Dulwich prep or Herne Hill for a girl

[LoveSouth]

Today 03:53 LoveSouth

My DD will be 3 at the end of September and I am very anxious about/keen to get her into the right/best pre prep/prep. She is currently at a local nursery but hoping to get her into somewhere more challenging/focused with bettergrpunds/outdoor play for this September (or Sept 2019 if Dulwich prep).

Considering Herne Hill (pending/possible for this Sept) but have also heard brilliant things about Dulwich prep and am wondering if it's a good choice for DD with the hope for her to then go to JAPS.

DD has great friendships with girls and boys alike, is super confident with advanced speech and impressive memory. She loves the outdoors, dancing, football, drawing and is VERY energetic.

Ultimately think she thrive at JAPS but want to get her into the best place to stretch/motivate/nurture her before 4+ so we know if she's best suited to JAPS it elsewhere.

State not really an option for us as the ones in our catchment are awful, mediocre or bursting at the seams.

Would really really appreciate comments from Dulwich prep parents on whether they think it could be bestchoce for a girl for a couple of years and if a DD would then transition well from Dulwich prep to JAPS.

I'm new to mumsnet and would really appreciate your views.

Thank you!

I have experience of both school at your DD's age but have had children in DPL longer, which may bias my opinion...
....DPL early years is just fantastic, I honestly don't think I have a bad word to say about it.
If your DD is 3y in September she may be able to spend two years in the nursery before moving on to reception. They switch the classes the girls are in after a year so it is a fresh start and a new experience for them.
They do support and "prep" the girls for the 4+ assessment but there is no guarantee and some girls do get wait-listed.

Herne Hill is also great but we have had much less time there as our children were offered places at other schools shortly after (DPL being one of them) so we were able to avoid the 7+.
However, the advantage for your DD would be that HH will probably provide a safety net should your daughter not get into JAPS whereas at DPL she would have to leave at reception.

Good luck!

Really helpful advice - thank you! Good to know that DPL incorporates girls well into their classes. However, I clearly need to have a few options in hand for post DPL, especially since JAPS is notoriously difficult to get into!

Just annoyed that there seems to be no preschool equivalent to DPL ... I've read so many reviews on here/elsewhere that hail it as by far superior to any of the others.

Also look at Alleyn's (co-ed 4-18y) unless you have already decided against it. I have known those who didn't get into JAPS at 4+ but got a place at Alleyn's and vice versa.

Oakfield and Rosemead preps are both just up the a205 from DPL early years but won't prep for 4+ entry as they go through to 11y, I think.

HH is a lovely school.

Alleyns used to only take 20 at 4+

18 at 4+ split evenly between genders, so effectively 9 places!

...but you never know how the child will be on the day

If I remember there were over 200 applications for those reception places when we tried !

Thanks for the feedback riding high and se22. Yes I've read on many threads (and heard from parents) that Alleyn's prep is ridiculously difficult to get into. And many people seem to have the impression that oakfield and Rosemead are academically inferior to DPL, Alleyn's and JAGS.

It doesn't really matter what prejudices other people may or may not have about schools. What does matter is finding the right for for your DD, and remembering that she grows and changes, what you thought was a good plan for her may need to be changed.

So I think a freestanding nursery/preschool (which is essentially what Dulwich Prep is for girls) is probably best, then apply to JAPS, HH for 4+ as they seem to be the two schools you like the look of so far.

Then add a 'first came first served' school as a back up, though you might be rather late in the day for that.