Diversity at HBS

[greenhills1]

My daughter has been offered a place a HBS. From what I saw on the offer day and interactions with other offer holders, I get the impression that nearly all the girls this year come from Asian (Indian) background. I may be mistaken, as I have not seen all 100 plus families who will take up the places. I'm perfectly happy with all ethnic groups and races. However, I'm concerned about the potential lack of diversity, and feeling overwhelmed that we may be the only non-Asian family in the entire year group.

I'm keen to hear the experience of existing HBS parents with regard to the diversity in the school. I'm also wondering if there are any families from non-Asian backgroun who will be joining this year?

In addition, I would like to know how does HBS compare against private schools like NLCS and Habs Girls? I understand the facilities are not comparable, but is there a gap in the quality and style of teaching, breadth of learning and outcome for children, or any other aspects? There is the general perception that private school children are more confident and have wider interests. Is there such a difference between HBS students and NLCS/Habs Girls students in general?

I sincerely apologise if my hastily written post has offended anyone.

[gg234]

Are you interested in getting good education or worried about your DD is not going to have non-Asian friends. If you are not sure then you can always go for private so someone can take that place. Remember whichever school you go always there are bright Asian people.

[CestMoi]

gg234 - I think that's unfair. The OP is not asking about having some British Asian children but a high majority of Asian children in her class.

HBS is predominantly Asian in ethnicity. My friend (2nd gen British Asian) was concerned about the mix at the start. There is one child who is white in her daughter's class and that child's background is not British.

But it doesn't matter to the girls at all! The only difference would be that Indian festivals are much more prominent (e.g. Diwali) and that perhaps culturally the girls don't have the freedom that others do, e.g. meeting at the weekend, though the large postcode radius may also affect that.

[iwantthistoend]

I think OP's question is a valid one. Diversity is important on all levels - ethnic and socio-economic. I think the richer the variety, the richer the friendships. Personally speaking, we have always looked for schools that have a rich mix of people - where no one group dominates. Saying that, is the OP sure that the cohort is overwhelmingly Indian? When we visited HBS sometime back, I noted quite a diversity within the South Asian student body - with many having ancestry from all parts of South Asia. Most of the kids will be second generation, anyway and all British, so... I think it's only a problem if OP's DD is singled out somehow. Like CestMoi said, the kids tend to accept each other for who they are and just get on with it.

[Naushad]

My daughter has been offered a place a HBS. From what I saw on the offer day and interactions with other offer holders, I get the impression that nearly all the girls this year come from Asian (Indian) background. I may be mistaken, as I have not seen all 100 plus families who will take up the places. I'm perfectly happy with all ethnic groups and races. However, I'm concerned about the potential lack of diversity, and feeling overwhelmed that we may be the only non-Asian family in the entire year group.

I'm keen to hear the experience of existing HBS parents with regard to the diversity in the school. I'm also wondering if there are any families from non-Asian backgroun who will be joining this year?

In addition, I would like to know how does HBS compare against private schools like NLCS and Habs Girls? I understand the facilities are not comparable, but is there a gap in the quality and style of teaching, breadth of learning and outcome for children, or any other aspects? There is the general perception that private school children are more confident and have wider interests. Is there such a difference between HBS students and NLCS/Habs Girls students in general?

I sincerely apologise if my hastily written post has offended anyone.

I concur with you. your question is absolutely right here. However, this is the case with most of the places around London. e.g. QE Boys

[Choco]

I think it's a reasonable question and clearly worded and expressed to show there is no racist intent.

Being in an significant minority for any group can be difficult. I don't think Op is suggesting she won't be taking up the place but just would like info.

I think Op could address the question to the school. It wouldn't need to be expressed in terms of her daughter or any one year group, but just as a question about the ethnic mix in the school. If sent to Admissions,nth at question can be answered simply and factually in a more accurate way than people on this forum can answer.

If it's something that is of interest to people considering other schools, I'd suggest asking the question before applying.

[loobylou]

I also think it's not an unreasonable question to ask about diversity. It's no different from a black friend of mine with mixed race children who was offered a job in rural Somerset a few years ago and wanted to know whether his children would be the only non -white children in the school as that would have made him anxious about their going there. (They would have been and he turned down the job).
My daughter has a good friend at HBS who is of Chinese origin. She says there are only girls of South Asian origin (and a few South East Asian) at her school. She might be exaggerating but that's what she says.
Fwiw, both my children are the only "white British" children in their friendship groups at school (which are made up of children of Indian, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi, Italian, Greek, Australian, Nigerian, Caribbean, South African and Irish origins) - I love their friends and love the mix which reflects the world they're growing up in and reflects most of our workplaces nowadays.
Would I have sent them to a school where they were the only people of their ethnicity ? Yes.
Would I have sent them to a school wher they were the only people of their ethnicity but almost every other child was the same ethnicity as each other? Probably not - I'd certainly have to be convinced that the lack of diversity was made up for in some other way by some other significant benefits.

[hermanmunster]

I
Would I have sent them to a school wher they were the only people of their ethnicity but almost every other child was the same ethnicity as each other?

I think this is the key whatever characteristic it is - wealth, race , religion

[nyr]

Here is some data:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ ... sthrough=1

[SummersLazy]

To the OP... be assured your DD will thrive in the school where everyone is of similar abilities and lessons are not boring anymore.
My DD in HBS forgets her colour unless it’s mentioned in a conversation. They are all born and raised in UK so there’s no difference if you asked me.
If anything, Your DD will be popular and will have everyone wanting to be her bestie.

Anyways things are going to change soon once the catchment criteria is implemented. Then you will have a whole other worry about offending a particular community.
Apologies on behalf of the second poster gg... OPs post was not offensive.