Habs girls vs Highgate

[veryhappymum]

Habs girls vs Highgate for a sporty daughter - any thoughts? Highgate will be a 15 mins car journey whilst Habs is a 45 mins coach journey each way. Anyone has children in both schools who can help me decide?

[Daogroupie]

It is unlikely you will find dds in both schools. Anyone who is offered Habs would also be offered Highgate as Habs is much harder to get into. I can see parents turning down Habs to have boy girl siblings at same school but I can't see anyone with a dd already at Habs turning down Habs for Highgate unless second dd did not get into Habs. They are quite different schools. Which one does dd prefer? DD

[Jean.Brodie]

Hi!

Habs Girls and Highgate are very different schools. May I ask what your reasoning was when you applied for both?

Boys make a difference, a huge difference. Will that work for your DD? … I used to be a big fan of co-ed schools until I worked in some and saw the impact of most boys on most girls, and the impact of boys in general on girls.

The travel is also a big difference, not just the time but also the sapping of energy levels.

Our DD is now in Year 11 at Henrietta Barnett (rather than North London Collegiate). Being amongst only girls at school and also having friends, family friends and cousins who are boys has worked really well for her. …. A very short commute every day has had a massive impact on the amount and range of extra curricular activities she is involved in. This has included quite a bit of music and drama – and a bit of debating - at weekends. We feel fortunate.

We know a lot of families around here in North London, families like yours and ours I expect. Every morning, we see kids in the uniforms of Habs Girls, South Hampstead, North London Collegiate, Channing, Highgate, City, UCS going in all directions. But Highgate is definitely the hottest ticket at the moment.

Anyhow, very well done to your DD and to your family on earning a choice of two fine schools!

You can PM me if you want.

[Lynniew100]

Hi,

Sorry to hijack thread.
I'm looking at Highgate for my eldest DD. I like the idea of co-ed schools as I came from all girls school till 17 and didn't quite like it.

Can I please seek your advice on what's the perspective on highgate as a school? Is it academic, musical? And pastoral care? And how does it compare to habs girls? I like the fact that it's closer to london too, is that a good thing?

Thanks in advance to all.

[veryhappymum]

Thank you Daogroupie and Jean Brodie for replying and advising. We applied both as its our first time going through the 11+. I do agree travelling time is a big consideration as it will take it toll. Thank you both for your valuable comments!

[Jean.Brodie]

By the way, it's no longer clear that one of these schools really is harder to get into than the other. Things are developing very fast at Highgate and amongst those now interested in it. Some 'natural' Habs families are no longer applying to either Habs Boys or Girls.

A lot of families not in Hertfordshire or the outer suburbs now look to Highgate, a big change from only a few years ago. Many international familes, in particular, also naturally prefer a co-ed school, as now do those local Londoners who don't want their kids to trek up to the Habs schools every day. Highagte has transformed itself and not just by admitting girls.

Very, very different from just five years ago, when familes like ours didn't even consider Highgate.

[Lynniew100]

By the way, it's no longer clear that one of these schools really is harder to get into than the other. Things are developing very fast at Highgate and amongst those now interested in it. Some 'natural' Habs families are no longer applying to either Habs Boys or Girls.

A lot of families not in Hertfordshire or the outer suburbs now look to Highgate, a big change from only a few years ago. Many international familes, in particular, also naturally prefer a co-ed school, as now do those local Londoners who don't want their kids to trek up to the Habs schools every day. Highagte has transformed itself and not just by admitting girls.

Very, very different from just five years ago, when familes like ours didn't even consider Highgate.

Hi could you please explain a bit more about why families like yours wouldn't consider highgate but will now? I'm very interested to try and understand how highgate has changed over the years as you've said.

Thanks