Any parents from Barnet on here? Looking for a bit of advice on schools

[Barnetma]

Are there any secondary schools you love? Any that you would avoid?

DC is pretty bright, sociable, contributes, good all rounder BUT needs a constant kick up the bum from me to do homework (less so over the years, but a real battle when it’s “busywork”), is definitely more carrot than stick and has a strong sense of justice/fairness which is a double edged sword. I think he’d suit a nurturing school, but one that challenges appropriately so lessons are less “tedious”. He will follow rules, but I think would become demotivated pdq with a school that preoccupies itself too much with trivialities instead of substance or a hothouse school. He can also be very self-motivated though which I appreciate sounds like a contradiction. I also want a school that walks the walk in effectively managing serious behavioural issues, racism or bullying as they arise. Somewhere that genuinely allows people to flourish, rather than “computer says no”. Does such a place exist?! If you have any inside info, please please share! We live in Mill Hill. I’ve namechanged. Thank you.

Thank you.
Potentially the ones I stand most chance of getting into are saracens, london academy, Mill Hill county high and Totteridge academy. I do have concerns over disallowing phones on the journey though which is the road Mill Hill county high has gone down. I like the sound of Totteridge the most, but I haven’t seen it yet.

I have no personal experience of Totteridge except my son had friends who attended and they were all happy, one of his friends did his A-levels there and were really supported and is now in Uni. It has a good reputation locally

Other friends kids have gone to Ark and are happy too, they are more of the strict variety.

Thank you. That’s good. I am going to have a look at MHCHS this evening in case we are too far for Totteridge. I must admit the removal of a phone option out of school is a big negative. I will try to go along with an open mind.

Why is removing the phone a negative? I’d definitely see it as a plus.

I think it’s a plus in school, but I’d want him (and us) to have flexibility with arrangements out of school and also for days when he won’t be coming straight home. If something goes wrong, I’d rather he had a phone on him should he need it. I know it can be a divisive topic and a few schools have clearly gone down this route. If we lived a ten minute walk from school, it would be less of an issue. I want a phone on my way home from work. He doesn’t have any type of phone at the moment, but if he was an independent traveller, I’d have got him one.

Whereabouts are you? In a non-specific way…

I’m near the Broadway.

Might be a bit far for TTA but worth a try

I spoke to another parent about where they were looking. They said TTA had a really bad rep, but had significantly managed to turn it around. I think we are probably too far for TTA too, but might make it. From what I can gather, they do a great job in helping kids who haven’t previously done well. How do I find out how good the school (actually) is for children who are already academically very capable? That’s very clumsily worded. Is the head leaving or is that a rumour as he’s meant to be brilliant?

Barnet has good schools generally which is helpful as it’s becoming increasingly apparent that there isn’t much choice in the schools you can realistically pick.

On the very off chance that someone is reading this who went to MHCHS open evening yesterday, what did you think?

Anyone going to saracens tonight?

Sorry missed this. New head started in September, he was previously vice principal. Old head has moved up within the MAT and is still overseeing the area and will be involved at the school.
Unfortunately due to Covid the last few years haven’t had progress 8 scores. But from within my child’s year and other I know I can anecdotally say that already high achievers can really fly at TTA.
Others like my child who were less confident, have SEN are supported and enabled to flourish. Would absolutely recommend.

@catbusstopThanks very much. It’s great that your child is flourishing.

TTA had a bad rep many years ago when it was a different school (Ravenscroft, changed in 2011).

It’s a very good school. Strict but fair. Far better pastoral care than some of the others mentioned. The sixth form is fantastic - the support, high expectations and opportunities students get are on par with a selective school in my opinion.

I had a child there until last year. I also work in a senior advisory capacity to schools in the area.

Ashmole is also very good, but unlikely you’d get in from Mill Hill without appeal or waiting list.

@PlayingMyBongosthank you. It sounds great and given its history, is an example of a school that really walks the walk. I bet it’s hard to believe your DC has finished school! I’m looking forward to seeing TTA, it sounds like it has a really inspirational mindset.

When you say strict, but fair, is there an expectation that a child will get a number of detentions/other sanctions? I only ask as this has come up a few times. A pupil said school are less on your back all the time once you get to GCSE and then the detentions slow down a lot. This isn’t TTA. I like the idea of strict if it’s fair, but some pupils I have spoken to have questioned the fair bit. From your experience and knowledge, a good kid (although I don’t know what teenage years will bring), with correct uniform and equipment, homework done on time, trying in lessons, respectful to teachers - is that enough? Which of the schools implement the “fair” bit the most? The conversation about fairness vs reasonable margins of error, regularity of and proportionality of sanctions was echoed by pupils more than once at more than one school.

