How does Habs girls compare with NLCS?

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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Middlesexmum
Posts: 1008
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:54 am

How does Habs girls compare with NLCS?

Post by Middlesexmum »

I have heard people say the two schools are v similar, bit have also heard there is more pressure at NLCS.

I would be interested to hear people's experiences. Do both schools attract similar types of girls? And if you got offers at both, what made you decide one over the other?
shootmenow
Posts: 356
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:25 pm

Re: How does Habs girls compare with NLCS?

Post by shootmenow »

I wouldn't say that NLCS is pressured at all. They choose bright, self-motivated girls and then teach them very well. No rankings, no prizes, all results are supposed to be kept secret. I don't have a DD at Habs but have many friends who do. The NLCS catchment is more London-centric than Habs. Habs also has stuck with A Levels- a sort of ethos of ' we do this very well, why mess with it' was my impression when I looked at it for DD2. NLCS is always re-evaluating and looking at ways to improve the educational experience for the girls. They introduced IB, Pre-U and dropped the Eng.Lit. GCSE in favour of the AS taken over 2 years. The pastoral care at NLCS has been excellent and I have no worries about sending my non-robust DD2 there. Girls are encouraged to try lots of things help is available in many ways when they find something difficult (teachers, peers, older girls, other members of departments). The doors are always open for girls to pop in and ask another teacher to explain something differently. The girls range from true genius to just hard-working. They aim to ensure that every girl finds something they're great at. PM me if you want to know specifics.
vas
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Location: Middlesex

Re: How does Habs girls compare with NLCS?

Post by vas »

Hello Middlesexmum,
You really won’t go wrong whichever school you choose. They both select equally bright children with nlcs being slightly harder to get into.

Although I have no personal experience of habs girls, I do of the boys' school. In my personal view the structure, organisation and teaching at the boys’ school is superior to nlcs and if the girls' school is similar, you will be paying a more reasonable fee with reasonable increments for an equal education.

NLCS do choose bright, self-motivated girls and their success comes from the girls' hard work and ambitious nature.

It’s all well and good to do AS English literature, but frankly I fail to see the purpose in forcing all to follow something that they may not have the aptitude or interest; why not AS maths then?

The school doesn't pressure the girls, but the girls' pressurure each other enough, perhaps this may be true at habs girls too.

Finally it all depends on where you see your daughter being happiest and where she fits in better.
shootmenow
Posts: 356
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:25 pm

Re: How does Habs girls compare with NLCS?

Post by shootmenow »

Quite right! Forget to say that girls who have the aptitude and the desire do maths and further maths at GCSE. I wouldn't say that one school is harder to get into than the other. I know plenty of girls at every admissions stage who got one but not the other. Oh, and I don't feel that my DD is pressured by her peers. They're taught to be very organised from the start to avoid last minute cramming.
Daogroupie
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Re: How does Habs girls compare with NLCS?

Post by Daogroupie »

I have had a lot to do with the way job applications are considered over the past few years and I would never have let my dd's go to a school where the students come out without GCSE English Lit. So many applications are drop down boxes for qualifications with no room to explain why you have not got a bog standard qualification that is a requirement for most jobs. If course all those reading carefully will realise that the AS is a superior qualification but not everyone is reading carefully. I worked for a company who had admin staff sifting through CV's looking for reasons to reject. Why take two years over the AS and end up without the GCSE? If you have to have an explanation as to why you did not do something it is better to just do it as not everyone is going to give you the time to explain. Don't give anyone any reason to keep you off the shortlist. DG
shootmenow
Posts: 356
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:25 pm

Re: How does Habs girls compare with NLCS?

Post by shootmenow »

Yeah, not sure that I'd want my daughter working for anybody who takes a tick box approach to recruitment in that way. I suspect that a good Oxbridge/Russell Group/Ivy degree is the first thing employers see. It's what my husband looks at. I haven't heard any NLCS leavers complaining that their career ambitions have been thwarted because they attended one of the top ranked schools in the country.
mad?
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Location: london

Re: How does Habs girls compare with NLCS?

Post by mad? »

I am, at present, sharing a glass with some who has worked in recruitment for 30 years, from being a graduate trainee to running a multimillion global talent and executive function via, amongst other things, running heaps of 'volume' graduate and entry level recruitment programmes and delivering and advising on talent attraction in the UK and globally. She has worked at all levels and pan sector and holds non exec positions at several major employers and advises major relevant recruitment fora (eg the AGR) on the market, trends and appropriate approaches. She confirms that she has never, ever, encountered anyone who required candidates to have GCSE Eng Lit. Not even the major publishing houses.
Now, for low level trainee entry level roles 5 gcses including Maths and English (any English) at grade B or above are frequently required, but surely this is not what these schools are aiming for? And if it is why are we all bothering?
mad?
shootmenow
Posts: 356
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:25 pm

Re: How does Habs girls compare with NLCS?

Post by shootmenow »

I haven't run across anyone who sets great store by what someone does when they're 16 (except having ANY job- paper route, waitressing, shop work- shows an employer that you are responsible from a young age). I have, however, met lots of people who've suggested that my daughter would be welcome to see them for a job after uni because they find NLCS girls to be very impressive.
BarnetDad
Posts: 395
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: How does Habs girls compare with NLCS?

Post by BarnetDad »

Both good schools. Habs better for gymnastics. Shared bus system with the boys could be a plus? I feel nlcs is a little more quirky and definitely more girls from London. Possibly more of an emphasis on performing arts at NLCS, but not sure on that. I would agree that NLCS is a little harder to get into, but not much. Also agreed that the Eng Lit GCSE does nothing for employability.

Go see them and get a "feel". Perhaps this is (somewhat annoyingly) the most useful general rule of all when choosing schools.
shootmenow
Posts: 356
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:25 pm

Re: How does Habs girls compare with NLCS?

Post by shootmenow »

Agree Strongly! Also, your DD will have her own impressions. Mine loved the academic gowns that the 6th formers wore and all the other bits that read as 'tradional' to me at Habs. Liked the Amiga system too. Not so impressed with the food. DD also worried that if she missed the coach, there was no public transport and the area was very dark. This was something I hadn't thought about - clearly, I've raised a Londoner.
You have to look beyond results because your gut may tell you something very different.
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