Life at HBS

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Barnetmamma
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2014 12:10 am

Life at HBS

Post by Barnetmamma »

DD2 is in band A for HBS and it's gone down as our 1st choice for the CAF form. We are planning to also sit a handful of independent school exams in January.

Without necessarily wanting this to be a state selective vs selective private thread, I wanted to learn about the HBS experience from parents whose DD are currently at HBS or went there in recent years. I have had a look at this term's extracurricular activities on the website from which I can see it is just a diverse a range as what might be available at NLCS or Habs. I would love to hear about personal stories of how the school nurtures leadership, rewards the students and encourages participation in outside classroom activities.

I am curious about house events, competitions, weekend activities, if any e.g. sports fixtures, drama productions, interhouse competitions, summer projects, guest speakers. Also about how the school settles the Y7 girls and gives feedback to parents.

I am sure I asked all this at the open days but all the answers have now blurred into each other since the summer when we didn't even know if we stood a chance. It's become a lot more real now.

DD1 is at a selective private school and if we were fortunate enough to indeed get a place at HBS in 2019, I wouldn't want to
a) feel like DD2 wasn't offered the same educational opps as her older sister,
b) Have DD2 feel she wasn't offered the same opps, or
b) regret it a few months or years down the line, because of either of the above.

Hoping to get some inside info about life at the school.
Finances are such that we could manage, but it would mean more careful spending. TBH, we didnt expect to be in this position and expected to be sending DD2 to an independent school, so this is a fortunate place to find ourselves in.
Stokers
Posts: 358
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 9:48 pm

Re: Life at HBS

Post by Stokers »

Hi, Barnetmama,
My
mad?
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Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 6:27 pm
Location: london

Re: Life at HBS

Post by mad? »

Barnetmamma, look up BarnetDad's posts (really! :lol: ) he had/has one DD at HBS and one at SPGS or NCLS (can't remember which) he has answered this question before and has given balanced responses IMO.
mad?
Middlesexmum
Posts: 1008
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:54 am

Re: Life at HBS

Post by Middlesexmum »

I have a dd at HBS in Year 11 and an older dd at an independent school.

In terms of house events, I wouldn't say that HBS has a particularly strong house ethos. It is really only Sports Day that the girls compete in houses, as far as I know, there are no other house events throughout the year.

Sports events - main sports seem to be netball, cross country and athletics. My dd isn't sporty but there seem to be plenty of sporting opportunities for those who want them. The range of sports offered is less than at my older daughter's indie - she did climbing, trampolining and swimming in addition to the usual ones, these aren't offered at HBS because they don't have the facilities. They use the Heath for rounders quite often (beware if your dd is scared of dogs like mine is!).

Drama - there is one main production per year usually at the end of the Autumn term, dd has taken part every year and the standard is excellent. However, there has been a change in Head of Drama (not for the better unfortunately) and the annual show is now in the Spring term so results remain to be seen. Girls have the opportunity to work backstage with stage management, lighting and so on. There is also a Shakespeare Society for KS3 (KS4 girls act as directors for this).

Other activities - the school competes in a Junior and Senior Mock Trial which is a fantastic experience. There is a wide range of special interest clubs - dd particularly enjoys the religion clubs, not only just of her own but of others too. The girls are curious and keen to learn about other religions and there are regular guest speakers. Classics club is also very popular as is English extension, again with regular speakers.

Let me know if you have any further questions, I'd be happy to help.
Stokers
Posts: 358
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 9:48 pm

Re: Life at HBS

Post by Stokers »

Hi, Barnetmama
My DD is in Yr 9 and I think there are multiple house/point group opportunities - there is a drama competition and music (Bernard Hootin?) each year and I am sure there are charity/fundraising opportunities based on the house system.

Academically, I would say that your child needs to be a self-starter. I don't notice much evidence of push and I would be concerned if my DD was the 'lazy/do as little as you can get away with' type - or maybe, because she isn't, I don't see evidence of her getting that kind of attention.

I love that she is learning 4 languages - on the other hand, it makes her quite blase about them and she's already decided which ones she's going to give up.

I really like that the Yr 12/13s are actively involved in the pastoral care of the lower school - for instance, they run regular themed film events. This might be common across other schools so I'm not saying it's exclusive to HBS.

One thing I would say is that extrinsic discipline and reward systems are notable by their absence. There is no merit or detention system. We joke around the dinner table that it's like an anarchist state. If your DD is someone who needs very clear boundaries (either because they are a bit rebellious or because it provides them with security - my two DSs are very much the latter) or needs external validation of achievement, then it's not the school for her, IMO.

Hope that helps,
Stokers
Middlesexmum
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Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:54 am

Re: Life at HBS

Post by Middlesexmum »

Stokers wrote: There is no merit or detention system.
But there are subject prizes at the end of each year and extra curricular prizes too.
Stokers
Posts: 358
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 9:48 pm

Re: Life at HBS

Post by Stokers »

Middlesexmum wrote:
Stokers wrote: There is no merit or detention system.
But there are subject prizes at the end of each year and extra curricular prizes too.
Agreed but this is at the end of the year and a very limited number of girls, by definition, get a prize. There are lots of children I know, for instance in the school at which I work, who need a more constant, low-level recognition of their efforts and achievements.
Middlesexmum
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Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:54 am

Re: Life at HBS

Post by Middlesexmum »

That's true Stokers.
Jean.Brodie
Posts: 451
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:55 pm

Re: Life at HBS

Post by Jean.Brodie »

Hi Barnetmamma! My daughter spent 7 years at HBS and is now in her second year at University. I can't add much to what Middlesexmum and Stokers have posted so far.

Essentially, there are almost no rules, no merits-demerits-house points, few individual prizes. And I've never heard of anyone being punished, as such, though most girls must have their moments. Pastoral care is discreet and generally effective and compassionate.

The cultural values and behavioural standards are applied quite subtly - several examples here, a quiet chat there. The academic and activity ethos is of having a go at everythinhg and, eventually, settling down on a few A Level subjects and extracurricular activities which suit a particular personality and specific intellectual-professional ambitions. Pretty much all the teachers have something about them; for A Levels, many turn out to be either excellent or simply phenomenal. They really do know how to support very bright girls over a period of time, both academically and pastorally.

We found the togetherness of the girls exceptional throughout.

Sports? Someone was nuts about volleyball a few years ago, so they were supported to start a club. This ended up as two very strong teams, one of which went to the national championships, with lots of fun and camaraderie along the way. Same for another girl who wanted to sing like a particular opera star: she helped the Director of Music to beef up the orchestra, with girls picking up bassoons and french horns for the first time. I was at the concert some years later at which this girl sang a lead in Mozart's Requiem.

We turned down NLCS and some others in 2010. Very happy with our decision.
Middlesexmum
Posts: 1008
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:54 am

Re: Life at HBS

Post by Middlesexmum »

Forgot to add Robotics - this is something HBS takes part in very successfully and has competed world-wide.
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