Music scholarship at Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham - can you help?

[nightingale]

Hello

Our child has been offered a music scholarship at Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham in New Cross.

We don't know any other families with children at the school and would love to hear from anyone whose child attends as a music scholar. It would be great to find out a bit more about what it's actually like to go there.

Please PM me if you can help with any info or advice.

Thanks v much.

[nightingale]

Hello,

I'd really love to hear from anyone with a child at Hatcham College to find out what it's like there. Does anyone on here have experience of the school?

Thanks very much.

[east-of-the-Rye]

Both my sons went there, the younger one left last year and the older one a couple of years before that, so their experience won't necessarily be that of someone starting in Year 7 next year. I think it is a good school. It isn't perfect and there were frustrations, but I did feel that the teachers right up to the senior staff liked children and tried their best for them. All of education is full of testing and results now and HAHC was just the same, but there were some really great things happening, particularly in the music department. They had a very characterful Head of Music for 25 years who sadly died a couple of years ago, he got loads of pupils through their GCSEs and A=Levels, and organised great concerts and operas. The next Head of Music who also had very high standards but didn't stay so long, and I understand that there is now a Head of Music and Drama. Music is certainly taken very seriously. Both my sons played instruments with differing levels of success but both were able to play in a concert or symphonic band and both sang in the choir (until they finally refused to...) The school really prides itself on academic achievement - its GCSE results aren't as good as they used to be but that is presumably because it is now truly comprehensive and has to do its best with its intake. But they send lots to Oxbridge, Russell Group and other universities and colleges of music. For a different career path, a group of boys who left in 2011 formed a band (Chainska Brassica) and supported Madness on tour this summer! If your child does go there, make sure you join the Friends of Askes, a parent group that runs a parent forum and fund raises for the drama, music and PE departments. Good luck with the decision!

[nightingale]

Thank you for this. It's really lovely to hear parents' experiences first hand as that's something you just don't get at the school open day. I'm pleased to hear that, on the whole, you were happy with the school and that your sons flourished there. The additional music teaching and range of clubs and activities are certainly a big draw for us and we also like the idea of the single sex teaching within a mixed school environment. I think we'll carry on mulling it over for the next few days before we finally hit the 'submit' button on the form. :)

[east-of-the-Rye]

just a little more information in case someone else sees this and is motivated to join in: the school has a Senior and Middle School String Orchestra, a Big Band, a Vocal Consort, a Symphonic and Concert Band, Senior and Middle school choirs, various temporary (depending on student numbers) Flute, Clarinet and other Trios and groups, and some years a Gospel Choir too. They put on Middle School and Senior Concerts each year, a musical, an opera and a Christmas concert, and various performances at Southwark Cathedral. So plenty to get involved with.