Islington/Camden/Haringey school thoughts?

[TheCosyRedAnt]

We're currently looking at secondary schools for our DD and finding ourselves on the border of various schools furthest distances. Would love to hear about any experiences you have of the following schools

Fortismere
Highgate Wood School
Hornsey School for Girls
Greig City Academy

Parliament Hill
Camden School for Girls

Highbury Fields School
St Mary Magdalene Academy
City of London Academy Highbury Grove

What do you like/dislike about the schools? Are the kids happy and kind? How is the pastoral care? How is the teaching and behaviour management? Are kids challenged/supported academically? How is communication between the school and parents? Is it well led and managed? Is there much teacher movement? Are there good clubs? Does it value music, art, drama, DT, PE etc as much as english, maths, science etc? Please share any feedback, thank you.

Just bumping your thread @TheCosyRedAnt - best of luck.

Would you mind if I privately messaged you?

Of course not, please do! :)

Thanks! @BeckyAMumsnet

I lived in Ally Pally until 2 years ago. I don't have any kids but from hearing the neighbours talk, Alexandra Park School has an excellent reputation.

Thanks @Spidey66 the reputation is good but I think we'd be too far even on the waiting list sadly

I don’t think Greig has a particularly good reputation. I can’t tell you much because like I said I don’t have kids and I’m not in teaching but somewhere in my brain is the information it wasn’t great. But that was 2 years back, they may have had a new head. And I wasn’t really concentrating!!!

Thanks for sharing, always useful to hear from people that have lived locally for a while!

Also worth looking at the Wren academy

we're about 9 miles away from the furthest distance offered for the Wren Academy

All those schools are quite far apart, i would first work out which you have a realistic chance in and narrow down from there? I've heard great first hand things about fortismere and camden school for girls, though like someone else said, APS seems to be the preferred choice in muswell hill these days.

Weirdly we do have quite a realistic chance of getting into all of these (some on the waiting list) apart from st mary magdalenes which would have to be a place through their test. APS covers a much smaller area so that one is definitely unrealistic. Can you share anything about what you have you heard about fortismere and camden school for girls? Any info is useful!

Are you planning to move house? I can’t see how you would be in the catchment for Camden School for Girls and Highbury Fields and Parliament Hill? I would strike Highbury Grove off your list.

Oh that’s great. Pls update how you get on. I do think first place applicants are fewer than we think so waiting lists do move. I haven’t asked specific questions just that their kids enjoy these schools (we’re too far for these ones). There’s threads on each of you search.

No, not planning to move. In past years we would have very likely got into all of those schools on the waiting lists although things can change year to year. Why would you strike Highbury Grove off the list? I've not met anyone with kids there so I don't know what it's like

It’s just not in the same league as the others. It’s been rebranded several times and the facilities are great but had a reputation for being “rough” and the catchment is the same as it was.
If you can get into Camden School for Girls that’s the one with the amazing reputation that people would fight to the death to get a place at. I have experience of HFS and can’t praise them highly enough. It was perfect for us.
The Islington yummy mummies love Mary Mags and it is a very good school. If your DC can get a place via the test that would be a great result for them.

I don't have DDs but do have teenage kids and work in schools in Camden/Islington and live in the Fortismere catchment. If it were me I would prioritise CSG and Parly.

For the conspiracy theorists, if the OP lived in Archway, it's realistic she could be in all those catchments.

You don’t rate Fortismere?

In my opinion based on second hand experience of friends: Fortismere is wallpaper. The 80% of kids who go there from £2m Muswell Hill professional households with tutors, music lessons and skiing holidays will succeed exactly in the way you would expect - as they would in any environment. But if your kid in anyway needs support or a school to make a difference, I do not think it is the right school.

If you can get her into Parliament Hill then that’s the one I would go for. Be aware, though, that its neighbouring school La Sainte Union (girls, Catholic) is at risk of a closure consultation in the near future so there may be added pressure on girls’ places in the area.

Mary Mags is a very good option in Islington. Make sure you register for the Aptitude Test in time (this year’s deadline was 3 July) as it catches people out every year that registration is in the summer of Y5 rather than early in Y6.

Nice to hear from @OhamIreally of such a good experience at Highbury Fields, which I think is underrated locally.

I have many friends with teen DDs of varying ages in some of these schools. Some have studied at both due to moving for 6th form. Here's what I've gleaned from many chats over the years...

Parli is a generally a great school that suits lots of different girls. Highly regarded teaching, excellent Ofsted, friends kids seem very happy and stretched academically. Their admin is a bit rubbish, their comms aren't great, but girls do well and seem well supported. The buildings and location are lovely. Pastoral support is good providing you stay on top of things. If I was you and you're set on single sex, I'd prioritise Parli. But as pp also highlighted that LSU over the road is undersubscribed and a consultation is about to start on where those girls might go in future so be mindful of changes to catchment.

People lose their minds over CSG but it was downgraded at its last Ofsted with good reason. It fits a particular type of girl - if you tick the boxes you'll absolutely thrive, if not, be cautious. Less focussed on the individual, more focussed on the results. Academically pushy, the 'Camden Cull' stresses a lot of girls out in Year 11 but it does get them the results they want. Pastoral care is generally judged to be poor in comparison to other schools. and parent comms are pretty rubbish. Music provision is excellent and well regarded and musical girls do very well. The site is small and cramped and not a great location. Proximity to the petrol station and Cantelowes not ideal for many parents.

Fortismere similarly downgraded in their last Ofsted (and apparently fought tooth and nail to have it approved as 'Good' ). Families I know with kids there are generally happy, kids are happy, teaching seems fine. A pp is right that it's likely propped up by the intake and lots of tutoring and the vibe is (a bit like Camden) if you need any extra support you might struggle. The site is pretty tired and tatty (a ceiling collapsed last week and there are ongoing electrical faults they are dealing with) which puts a lot of parents off.

Highgate Wood School is massive in comparison to others which can be a blessing and a curse. I know parents who are very happy with the provision, support is meant to be pretty good, I don't hear any horror stories.

You don't list Acland Burghley. It has an uneven intake of boys vs girls but is a strong option academically, has excellent pastoral care and parents are very happy with provision. Teaching is excellent, girls are well supported and given lots of additional opportunities, trips, guest lectures etc. It was recently ranked one of the happiest schools in London, definitely one to consider.

Thanks so much for this. Great to hear praise about HFS, I visited and liked it. I wondered what your thoughts are on the art department? It was the only thing I wasn't impressed by, it felt really bland and not very creative at all but I couldn't work out if it was because the school doesn't value it, an uninspiring head of year or just a low effort presentation (or all 3?)

Thanks for the back-up @FKAT! They'd all be waiting list schools but with a high chance of a place eventually.

CGS and Parli do seem to be the favourites of most I've spoken to for different reasons

I didn't realise that about La Sainte Union, I thought it was propped up by the church quite well. Will keep that in mind though, thank you. What do you know/like about Parliament Hill?