Potters Bar school features in Tatler’s prestigious first-ever state school list
Dame Alice Owens school, Potters Bar - Credit: Archant
A Potters Bar school has made the first shortlist of top state school’s in high society magazine Tatler.
The February edition of Tatler magazine - Credit: Archant
Dame Alice Owen’s, in Dugdale Hill Lane, was described as “the golden ticket” and was praised for sending 30 pupils to top universities Oxford and Cambridge last year.
Dr Alan Davison - Credit: Archant
A description of the school, which teaches 1,451 pupils, aged 11 to 18, read: “The golden ticket for Islington parents, with excellent facilities and a smart campus.”
“The admissions procedure is mind-boggling.
“Siblings get priority, then 65 of the 200 places are allocated according to ability, determined by exam.
You may also want to watch:
“In addition, 10 places are awarded for musical aptitude and a further 20 to children from Islington (where the school was founded).
“Then the catchment area kicks in.”
Most Read
- 1 When Spielberg and Tom Hanks came to Hatfield for filming
- 2 Headteacher 'very proud' of 'healthy and balanced' free school meal hampers
- 3 The latest court results for Welwyn Hatfield and Potters Bar
- 4 Is lockdown working in Herts? Here's what the latest data tells us
- 5 Police appeal for public information after puppy found dead on A414
- 6 Welwyn Garden City school raises nearly £1,000 for Isabel Hospice with annual 'Charity Day'
- 7 'Heavy snow' expected across Hertfordshire from tomorrow
- 8 Who is Lady Danbury in new Netflix series Bridgerton?
- 9 Party organiser fined £10,000 after 150 people attend gathering
- 10 Scammer pretending to be a police officer stole thousands from 99-year-old man
It added: “Academically, it’s stellar – 30 Oxbridge places last year.
“It’s very meritocratic – ‘the message is if you work hard, you can achieve’ – and a very kind place too.
“Music is pitch perfect.
“The school’s recent 400th-anniversary concert was at the Royal Albert Hall.
“‘We don’t do school concerts,’ sniffed the Albert Hall; ‘Neither do we,’ said the school.”
Headteacher Dr Alan Davison told the Potters Bar Edition: “I am delighted that Tatler has highlighted the excellence at Owen’s.
“It is fantastic, we are delighted [but] we would be surprised if we weren’t [on the list], if that doesn’t sound too arrogant.
“We’re pleased that Tatler have recognised us in the same way other people have.”
He added: “I understand it [the description in Tatler] comes from parents which is important to us.”
