GH, EH or Wetherby Pre-prep..

[ninjamama]

Pls help.. i'm so confused. My boy just turned 3yo and I can't make sense of all the info on schools. My son's obsessed about some stuff and totally uninterested about other stuff (he IS only 3?!).. So, of Garden House, Eaton House Belgravia, and Wetherby, what would I be getting??

Isn't Wetherby the place where you have to sign up at birth and if your DC is born late in the year they've already run out of places??

Is he already registered for Wetherby?

The big difference between the other two is that one is single sex and one is coed.

And if you want him to do all the prep years right through to CE in the same school group, then you'll be facing the schlep over to Clapham from 8+ (or is it 7+?) for Eaton House.

CharlesRyder, EdithWeston, thank you both for your replies- I've never posted a msg on anything in my life (such is the seriousness of this dilemma), and I only just realised I get notified when a msg is posted?!

Some facts about us, we live just south of Hyde Park and therefore, both Wetherby and EH are a serious schlep. I like that GH has boys only classes but there is interaction with girls at mealtimes etc and it's relatively relaxed vs. EH for example.

I think Wetherby reception must be applied for at birth but Reception is different- again, may be totally wrong?! I've heard the feel of Wetherby is somewhere in the middle of GH and EH which made me think that this would be a better option..

From what I can see on Wetherby's website it is first come first served- I don't think you will get a place if you are only just applying for a 3yo.

Best to choose between the others on gut instinct of which will suit your family best.

You can put him on the wait list at wetherby but very unlikely he will get a place. We registered my son the day he was born, in the second day of the month, and he did not get a place even after much pressure and support from nursery etc.

If you are south if the park I would stay there. Have you considered Knightsbridge school? Friends are v happy there and it is coed.

Wetherby is an excellent school for boys, but you are not going to get a place, if you haven't already registered.

Eaton House Belgravia - is also first come first served school, so you might be late for that too - but doesn't hurt to try. The school is good for a bright, academic boy. And you don't have to shlep to Clapham - plenty of boys take 7 and 8+ and go to other schools. For the rest - there is a school bus.

Garden House has an assessment, so you can't count on just getting in. If you haven't already - do try to sign up for the assessment. Maybe there are still places in the main list. One thing about GH though - it is full of really wealthy, flashy parents.

If I were you - I'd expand my options and got on more lists. Eaton House the Vale is a school that often has places available. It's a small school and has majority boys with some 1/3 of girls. Parents I know there are happy - school does get them prepped well for exams.

Other school that might still have places on their list is Hill House.

There are also number of small schools you can look at - Radcliffe school, etc. Use Good schools guide - it has lots of info. You are quite late to the game - so good luck!!!

It's schlep to Clapham if you want to stay in the Eaton House group for both pre-pre and prep.

Worth thinking now about how many times you want to go through the school entrance procedure. You do have to pass the entrance exam to proceed to Eaton House the Manor (ie the prep) but if in the pre-prep then you should be confident of a pass (they will warn well in advance if not up to standard).

But from where you say you live, I assume it's near the 137 bus route that would take you right there, so not a problem journey.

Also on the 137, and going through to both 11+ and 13+ transfer (if you don't want a 7+/8+ change, which of course you might if WUS or Colet Court are on your radar) is Newton Prep which, under the new head, is definitely worth a look.

How is the communications with parents like at Wetherby?