North London Secondaries

[Barbadosgirl]

Looking for some Mumsnet wisdom. I have an adopted son who will go to secondary in Sep 25. We live in Tottenham but have priority admission so can send him anywhere. He is bright but not academic, very sporty and confident/popular. I see him as aiming for Bs/Cs and some good vocational qualifications. He thrives on good boundaries/discipline with warmth and friendliness which is what he gets at primary. He is a bit sensitive about not being a “smart kid” as he is not sitting Latymer exams (a message he has got from a friend with an absolute penis of a father) so I don’t want him to go somewhere where he slips through the cracks and gets disheartened because he is not aiming to read PPE at Oxbridge or whatever. Ideally I want somewhere with great sports that will give him a bit of a push/support to learn. I liked Gladesmore and Highgate Wood. Someone close to him has suggested I consider Fortismere which I always thought was too academically hardcore but I may be wrong there. Anyone with any experience of these? Or possibly APS?

Without a doubt I'd go with APS in those circumstances. He will 100% slip through at Gladesmore and it's not an environment I'd choose for a vulnerable child. Fortismere is very local he'll struggle with that, Highgate Wood lots of social issues and constant strikes. APS is far more mixed than people will have you believe and lots of kids travelling in. Very very strict but not without warmth. Good SEN support and it's very much cool to try hard unlike Gladesmore and some of the others.

Oh and have a look at Mossbourne Academy too, it's actually quite easy access from Tottenham.

Oh interesting, thanks. Isn’t Mossbourne on the militant side of strict, though? When I was a governor one of the parents sent her daughter there and she hated that aspect. Can I just ask what makes you think he would fall through the cracks at Gladesmore? Do they only focus on the more academically able?