From Newton Prep's nursery to Thomas's prep-prep?

[user1496855871]

Hello,
My daughter will be starting Newton Prep nursery this year but she will also attend Thomas's assessment day. Does anyone have any experience whether the fact that she attends Newton prep's nursery school will put her into a disadvantageous position since it's their competitor's nursery?
Many thanks.

Thomas's is first and foremost a business. I'm sure they won't penalise. Why are you changing?

Thank you! To be honest I don't know we will have to change. It will depend on how she settles in to NP nursery. In case we don't feel like it's the right place for her I just don't want to lose Thomas's opportunity depending of course on how she does on the assessment day.

My opinion would be to stay at Newton.

The culture is very child-centred and nurturing. Lots of opportunities for the child to grow - not just academically but also in art, sport, music, dance, drama, etc. Headmistress is a very caring, smart and observant woman.

Google schools like mad on the head, teachers and reviews. Don't go on paper results alone but also visit, watch and speak to staff and other parents.

I'm not a fan of the 'sausage factory' schools.

No, lots of DC move around between nursery and reception, so as long as you give proper notice to quit to the school you are leaving there really won't be any difficulty.

But the schools do have quite a different ethos. What qualities do you actually want in a school?

Of is it coming down to logistics? Because in the pre-prep and prep years I think that can be important. Years of a difficult school run is not my idea of fun, so if you can go for the one you can reach most easily on foot or by a reasonably reliable form of public transport.

I have a real pita school run - but would still choose school over this any day.

We chose a closer school once for just that reason and is was very much the wrong school and increadibly traumatic (and I am not being dramatic here). Bloody awful. Horrible. Grrrrrrrrrr. Yuk.

Friends children at newton prep they are hugely disappointed I'd prefer Thomas's if you DD can get in. I hear much better things about managing the next step.

I'd say the opposite from first hand knowledge of both.

Fair enough!

Thank you all! I guess we'll be having our own experience with NP from Sep onwards. I think my worry was/is that Thomas's would cross her name on the assessment day since she is in NP's nursery without necessarily assesing her fairly.

I doubt very much they'd do that.

Though remember that casual chit-chat with the parent is also an informal part of the assessment (not a requirement, IYSWIM, but if they can spot and filter out That Parent, they will). So do think before any contact with the school what you would say if anyone asked you whether formally or dropped into conversation, why you're thinking of changing schools. There's no magic formula to that, just see it as a chance to gush about how much you love the school, something specific about it that you think would fit your DC so well (never say anything negative about the school you currently have, btw, you love that knee and are inky considering a change because this one is Even Better)

Both schools will prep to a full range of destinations, and are very successful, so I wouldn't expect secondary transfer to be a deciding factor. It really is down to ethos and how outgoing your DC is.

Thank you so much! That's very helpful.