Prep school vs selective independent at 7

[Nettee]

not sure what to do for ds next year. He is a a lovely pre-prep feeder for the selective school and most of his friends will be going there. He was a bit of a late developer but the teachers now think he would have no problem getting in. The thing is we really liked the feel of a musical prep school when we saw round it and I find the selective school a bit intimidating. The school he is at now are a bit dismissive of the prep school implying that it won't stretch him enough but as far as i can tell they do quite well with getting scholarships and things at 13. The facilities are probably better at the selective school but there is more of a rich culture and tradition at the prep school.

Any opinions?

[lovingthecoast]

Without having viewed either school I don't think I can comment other than to say that you should opt for the school you got the best 'feel' from with regards suiting your child.

If you are concerned about the CE exam at 13 and one does so much better then that can be persuasive but if one is just slightly behind the other and you feel it would be a better environment for your child now then you should opt for that.

[Nettee]

Thank you for your reply. I think you are right about going with our gut feeling - hate making decisions. He has a taster day at each lined up so that might make things clearer. The thing is I am not that keen on the thought of him going to a school for which he would need to do CE and slightly worry that he would end up wanting to go off to boarding school or otherwise join a day school at an odd time and have problems making friends.

I suppose I am looking for reassurance that prep schools generally provide a good and rounded education or to be told that a bright child would be much better off surrounded by other bright children and being pushed a bit more even from the age of seven. Although I do realise that there is no such thing as prep schools generally and that it totally depends on the child

[lovingthecoast]

Are both schools not prep then? Not sure I've understood your post. So he's in Y2 at the feeder pre-prep and you're not sure whether to opt for the prep it feeds into or another prep or do you mean that the pre-prep feed into a school that goes from 7-18 and most of his friends are going there? If so, then than sounds like a good bet especially if you think he will be happy there. See how the tasters go.

[Nettee]

Yes the fed into school is a day school that goes up to 18. To be honest he would prob end up there at 13 anyway if he went to the other place. I think we are making this difficult for ourselves. Most people chose the feeder school because they wanted the selective school in the first place but we chose it for itself.

[orienteerer]

If you're happy with the 7-18 option I'd choose it now. It eliminates having to make a choice age 13!..........but having said that your DS might enjoy the Prep to 13 better i.e. big fish in small pond IYSWIM.