Acland Burghley, London NW5

[blossomapple]

Looking for up to date advice and thoughts on this school. I hear VERY mixed things about it. There seems to be a strong parent body who are passionate about the school and praise the creativity and community spirit...

On the flipside, I hear horror stories about violence in the playground, gang culture/drugs - and a sense that more academic kids are failed there. The results at GCSE don't look very good, but it's difficult to see the whole picture.

Considering it for DS (currently year 5) and would love to hear views.

I don't know if you are from London but there is this thing here where people automatically assume that schools in the more affluent areas are better.

What is probably true is that you have more affluent people attend the school, and they help raise the standards. I come from a neighbouring borough to that school, and close enough that a few people from my area went there. I also knew people through a hobby that went there and to other schools in the borough/area with a similar reputation. We always did see it as a bit lah-di-dah but that was always based on where it is, really.

The truth is probably closer to it being a big standard comprehensive/academy in inner London in 2025. The major difference to when I was at school is that everyone who really believed in private schools could afford to send their children to one. Now, that isn't so much the case meaning that there will be some people who will always be terminally and sometimes unreasonably disappointed with a state school.

These set of parents do not help to raise standards for everyone, they bully staff into giving their children special treatment instead. I wouldn't send my kid to the school where there are a lot of these disgruntled private school rejects for this reason. I don't know if AB is that for Camden.

one thing I’ve never heard about AB is that it is ‘la di da’ 😂

But yes, it is a mixed area and it often seems to be some of those very affluent parents who are very quick to insist it’s an ‘amazing’ school and deny there are any problems.

Obviously everyone has different views and I will go to the open day, but I’m getting a really conflicting picture from the parents and locals I speak to!

I’ll probably add to your confusion, but as a local parent here is what I can say- it is a nurturing place, and sensitive/ SEN children can get the support they need( provided current Senco team remains in place). overall, it looks and sounds like a “safe school” both emotionally and and academically. However, if you are looking for a place that will truly stretch your child- I’m not so sure. If you are a hands on parent, you will do that yourself. The school might choose to play it safe and not really push your child above and beyond. This is just an opinion - based on observations of watching friends and neighbours kids go though the school. Been in the area for nearly 20 years now. Woudl I send my DC there? Probably not. But if I were to choose between AB, and say Maria Fidelis, then definitely yes . Good luck making your choice