Boys' Preps in SW London / Surrey

[jellycat1]

Morning all. I have two boys aged 3 and 2 and starting to think about registering them for preps. They're already registered for a few in and around Putney, but I'm also really interested in looking further afield to Surrey. Schools like Papplewick and Aldro stands out for me. I realise the commute with be a bit hellish so I'm interested in schools that have flexible boarding options, which we can use later on. I can cope with ferrying them around daily for the first couple of years until they're old enough to do maybe 2/3 nights at school. This is the utopia anyway - maybe doesn't exist? Also is it too early to register them? Thanks in advance.

You are not too early to register.

But it is too soon to know if they'll want to board (and be ready for boarding) as early as upper prep.

So keep your options as open as possible.

Have you got Dulwich Collge on your list? The coach service covers Putney so it's an easy/reliable journey.

Thanks Another. No I haven't actually. My general thinking is that if theyre above average and the right kind of boys I'll grit my teeth and jump on the 7+/8+ train for SPJS / KCJS etc but if not I'll look to either the local preps - Rokeby/ Tower House - or at the boarding preps just a bit further out. I definitely don't want them full boarding until at least 11 if not 13. I know at Papplewick it's compulsory at 11...:

Papplewick is in Ascot which is in Berkshire not Surrey, fyi...personally I always thought commuting for at least an hour am and again pm from London to Berkshire daily was a bit hard on young prep school kids. At least Papps doesn't encourage parents of six year-olds to bus them down from West London, like a couple of its local competitors, tho...

Yes you're right Polista it might not be bearable from London even just for the first couple of years. We would definitely be flexible on where we live, but it has to be commutable into London for work which all these places are. To give context we are currently living overseas and our house is rented out. Another option would be to continue to let the london house and rent or buy in Surrey so all these great preps would be reachable for us. At the moment I'm interested in seeing the two i mentioned and Woodcote House. Just wondering if I'm missing any others. Keen on all boys.

Look no further than Tower House and ditch the 7+,8+ idea! It's a fantastic school that runs from 4 to 13 and has extraordinary levels of success in getting boys into St Pauls and other top academic establishments.

Thanks MidLife. Yes I looked around THS and really liked it and have friends with boys there who rave about it. It's definitely high on the list if we go for a London school but I do feel the lack of space and green there. It's such a huge task choosing the right place and unfortunately with a lot of these places you simply don't have the luxury of waiting and seeing. You have to get registered. I do wonder what impact Brexit will have any on the incredible demand for London private schools but again wouldn't be complacent there.

Personally it sounds to me as if you are looking for the perfect school. And such a school does not exist. The best you can get is a school which suits your child, and there will be other schools which do a good job of that too.

Aldro- I wouldn't dream of commuting to it long distances, that is why it has boarders. First if you think it takes 1/2 hour to drive, that means you spend 2 hours a day in the car. Second, if you think it takes 1/2 hour on the A3, have you allowed for the traffic especially the very frequent accidents around Guildford? Third, I think 1/2 hour is an optimistic guess of mine, and it is likely to be longer. (And don't judge by the time google maps gives you to do a journey at 8pm or 11am with no accidents.)

Thanks everyone for your replies. Spent last couple of days in deep conversation with DH about this and we've decided that we will likely sell the London house at the end of the current tenancy and buy in Ascot close to station in case one or both of us need to work in London. As such, I am now in a position to narrow it down and to formally register. I'm going to go and look at Papplewick and Aldro and also heard Lambrook is great. I guess I need to start a new thread with the right county!!

Hi OP, are you planning for your son to board if you're moving? If not, Ascot to Aldro is a long drive!! I grew up very near Ascot and now live the Ascot side of Aldo so I know the schools and area quite well! There are loads of schools in Berkshire/Surrey around there so you should have a good choice before you move but I'd perhaps go and see quite a few.

I would strongly suggest you look at what it is like driving from where you want to live to the schools you are interested in - and at the times you would be doing the school run. And obviously in term time not the middle of the Christmas holidays.
Ascot to Aldro is a really long journey, there are plenty of good Prep schools much closer.
I have known boys whose parents lived in Guildford but who went to school in Windsor but they all boarded.

If you're going to buy in Ascot, then Papplewick is the natural choice. Great school that sends loads of boys to major senior public schools including major and most sought-after scholarships. Something you ought to think about now when looking at pre-prep and prep schools.

The current head boy at KCS joined at 13+ from Tower House. Most people pick a local prep for an easy commute when the DCs are little and then senior schools sort themselves out later.

I used to teach at Aldro.

The day boys would typically live within 20 minutes of the school. They have a very long day from Y5 so a commute wouldn’t be great, although a large number are boarding from then on.

The A3 is generally fine from London to Shackleford. In my 2 years of driving that way, I can think of one accident. Ascot is too far to commute, especially with other schools in Ascot/Windlesham/Sandhurst etc.

Boarding is very flexible. It’s not unheard of for Y3s to board one night a week - they love it and see it as a sleepover. They work up to 5 nights a week by Y8. There is also full boarding available, and “big boarding weekends”. It’s very well organised, and the pastoral care is excellent.

You don’t need to register early, but do go to an open day once your DS is in Y1. They have 3 a year, but you can also have a tour from the Head at any time.