Pembridge Hall School

[Aichko2018]

Hello Everyone,
If your daughter is going to Pembridge Hall, please share her experience as a pupil and your experience as a parent.
Many thanks!

Ok Vaness4 I don't even know where to start since I found your post a bit startling (you do distressed for a living and doubt that cash is king?? that would be a first and I would love to know what your boss have to say to that, if you have one) but I will say a few things in no particular order.
First of all I believe OnceUponaTime101 gave an honest 101 explanation of how / where to start when looking at company accounts. Given the wide audience here Once's post was helpful and explained a bit the nuances of 'not everything is what it seems' in accounting.
Since you are an accountant looking regularly at several distressed companies for a job, you should probably know that the 48m is an asset backed bond secured by property, and yes these facilities have a tenor and will need renewing / refinanced at some point, but this one is one very likely to be renewed if they decided to, given the way it has been structured and the available additional collateral that is still not pledged and can be pledged if necessary.
Since you are a distressed specialist you probably suspect also that refinancing this bond is probably not the major liquidity problem that they company may face in the next few years.
And since you do this for a living I find it strange you are not looking at the other side of the balance sheet as well, including assets and property, as well as the intrinsic value of the businesses themselves. There are other factors and elements, as you surely know, that help companies from avoid being "liquidated" - they just have assets or businesses they can finance themselves off.
Finally, I also find it surprising that you have not mentioned the company loan to the Parent - in fact, that is in my view the weakest link, as the FT also pointed out.
So as you surely know, there is no straight or simple answer here. As expat96 pointed out, we simply do not have access to all the information nor have a crystal ball on whether the company's growth strategy will be successful. Perhaps, as the specialist you are, this is the first thing you should have pointed out. You may have analysed numerous distressed company accounts but that is still along way from understanding the strategy and the end game of a company - even from a purely cash or accounting perspective - this takes some analysis, insight, experience, and as other posters said, some inside knowledge to put it all together too.
As I have said before, I have no connection with the school or the company whatsoever nor any direct of indirect potential benefit or conflict of interest in this discussion. I hope you do not have any particular interest on it either, so we can have a healthy and unbiased discussion.

@Cheermumintherain & Vanessa

I think that cash-flow figure that you are referring to is the operating cash-flow on page 46 of the accounts. It was £12.5m this year but £10m correspond to an increase in "trade and other payables" with approx. 2/3 being due to "deferred income" (i.e. charging in advance for services that still have to be provided) and 1/3 to increase in fee deposits (since pupil numbers have not increased this is mostly the result of the fees increases that we have suffered during the last few years). If you deduct the effect of that accounting tool the result is lacklustre although not dramatic.

It is positive in a sense that the company seems to be getting more efficient at charging customers/providers but on the other hand this is not sustainable and will depress future cash flows as the company has already charged for many services yet to be delivered. Also the cash situation of the company would have been dramatic in the absence of these two items. In a sense, not a sign that the company will collapse immediately but also nothing that could be seen as a real positive game changer.

Unfortunately it seems that this debate has become as polarised as another prominent current debate that I do not even want to mention. Probably a sign of the times in this country.

Having my DC at one of their schools, I am not planning to be pulling them out because of this but it would be equally irresponsible to simply ignore the issue as suggested by other users. The responsible thing for us to do is to remain vigilant and see how things develop. Neither a remainer nor a leaver.

The management's communication policy to us customers regarding this can only be described as very poor and self-damaging. They could have simply issued a statement explaining the situation rather than letting other people take control and force us to figure it out by ourselves.

That's at least my take on the issue. All the best to all

Most people that I find have an issue with pembridge hall are parents of those that didn’t get a place. Amazing school, great teachers and an all round great school. I had people in my ear telling me not to send my daughter there only to find after they was on a waiting list and had no choice but to choose CH and other schools. It was by far the best school we had seen. Non selective and still amazing results says more about the teaching.

Hello Everyone
Anyone sending their daughter to Pembridge Hall, Can you please share your experience.
I want to understand what does the school has to offer in PE, Sports and ICT. Whether its too girly or laying foundation for strong independent individuals.

