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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Finchley secondary schools

30 replies

belleymum · 29/06/2010 09:42

Does anyone know, or have experience of Finchley secondary schools?
We don't seem to be in the catchment area for any. It seems we would have to move to get my DDs into any school after primary.

OP posts:
NL3 · 29/06/2010 23:23

Which part of Finchley are you in and are you interested in/able to access faith schools?

Original poster
belleymum · 30/06/2010 07:14

Faith schools aren't an option for us.

We're in the Frith Manor catchment area so Woodside Park/West Finchley area i.e. secondary school no man's land.

OP posts:
proudnsad · 30/06/2010 15:26

I live very near you!

There is bugger all near us, no 'default' secondary.

You'll have to do what we're doing next month - move! We're moving on top of a good secondary we love (in Muswell Hill actually), but Compton and Wren are great schools too in N12. We visited both and both have good results and ofsteds.

Or private or selective (Dame Alice Owen, Mill Hill County)

Original poster
belleymum · 30/06/2010 18:19

I've heard the catchment area for Wren is about 0.5 miles though??

I think we'll have to move eventually. We looked at Muswell Hill before moving here then realised the catchment area for the primaries in some cases was 0.2 miles!!!!!

OP posts:
proudnsad · 30/06/2010 19:24

Yes catchment for MH schools is miniscule. Primaries in Finch are brilliant, you are obviously in catchment for FM and Moss Hall where mine go at the moment.
Yes you need to move v near Wren or Compton.
On the one hand it's a nightmare, on the other I guess we have to be grateful there are 2 v good comps in Finch and great primaries.
You know Wren is 'faithy' as well, yes?

Original poster
belleymum · 05/07/2010 13:30

Thanks,
We've a few years yet to make up our minds at least.
I'm glad that we do have a good primary for DD, tho it isn't the nearest one .
I don't think we'll bother to move over the high st to get to Wren of Compton but just look for a school and move right on the doorstep. I have a friend who did that in MH and bought her forever house last year.
No more stress about school places.

OP posts:
Original poster
belleymum · 05/07/2010 13:33

On the bottom of the learning curve here - What is a selective school? Is it religious or like a grammar school with entrance exams?

OP posts:
Boobaddum · 05/07/2010 19:20

A selective school is one which kids have to sit an exam or music exam to get in. All those in Barnet have different criteria - some are purely all exam/music with no sibling policy, some are a mix of catchment/sibling/exam/music so it can be quite complicated!

Of course add into that, that a lot of schools will have the option to become an academy and therefore can set there own entrance criteria for futre admissions!

You will probably learn a lot about the local schools from playground talk, which isn't always 100% correct though, so be careful!

mummydd · 07/07/2010 16:46

Just to say that even if they become academies they are still bound by the Admissions Code.

Boobaddum · 07/07/2010 16:53

I stand corrected - have been told today that academys aren't allowed to select admissions on academic criteria so apologies for any scaremongering!

Original poster
belleymum · 08/07/2010 12:58

Maybe by the time that DD needs secondary ed everything will have changed again.
Am obviously hoping/assuming that DD would pass an entrance exam but failing that I shall buy a piano.

OP posts:
MrsFlittersnoop · 08/07/2010 21:49

We lived in West Finchley until last year and DS went to Moss Hall primary. We were in the catchment area for Christ's College (all boys), but secondary schools are a real headache for parents of DDs.

3 year ago (before Wren opened) the Moss Hall girls mostly went on to Compton, Hendon, Copthall and Friern Barnet.

Friern Barnet is improving rapidly and I've heard some very good reports from friends who have sent their daughters there.

If you move further towards Mill Hill you'll have a clear shot at Copthall, or up towards Barnet and you'll have QE Girls.

Word of warning - the selective schools in Barnet are FIENDISHLY difficult to get into. About 25% of DS's year were being crammed for entrance exams by year 6, but only a tiny fraction of those poor kids actually got places at selective state schools.

Good luck!

sue41 · 06/08/2010 15:37

Hi Belleymum

We live in Woodside Park too. Just next to the station. Last two years children got into Wren, this year not. For my son it was Christ College, no other option unless you are Catholic - but he is v. happy and doing well there!

