Fortismere, Alexandra Park or Highgate Wood.

[schoolsdilemma]

Does anyone know anything about any of these? We're interested in living in that part of London and are checking out schools.

A friend of mine did some mentoring work in Alexandra Park. She liked the child she worked with. The girl had a lot of problems though. Don't know if she was typical.Not much help. Sorry.

Fortismere has very good reputation. I don't know about the other.

Highgate Wood is not what it was.

Alexandra Park has a good/growing reputation

Fortismere is where everyone wants to go but tbh I don't know much about it tbh.

Based on experience from a local primary a couple of years ago
anybody who lived in the catchment for Highgate Woods either went private, emigrated, or opted for religious schools.
About half in catchment for APS went there and the other half went private or opted for religious schools.
Anybody in catchment for Fortismere went to Fortismere.

There's a huge bunfight to get into Fortismere every year, isn't there? I think you'll have to move on to the doorstep if you want to send your kids there.

friends children went to Highgate wood- all have done/ are doing very well. She does supplement with tutors but am sure she would have done this where ever they went. it's strong in the arts.

Fortismere- good reputation.

don't know anything about APS

Fortismere had a new head about 2 years ago, he is making lots of changes and the school is now a foundation school.
Catchment is usually within 0.5 of a mile (if you are going on the distance criteria). The school is always very oversubscribed and popular.

APS has a growing reputation, catchment is shrinking each year, (about 0.85 this year I think) a new head is starting this September, so it will be interesting to see what changes will be made.

Don't know as much about Highgate Wood, but surprised by some of the comments about it, as I know several people who have children there and they are very happy.

Hope this is of some help.

Agree about Fortismere: catchment 0.5 miles or less. Apart from the reputation of the school this means a geographically very compact community. If you are in the catchment you would need a strong argument for not going.

People who dont send to Fortismere have usually got their child into a selective school like Latymer.

Very surprised by the comments about Highgate Wood. I have heard that it is an improving school, and friends of mine have commented on excellent pastoral care.

Have no information on APS

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I think hifi it's because the unspoken implication (which I'm sure you didn't mean) was that because of the black boys it wasn't a good school.

When I did the tour of schools a couple of years ago I preferred Highgate Wood over Fortismere. The pupils are tutored at Fortismere as well. There seems to be a bigger racial divide at Fortismere (noted by parents of all ethnicities) and I don't think that that is a good thing.

APS... well it's still a relatively new school and it seems to be doing okay. I have friends with children in each school and the reports about them all are fairly mixed. Boys don't seem to do as well at Fortismere but one would hope, with the advent of the new Head, that that will change.

what i was getting at is it needs to reflect the area. in no way would i implicate the black boy thing mars.
i have been in the area for 10 years and friends have always given highgate wood a wide berth, it seems to be changing for the better now.
met a couple of techers at a party and was really impressed at their vision for the school.

No I didn't think you would hifi, it was just how it read.

I do like the fact that is an improving school though. They're about to go into uniform. I think that that will help.

yes mars agree with uniform, see fortismere pupils in sainsburys and all look like they need a good wash.
didnt mean to come across as confrontational.

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a muswell hill dad mentioned that one oops and said it would get rid of the riff raff

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PMSL hifi!!!!!!!!!

I think the new head at Fortismere is starting to make a difference. Having focused on discipline for the first couple of years he is really upping the academic stakes this year with lots more setting. I'm not sure I've noticed the ethnic divide given the "array" of new Y7 friends through my door this year although there appears to be some class demarcation. Completely agree with the great unwashed comment - think most of this is due to the lack of uniform and the current penchant for long hair (for boys).
All in all I like Fortismere's approach which suits DS1, ultimately this is always the predicament - different schools will suit different children, that's why the visits in Y5 and Y6 are really important.

A friend of mine has to work with all the schools in haringey. She says the worst teaching (dull and uninspiring is at Fortismere. She puts this down to a number of reasons, mostly though, pupils are tutored outside of the school so will achieve required number of GCSE, teachers then don;t have to work inspirationally to achieve desired outcome. Most inspiring teaching (she found)is at Alexander Park. Alexandra park used to have to take from all areas of Haringey. Now they have reduced their catchment area to the more affluent parts. I tend to find that parents will choose the quality of the pupils rather than the quality of the school.

The Heartlands School is due to open in September 2010 and is on the site behind Hornsey Park Road up towards Ally Pally Station. It's going to be yet another specialist Visual Arts & Media School. APS is the only one in the borough with a Maths & Science bias. HWS now has joint status with Music and Arts. I was looking into the catchment the other day and it went down to 0.89 miles last year, so there are going to be quite a lot of disappointed Crouch Enders from here on in. Will they opt for Grieg City Academy? I doubt it - yet. I think HWS changed a lot three or four years ago when a cohort of Coleridge parents decided to opt for local rather than fight for Fortismere or go private. Know a fair few seemingly happy pupils there - including one girl who moved across from Hornsey School for Girls. They have some programme working together, but I don't know for what subjects. Draw back as I see it for HWS is that if you're science/maths type, you may need to move on for 6th form.

Catchment for Fortismere is actually 0.3 miles. Not quite sure what the fuss is about though.Its surrounded by popular housing and private housing.Its an ok school the best there is in that area along with A. P .

I realise that this is an old thread but how disgusting that there are ignorant people like you bringing up children. For the record I went to Highgate Wood school when it was more ethnically diverse and as a white middle class woman I'm glad I did or it could be me on mumsnet spouting bigotted racist rubbish like you. I feel sorry for your children.