I also heard that at a Y7 parents meeting laying out expectations (not TTA), parents were told that children might become upset when they start getting a run of detentions, but it’s normal, especially if they have been used to previously hearing their behaviour was good at school. I’m quite far down the grapevine, so this needs a big pinch of salt, but I don’t know how much salt to apply and more than one parent has said similar, but again I’m down the grapevine! It may have just been a school’s clumsily worded way of saying their standards are really high. I also heard some quite extreme examples were made of the 2026 intake of Y7 pupils in the first week, from day one over trivial things (same school). One punishment was in front of the whole year group on day one. This caused a bit of a stir amongst children who weren’t facing these punishments, which I suppose was the point, but probably not in the way the school intended. The approach is seen negatively, with parents a bit shocked, wondering why the school handled these things so inappropriately and harshly. I tend to agree, but don’t know how systemic that level of unreasonableness and unkindness is. It might simply be a very heightened and misguided level of don’t smile until Christmas, which has backfired in a big way.

DC is not a rules don’t apply to him type of kid, knows not to expect zero unfairness, but will get demotivated if he regularly sees (or perceives) unfairness applied to him or others, especially if there’s a pattern. Would you have any insights based on your experience of working with the schools?

I apologise for the stream of consciousness. I’m also impressed by all the schools I’ve seen.

I have a bit of knowledge.

MHC is very big on anti-bullying. With such a big student base there is always going to be some bullying but in my experience it is dealt with well. They were featured on This Morning last week talking about it as their anti bullying ambassador team have taken part in a training programme.

Behaviour is mixed but it’s pretty strict especially when you first start. Once they know you, they will treat you more individually than just sanctions for everyone. It is definitely good for high achievers and outstanding for music and drama. There are a lot of opportunities to get involved in school life with dozens of clubs and teams.

I see the phone ban as a big positive when looking at schools. However, I will say that lots of MHC kids still have phones (brick or smart) as I see them on their journeys every day. They obviously keep them out of sight at school which is the main thing.

When choosing a school for my DC, I made a spreadsheet with all the stats, results, GCSE choices, distance, travel time and catchments/selection. It really helped me narrow down the choices. Then we went to all the local open eves.

I really liked SMSJ and a couple of teacher friends have children there and really rate it. It is religious but you don’t have to be to go there.

TTA is very popular now and we quite liked the vibe but the catchment is smaller now. It is very impressive how much it has changed since the Ravenscroft days.

Saracens is still finding its feet I think but I have heard positive things. They have a big focus on disadvantaged kids.

I know a lot of kids at LA and again they seem very happy there. Their results have also improved a lot.

My other child is currently on a trial at HARP which is Hendon school’s autism provision. However everything I have seen for the main school has been really great, they seem to have a fantastic community and loads of enrichment for the pupils. Can’t comment on academics but generally all Barnet schools are good.

@MsJJonesthanks so much, that’s really helpful. I have started a spreadsheet but not got very far yet!

MHCHS talked about their anti-bullying programme at the open evening. I wondered where to sit this alongside the really unkind behaviour freely exhibited by a teacher in front of the whole year. It really shocked me actually. I suppose two things can be true at once, so thank you, it’s good to hear they are strong on child on child bullying. It’s got an impressive extra curricular too and obviously good results. That’s handy to know about the phones too, although I don’t really understand why a brick phone turned off in a bag with a sanction if it’s used in school isn’t just a rule, rather than the subterfuge with the same result.

We also liked Saracens and LA. LA had a good enrichment programme and Saracens had a real inspirational vibe. There were some really passionate teachers at both. I didn’t get the chance to speak to many pupils last night, so will see what DH says.

I’ll have a look at SMSJ to see if we are in the catchment. That sounds lovely too. We are lucky with the schools in our borough.

@CatBusStopthank you. I hope the trial works out well. I’ve heard good things about Hendon.

I went to Totteridge Academy this evening. It was VERY busy, so it was a bit of a whistlestop tour. The school seemed pupil focused and the new head was personable, with plans to keep building on TTA’s success.