Pre Preps with good results getting into Westminster Under School

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Does anyone know of any Pre-preps with a good reputation for getting into WUS. My DS has just turned 5 in a very sweet independent pre-prep but I am not sure they will get him to the level where he'd get a place at WUS. They have had some good successes, but mainly with the girls and COLSG. I am not rigidly stuck on WUS, I know there are good alternative options. DS is bright. I think he is probably the brightest boy they have in reception and whilst I am not pushy I want him to be working at the right level for him and have to keep going in and telling him the things he can do and wants to be doing and persuading them to give him harder stuff. They are very gentle and nuturing and I think against going too fast but on the other hand my boy is complaining the work is too easy. Also I'd like him to be doing more sport, and so would he!!

Any suggestions.
I am in N1 but travel to NW3 for my DD's school.

your best option is to get the brochures for the other schools you are prepared to travel to
they will all have lists of where their leavers go

or buy the good schools guide

he is only 5 so gentle and nurturing is normal

I have a DS who went to a sweet and nurturing non selective pre-prep that doesn't prep for 7+ and is now at WUS . I also know of boys who went from Montessori schools , as well as the greater number who go from schools like Wetherby. So they can get in from anywhere really! The most important thing I think is having your DS enjoy learning, especially at that early age. The you can work out what school would really suit him at 7+, 8+, 11+ or 13+!

My son will be starting at WUS in September having done 8+ from a school which is somewhat ambiguous about 8+ - it only goes to 11 so does need to offer it, but would much prefer the boys to stay to 11, so the curriculum is on an 11+ outlook and they just have a couple of breakout sessions in the winter term. As you can see it worked for us, but from chatting to mothers outside the various exams and interviews, the only school which stood for miles as far as I could see was Wetherby pre-prep, who seem to have totally cracked the exam. Of the 40 boys interviewed many reports suggested as many as 12 were from there. Obviously this is somewhat anecdotal, but there certainly were lots of their uniform around.

Equally, if you keep an eye on the curriculum yourself, and make sure that during the summer they cover some extra maths (you need to have finished the year 3 curric in time for the exam) and are able to write proper stories (which non- 8+ schools often only mildly start in the winter of year 3), it isn't vital to be at a school which spends the whole of year 2 driving for the exam.
And am afraid that I really don't know the north London schools at all, so not terribly helpful of me!

My son is starting at WUS in Sept at 7+. You probably won't like this answer but I think you are looking at it the wrong way. Thinking that pre-prep school X will give you a better result than school Y is unlikely to work. WUS takes 20 out of around 120 applicants. Those are long odds no matter what pre-prep they have. WUS can pick whomever they want and I'm sure they are very good at spotting the most talented among the well coached.

At the age of 6 there is only so much prep you can do. The kids need to be able to write, and that may require some practice, but with regard to the tests, they are on Key Stage 1 knowledge which they will cover at any school. I can't speak for other kids, but I image the 20 boys who got in all found the tests easy. Thus once you get the short list who are above the academic bar, the decisions are based on how they actually interacted in during the sessions themselves and who the school thinks will contribute the most.

...which brings me to my point. Whether your son gets invited to an interview will be based more on his talent supported with some reasonable prep. The test subject matter isn't difficult for the brightest boys, and those are the ones who will get through. If he's one of those, then he'll do better in the interview if he's engaged, likable and generally gets on well with everyonewhich is far more likely if he enjoys school generally. If he is happy at his current school, I would keep him there. If he's not, move him. Don't think anywhere is going to give you a free passit's fool's gold.

I wish you the best luck--I know how stressful it is having just been there.

Thanks jabber01. That all makes sense and makes me feel calmer about taking a chance on him staying put where he is. They are doing a fabulous job with his reading and his confidence is coming on nicely. I know about the stress of it having been through it with a less straight forward older child but I want it to be smoother this time. I'll just have to take it which ever way it goes!
Hope your boy enjoys it and has a smooth transfer.