Getting to Channing School: Your Guide to Travel

One of the questions we’re asked most often by prospective families is a simple one: how will my daughter get to school each day? Channing sits in the heart of Highgate in North London, and while we don’t run a dedicated school coach or bus route, the good news is that getting here is genuinely straightforward. More than nine in ten of our families live within a four-mile radius of the school, and Highgate is exceptionally well connected by Underground, bus, bike and on foot.

This guide walks you through the options, whether you’re travelling from Muswell Hill, Crouch End, East Finchley, Hampstead, Islington or anywhere across the surrounding boroughs of Haringey, Camden, Islington and Barnet.

Where is Channing School?

Our Senior School is located at The Bank, Highgate, London N6 5HF, on Highgate Hill. Our Junior School is just a short walk away at 1 Highgate High Street, N6 5JR. Both sites are right in Highgate Village, which means the whole spread of North London transport links is on the doorstep.

Why doesn’t Channing have a school bus?

It’s a fair question, and the answer says a lot about where we are. Because Channing is a London school with such a tight knit local community, a private coach network simply isn’t the most practical or sustainable way for our girls to travel. The overwhelming majority of our families live relatively close by, and Highgate’s public transport is frequent, reliable and safe. Rather than duplicate that with dedicated coaches, we actively encourage walking, cycling and using the Tube and bus network. It’s better for the local roads around Highgate, better for the environment, and it helps our pupils grow into confident, independent travellers who know their way around the city.

Travelling by Underground

Channing is served by two stations on the Northern line, both within easy reach of the school.

Highgate station is the closest Underground stop and sits on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line. From there it’s a short, pleasant walk up through the village to reach either the Senior or Junior School.

Archway station, also on the Northern line, is another popular option and is well served by connecting buses that bring you up Highgate Hill to the school gates, if the hill is a bit steep for you!

The Northern line gives families across Camden, Kentish Town, Tufnell Park, East Finchley, Finchley Central, Hendon and beyond a direct, changeless route to Highgate or Archway, making the Tube a popular way for our girls to travel.

Travelling by bus

Highgate is a real hub for London buses, and several routes stop close to or outside the school. Routes 143, 210 and 263 serve Channing most directly, running along Highgate Hill and Archway Road and stopping within a short walk of both school sites.

Plenty of other routes bring families in from the surrounding areas too, including the 4, 17, 43, 134, 214, 310, 390, 603, C11 and W5. Between them they connect Highgate to Muswell Hill, Crouch End, Finsbury Park, Holloway, Islington, Hampstead Heath, Golders Green, Hendon and Finchley, so wherever you are in North London there’s usually a bus that will get you here.

Travelling by train and Overground

If you’re coming from a little further afield, the Overground connects neatly with our local bus routes. Upper Holloway station is around a fifteen-minute walk away, or a short hop on the 263 bus. Gospel Oak links to Highgate via the C11, and from Highbury & Islington you can pick up the 263. Finsbury Park, one of North London’s busiest interchanges, is also a quick bus ride away and brings the Victoria and Piccadilly lines and National Rail services into reach.

Walking and cycling

Because so many of our families live nearby, walking and cycling are two of the most popular ways to get to Channing, and we love that. Highgate Village and the leafy streets around Highgate Wood, Waterlow Park and Hampstead Heath make for a lovely journey to school, and starting the day with a walk or a ride is a wonderful way for our girls to arrive ready to learn.

For families cycling in from Crouch End, Muswell Hill, Archway or Kentish Town, the quieter residential routes around Highgate offer a calmer alternative to the main roads. We’re always happy to talk through safe cycling routes with families who’d like to give it a go.

Planning your journey

The easiest way to work out the best route from your front door is to use Transport for London’s journey planner at tfl.gov.uk, or an app such as Citymapper. Both will give you live times across the Tube, bus and Overground network and show you the quickest way up to Highgate on any given morning.

Which areas do Channing families travel from?

With over 90% of our community living within four miles, our girls come to us from right across North London. Families regularly travel in from Highgate, Muswell Hill, Crouch End, Hornsey, East Finchley, Finchley, Hampstead, Hendon, Kentish Town, Archway, Tufnell Park, Holloway, Islington, Stroud Green, Finsbury Park and Wood Green, among many others. Wherever you’re coming from, the combination of the Northern line and Highgate’s busy bus network usually means there’s a simple, reliable route to our gates.

Come and see us

The best way to picture your daughter’s daily journey to Channing is to make it yourself. We’d warmly encourage you to plan your route to Highgate and join us at one of our open events, where you can experience the village setting and the welcoming community that makes the trip to school so worthwhile. To find out more about visiting, go to https://www.channing.co.uk/admissions/open-days/ or get in touch with our Admissions team, who are always happy to help.