Article on Llyod Williamson School, West London

[UrbanDandyLondon]

Hi,

I wrote this article about the Lloyd Williamson school on Ladbroke Grove. I hoped it might spark some thoughts on what we're all really looking for in a school www.thesourcemag.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=547:pay-or-pray-or-consider-a-third-way&catid=48:local&Itemid=55

I don't agree with private education. State schools should be properly funded, class sizes reduced and each child encouraged to flourish. The cost would presumably small when compared to the huge long term benefits to our economy and society.

But, for where we are now, compounded by Michael Gove being allowed to run education, a school such as Lloyd Williamson, not that expensive and with many advantages over state schools, is worthy of discussion I think.

Anybody have any thoughts?

Gosh well, it's still a five-figure sum in fees per child isn't it? I'm sure it's really nice and all, but I don't see how it's a third way since total fees for two children would take up the whole of a median household income.
I can't see what such a school would offer me that my good local primary doesn't. My children wouldn't get the proper range of fellow pupils and I'm unconvinced that smaller classes are the holy grail.
I totally agree with you that state schools should have better funding, but the existing diversity in education providers is already reducing that funding so further complicating the system I think would only reduce it even more.

It doesn't seem to be much of a via media to me: Hill House, for example, charges less at some levels and not much more at others, although I take the point about the inclusive wrap-around care. A quick google gave me this list of some other (relatively) inexpensive private schools in central London.

I didn't really get the sense from your article as to what made it so special, apart from perhaps not having the taint of Tory parents, which I think, if you mix with people who privately educate their children, is rather an outdated stereotype.

Appreciate the replies,

The main things that I feel are positive are the small class sizes and the fact that it's a part of the community, has a feel of normality, despite being private.

I really wanted to stimulate some thought about what we look for in schools more generally. I.e. shouldn't what's on offer at LW etc be standard rather than the exception?

Wow, I agree with NotFluffy on so many levels.
Most state schools in RBKC, if not all, offer teaching of a far better standard than some of the teaching at Lloyd Williamson, and better structured after school clubs that usually involve some kind of sport. What LLoyd Williamson should have tried to do, is become an affordable alternative to Fox!! They could hae done that, but they haven't. Terrible shame.

I guess what I mean, and I had lots of time to think about it, is that for most parents in RBKC, Fox would be their number 1 choice, but due to small catchment, and very expensive property within that small catchment, it's not an easy option. Fox offers everything a community primary school should offer. There are many disappointed families who cannot get their kids into Fox. Lloyd Williamson has a similar ethos at heart, and could essentially tap into the Fox market, and offer a private version of Fox without dictating where the family can live. Instead of charging over £10,000 a year and having 6 kids in some classes, if they followed the Maple Walk concept, they could charge half, or a bit more, and have 12 kids in that same class.
Same revenue, better provisions, no brainer.
I would love my kids to go to a school with no uniform, and I would happily pay £6000 a year for a private version of Fox, if it offered a similar environment, with a good emphasis on sports and the arts. For such a small school, there is no reason why they could not have a half hour of physical exercise every day. But healthy living, least of all healthy eating is not on their agenda. Nor is following the good parts of the national curriculum, and the are many.
In fact, it just doesn't cut the mustard. And there's no excuse for that.