NLCS vs Henreiita Barnet

[Kingfisher]

Is that current Year Ten or current Year Nine? Which board will they use for IGSE?

Current Year 9. Last I knew, they were still deciding the board.

[BarnetDad]

A quick note from beyond the grave...

I think I agree with most of what has been said (esp by Jean.Brodie - I forget who you are in reality, but suspect our DDs are mates!), but I guess I could add my ha'pence worth.

A myth that seems to be circulating is that sport is big at HBS. Most odd, that, because it clearly isn't! My DD is missing sport, as they do very little after Yr10.

Having said that, the sport at NLCS is pretty lamentable for an Indie (sport is traditionally one of the biggest differentiators for Private vs Indie) and certainly way behind Habs or DAO.

I suspect I've said this before, but NLCS comes across as a professionally run outfit that has some excellent staff (although IMHO, the head could do with retiring!). HBS has more passion about it, particularly from the pupils, but is relatively under-resourced.

For our family, we probably made the right choice. DD1 has excelled at HBS. DD2 is far more laid back, but is cruising comfortably at NLCS. She is finally showing signs of some enthusiasm in her academics (thanks to 2 or 3 outstanding teachers), and would probably have drowned at HBS. Financially it has been tough, and I still wonder if DAO would have been a better choice, but I have a suspicion that our money will probably result in more points at GCSE.

In terms of defections, there have been quite a few at NLCS - mostly to Highgate - from families who feel that the school don't really care that much (it's a business) and are weak on sport.

A recent defection from HBS to St Pauls (I think) was noisily announced on some website, but the girl in question was so negative, that anyone with a brain reading her diatribe will put it down to a fit of pique. Not exactly a defection, but a friend of DD1 moving to 6th form at NLCS ostensibly because she likes IB. I quite like IB, and particularly the attitude that offering it implies, but suspect DD2 will follow the boring route of A-levels.

Finally, if you like canapés, and don't mind paying for them, then NLCS will be your idea of Heaven. The home made biscuits pretty much dry up after you've signed on, so watch out for that and allow extra in your budget if attending the application process meetings resulted in addiction to same.

[shootmenow]

The samosas are more my thing.
BarnetDad, your DD2 might just change her mind re IB. Lots did last year at the last minute and this yr's yr 12 is the largest group so far.
I disagree about sport at NLCS. My DDs are unsporty but classmates have done loads at very high level. Highgate girls' sport has only recently improved. A close friend had to really fight to get C and D teams for girls as previously if your DD wasn't one of the best, there were no opportunities.

[Jean.Brodie]

A few girls leave HBS each year after Year 11.

There seem to be many HBS families whose kids have been put through prep schools. I reckon this trend will have intensified with HBS dropping NVR from its entrance exams and bringing in wordy Numerical Reasoning. There are also a fair few parents who were themselves at private schools. I suspect that many families would choose the private option from Year 7 if money were no object.

The current Year 11 seems to have a lot of girls with younger siblings, mainly girls, at private schools. Clearly the parents didn't want to commit to fees for five or seven years for the eldest knowing they might have to if the younger child didn't get an HBS or comparable offer. Now, five years later, just two years of fees for a Sixth Form seem less daunting to those families, especially if there has been a rise in family income in the interim. This year, one girl is going to Westminster and one to NLCS.

There are also other girls who leave after Year 11, mainly to start early at fine art or performing arts schools. I know a leading musician did that a couple of years ago. This September, one HBS alumna will be starting at a specialist Ballet School.

It is also expected that one or two will leave to be amongst boys. Some may even prefer a less academically challenging environment. We can think of one or two who would benefit from a fresh start, having had a few ups and downs both within HBS and without.

[Daogroupie]

Hanging on every word! Any feedback on how the preps did with the new exam? Do you know what board dd2 will be doing for English IGSE? Did dd1 look at any other sixth forms? How well supported do you feel she is being with just eight weeks to go until first exam? How is dealing with two teenage girls going? DG

[shootmenow]

Directed at whom, DAO?

[Daogroupie]

Barnetdad,a blast from the past! Only JB got in 4 mins later! DG

[MissWorry]

Got the subscription to FT only to find out that they had stopped doing secondary school rankings. Also couldn't beleive that nlcs was there at nearly 4th position in 07,08,09 (controversial , in one they are not there in the other one ) but not in 10,11 (top 20 schools) and then FT stopped doing this rsnking
Does anybody know if nlcs had stopped sharing data and hence the discrepancy.


Please keep this forum discussion going. I am so hooked on to it that bbc/ fb isnt as important as checking updates here

[shootmenow]

They withheld data those years. SPGS, Eton, Westminster have done the same. In '09 (I think) there was a profile of what happened when NLCS volunteered to be one of the first schools to partner with a poorly performing comp- a forerunner under Lord Adonis and Blair of the free schools. It was a disaster because nobody told the comp parents that it was happening and Mrs. McCabe looked like Lady Bountiful in Jimmy Choo shoes. It was a really unfair article as the blame was surely on the gov't for setting it up without actually informing the comp community or even asking if they wanted the link at all. McCabe was rightly furious to have been used and for the disrespect shown to the comp. FT has been personna non-grata since.
Look at FT IB tables though, that is info that they can't withhold. NLCS is always top.

[BarnetDad]

One thing I forgot. If your DD has aspirations in the dramatic arts (but is also quite academic) then NLCS is a very strong contender indeed. The facilities and the staff expertise in this area are outstanding (no, really!) and the results (eg. the current show "Anything Goes") prove it, with close to professional standards - indeed, some of the cast are already professional actors.

HBS drama is very good, too, but not to the same levels as NLCS.