Annemount nw11

[exhaustedmumof3]

’m not a person who usually posts on such forums however I feel that I have a duty to let others know what experience we had at Annemount school nw11
We started as a new entry in reception my son only just turned 4. From the 3rd week the headmistress pulled me aside to ask for a meeting using worrying terms such as poor eye contact, social problems, inflexibility, etc. I had absolutely no previous such concerns from the prior nursery and as a doctor myself had also not noticed any of the “red flags” she was expressing. We went through a horrible year - being advised to pay £1000’s on “assessments and therapy” which I didn’t think we needed. My child was a young new starter who needed some time to settle. thankfully we left after a year. He is now in year 1 at a very prestigious academic school where he is very happy and they do not think there is anything ‘wrong’ with him.
Having spoken to other parents at the school - this is not an uncommon finding. There are plenty of similar examples. I only wish I had been warned from a similar forum before we paid £15k for one year of stress and upset.

That's very strange to suggest tests for such a young one. Normally they say to wait till 6 unless very obvious problems. But I dont really see how this would help anyone else in the school/looking at it? I doubt you reading a comment like this would've made you not take up the place. It's not a nice thing they did but I doubt this happens often. Maybe your son was just anxious in the school and it didn't fit him hence his symptoms. I don't really see the point in your message tbh.

Well that’s just it. It is happens fairly often. And quite right he was too young and it too early on to make judgement

I have to disagree reading accounts like this would definitely put me off a school (or at least lead me to enquire further). With no offence to OP sometimes parents have had bad experiences at a school and leave rather biased bad reviews. (Not saying that's the case here OP - it's just a risk with anonymous online reviews they're not always accurate).

That's not an unusual story for Annemount, particularly for boys.

I have to agree with that. I had my son there and the experience left me quite insecure about his social and academic abilities not to mention that he was left with a few fears related to school life. I found there was a strong emphasis on negative feedback regarding your child’s development and recurrent advise to seek outside help. The pressure of being in a pre-prep school with the keen advice of having to assess your child for “issues” age 4 is really not a good combination. Also, speaking to mums at the school at the time this was a common theme. We left a few years ago and it was the best decision we ever made.

Is that Maximum Potential Golders Green services that was recommended?

Yes!

Does this firm have official or unofficial links to the school? Does a teacher’s spouse or school parent run the company? Drumming up business with more slowly maturing boys is unethical.

Similar story years ago. I can confirm that the the two providers 'recommended' for us and multiple other children in our year were Maximum Potential and Dr Elijah. Both cost us and other parents £1000s in fees. We went along with this as we were told that our child had SEN requirements that could not be handled in the school. It was only after leaving that we found a number of other children in the class had been given identical recommendations.

Common knowledge locally that this happens, most people I know with girls at AM wouldn't consider it for a boy

Identical experience to @chestnutowl

I was new to London and close friends recommended Annemount as their daughters had been very happy there.

Geraldine had barely looked at my son before she decided he needed to go to Maximum Potential and visit Dr Elijah.

it would be hard to decide which operation is worse - MP a with barely qualified OTs who seem to stay no time at all while charging an absolute fortune or Dr Elijah and her sinister practice.

Thankfully my son settled at another school happily.

OP I am so sorry to hear about your experience - all three establishments seem to be firmly in the business of terrifying parents and charging them thousands for it.

100% relate to some of the experiences described. I had the exact same experience with my boy being pulled out of the class, going to the heads office just to be told that he can’t keep eye contact. I even myself found the head scary! I explained this to her in a meeting and she looked like she loved the idea that some parents found her intimidating. I was also asked to take my son to few professional organisations including having him tested for dyslexia. No one tests for dyslexia at that age!! It helped that I wasn’t alone 2 people left before me in the same year group with similar issues while many others went along with it all. It’s a complete traumatising experience we had, and I still think about years later. I SO regret choosing Anemount. Unfortunately Geraldine thinks herself as an expert in the matter and loves giving out diagnoses to 4-5 year olds boys and girls. Yes girls too were going though the same while I was there.

This is so sad to read! We left the school nearly two years ago after going through hell with G. my daughter is now in top of her class in another school and is supper happy. I still want to complain about G and Annemount. If anyone knows the best course of action, please share!