A Potters Bar school has made the first shortlist of top state school’s in high society magazine Tatler.
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.
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.
“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.”
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.”
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