich, but not the more normal middle class private school parent.

@PreplexJ - the OP can pop over to the 11 plus forum and get information on waiting list there. There are already thousands of views for HB waiting list places 2024. That website tracks that clearly.

Sure, but that doesn't contradict what I said?

Thousands view on a page means thousands of people waiting?

The WL is limited as I put above due to the admission process.

OK it does not contradict what you said @PreplexJ that the waiting list is limited, but those on the waiting list may be watching that 11 plus thread very carefully and this one on MN too and the OP does not know who the people are on this thread giving advice.

Hopefully her DD has been to an offer holder day and will decide accordingly based on all their particular circumstances. Unfortunately you really cannot trust what others say about top grammar schools or even top private schools as so many people spread disinformation.

@Araminta1003 "Unfortunately you really cannot trust what others say about top grammar schools or even top private schools as so many people spread disinformation."

Rather than blended anything disinformation. I would think any sensible parents should just differentiate facts or opinion. What is personal belief or judgement or experience statement that is hard to be proved or disproved.

Fact and disinformation, on the other hand, can be verified with the evidence with other source.

I think @Araminta1003 makes a valid point that at this point in the process especially, the OP would be wise to think carefully about advice offered as it's perfectly possible that people might try to sway them to suit their own ends.

@Optionz What did you decide to do re SPGS (given the deadline was last Monday?) Hope you managed to make a decision you and DD are happy with.

"the OP would be wise to think carefully about advice offered as it's perfectly possible that people might try to sway them to suit their own ends."

Agree this is perfectly possible, like some people keep referring or sharing positive experiences on some schools on MN to sway the decisions?

And remember that all these schools have marketing departments who tend not to be above guiding discussions on SM...

Taken the plunge and accepted Henrietta Barnett. The decision to refuse St. Paul's was easy. Not so much the decision to move from current school. We'll give this a shot and if she absolutely does not get on, look at private options if I can still afford it in a couple of years.

Hope she enjoys it @Optionz

Looking at my group of friends and colleagues, loads have done a mix of state and private and different schools for different children in the family, too. It is quite typical now in London to do exactly this because there is so much choice. Lots of friends then changing at Sixth Form again to places like Camden Girls, King’s Maths School, Harris Westminster type school. It is good for the children to get lots of different experiences, if they are able to cope with that, as it can really open their horizon. London is such a diverse place with so many different educational opportunities.