Prep Schools in Islington

[Islingtonschoolsquestion]

Hello, my brother is moving to Islington with his family and we require urgent help with prep schools in the area. Can somebody please recommend a good prep in the area for 2 boys aged 3 and 7? Thank you for your help!

Hi OP

As you have referred to Prep schools, I have taken that you mean private schools. There aren’t all that many in the area (you could look at Rosemary Works, The Children’s House (but that finishes at age 7) and the Gower (seems quite controversial on here though).

Prep / private schools outside Islington that a lot of Islington children go to are:

St Paul’s Cathedral
Charterhouse Square
Dallington
The Lyceum
The Hall
Arnold House
St Anthony’s
Devonshire House

Where in Islington will your brother be living? There are really good (state) primaries in Islington.

Are you and your brother from the UK? I ask because few schools here start at age 3. If your brother is looking for a preschool, I know or have heard of good things at:

Beckett House Montessori
The Children’s House
St. Andrews Montessori
Rosemary Works
Hopes and Dreams

Thank you so much for your answers! My brother is moving from abroad. He is aware that the 3 year old cannot start the school just yet, but he wants to put him on waiting lists etc.

I tend to say this on most of these threads but he might want to get hold of a copy of the Good Schools Guide for north London. Do you know how long he is going to be in the UK for and what sort of school he wants?

Thank you CruCru, I know Hampstead schools and Central London schools quite well, it's just I can't find any schools in Islington itself. My brother is going to stay for at least 5 years.

He wants academic prep schools that will let kids progress into top London schools when older. Unfortunately he was not planning to move till now and panicking because the kids are not on waiting lists and he can't find any good schools in Islington. He have to stay there because his company providing his accomodation.

Most families using prep schools while living in Islington seem to travel to Hampstead schools (very busy school run in my experience!).

Thank you t-shirt! We were trying to avoid the busy school run, but it looks like there is no choice really.

The lack of good prep schools was the reason we moved out of Islington. We weren't willing to do the school run to Hampstead or the City for independent and we weren't in the catchment for any of the better state schools (there are a handful),

Well, St Paul’s Cathedral, Dallington and Charterhouse Square are all on the 4 and 56 bus routes so are quite easy to get to. The Lyceum is on the 43 bus route.

Hampstead is a bit more of a schlep but I do know people who do it and seem okay with it.

Will his wife/husband be a SAHP? If that is the case then a longer school run shouldn't really be a problem. It's fairly standard if you live in a city.

Quite a few of these schools will do some form of assessment before entry. For the one who would go in at 4, that may be an observed “play date” but for the 7 year old, it may be an exam and interview.

Ttbb the mother is going to stay home with the kids. She is worried about how the long commute will affect the kids and she does not drive.

CruCru, the problem is they missed the 7+ exam with the older child and the younger is not registered at birth at any school and not on the waiting list for the 4+ place which is a big worry.

Not being able to drive is okay - very few of the schools have anywhere to park legally for drop off and pick up.

Some of the schools I listed don’t have a 7+ entry point but may still have occasional spaces coming up (due to people moving out of London). They will still assess the children using their own methods.

Ideally, they will want both kids at the same school. Realistically, they will have to ring all the schools (provided they like the look of them) to see whether they’ll have space for both kids. Those that may have space for the 7 year old may close their list for 4+ entry really early (The Hall close their list when the child reaches 12 months).

Alternatively, it might be worth looking into some of the international schools. ASL is in St John’s Wood (quite a schlep from Islington as there’s no direct tube or trainline there) but I think Southbank May have a branch in Hampstead. That has the advantage of going right through to 18.

Thank you CruCru you helped me a lot with getting my head around it :)

This is more focused on west London but some of it may be useful.

The 'top' upper schools are fairly scattered around London though - how set are they in Islington (is the company supplying temporary accommodation or can they move?). Has he a list of target senior schools - there are the usual suspects but other brilliant schools around. They won't be that far from CLSB.

Best is to look up good schools guides but also line up state schools too as a Plan B.

Senior schools that people in Islington seem to be very keen on are:

City of London (boys can start from ten)
Forest
Highgate
UCS
Westminster

North Bridge House have set up a branch in Islington but it is still very new (for a school).

Many islington state primaries are exceptional. I don't think you'll find more inspiring primary science than that at Gillespie anywhere in the UK.

Yes, I've heard that Gillespie is a fantastic school. I think people have to live very close to get in at Reception. OP, here are some cut off distance maps for Islington primary schools.