If you are preparing for the North London consortium test..

[Middlesexmum]

Interesting reading.

I always thought it seemed a bit of a waste of money to pay for prep schools but I'm starting to see what you get for your money.

I'll be doing this again with dd3 in a few years. Perhaps it's worth moving her to a prep in Year 5...

[SHertsDad]

I know of parents from our primary who could not persuade their ds's to sit for DAO as they wanted to go to the local school with their friends. That is their bubble. They can't imagine how they could actually have friends that they choose from a wider pool rather than the ones who happen to be there with them.

IMHO, a good reason to go for a prep if you can and decide to pay fees.

Interesting reading.

I always thought it seemed a bit of a waste of money to pay for prep schools but I'm starting to see what you get for your money.

I'll be doing this again with dd3 in a few years. Perhaps it's worth moving her to a prep in Year 5...

Some preps are not as good as state schools in many measures but even then you would probably not find the situation DG mentioned.

[Jean.Brodie]

English speaking graduate parents, full support and drive at home, money, prep school, the child's ability and personality, sheer hard work, family and/or community educational values, rapport with a private tutor.... All these can increase the chances of an offer. We know quite a few HBS families now and they all have some or many of these characteristics, as I am sure will the families at comparable schools. I am in awe of the enterprise, the work ethic and the values of some of the less affluent families whose kids went to state schools, and pretty ordinary state schools at that.

On the point about state primaries, there are three quite close to HBS. Two send quite a few to HBS every year, the third sends perhaps one every five years. So it also depends on which state primary the child attends, especially in the London area.

[Jean.Brodie]

HappyCow, Thanks for sharing your experience. This provides an important and current piece of the jigsaw of Indy selection.

Can anyone else help with any of the other pieces?

[Londonmummy]

Londondad - very insightful comment.

Any views on how the schools in the North London consortium is ranked from exam result hurdles, roughly? Appreciate there are other things which come into it for offers but was curious how each schools are viewed in difficulty. We are looking at City, NLCS, G&L, highgate, SHHS, FH(regents).

Also how do you self mark English papers? Can someone advise? At least with math it's either right or wrong but for the English section it is very subjective.

Thanks

[London-Dad]

Londondad - very insightful comment.

Any views on how the schools in the North London consortium is ranked from exam result hurdles, roughly? Appreciate there are other things which come into it for offers but was curious how each schools are viewed in difficulty. We are looking at City, NLCS, G&L, highgate, SHHS, FH(regents).

Also how do you self mark English papers? Can someone advise? At least with math it's either right or wrong but for the English section it is very subjective.

Thanks

Purely based on difficulty of getting an offer:

Most difficult: NLCS (irrelevant now since leaving Consortium)
Then City
Then G&L / SHHS about same I would think...but demographics making G&L harder each year...current uncertainty over new buildings / new head etc...maybe making SHHS currrently a bit easier.
Then FH

Highgate not in consortium...has own exams....but getting more popular with girls year-on-year I would say...maybe between City + SHHS in terms of difficulty of getting an offer.