Habs vs QE...choosing a school

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Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Habs vs Qe...choosing a school

Post by Daogroupie »

Thank you.

I know boys in every year at both schools and they are all thriving.

Any academic boy would do well in either school.

I think that QE is more traditional and perhaps the relationship between the staff and the students might be more formal.

Does your state primary not have ex pupils in either school?

What type of subject is your ds interested in? I would say that QE is highly stem focused and perhaps not so much focus on the arts although Geography is very popular and they recently reintroduced Latin so I expect to see boys going to Oxbridge to read Classics in the next couple of years.

Classics is strong in the lower years at Habs but only one boy did Latin and Greek last year so he had a one to one class for two years and is now at Clare College Cambridge reading Classics.

Not everyone who wants to do Maths A level is able to at QE as it is so popular but it sounds like your ds is a hard worker so that will not be a problem for him. DG
BizzyM
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 1:36 am

Re: Habs vs Qe...choosing a school

Post by BizzyM »

Daogroupie wrote:Thank you.

I know boys in every year at both schools and they are all thriving.

Any academic boy would do well in either school.

I think that QE is more traditional and perhaps the relationship between the staff and the students might be more formal.

Does your state primary not have ex pupils in either school?

What type of subject is your ds interested in? I would say that QE is highly stem focused and perhaps not so much focus on the arts although Geography is very popular and they recently reintroduced Latin so I expect to see boys going to Oxbridge to read Classics in the next couple of years.

Classics is strong in the lower years at Habs but only one boy did Latin and Greek last year so he had a one to one class for two years and is now at Clare College Cambridge reading Classics.

Not everyone who wants to do Maths A level is able to at QE as it is so popular but it sounds like your ds is a hard worker so that will not be a problem for him. DG
Most tend to go for mill hill from the school, there were a few boys from the school that applied for QE but didn't score high enough unfortunately.

STEM subjects are his favourite especially maths and chemistry. Is habs not focused on these subjects then?

Thanks again!
BizzyM
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 1:36 am

Re: Habs vs Qe...choosing a school

Post by BizzyM »

Reading some of the threads regarding Habs I have noticed that if given the choice many prefer MT's, St Albans and City. Why is that? Am I missing something? Just curious :wink:
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Habs vs Qe...choosing a school

Post by Daogroupie »

I think they are the parents who are undecided.

There are many families for whom HABS has always been the dream and they do not need to ask any advice about it. I know local prep schools where HABS is the choice of almost all of the parents so they would not be considering other schools which would have just been a backup.

You are just seeing the ones who have not really thought it through yet.

Habs is very good at STEM but they are also strong in a lot of other subjects.

The primary focus of QE is STEM. DG
BizzyM
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 1:36 am

Re: Habs vs Qe...choosing a school

Post by BizzyM »

Daogroupie wrote:I think they are the parents who are undecided.

There are many families for whom HABS has always been the dream and they do not need to ask any advice about it. I know local prep schools where HABS is the choice of almost all of the parents so they would not be considering other schools which would have just been a backup.

You are just seeing the ones who have not really thought it through yet.

Habs is very good at STEM but they are also strong in a lot of other subjects.

The primary focus of QE is STEM. DG

Thanks again. Very invaluable advice. Fingers crossed for next week.
AML
Posts: 347
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2014 5:32 pm

Re: Habs vs Qe...choosing a school

Post by AML »

BizzyM wrote:Reading some of the threads regarding Habs I have noticed that if given the choice many prefer MT's, St Albans and City. Why is that? Am I missing something? Just curious :wink:
That is correct. In fact I know parents who have turned down scholarships at HABS for these schools. I can only guess but hunch is that parents are placing more emphasis on pastoral care and extra curricular opportunities not just academics.

I think HABs has a certain reputation of getting the ‘job done’ but the work can be demanding from year 7. (Current haBs parents please correct me if i’m wrong). Traditionally parents went for the brand and prestige of HABs but I think the tide is turning.

However there are many children happy there and I think the school itself is trying to address this. Only in recent years they have started make up your mind tours flowing 11+ offers, knowing that parents are no longer accepting haBs.
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Habs vs Qe...choosing a school

Post by Daogroupie »

Students can only attend one school so many school offers will be turned down in the next few days.

There will be just as many choosing Habs as rejecting Habs.

There is certainly not a movement away from Habs, they had a record number of applications this year and as I said earlier many parents have Habs as their first choice so they are not posting on websites asking for advice.

Habs have more than enough applicants who want to go there and every year many are disappointed and do not get offered a place.

Make your choice based on your family. Habs is a very successful school and many more families want their ds to go there than will have a chance to go there. DG
AML
Posts: 347
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2014 5:32 pm

Re: Habs vs Qe...choosing a school

Post by AML »

A record number of applicants could be due to a variety of factors, baby boom of that generation, better economic growth etc Other schools like MT also had record numbers this year.

My point is that historically if holding multiple offers parents didn’t need make up your mind tours and forums, HABS would win hands down.

But that isn’t so anymore, as evident on threads here ‘HABS vs ...’ and speaking to many parents who are in dilemmas.

Parents are looking for other things. HaBs will no doubt have no trouble at all, as you say filling their places. But my advice is similar to yours ..look at your own family situation and I found speakin to parents with children in upper years who have gone through the school also one of the most valuable resources.

It’s a shame when parents choose prestige and name above all that.
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