Highgate vs Habs girls vs NLCS

[jam3]

We have to decide this weekend - any advice / thoughts / input what are the differences between the three? DD is an all-rounder loves sport and music and gets excited about learning. She wants Highgate because she thinks it will be more "fun" - is that a good enough reason?

[scary mum]

I'll move this to the independent section for you.

[mad?]

She wants Highgate because she thinks it will be more "fun" - is that a good enough reason?

Yes, it's a great school and school should be fun as well.
Otherwise, differences are co-ed or not, similarities are that an able hardworking child will excel at any of them.

[Earningaplace]

Highgate is based on first come first gets. Have they not filled their places yet? We had a choice between Highgate and NLCS and choose NLCS. I am extremely fond of Highgate, my son went there, but NLCS is better for my DD

[Slnieto]

We were in the same situation as you. We went to see the 3 schools again and decided to got for NLCS. NLCS really made us feel that they wanted our daughter there. A few parents in the school told me that the pressure comes from the own parents and not the school. They really encourage the girls to aim high and don’t settle and don’t be afraid to try new things.
I love Highgate and the fact it is coed but the day of offers day I wasn’t as impressed.
Distance from the school should also be a factor in your decision.

[Sla212]

3 wonderful choices, congratulations!

Our choice of 2 schools 2 years ago was indie vs selective....and we chose Highgate as although my child loves Maths & Science so our initial first choice of Latymer seemed like a great fit, I felt Highgate would be a very good choice for an all rounder which he also is....I also thought he could have more fun there....and he has!

Pupils travel from all over to get to Highgate but it also feels very local, lots of children walk or have a very short journey....definitely something to consider when they start venturing out at weekends with friends.

I'm sure this applies to HABS & NLCS too but music is fantastic at Highgate.

I'm not a fan of single sex schools, particularly not for boys, so I love that the school is coed & my Yr8 son has such a positive regard for & working relationship with the girls in his year.

Some may say Highgate is the least academic of your 3 choices but exam scores & grades are extremely high & I feel there is a strong & healthy competitive spirit among pupils.

From being an avid lover of Maths at primary school I can see that my son has really enjoyed exploring other subjects & is already enjoying them so much that he tells me English or History or even Latin may be among his A Level choices! It's the love of learning itself that I feel Highgate is really encouraging in him & is so great to see.

Which is the easiest journey & what do you personally feel about all girls for 7 years?

Good luck!

[jam3]

Highgate is based on first come first gets. Have they not filled their places yet?

my husband paid deposit for Highgate on first day - it's mostly me that are having doubts.

Thanks for all your responses - I suppose I worry a bit that the teaching etc won't be quite as good at H as at the other two with better results. So thanks for giving details SLA212.

And I worry a bit about the feminist credentials of H - will they be producing as confident girls as NLCS and Habs?

And I worry about the competitive spirit with boys - some say that H remains quite boy-oriented with lots of publishing of marks and ranking etc.

mostly I just worry full stop.

[Slnieto]

I totally understand how you feel. I was with the same doubts las week.
It was me who wanted Highgate and my husband wanted NLCS.
I finally changed my mind and thought that NCLS will be better for my daughter’s confidence and she could always move at 6th form if she wanted coed.
All are amazing schools so you daughter will do well in any of them.

[Daogroupie]

Your dd wants Highgate and your husband wants it and has already paid the deposit.

You have not mentioned the journey, how does that compare?

I would choose Highgate over Habs and NLCS.

I believe that school should reflect society as much as possible.

A student I know now in Y9 who chose DAO over HBS was asked by a parent just a couple of days ago why.

She answered immediately that she did not want to spend seven years in classrooms without boys.

She does have lots of friends who are boys and they all travel together to school and work together on projects.

That to me is a more natural reflection of society than a single sex school.

School to me is about much more than education and you should see the confident girls I see every day.

They don't need to be "protected" from boys in order to shine. DG

[Sla212]

Highgate is based on first come first gets. Have they not filled their places yet?

my husband paid deposit for Highgate on first day - it's mostly me that are having doubts.

Thanks for all your responses - I suppose I worry a bit that the teaching etc won't be quite as good at H as at the other two with better results. So thanks for giving details SLA212.

And I worry a bit about the feminist credentials of H - will they be producing as confident girls as NLCS and Habs?

And I worry about the competitive spirit with boys - some say that H remains quite boy-oriented with lots of publishing of marks and ranking etc.

mostly I just worry full stop.

Plenty of confident girls at Highgate, they're not overshadowed by the boys one bit....the girls in my son's form sound amazing! There are more boys than girls in my son's form this year, but the girls are a presence without a doubt & are all doing very well academically. All the pupils appear to be very motivated to do well & it's the best candidates who are selected for Interform or Maths challenges, from what I can recall it's usually 2 girls & 2 boys. I can only judge by my son's form but all the girls seem extremely competent, they're often top or joint top of the class.

What do you mean by publishing of rankings and marks etc? Maybe I can clarify that for you? They have end of topic tests in some subjects throughout the year and vocabulary tests frequently....my child often doesn't know his friends' results, they are told not to discuss & compare results with each other. For end of year exams the school gives out their result & the year average, they're not published anywhere though.

And GCSE & A Level results have been outstanding these last couple of years.

Teaching has been excellent so far, I honestly have no complaints & nor has my child.

Which is your nearest school, I would consider that too. HABS is an amazing school but the children I know who go there travel by coach which is really restrictive socially.