Habs Girls - Elstree

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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Loads
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:56 pm
Location: Herts

Habs Girls - Elstree

Post by Loads »

Does anyone know how the Haberdashers Girls 11+ waiting list works ?
Also, how far it has moved so far ?
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Too many acceptances at Habs girls

Post by Daogroupie »

I had heard that Habs girls had way too many of their offered places taken up and so now have to honour them and find themselves having to have seven classes. In the light of this I would assume that they will not be going to their waiting list as they already have many more girls than they anticipated. I found Habs enormously polite and helpful in all my dealings with them so if you are on the waiting list I should give them a call and ask for some clarification.
Loads
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:56 pm
Location: Herts

Post by Loads »

I had heard a rumour along those lines too - but was not sure.

That sounds like a nightmare !
A staggering 175 (7 classes) girls in one year :shock:, when they ususally only have 125 (5 classes) in each year. Thats a massive 40% increase in this year's batch of Year 7 girls :!:
This could well present some logistical issues for them over the next few years :shock: - hopefully they won't make the same mistake again next year.....
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

The dangerous game of over offering that the indies play

Post by Daogroupie »

It happened to City of London School for Girls the year after the 7/7 bombings in London. They assumed that it would have a huge impact on the number of parents willing to send their girls into the City and so they over offered. But to their horror many more than they could have possibly anticipated accepted and they ended up having to build another block!. St Albans also mentioned that it had happened to them a couple of years ago. They do play a very dangerous game these indies and every few years they get really caught out. I cannot imagine whatever happened this year at Habs, what was different to last year? I wonder if the big increase will impact the cultural mix at all?
Loads
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:56 pm
Location: Herts

Post by Loads »

Perhaps Habs Girls were trying to anticipate the efffect that the economic recession would have on acceptances - and got it drastically wrong.

If this is true, then a key question is whether one would really want one's DD to be part of that massive intake, when other indies and state grammars have only half that number in any one year.
Habs Girls was already a massive school compared to other indies, so it would be an issue with 175 (some 40% increase) :shock:. In comparison, the approx sizes for others indies are St Albans 96, City 80 ish, NLCS 100 ish and selective states are HBS 93, St Michaels 96, DAO 65.

175 at Habs will make it more in line with massive comprehensive school intakes :shock:.
surfcrazy
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2009 11:17 pm

Post by surfcrazy »

Don't have any direct knowledge of Habs girls as the distance didn't make it a viable choice for my daughter. However, that being said, I had heard some rumours regarding their intake process which also put me off.
Two very close friends will be sending their daughters to this school, both of whom didn't secure offers elsewhere.
During the interview one mother was told that the places are offered on a minimum score per paper as opposed to ranking - this would to a certain extent explain the huge numbers being given places.
One friend is very happy with this school especially as her daughter was/is almost 400 on other schools waiting lists.
However Habs chooses, it appears to deliver good results at the end of the day (although the girls I know of who are there say this is through sheer volume of homework set).
If the figures quoted here are in fact correct, surely this means almost every applicant must have received some sort of an offer taking into account the losses to HBS, NLC, St Albans etc.
I had heard there was a massive "screw up" last year when interview letters were sent out incorrectly seeing a member of staff leave - this is according to head of local prep.
Habs does have a bit of a reputation for taking girls others have rejected(some of whoim are in bottom groups in school). The important thing is what it does with these girls.
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Habs girls

Post by Daogroupie »

Loads, DAO select 65 but have 200 in total so they are a big comp. surfcrazy, I am astonished by your comments about Habs as they are at odds with my opinion of it. I think of Habs as one of the most academic girls schools in the area. I know of girls living very local to St Albans chosing to move to Habs for secondary school because it is considered to be more academic. I thought that their admissions process was very thorough. The process starts with all day exams but also the interview afterwards is academic with maths questions! I think of Habs being harder to get into than St Albans. But I am interested to hear that you know of girls getting places who were very low down on other lists. I am also interested in the story of incorrect interview letters last year. We did not get interview letters this year, it was all done by phone so may be that is why! I certainly dont think that Habs takes the girls that nobody else wants but it may well be that they over offered to girls that were not holding other offers so they took the Habs one. I am sure they wont make the same mistake next year. They had well over 400 girls sit the exams so they should have been able to take their pick of the cream of the crop. I expect they will have a rethink and offer far less and have a waiting list next year. Waiting lists seem to be a much better idea than this over offering mularky. The state schools do just fine with waiting lists. Hey, they can gallop through the places when they need to, look at QE and HBS.
surfcrazy
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2009 11:17 pm

Post by surfcrazy »

Hi DAOgroupie
Habs is a very academic school which does very well by its girls. If what I have been told is true, and bearing in mind it came from new parents with no agenda, then maybe if they do select this way then something has to be said for this method. I know 2 of my 3 are not evenly balanced across test subjects, which has helped them in ranking in schools selecting on total score. It is also testament to the quality of teaching at Habs.
The girl at 380 something on a grammar school waiting list has a parent who posts on here, so perhaps they may wish to add something.
Certainly, from a couple of the local schools, several who didn't get SPGS,NLC,HB,Highate,SH or MHC received offers from Habs and the same happened last year, so not quite sure how this can be explained as I find it a leap of faith to believe they all had an "off" day.
delta
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:54 pm

Post by delta »

Would one explanation be that they have so many more places they need to fill? The other schools are smaller and many have junior schools so have some children moving up from there.
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Habs places

Post by Daogroupie »

Habs has a prep school that fills one third of its places. I would assume that they dont lose any of their preps to more academic schools as there are none close by. So as they usually have 120 that leaves hem with 80 places to fill. I do find it very interesting Surfcrazy that you have two years worth of consistent results of girls from your school not getting into other indies but getting into Habs. I assume the girls academic pecking order to start with St Pauls and NLCS and City and HBS and then a slight step down to Habs and then another step down to St Albans, and Channing. Anyone disagree with this?
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