Private Primary Schools near Harpenden/St Albans

[eeperman]

Hi all,

We are looking for schools for our elder son who will enter in 2013. We are both keen to send him to a private school (nothing against the state system, but we were both privately educated and want the same for our kids). Does anyone have any experience of the following schools:

Aldwickbury
St Columbas
Beechwood Park
Lockers Park
Westbrook Hay

FWIW we have looked around all of them except Westbrook Hay, but it is a very different thing to get the views of parents at the school rather than the school on its best behaviour on an open day.

Any thoughts would be really appreciated.

[IvanaHumpalotCountDracula]

Am I too late - are you organised? I have experience of both Beechwood and Lockers if that's any help.

[anitasmall]

My friends daughter has dyslexia. She went to Westbrook Hay, because she was behind in her mainstream school. Westbrook Hay gave her the extra support she needed (1:2). She had full As, Bs in her GCSE, including Spanish and English, now she is at uni.

[happymumof2kids]

My DS went to Aldwickbury for 3 years so if you need any help re school let me know.

[eeperman]

Hi all

Sorry to have only now returned to this thread - I thought it was supposed to email me when people posted, but it hasn't done so!

We have plumped for aldwickbury. With two sons we were not tied to co-ed schools and we liked the overall feel very much. Beechwood Park was a strong contender - we liked the head very much and if the school had been closer to St. Albans then it might have won out. However, the intake seemed a lot more geographically diverse and the drive/bus journey to school was a lot longer. Most Aldwickbury families seem to be based is St. Albans and harpenden and the journey to school will be a about ten minutes. The head of pre-prep is lovely and the facilities are great. I still have reservations over the length of the school day and how academic it is, but they have recently started posting their results and the destination schools are pretty decent - weighted heavily towards St Albans Boys which is out preferred choice for secondary.

I guess time will tell whether it is the right choice. Ultimately all I want us for my boys to be happy, enjoy going to school and have plenty of local friends. Aldwickbury seems the best choice from that point of view.

[TotallyBS]

My friend has a DS at Aldwickbury. She once said that not many go on to St Albans & co at 11+ on account they do little to prepare kids for the 11+. However, come 13+ time they do step up a gear. Hence the good results at 13+. It's just something you need to bear in mind

[eeperman]

Thanks very much for the tip. I think that most of the prep schools seem to aim at the CE at 13 rather than the 11 plus. The cynic suggests that it is a way of getting two more years of fees out of you, the schools suggest that it takes two years for non-prep boys to reach the standard of prep boys and hence the latter find the transition at 13 easier.

Is your friend happy with Aldwickbury overall?

[TotallyBS]

That's my friend's thinking as well. Overall, yes she is happy with the school.

[Platinumstar]

Hi there we are thinking of Aldwickbury school as well, any reviews/ experiences will be really welcome..