Help on prep school in Surrey please

[Aliceinwonderlan]

Hello lovely people,
My DS is starting reception this September but we reached the country only two days ago and is based in Leatherhead. I prefer an academic school for my DS based on his abilities.

I wonder whether you could shed some light on best academic schools in Leatherhead or nearby (happy to drive 30 mins or so).

Some of my friends recommended Melbourne Lodge but I found out from their website they are taking admissions for 2019/2020 now, so I assume they are all booked up for this year. Any chance to get in?

Downsend also came up as recommendation, although under same management as to ML I doubt whether it's academic.

Any advice would be highly appreciated. thanks

[Bluntness100]

I couldn't recommend as my daughter went to an all girls, but I will say downsend is not known as an academic school, in fact quite the opposite.

[Aliceinwonderlan]

Thanks Bluntness, thought the same about Downsend.

[Mary21]

Danes Hill ,very large
Feltonfleet?
Cranmore?
No personal experience

[LIZS]

I wouldn't assume the school is full yet. When reception allocations for state schools are made in the next week or so , there will be some movement. Ring them now so that you can be contacted if a place comes up.

[Aliceinwonderlan]

Thanks Mary, FF and Cranmore, are they both academic types?

LIZS, thanks for the useful suggestion. Someone working for ML pmd me to say they have long waiting list. Fingers crossed!

Are there any other academic prep schools I should consider?

[Sunshine5050]

I would go with the schools on the list above (except Downsend) and see where there is space. There will be a lot of movement next week as the state school reception places are released on 16th April and parents who get a state school place they want withdraw from private school Reception Sept 18 places ASAP to avoid paying the Autumn Term fees.

[Aliceinwonderlan]

Thanks Sunshine

I am now thinking of Cranmore or Lanesborough. I heard both being academic and sporty. Any thought, opinions etc would be highly appreciated.
thanks

[KirstenRaymonde]

@Aliceinwonderlan the drive from Leatherhead to Lanesborough in the morning could take up to an hour due to the traffic in the area, I’d discount going that far, though it is a very good school. Have you had a look at the Good Schools Guide?

[Guiloak]

I depends where in leatherhead you are but journey to Lanesborough should be around 30mins most academic of preps but will probably be full. However, phone all schools as most will interview and test your child. Millbourne Lodge also very academic. Cranmore definitely more sporty than Millbourne and Lanesborough but still academic and IMO the good news is the headmaster leaving. However I've known a number of parents remove their kids from Cranmore due to bullying issues something which you don't hear of at other schools. Cranmore the most likely to have spaces.

[Aliceinwonderlan]

@kirstenraymonde thank you. We live in Bookham side of Leatherhead so more towards Guildford side but looking at the map Lanesborough could take anything between 20 to 30 minutes. Also I was reading an old thread the other day which said one has to collect child from Lanesborough at 4.00 as they don't have after school care. Cranmore is just 10 minutes from us. Good School Guide - will check it out. In GSG , do they rate prep schools, have you got a link? Or do I just put name of each school or area? Any link ? thanks for that.

[Aliceinwonderlan]

@Guiloak - thanks
ML - I have emailed the Registrar she is on leave until next week
Lanesborough - I rang them but the voice message said school closed until next week
Cranmore is the closest to us, for the other two I have to travel 30 minutes which I don't mind. Do you know by any chance how weak is Cranmore compared to ML and Lanesborough for academic side? For secondary our obvious option is Royal Grammar School which is again 30 minutes drive

[Sunshine5050]

Cranmore is fine, go with where there is space, you can move school again at age 7 if you want. The secondary schools like RGS have a big intake at age 11 from many schools including the state sector. Surrey is full of many excellent state and private schools but also a lot of movement between schools at all ages.

[KingFlamingo]

I doubt Lanesborough have spaces, it is very popular. I would be waiting to see where have spaces and then making decisions.

Lanesborough IMO is best choice for RGS and a very happy, busy 'boy friendly' prep. However, it isn't perfect and there are many other very good schools which get boys into RGS or similar.
Cranmore - recently has gone Co-Ed to increase numbers. Used to be a very strong choice for boys who didn't get into Lanesborough or whose parents wanted more space and sports focus. Feed RGS but also St John's Leatherhead, Reed's, Epsom College and many other schools. I would be considering if you have preference for co-ed or all boys
Millbourne Lodge - very strong academics, feeds lots of the London direction schools such as King's WImbledon, St Paul's but also RGS

Others I know less about:
Parkside, Cobham
Feltonfleet
Danes Hill
Ripley Court

If you can't get a 4+ place somewhere you are happy with, I would also look at Glenesk. It is a very well regarded pre-prep school which prepares children for 7+ at schools like Lanesborough, Cranmore and City of London Freemens which only starts at 7+ anyway.

