Central/West London prep schools

[invinovomitas]

Hi, long-time lurker delurking to ask advice about schools! We currently live in Oxfordshire, where DS has just started Y3. However, DH works in Central London and the commute is becoming overwhelming, so we've decided to move back to London in time for the start of the next academic year.

I don't know exactly where we'll be living yet, although we used to live in Hammersmith so we'll probably look around that area initially. I've started looking at schools but I haven't lived in London for almost eight years so I'm pretty clueless!

Does anyone have any opinions on prep schools (preferably single-sex) in West/Central London? I quite like the look of Wetherby and Colet Court, although I know Colet Court is very competitive. Any opinions on these schools? DS is a bright chap who's interested in most things, but he's definitely not a genius! He is also quite active so sport is important, although I know we're not likely to find a school with the same amount of green space as there is at DS' current school!

TIA

Bump!

Anyone?!

Both are really competitive, so may not suit all DC even if they were to get a place. Alternatives if your son is at that level are Westminster Under or Kings Wimbledon.

A lot depends on where you see your son going for secondary. There is a shortage of day places for boys. Latymer Prep is increasingly popular as can take you all the way through, but mixed as are Thomas', Fulham Prep, Ravenscourt Park, Hill House and more.That said there are plenty of trad preps, eg Sussex House which are boys only and who prepare for both day and boarding at 13.

First step might be to read the Good Schools Guide and then ask some more questions giving a bit more background. There is a real choice, but also some quite intense competition.

You might find it useful to look at some of our Local sites and ask in their individual talk sections for advice on schools, and look at their education section for listings of local schools. We have a site for every London borough - for example:
Richmond-upon-Thames: local.mumsnet.com/richmond-upon-thames
Wandsworth: local.mumsnet.com/wandsworth
City of Westminster: local.mumsnet.com/city-of-westminster
Tower Hamlets: local.mumsnet.com/tower-hamlets
Lewisham: local.mumsnet.com/lewisham

Example of a listing of Primary Schools: local.mumsnet.com/richmond-upon-thames/primary-schools

Hi, I'm local with a boy in year 4. There are 8+ entry points for Colet and Westminster Under, which are by exam and interview in January. Latymer Prep might have a couple of places, but it's mainly at 7+. I think a main consideration otherwise is whether you prefer your son to go to senior school at 11 or 13 (common entrance). There are several good schools in the area that prep for 11+, e.g. Ravenscourt Park Prep, Orchard House. If you prefer a 13+ entry then schools seem to be a little further out, eg Falcons in Richmond (school bus from Hammersmith), Kings House, also in Richmond, and Fulham Prep - these have some buses too. The Chiswick are is a very nice place to live.

First, you need to act pretty quickly as the Open Mornings for the very competitive schools are coming up, and the closing dates for applications are in a couple months.

Latymer Upper - lovely school, but their official entrance is at 7+, not 8.

Colet Court and Wetherby Prep are 2 very different schools (location, sports emphasis, and academic level). Closest in school feel and academic ability are Kings Wimbledon and Colet. Trouble with Kings is that their main entrance is 7+ and they only take less than 2 handful at 8+.

Westminster Under not great for a very sporty boy who needs lots of open space

Agree with Kings House and Falcons as good options for sporty boys, but don't think that Orchard House would be great in that respect (just recently extended beyond Year 3 for boys, and is still a girl-cetered learning experience). I am not very familiar with RPPS, but do hear very good things about it. I'd also throw Harrodian into the mix.

Good luck, and definitely try and visit the schools as this is the best way to get a feeling for if they would suit your son or not.

I am always rather puzzled by the view that Westminster Under isn't good for sporty boys. They have a huge field (Vincent Square) across the road from the school with cricket Pavilion and all. They also use the local swimming pool weekly which is a short walk away and have use of the new Westminster School sports centre (the old Royal Horticultural Halls) minutes from the School which has huge indoor spaces and even a climbing wall. Perhaps it has changed considerably in recent years but I would consider the sports facilities require less coach travel to sports fields than for example Latymer Prep and Falcons. Of course Latymer does have a swimming pool and sports hall - I believe they are about to rebuild their facilities.

