Girl prep school registration

[37cadogan]

Hi all,

Would be grateful for any advice! My DD should be entering prep school Sept 2017. We are currently living abroad so at birth we applied for Pembridge Hall, Norland Hse, Notting Hill which we are all waitlisted for.

Ideally we want to live in North London (but schools like Habs do not take registration yet) but are open to living in other areas if we get a place at a good prep school.

Any advice at this stage(DD is 2.5 years old now) which other schools I should register for?

TIA!!

[hidingmystatus]

Try the Lyceum, in the City of London, which has a fairly high Islington-ish contingent, but go and see it before you decide.

[electionfatigue]

Norfolk House in Muswell Hill?
Golders Hill/Annemount/The Avenue pre preps as backups?

[Threeunderthree33]

South Hampstead, St Christopher's, Hampstead Hill, Channing?

[ImNotChangingMyUsernameAgain]

Bear in mind that the chance of getting into Habs or NLCS are quiet small - around 400 girls sitting for 40 places at each - so I would advise that you pick an area that has other options should your DD not get into either of these schools.

[softhedgehog]

Yes those schools all have 10:1 ratios, but most people apply for 4-5 schools at 4+, so the actual ratio to get in to any of the schools (not necessarily your first choice) is more like 2:1

[ImNotChangingMyUsernameAgain]

I totally disagree. Apart from those who hold places from both Habs and NLCS it is extremely unusual for anyone to turn down places at either school. They tend to be first preference for most parents who sit for them.

There was no movement at all on this years' reserve list at NLCS. All 42 places were accepted.

It would be extremely unwise to rely on a one in two chance of getting into either school and to relocated to the area on that basis,

[softhedgehog]

It would be extremely unwise to rely on a one in two chance of getting into either school and to relocated to the area on that basis,

That's not what I said. I said that most people apply to 4-5 schools and so the chances of getting into one of the schools you apply for is around 2:1.

On the assumption that the OP will apply to the usual 4-5 schools I'd say her daughter has easily a 2:1 chance of getting a plce somewhere, not a 2:1 chance of getting a place at Habs or NLCS.

Though Habs had one girl leave from Year 1 this year and NLCS had a chance vacancy at 5+ last year (presumably someone moved to Habs) so there is sometimes movement.

[4444jackieH]

Hi all. I am in the same position not knowing what nurseries and pre schools to apply for. If my baby gets into minors nursery or Rolfe nursery does it make the chances higher of getting into Pembridge hall? She is already on there waiting list but I know that if she goes to one of the nurseries that a lot of there children go on to Pembridge hall. Also opinions on Faulkner house nursery and school . Also Kensington prep and nottinghill prep. She is already 4 months old and we have applied for all of the above. It's best to apply for a good five just Incase the others do not except or the waiting list does not go In her favour.

[MMmomKK]

4444 - Alfa Group nurseries (Minors, Rolfe) - do give you higher chance for getting into Alfa Group schools. So, in addition to Pembridge Hall, it makes sense to also apply to Chepstow House.
Falkner House school - great reputation, very academic. So is Ken Prep.
The nursery at Falkner House is rather strict and girl-heavy. Only very few non-siblings from the nursery are admitted into the school.
If I were you, I'd also register with Glendower and Queens gate.

At 4mo.old it's hard to tell which school will be right for her, so I'd go broad for now, so you have a choice later on.

[4444jackieH]

Thank you MM yes we have also applied to Chepstow as a back up. We have applied also for norland place as well as the above. So seven schools in total so we can see in a few years which school fits her needs and obviously she gets into. Once she has her personality and we visit the schools we will probably change the ranking order of our favourite and obviously schools change every year.