I got into Wren on appeal even though we are only 0.625 miles away. My daughter attended Frith Manor. About 14 of the girls there got into Copthall! (virtually her whole class, but as we were a little further away we fell into the 'black hole').

Good luck, check the Barnet Gov website, there annual 'Secondary School Transfer' booklet online will give you an idea of if you are in any catchment areas.

Sue

LBC · 07/08/2010 15:21

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet.

jaded · 15/08/2010 19:58

I am doing some research regarding private and selective schools in North London. Does anyone have any experience of these types of schools? I live in Finchley but we are thinking of moving and would like to be in an area with IDEALLY a good choice of a state school and within half an hour of a selective school and/or private school. In other words, we want to keep our options open. I have no idea whether my children would be suited to either a private or selective school (i.e. bright enough) but I want to give my children some options rather than being told by my LEA to go to the local school!

Also, if your child is at a private school, how hard is it to get into? Did you get tutors? Do they need to go to a prep school to have a good chance of getting into the private secondary schools? I get the impression that the grammar schools in Barnet are very tough to get into (top 5%) and I would only put my kids through this testing if they had a good chance of getting in and wanted a very academic environment. Private schools tend to be less selective though.

Any thoughts on state schools in Barnet? Are the 'outstanding' ones really outstanding in your view?

sue41 · 24/08/2010 12:12

Hi Jaded

For selective schools you have Henrietta Barnet for girls (I always forget that one!), Mill Hill County and of course QE Boys, if Catholic St Michaels for Girls although the equilvant for boys is non-selective (both in finchley).

Wren and Compton are good but you would need to live around the North Finchley/Friern Barnet area - for private you have the Woodside International School and in Mill Hill you have Belmont and Mill Hill School.

Most of Barnets state schools are pretty good but you do need to live in the catchment area! For private and selective my understanding is that where you live is less important!

Good luck!! Smile

jaded · 29/08/2010 23:25

Thanks for this sue41. I am keen on the Compton school but would also like to be near selective schools in case one of my kids ends up being v bright. I don't want them to have a long journey to school (30 minutes max)so I need to be near a good state school and a selective school. Woodside Park appeals as it offers the IB. Dunno where we would get the cash tho!

Doldi · 16/09/2010 21:24

Does anyone know what the furthest distance offered for a community place for Wren was this year? Impossible to get info from Barnet.

stressed4 · 16/09/2010 22:59

for Wren I think 0.062

stressed4 · 16/09/2010 23:00

Sorry I meant 0.602

verytellytubby · 17/09/2010 21:39

Compton is very good. Lots of friends have sent their children there and they are very happy.

I have a couple more years to panic. I live in Muswell Hill but not in Fortismere catchment.

Doldi · 20/09/2010 10:37

I am feeling that it is all rather pointless we are 0.656 from Wren and 0.823 from Compton I feel like we have no chance before we have even filled in our form! The advice I was given from Barnet was to go and look at Bishop Douglas.

norflondoner · 20/09/2010 11:22

Doldi, quite often the published "distances" are based on those relating to offers made on allocation days. However, there is usually some movement on waiting lists for all desirable schools and families further out do get offers.
For example, at Fortismere the head told us that distance on allocation day was less than 500m but by June the furthest distance more than 600 metres.
We were told by another school that we would be unlikely to get an offer on allocation day (as we were around 150m outside their previous years distance) but that we were very likely to get an offer a few weeks later as other families choose alternative schools etc.

lol at the comment from the council about bishop dog ass (as my dc call it Wink )

dipim · 24/09/2010 11:24

Catchment areas cannot be the same year in year out. They vary with the school's intake of new pupils for any particular year.
When we visited Frith Manor when our daughter was 3, we were expressly told that the catchment area does not veer too far from Nether Street eastwards. When the time came, we put in the school as first choice. We were indeed overjoyed when we got the acceptance letter from the council saying we could choose any of the three!
Likewise, a doughter of a friend who lives in Woodside Park was offered a place at the Wren this year. They are a good mile away from the school. they didn't take it in any case as the girl got a placement at QE Girls on appeal.

Doldi · 24/09/2010 21:48

I think I was just alarmed at the level of panic that was flying around the playground and the lack of friendly advice when I spoke to the council and to various school secretaries. However I have calmed down, will fill in my form and wait to see what happens......(there may be further hysterical postings from me on March 1st)