Perhaps physically WUS might have the facilities, but the personal knowledge I have of the school says that the population of boys there are not necessarily the ones for whom use of the field and space is a priority. Also, travelling, even across the street, is very different from actually being i the middle of fields, and having a day which is set up so that boys are free to use the open spaces for a long period of time every day. Re the Falcons, the Prep school abuts the fields and sports facilities they use (Old Deer Park, and the Richmond rugby pitch and the swim centre whose name I cannot recall) and no bus is needed. You might be confused with their pre-prep.

I'm with LetsEscape on this one. I have also heard this thing about Westminster Sports not being good, but NEVER from a Westminster parent.

Indeed the opposite. Some with non-sporty kids rave about how their child has found their niche, whether fencing, climbing or whatever, in a way that would not have happened in schools which expect everyone to turn out for rugby. Boys who like mainstream sports find themselves more easily in A or B teams, because the range of sports on offer means there is less competition for a particular team. And normally they seem to hold their own against all but the most sporty competition.

The choice is amazing and there really is something for everyone. Yes it is an inner city school but the facilities are great.

Dare I say it but I suspect Mominatrix does not have a child at the school. Crossing a road is hardly a big deal. Closer than schools where the field stretch for miles.

I find the suggestion that the population of boys there is one that is not interested in sport very odd. This does not hold true for my son and his friends who regularly spend their evenings in the new sports hall, and indeed spend some of their weekends taking sport they have discovered at school to the next level. Westminster is fab in that it really encourages participation in a range of non academic activities. The house structure and regular house competition in a range of sports enables even the weakest to have a go, with lots of support and opportunity for those who are more gifted.

Where is OP? It would be useful to know a bit more about where she hopes her son will go at secondary.

No, I do not have a son there, but have a very good friend with sons there. She decided to have her youngest not go there, despite being accepted, specifically because of his sportiness and the fact that the school did not do enough for her elder sons in this respect. I won't repeat her stories, or that of a few other friends, but why would they be lying to me? I am certainly not saying it is not an amazing school, just perhaps not for those boys who are very sporty and who place equal emphasis of importance on sports and running around as academic success.

Hi everyone, thanks so much for all the useful comments and sorry I've been a while coming back to the thread.

We hadn't thought about King's Wimbledon but will definitely have a look now that it's been recommended. However, DH and I are not sure we want to commit to a particular senior school at this point, so perhaps it's not the best option - and I hadn't realised that Colet Court was primarily the St Paul's feeder, so that might rule that one out as well!

We would love DS to go to one of the top London day schools, but we don't know how academic he is yet. Obviously to me he's the world's most intelligent boy, but whether that translates to the real world remains to be seen!

We are willing to consider boarding at 13 but would prefer day really. The intention has always been for him to sit Common Entrance and move at 13 rather than 11.

Would be interested to hear more about Wetherby, Falcons and Orchard House if anyone has any details on these schools. Open days all seem to be coming up soon so would be great to have a manageable shortlist!

No need to rule out either Colet or WUS. Both prepare for CE and a significant minority from WUS font go through to the senior school.I think Colet used to ask you to commit to staying on, but don't anymore.

You need to be careful as outside of Westminster St Pauls and Kings there are not many 13+ day places for boys in West London. If you are likely to want day and get offered Colet or WUS you should take it. If you are thinking of somewhere not quite as academic, though plenty academic enough for most people, you should consider Hampton and Latymer Upper at 11+.

If you want a prep school that goes to 13 with an established track record of getting DC into top London day schools based near Hammersmith/Chiswick look at Fulham Prep School or Wetherby. Falcons is relatively new (first boys through CE this year? and less than 5 of them - read that in a local magazine). Don't know anything about Orchard House only goes to 11. Both FPS and W would be solid choices with good track records of 13+ entry to St Pauls, Westminster, Kings, Dulwich plus all the usual top public boarding schools, should you decide at a later date to go down that route. FPS runs a bus from Chiswick, don't know about W. Have friends with DC at FPS and they are very happy - very strong music there too apparently. Good luck!

If you are looking a bit further West then Durston House in Ealing has a good record with St Pauls, Merchant Taylors etc.

And even further West, but have buses from Chiswick and Hammersmith are Papplewick and Caldicott. However Caldicott, and possibly Papplewick (not too familiar with the ins-and-outs or that school) require weekly boarding in the last 2 years prior to Common Entrance. Good options if you are looking for loads of sports, green spaces, and are keen on boarding for senior school.

Thanks again for all the recommendations. Lots to think about! I think we need to get a move on and start looking round some schools!