Non(or less)-selective independent secondaries or grammars?

[XelaM]

Thank you! You’re right. If I am completely honest, our dream school would be Latymer, as it appears to be the best of both worlds and the easiest commute and there are no fees to pay! But given how difficult it is to get into, I am trying to get my daughter more excited about other schools.

From the list of independent schools Highgate would certainly be my aspirational school, but my daughter wants to try for Habs, as not only is it *thee* school most of her friends want, but she also absolutely loved it when we had the tour. I am a lot less excited about it. Aside from its reputation and gorgeous setting, it’s not at all practical for us and doesn’t fit most of the criteria on my wish list.

[Daogroupie]

So why did you go to the open day at Habs if it is not the right school for you for practical reasons?

Secondary school is a seven year commitment five days a week although there are options to move for sixth form.

Are you in catchment for Latymer?

The exams are quite straightforward if you have done the right focused preparation.

Will your prep school be doing 11 plus prep at some point as they are a "preparation school?"

Do they have any record of getting students into Latymer in the least two years? DG

[mad?]

So why did you go to the open day at Habs if it is not the right school for you for practical reasons?

I'm sure many of us have visited schools which we subsequently realise are not suitable, sometimes for practical reasons. This is particularly the case if 'all my friends are going'. Either way, the OP should not have to justify herself for having visited a school.
OP, irrespective of your DD's abilities Habs seems to miss all of your criteria and so I would be brave and dismiss it now. If DD took the exam and then got a place, and you had to explain to her you were turning it down, that would be a much more difficult conversation than whether to sit the exam. Good luck.

[XelaM]

So why did you go to the open day at Habs if it is not the right school for you for practical reasons?

Secondary school is a seven year commitment five days a week although there are options to move for sixth form.

Are you in catchment for Latymer?

The exams are quite straightforward if you have done the right focused preparation.

Will your prep school be doing 11 plus prep at some point as they are a "preparation school?"

Do they have any record of getting students into Latymer in the least two years? DG

It was hard to resist looking at Habs given how much everyone seems to want it!

The prep school is definitely already doing 11+ prep, as most maths and English homework appears to be sample questions from 11+ papers and have "marks" at the end (although I have no idea what marks she has been getting so far. I'm more worried about English than maths which she is quite decent at). They are also doing VR and NVR (which I was told by one tutor most schools no longer test). I think the preparation will step up from February when they will have extra after school tuition specifically aimed at 11+ prep.

In previous years kids have definitely been getting into all the top schools, including all the London grammars and Habs etc.

My daughter has been there since reception and at the end of every year at the prize giving ceremony they announce who is going to which school. I must say that's the only reason most parents stick with this school, but most kids seem to be heavily tutored as well.

[XelaM]

So why did you go to the open day at Habs if it is not the right school for you for practical reasons?

I'm sure many of us have visited schools which we subsequently realise are not suitable, sometimes for practical reasons. This is particularly the case if 'all my friends are going'. Either way, the OP should not have to justify herself for having visited a school.
OP, irrespective of your DD's abilities Habs seems to miss all of your criteria and so I would be brave and dismiss it now. If DD took the exam and then got a place, and you had to explain to her you were turning it down, that would be a much more difficult conversation than whether to sit the exam. Good luck.

Thank you! I am very tempted to do just that, but then if I'm considering Aldenham I will probably give in and let her sit the Habs exam as well since they're so close to each other (although Aldenham sounds like a much better fit and is co-ed)

[Middlesexmum]

It may not be what you want but do reconsider single sex. I am a huge fan of girls only secondary schools, I think it gives girls confidence and they can be who they want to be more easily. I have 3 dds who are all at girls' schools, they have great relationships with their teachers and anything and everything is discussed in lessons, I don't think they would be so open with boys there!

What does your dd think about single sex v co-ed?

[kenyancowgirl]

But equally, for less confident girls, single sex girls secondary can be like **** on earth....

[GlazedandBemused]

From what I've seen (fairly limited as children were in a state primary), City Girls is absolutely not harder to get a place in than Highgate. I know of loads more that have got a place at City and not Highgate, than the other way round.

If you don't like Habs and it's not convenient, then don't apply for it. You have to be tough and only apply for schools that you actually want your child to go to, even only as a backup. For example, we didn't apply for City Girls as we didn't like it as much as other schools that we were as likely or more likely to get a place. So there was no point as it was difficult to envisage a situation where it would be our only option. This was despite considerable pressure from the tutor we used who felt it would be a good fit for our daughter, plus probably wanted to be able to say that x number of her pupils had got in.

If I were you:
Do Latymer if it's your favourite and then think about HBS (but only if you'd take it offered with no Latymer option).
If you get Latymer then take it and don't do any others. Don't get pressured by the school into doing all the privates just because they like kids doing them for the leavers destinations.
If you don't:
Do Highgate as it's in December and it's your favourite.
In January, choose a couple of consortium schools including an 'easier' one and do Forest.

There you go, nice and bossy of me!

[Silk Road]

Have you thought about Mill Hill Belmont School , mix independant, indoor swimming pool very attractive lol! There’s entry exam but I have 2 friends kids got in without exam , one is sibling the other is in year transfer just had an interview.