Highbury Fields School? (Or Camden School for Girls?)

[CurtisBawden]

Highbury Fields is our most likely option, but I just still can't seem to find out enough about it, though it has excellent Ofsted and Progress 8. Someone here must have some thoughts on it from experience?

We may also be in CSG's catchment (depending on banding, as one of our neighbors got in last year.) Any thoughts on it in case we get an offer?

Anyone? 🙏

Hi, my DD was at Highbury Fields for 4 weeks in Y7. She's now in Y10 at what was our 1st choice school.
There was nothing wrong with the school, it was just the place came up elsewhere and we took it. I find it's not a very well discussed school! It seems to quietly get on with things and gets decent results with a mix of students. It is a bit less "wow" when you look around than some other schools. I thought their transition stuff was good and this was 2021 so Covid restrictions etc.
DD said it is stricter than where she is now but I don't think it's stupidly strict like the COLA schools.
It is a cramped site but they are right by Highbury Fields and do use the netball/football courts for PE.
Had a place never come up at our 1st choice, I would have been happy for DD to stay there. It's hard to say more as she was there for such a short time but this can help bump your question!
CSG, I didn't warm to at all. DP and DD both liked it. There often seems to be a few people with experience of CSG on here rather than HFS.

Which other schools are you interested in?

That’s so useful! Thank you! Yes I don’t think HF is a wow school but it does so well by numbers and Ofsted and I know a family there that is really happy. I think it just seemed a bit boring compared to others? The library, for example, was just so pitiful compared to other schools but I know that hardly matters in the scheme of things.

Also on the list besides CSG are EGA (DD loved it but numbers are not as great as HF and farther away), Stoke Newington School and Parliament Hill (once upon a time we might have had a shot here but we are really too far.)

I'm going to PM you.

DD attended HF and experienced some heinous bullying. We didn’t feel the school dealt with it well and tended to prioritise the girls that were targeting DD. We felt it lacking on the comms as well and they struggle in creativity and sports. Not sure if that’s due to lack of facilities or funding. This was just our experience and every child is different. We changed her to SNS after getting a place when she was in Y9 and she’s made some nice friends and has found the environment very supportive. It is a bit of a walk for her but she is so much happier and at ease.

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're daughter is much happier now. I've heard a bit about bullying at HF elsewhere too, but then excellent reports from others. So hard to know. Thank you; SNS is also on our list!