Looking for selective junior schools around the South West

[reallyconfusedmostofthetime]

I have twins in Year one of a non selective private Pre prep. My son is quite bright - he's reading a lot. He had a good friend leave at the end of reception and he hasn't really found anyone to replace him. I wondered if a move to a selective junior school might suit him more in terms of his learning (currently we are bringing our own books in from home for him to read - I have no idea if this is ok/ normal?) and would maybe give him a peer group which might be more similar to him? We're SW way (of the country not of London) - I've contacted Bristol Grammar - are there any others?

[catslife]

QEH in Bristol has a good academic reputation. It is an all boys independent school.

[Spindelina]

King Edwards has the best academic reputation of the Bath schools. The prep is on a different site, but might inherit the ethos of the senior school?

[mouldycheesefan]

Bristol grammar is academically selective. I think the rest of the independent schools for boys or co-ed in Bristol are not academically selective (QEH, Clifton college, The .downs, Torwood, colstons collegiate, Clifton high)
You shouldn't have to take your own books in that's crazy! Our state junior school has an enormous library, a librarian, visiting authors, reading quest programmes, large number of new library books every month, book review newsletters etc I would expect private schools with more resources to have at least that, I regard it as the minimum. However we do also use the local library purely because you can obviously order any book you want so it doesn't replace that resource more ads to it. My kids are bookworms and I do value them being at a school where reading is regarded as being vital but also as lots of fun!

[Madcats]

DD(9) has an amazing library at school (and I am sure she did at her previous school). I don't think she borrowed a book until year 3 (possibly because she was scared to admit she hadn't been paying attention when the system was explained). Have you seen that there are no suitable books or are you just relying on the word of a 5/6 year old?

Is there no programme for children who were able to read before they joined school? Most decent state schools will be subtly streaming the children for reading activities at that age; they certainly did at DDs.

I wonder whether your actual issue is that the pre-prep is too small (both in terms of number of teaching staff they can afford and friendship groups)? It s still quite early in the (private) school year; I would see how he is getting on after 1/2 term (unless you had misgivings last year too).

I can't think of any selective infant/pre-preps in Bath or Bristol. That tends to start in year 3 (but the vast majority of children in the feeder school will be admitted).

Bath has lots of excellent state and private schools. Competition for places isn't nearly as fierce as it is in London, and there is a fair bit of movement between Indie schools as the years progress.