Are we being insania? (Fortismere, N10)

[boyngirl]

I posted a few months ago asking about Fortismere in Muswell Hill, a ludicrously sought after high achieving comp.

So after much searching (heart and house wise) we're about to exchange on a house right on top of the school. DD is only yr 4 but we had to think ahead as needed to move house.

Anyway, we are having serious, ENORMOUS, last minute wobbles. The house is cripplingly expensive and much smaller than our current rental house which has a gigantic garden where our dc and other kids in road play in constantly. So we're going from 5 bed semi to 3 bed terraced house with teensy garden.

My question is, is Fortismere really really worth it or are we buying into a middle class wet dream iyswim?

We've seen the school and loved it. Does anyone have kids there or decided not to send/move near there? If so why? Could do with speedy advice.

Oh sorry our other options are 2 good comps near area we live in so move near there, but neither are as 'wow' as Forti, or private or selective but we dont' really want this for the dc. We love the idea of co-ed, good quality comp and most importantly the idea of them having social life on their doorstep as they grow up, not having friends scattered for miles around.

btw, I totally know this is not a big problem and we are very lucky with our choices.

Well Boyn'Girl, that is very positive news from NL3!! Hmmm, maybe we will have to move closer to Fortismere after all.....

Hope you exchange soon - I will keep a look-out for the lady with the DM - you shouldn't be hard to spot!

NL3 - I was very interested to hear that you feel pupils are closely monitored at Fortismere.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my son is bright (like all mn children!) but is more than happy to coast. In your opinion, do you think Fortismere pushes bright but lazy boys? I had heard from other Fortismere parents that the school doesn't really push them, so I would really appreciate your view. I do realise that parents dissatisfied with their DC's academic performance may be quick to blame the school rather than look closer to home!

Hi NL3 - I was wondering; if you had a complaint about the school what would it be?
There must be somethings your not happy about or that you would like to see improvement on?

MHM - Depends on your definition of "push" really - if you're looking for cast-iron guarantees in terms of academic achievement then you'll be familiar with the QEB, Latymer etc and the selective independents like Habs. We know lots of boys at these schools and the key difference seems to be levels of homework and the final attainment level - lots more A*s.

How old is your son? A lot can change when they move to secondary. DS1 was bored rigid by Y6 and really embraced the wider curriculum at secondary and became more motivated as a result.

I get the impression from the students that we know that it is cool to achieve and they compete against each other. DS gets worried about being dropped down a set, it keeps him motivated. The school does play a role though - they appear to "know" the students and take action - when DS was struggling in Mandarin - they moved him beside a fluent speaker for group work to help him along. Teachers are openly encouraging - providing time, books, cds etc on subjects like philosophy, politics etc.

The "letter home system" works in terms of monitoring and I am confident that the school misses very little - letters are sent home for missing equipment, missing homework, low-level disruption, failing to complete work etc Obviously there are more severe sanctions for more serious misdemeanours.

If DS fails to achieve at Fortismere it will be firmly down to his own actions or, more likely, inaction. As far as I am concerned the school has offered him every opportunity to achieve.

AS - of course Fortismere is not perfection - lots of little niggles about lunchtime queues, the fact that the students always look a bit scruffy because they don't wear a uniform, it's not very sporty, I worry about what the new head will be like, the fact that it's quite hard to move sets and they now set from the first term of Y7. I often wonder how a very shy child would fare at Fortismere - would they be ok? I suspect Fortismere would not be for every child - that's why the visits in Y5 and Y6 are so important - we excluded a number of schools from Y5 because they would not have been right for DS

Therein ends the tome - hope I've answered your questions - good luck with the exchange BnG - I'll keep my eyes peeled for copies of the DM.

Oh for gawd's sake NL3, you've ruined it all now!
Well now we are having serious problems with house move anyway and I am getting stressed. It's made me realise I want this house and was pretty much the only one we could stretch to in the area.
Wish me luck.

