Henrietta Barnet catchment

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Hi, hope everyone is well. I would like some information on how or where I can measure house distances to Henrietta Barnet school as we are planning to move and buy a house within the catchment to get priority as we have twin girls and can’t afford the fee VAT increases at independent school (we will be moving from private to state for year 7)

We have listed our current place on the market and looking for our onward purchase in the catchment

When would we need to move in by to consider? Also, once within the catchment does the distance matter like if I lived 0.1m vs 2 miles away? My DH is saying we should get a place right next to the school but I didn’t think that was necessary?

also what are outstanding comprehensive school in the catchment area?

thanks x

That’s a lot of eggs to put in one basket!!!!! Only the top 300 get to sit the second round test and then there’s only 104 places after all of that. Plus you have twins - unless they are off the scale geniuses then how likely is it they would both get a place?

I know it doesn’t answer your question but every year I see children who don’t make the grade for grammar schools (in Bucks) who everyone thought would be pretty much guaranteed to pass. Even the brightest children could have a bad day.

Thanks for your reply - our girls are definitely not geniuses but their tutors have said they have an above average chance ( they are near the top of their current independent school) but a lot of other children are probably in the same boat. I hadn’t realised until I reviewed the FOI information (which I didn’t know exists) that 90% are not from the catchment and even those that are within, most would have got in regardless due to the high score. Ideally if we can move to the catchment but also have good comprehensive nearby to hedge our bets (as due to change in circumstances and VAT, we can’t continue the private route) - is there such an area?

We are currently in a comprehensive catchment black hole which is why we want to move somewhere anyhow….

OP what is your definition of a good school? Is it based solely on academic results, dictated by selective intake grammar schools? Or is it more holistic, with diverse settings, local students, and extracurricular activities that provide a well-rounded education?

If you considered the Surbiton/New Malden/Berrylands area you would be in catchment for Tiffin Girls and Nonsuch grammar schools for the girls and also two outstanding comprehensives - Tolworth Girls and Coombe Girls.

Good question, we would want our ideal school to be academically focussed as our two girls are quite academic (one wants to be a doctor and one wants to be in something STEM related but haven’t figured out what), they aren’t big on sports and doesn’t matter if mainly local students or not (as they are twins, they are each others best friends already). Not sure what diverse setting means - do you mean ethnic or socioeconomic?

Thanks @EasyComfortDishes (love your name btw) - we looked at North London as it’s closer to my DH’s work (from Surbiton, the commute is a pain) but thank you for the suggestions.

Fortismere
Alexandra ParK School
Archer Academy

all outstanding state schools in that area

Perhaps consider supplementing homeschooling with tutoring.

Is Amersham too far for you? In the catchment for Dr Challoners High (girls grammar) plus Amersham School is a fabulous secondary modern if things don’t go to plan.

Dame Alice Owen?

This, but catchments are tiny.
And Camden Girls.

Are your DDs in year 5 currently? For most schools it is fine to be in the area by the application date, but it might be worth checking specific schools as I believe a few require xx months’ residency (just going off what I have read on MN). So as long as you have moved by next summer. There are also dates of entrance tests to consider.

If it were me, tbh, I would prioritise living near a great comp to avoid the whole grammar school issue- as a pp says, what if one or both doesn’t pass?

It’s currently by 31.10 of Year 6. You have to live there by the CAF deadline according to their admissions policy. Admissions policies can change from year to year. With all ex private school lot going for the grammars now who knows what will happen.

Passing stage 1 is highly competitive though - I think something like 2700 applicants and only 300 get through. They are testing English, VR and NVR at stage 1. So an advantage being very good at English. If in catchment.

If you want grammar there are more certain and less competitive options. A superselective like HBS can never be guaranteed. Make two silly mistakes or let the nerves get the better off you and you don’t make the cut, however bright.

As others have said Sutton, Bucks, Kent, Bexley (latter three mainly in county based/distance) are less competitive. There are also good comprehensives with aptitude tests.
Twins is double hard because if one gets in and the other does not, then what. You need to consider that aspect very carefully.

As pps say, HBS is insanely competitive- to move solely to get in catchment when that’s not really the deciding admissions factor would put enormous pressure on you all and your daughters in particular, and unfortunately carries with it a high risk of failure.

The question is then what your guaranteed back up is and whether you would genuinely be happy to have relocated for it.

My friend’s son is extremely bright (near genius level) and sat for a similarly competitive school but made a couple of silly mistakes in the exam and has got a borderline mark which probably won’t be enough to get a place. It can happen to anyone, even if they are well prepared. Thankfully they’d not moved for the school though.

There are lots of other very strong academic options where you would have a much better chance of getting in, particularly if you moved to catchment. And some schools have a sibling rule meaning if one daughter got a high enough mark and the other didn’t then the other daughter should be near the top of the continuing interest list and get a place that way (though possibly not until after her sister had actually started school).

eg Watford has some excellent grammar schools which are partially selective and partially just based on catchment, so if you moved close enough you would definitely get a place. Harpenden and St Albans have some high performing comprehensives (though catchment areas pretty small).

And some schools allow you to sit the test regardless of where you live but may require you then to move to catchment by a later date. So you could make a decision based on how well they do (appreciate the logistics of moving in a small timeframe may be challenging and not work).

good luck whatever you do!

Yes agree. This area and the boroughs around it have exceptional comprehensives offering an incredibly broad range of GCSE options. Look at those too.

Thank you all - our dds are in year 4 so we still have time and they have been tutoring for the grammars (our private don’t prepare for this) - homeschooling doesn’t work for us - neither the time or energy to do this

Thanks @Araminta1003 , we are aware of all the private going for grammars as a couple of our DDs classmates are doing the same / considering moving next to the outstanding schools. that’s a sensible suggestion - we will try HBS and if one gets in the they will go and other one can go to the local school instead and just tutor on top for secondary.

@nightmarepickle2025 we will look into these schools - do you know if one is better than the other or all similar? Muswell Hill / east Fincherly is lovely but it is very pricey also

@GreatTheCat thanks - I just reviewed the selection criteria - so basically we have to move to Islington or one of the mentioned postcodes (or am I interpreting this incorrectly as the school is at potters bar)?

@TheWrongBus thank you for your advice. Yes looks like we need to find a place within catchment of the good comprehensives whilst trying for HBS

You will likely need a tutor in addition to secondary school, whether it's a grammar school or not. While grammar schools can ensure high academic intake, they don't necessarily guarantee high teaching quality.

Before you trust your tutor, who is incentived for you to keep working with them, have you given your girls a test yourself and checked the score? For Henrietta Barnett they really need to be scoring 95% on the 11+.

The girls are in year 4 so won’t be getting 95% now

If you move near Henrietta Barnet, you can also try for Latymer. St Michaels is also local but it’s a catholic grammar school.

Or you could move with in a stones throw of the school and get in under the 22 children rule.

We live in n11 and are in three mile radius of Henrietta Barnet and also in catchment of dame Alice and Latymer. We also have twins and they are in y6. One got through to second round Henrietta Barnet (and so will qualify for a place) and scored well at dame Alice (guaranteeing her sister a place as they have a twin policy). If your daughters are doing very well at school, then go for it. To get through to second round Henrietta, they need to get around 85 per cent. Being very strong in English is essential. The exam was hard but everyone found it hard. There are local outstanding comprehensives (Compton) but feel a bit rough. I would have felt very uncomfortable sending one twin to grammar and the other to comprehensive, but maybe you'll be able to afford private for one child if necessary.

Assuming you prioritize DAO first on your CAF form due to the sibling policy?

Yes you have to put it first