Harrodian or Thomas's Fulham for my 4 yr old

[fulhamsw6]

does anyone have advice on either school pros and cons?

It depends. Harrodian facilities are great and you do have the option to stay all the way, aleviating need and stress of exams. If you live in Fulham, it is a bit of a trek though!

Thomas's is a happy school and if you live nearby you kid will have a great community around him/her. Playdates, parties would be easier.

It also depends on what you want your DC to do at main transition points - 7/8, 11, or 13. Would you want them to potentially try for other top schools?

The one you live nearest to - you do not want to be tackling Barnes/Hammersmith/Putney traffic in the morning. From the sound of your name you live in Fulham - go for Thomas's.

purely practical for next year or two - aren't major repairs on putney bridge planned soon, which is expected to make travel on neighbouring bridges even more congested? If so, I would definitely go for the nearest. 7+ still possible down the line.

The Putney bridge closure starts in July for approx. 3 months (was 6, they've decided they can do it quicker allegedly).

With or without it though the traffic round Sheen/Barnes of a morning is never pretty.

Thank you for all the advice. Can you defer my child's entrance at aged 4 to when they are 7? Would they have to sit an exam?

There is a Harrodian exam & interview, my son's BFF is going there next year.

I think that depends a lot on whether you want to step into the hectic London 7+ / 11+ process. There's a lot to be said for avoiding it, but then again you can't really know what your 4 year old will be like in 7 years time.

Personally, I would choose Thomas's, because I think your son would be better prepared for a selection of schools that would include Harrodian. I don't know much about Harrodian's prep process so I am happy to be corrected here but I would guess that there's less of a sense of urgency than there's going to be at Thomas's, which goes only to 11/13. Also I think Thomas's is a great school, I hear only great things from the parents I know whose children attend.

You could send them to the Merlin in Putney, which is closer to you right now (assuming the bridge reopens on time) and will get them a fast-track into the Harrodian at 8+ (if that was still what you wanted) without having to sit the exam, because the two are owned by the same person.

Thomas'. We had a senior teacher trfr from there to the school my DCs are at and his knowledge of/links to the top senior schools was far far more extensive and up to date then anyone at DCs school. It's the last thing you think about with a 4 year old, but the culture of schools that develop such knowledgeable relationships with senior schools is worth its weight in gold at a later stage. DCs school is a feeder to one school, and it holds you back hugely if that school turns out to not be the right fit.

Aside from that, this particular teacher is one of the most caring teachers I have ever met, and that pastoral side was developed over the many years spent at Thomas'.

I'd also put my child in at 4 rather than 7, because interview and test time at 7+ is probably quite stressful.

Thank you so much for all your input. I should be grateful to be in such a dilemma . I'm now weighing up six years of travelling to Barnes five days a week and probably six months of 11+ stress at Thomas's. HELP. Does anyone know of parents who have pulled their children out of either school and their reasons.

Seriously, the 6 years of travel (also to playdates, parties etc) aren't worth it - everyone I know who chose a school involving a schlep regrets it, we've had several people take their kids out of my dcs' very selective and sought-after prep because they realised no fabulousness of school could make up for the sitting in traffic. And you may decide your child isn't right for the Harrodian, or have had enough for 7 years, and then have to go through 11+ anyway.