[UserZYX]

I’ve NC for this. It depends on what your aspirations are, Surrey preps are pretty varied. “Academic” here = aiming for scholarship level, a “normal” prep will still get you into the good secondaries albeit perhaps in second set not first. You can safely assume all the schools are good and in a bit of a bubble of high expectations compared to much of the country. Here’s some info on the ones I have seen / have children at / have children due to start at (in no particular order):

Downsend - well rounded school held in increasingly high regard. Sends lots to St Johns and Epsom, both of which are doing really well
Feltonfleet - expensive, good facilities, relaxed, not pushy, nice kids, could do better with results
Daneshill - expensive, amazing facilities, enormous (5 classes of 20 per year from Y2 I think?), competitive, a bit brash. Anyone in the middle 25-75% of school population can get a bit lost, hard to stand out in such a big crowd. However, you would probably get a place due to size and international families bring a bit more transient, big student body means huge variety of clubs and activities
Milbourne Lodge (mostly boys) - highly academic, has in the past been known as a hot house.. still quite pushy, gets good results, amazing work. Facilities shabby and run down, Victorian-Esque. New head seems to be making very good impression and positive changes, increasing number of girls starting. Unlikely you will get a place now
Parkside (boys) - great for sports, nice facilities, super nursery, not as academically rigorous by reputation
Notre Dame (girls but mixed to 7) - super facilities, lovely campus, very attentive staff, children seem happy but doesn’t have a strong academic reputation at senior level
Shrewsbury House prep (boys) and Pre-Prep (pretty much all boys), excellent school at prep level, great results, high achieving at sports too. Quite full on, impressive headmaster, broad and engaging curriculum in and outside the classroom. Often a back up for Kings entrants. The Pre-Prep in Esher has lovely nurturing environment and preps kids well but has been through a lot of staff changes recently
Rowan Girls - lovely school in Claygate, small and very highly regarded, feeds excellent girls schools including Guildford high and leh. Again a lot of staff changes at Pre-Prep level so seems a bit unsettled right now but not unusual, can happen anywhere
Claremont Fan Court - has always suffered from mixed reputation, assumed associations with Christian Science roots (not evident when I’ve seen it) and poor senior results. However it has beautiful grounds, most families there seem happy, and they are starting to be more selective. New head due in senior school this year should make a difference.
ACS - incredible facilities, enormous campus, more laid back than other schools. Very international student body, turns out some really lovely young people. However they teach to the IB syllabus so you need to be certain it’s what you want so as to be able to commit to it.
The only other one I can think of is CLFS which starts a bit later

[UserZYX]

I should add that the best indicator of academic achievement for prep schools is their destination schools for leavers, they’re all published on websites

[Aliceinwonderlan]

Thanks Sunshine, KingFlamingo and Userzyx
Sounds like ML, Lanesborough will be hard to get in. Most likely to go with Cranmore or Downsend. Found someone who sends their child to Cranmore reception and she said it's very academic. Also met a teacher from Downsend who said Downsend is also very academic and apparently runs scholarship classes. Not sure whether all schools does scholarship classes. Going to do a tour of Cranmore next week.

[OverTheHedgeHammy]

City of London Freeman's take from 7 year old plus, and they're quite academic.

There is a lot of movement in Year 3, so whatever school you choose isn't set in stone.

Downsend is quite large, and so the bright children can be placed within a cohort and so can progress at their ability.

[user2929]

Claremont Fan Court lovely pre prep and prep and phenomenal grounds. Becoming rapidly more selective of their pupils. The new head is coming from Kings College.

[Aliceinwonderlan]

Thanks overthehedgehammy and user2929

ML - they have a long waiting list
Cranmore and Downsend has spaces. Tour of Cranmore booked.

[Aliceinwonderlan]

Hi all, need some help please
Lanesborough or Cranmore - Lanesborough also contacted me to say they will be able to accommodate us. Distance wise Cranmore is 4 miles 10-15 minutes drive and Lanesborough is 8 miles from us which is 20-25 mins.
Which school is more academic? They both have after school clubs etc which suit our needs . Any help would be highly appreciated.

[GU24Mum]

Are those driving distances in the middle of the day or at school run time? Suggest you try the journeys when all the schools are back as it's very different! From Leatherhead you are likely to be driving past Cranmore to get to Lanesborough so you'd need to be very happy to do that as the driving for school runs can grind you down.

Lanesborough has the reputation of being more academic but it's not a case at all of all the Lanesborough boys being brighter than all the Cranmore ones at all - just that there will be some at Cranmore who might not have got into Lanes.

You also need to be sure that you want to move your son at 11 if you opt for Lanes as it's just stopped offering Y7 and Y8.

So, they are different but both are very good so go and see which one you like the feel of.

[Aliceinwonderlan]

Thanks GU24Mum for your thoughts. I have not done school runs yet although do a nursery run close by! Have also got a DD only 10 months now so in 3 years time I have to think about her school too. I found from Cranmore website that several children secure places at RGS.

[LIZS]

Cranmore would keep your options for secondary more open and also potentially accommodate your dd in due course, which would simplify the next few years of school runs for you.

[Aliceinwonderlan]

Thanks all, I had a tour of school and Cranmore looks lovely. Also had a one to one with the head who seems quite on the board type of person and approachable too. Asked about bullying as I see that quite a lot in the mumsnet discussion - his response was that they do take it very seriously. I suppose bullying would be there in all schools but it's about how school deals with it. Really impressed with their facilities. He said Cran is more academic than Lanes producing top 1 percent in the country. I was pretty impressed. Got Lanesborough tour booked for next week.

[Aliceinwonderlan]

Thanks LIZS - the head at Cran did mention about keeping the option wider as there are other schools more academic than RGS! But I know that is long way ahead