I have my fingers crossed for you! Oh, the joys of house buying. The only thing to be done is to pour yourself a VERY large glass of vino and breathe very slowly...

Let us know how you get on with the house.

Best of luck x

Thanks Mussy, I will def keep you posted. We have quite major obstacles to overcome, as vendor has undergone building works without permission (not connected to loft conversion I told you about). We found this out 2 days before exchange. Arrrgghh! Actually am off to check Rightmove now...and yes I have a v large glass of Rioja in my hand. And trust me there'll be more vino guzzling to come tonight...x

I would comment that because the radius for Fortismere is so small, your children would have the advantage of being in a geographically concentrated community.

Muswell Hill itself is a pleasant suburb, with:-

1. Good shopping

1. At least one very good coffee shop

1. A very pleasant, small, public Library.

1. An excellent Children's bookshop

1. An Odeon cinema

1. Easy access to Highgate Wood, and Queens Wood, and Ally Pally

And, by the way, I dont live there but I do go there quite often.

Well we've only gawn and done it! Finally exchanged and moving to Mus this summer. So no more negative opinions on Fortismere please!
Thanks for all your thoughts.
I am excited about living in Mus now. Less so about the mortgage payments, getting the kids used to the idea of a school change and adapting to a smaller house. But I'm not complaining!

nlondondad - thanks for your 6 point answer! And yes all those things are why it's hopefully worth moving.

Congratulations on your exchange!

Yes, great news. Hope the move goes well. Fortismere summer fair is the Saturday week so you could go and check out the neighbours!

Great news, hope it all goes well. I'll keep my eye out for people carrying the DM at the Summer Fair!!!

We are actually intending to go to the summer fair - if we do I promise to carry the DM!!

Hi boyngirl,
My ds is starting at fortismere in september. We have turned down an excellent-but-difficult-to-get-to school in favour of ds having local friends and being at a "normal" and coed school.

The decision was agonising but deep down we felt that he would be happier at Fortismere. We are now crossing every finger and limb that we made the right decision .
Perhaps we should start up a mutual support group

Congratulations on your move, I am sure you will enjoy MH, it is a really nice place to live.
Have you sorted out which primary school you will go to, as you said DC was in yr 4.
Also, new head starts at Forismere in September, so by the time you have to apply you will know what she is like.
My experience of Fortismere is good so far, apart from the partial shut down this year, which was a real pain, as Yr 7 and 8 only went every other day. Thankfully back to normal now.
Hope you enjoy the summer fair, but be aware, that they are never as good as the ones at primary school, as parents just don't get as involved at secondary school in the same way.

Thanks isgrass. We are on waiting list for Coldfall. So dd will prob start there next year sometime in year 5. what happened re partial shut down?!

Olympica - that's very interesting. Was it Latymer or don't you want to say? I agree and am with you on your decision re 'normal', co-ed, local. Fwiw I think you've done the right thing.

Yes maybe start a Fortismere thread! Tho I'd be a bit of a fraud joining as dc not there for another couple of years.

They found asbestos whilst doing building works at Easter, so we had 5 weeks of year 7 and 8 only going every other day, some poor parents had children in both years, so they always had a child at home. They are back now as the older ones were on study leave then exams, but the removal work is not due to finish till end of July so half of the south wing is out of action. Hopefully it will all be sorted by the time they go back in September.
Good luck with the waiting list for Coldfall, year 5 is a 3 form year, so hopefully something will come up, I am also a parent there.

Hi boyngirl, no not latymer but another school in the same league.

We went to the induction evening today. DS absolutely loved it, made friends straight away and we were very reassured by the speeches, teachers and both the outgoing and incoming head.

Apparently the headteacher and some other teachers are being sponsored to eat tarantulas at the school fair on Saturday. DS says he won't miss it for the world.
I will look out for your daily mail!

Well Boyngirl did you go? Looked out for copies of the DM but nary a one in sight!!!!

Someone mentioned Fortismere is best for girls. Is this still the case and why ? I am hearing pastoral care is awful.