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St Albans Vs Channing

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 8:29 am
by kmc
Dear all,

Any thoughts on how the above two compare. DD has offers from St Helens, St Albans and Channing. I am not considering St Helens because of the distance and no direct access to coach service. Whereas there is a coach service to St Albans near me and I can drop her to Channing or she has good public transport to go to Channing. Considering the facilities at St Albans, I am thinking of St Albans but it's still too far. The coach journey takes nearly an hour. Just not sure how the above two schools fare in terms of academic, pastoral care etc. Has anyone got their dd in the above two? Your valuable thoughts are important.

Re: St Albans Vs Channing

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 9:06 am
by kenyancowgirl
Just out of interest...why did you apply to St Helens if you are not considering it because of the distance and no direct coach links? What was the point of sitting the entrance exam?

Re: St Albans Vs Channing

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 9:35 am
by Daogroupie
KCG, It is the same exam as St Albans and St Helens so all mum had to do was tick a box and pay the fee. She will have sat at Channing and her results will have been sent to St Albans and St Helens so only one exam.

I know a lot of dds at St Albans. It is a great school but not worth a one hour coach journey.

What do you think it has that Channing does not?

Channing all the way. DG

Re: St Albans Vs Channing

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 9:37 am
by Kingfisher
Daogroupie wrote:KCG, It is the same exam as St Albans so all she had to do was tick a box! DG
And pay the £100 fee.

Re: St Albans Vs Channing

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 9:56 am
by mad?
I'd agree Channing, accessible by public transport so DD will have much more independence and it will be easier to participate in extra curricular activities.

Re: St Albans Vs Channing

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 10:04 am
by kmc
Thanks DAO for that input. Kcg, I was told that St Albans was hard to get in as my dd is relatively academic. I did apply only for the reason of consortium and yes paid that £75 for St Helens, thinking that if no school offers then I would seriously think moving closer to St Helens. Channing was also suggested by the school HT so went for it. Now that I have offers from all three, it did become slightly confusing, hence the question.

Re: St Albans Vs Channing

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 12:20 pm
by Daogroupie
St Albans is a good school but in the area the more academic students would go for Habs. Some of the top preps move to Habs. We know of students living in the next street to St Albans who go to Habs.

What was your source for it being hard to get into? It uses the Group 2 consortium exam and is certainly harder to get into than some of the other Group 2 schools but locally preps would be aiming for Habs and NLCS and City and St Albans would be the backup.

The students I know of all got St Albans and I knew they would, most got Habs and then the most academic got NLCS and St Pauls.

If Channing is local to you then I would go for that. DG

Re: St Albans Vs Channing

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 1:57 pm
by Kingfisher
I think St Helen's is more academic. I know people at Channing and St Albans. Some DCs at Channing are a little bit sheltered, if you know what I mean.

Re: St Albans Vs Channing

Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 2:13 am
by Daogroupie
St Helens is not more academic than St Albans, it is the other way around. I did not discuss St Helens as you said it was too far. St Helens is a lot easier to get into than St Albans which is in the top tier of the Group Two schools. CIty is harder but St Albans would come in the next tier and then St Helens. It is up and coming though and I can see it overtaking other schools in the next few years. DG

Re: St Albans Vs Channing

Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 8:31 am
by fairyelephant
My DD is at Channing. It's a lovely school, very supportive and stretches those who need it academically. If you live close as we do I would have no hesitation in sending your daughter there, she will be able to participate in all after school activities without worrying about buses and will have lots of local friends to walk or go on the bus with, and time to do the homework. My DD has benefitted from being towards the top of the class, it has given her bags of confidence. Sounds like your DD may be in that position if she is very academic.