Thanks
AG

Hi Ag1018, I was just looking through Mumsnet (bored WFH!) and stumbled across this post. It's rather alarmist to say the least. We've been Pembridge / Wetherby parents for the last 5 years and we're incredibly happy with the schools. We have a bright and sporty daughter who is thriving at Pembridge, has lovely friends and loves her school. It has a very warm and welcoming atmosphere (COVID precautions not withstanding!). The exodus to Bute has now ceased almost completely and a good friend who moved her daughter to Bute is considering bringing her daughter back to Pembridge. Make of that what you will, but we're very happy!

Hello @NHMama. Thanks a lot for responding.
I did the school visit and really loved it. However, They did not talk much about the sports etc. However, on their website it says they use external sport facilities . Is it just for the older kids ? Do the kids get to play any sports from reception onwards and how often are they bussed to these facilities

Hi @Ag1018, they bus the girls to Paddington Rec for games once a week, and they also do gymnastics, dance etc. several times a week in the school hall / playground behind no. 10 Pembridge Square. Today for example Year 4 have had inter-house cross country in Kensington Gardens. They have stopped taking reception girls swimming as they found it took so long to get them changed before and afterwards that it wasn't really worth the trip, but they do offer it higher up the school and there are competitive swimming squads - they go to Porchester, which is close by and is currently being refurbed. From memory they don't offer clubs in the first term for reception girls as I think they found the girls are too exhausted after a full day at school but for sure from Year 1 onwards there are plenty of after school clubs which include street dance, ballet, games, athletics, gymnastics etc. Hope that helps!

Hi, We are new to the country and our DD has been offered a place at Thomas's Kensington, Pembridge Hall and Orchard House. We have an academically inclined child and will highly appreciate if someone can please share their views. Thanks!

@Mins30 where do you live? not much of a difference between those three in my opinion.

We are temporarily living in Fulham at the moment. However, will be finalizing a place based on the choice of school.

@417NHMama @J0hanna @NHMama Can someone please help me - my daughter has been offered a place at Pembridge for Year 5. We have so far really loved the school but wanted to check if there are any red flags and how well do they prepare for 11 plus?? You help will be much appreciated. X

For the parent who cares about the journey of the child and not the drama of the adults. This might be for you.

1. All private schools have movement of kids and teachers. It’s the case of the grass is greener based on whatever. After making the decision few will admit it was a bad one.
2. PHall is an amazing school. Never goes a day my daughter isn’t trilled to be at school.
3. The Head (who is leaving) instils the values of resilience. It’s the thing he knows will put the girl ahead in life when operating in a man’s world.
4. Respectful teachers. The teachers who have left were new teachers hopping around or those who have spent enough time and would like to pursue other things. Having the same teachers mean no growth in new methods.
5. The curriculum is amazing. And it runs parallel to senior private. A lot of what should be new at senior school my daughter has been there done that.
6. My daughter has built confidence ambition and drive due to the environment she is in. It’s also unbelievably nurturing.
7. not all parents have a tutor. Not all kids are geniuses. The parent who is active in tutoring their own kid will figure that there is no magic wand. I personally tutored my kids because school work is easy since I remembered everything (who should if you too went to school)
8. the negative is the cost. But that is the same for them all.
9. global kids. Expand horizons there are cultures other than you.
10. parents without a job are the ones to cause unfair feedback. Too much time on hands.

Thanks

Hi, did you go to PH? We live in Fulham (can move in a year), and considering a place at PH. But worried about that commute and not sure worry move to Notting hil!

Hi, did you go to PH? We live in Fulham (can move in a year), and considering a place at PH. But worried about that commute and not sure worry move to Notting hil!

Hi, which did you choose!?

Would appreciate any recent feedback on pembridge hall? We have an occasional place at the school as we are relocating but the costs are considerably higher than other privates (hard to justify at primary years for me). I'd love to understand how children at PH turn out , from an academic and an overall perspective. Are the teachers kind and nurturing ? Do the children get enough individual attention ? Their exits of course seem fantastic.

Great school!
When you look at school fees you have to also look at the location. Pembridge hall, like Wetherby is on a road in the good part of Notting Hill. They also are not a huge school so I imagine that affects what they have to charge. If you are looking at the £100-£300 difference you would pay a month then I wouldn’t take the offer because fees go up with all schools yearly so this will start to bother you when they go up again next year and the year after. This happens at all schools so if you already don’t like the price then next year you will dislike it even more.
my daughter started this school before we moved to another part of London and she still has friends at this school and I would say the teaching in fabulous. She started at the top of her class in her new school in SW London and the difference in teaching was very noticeable for me. She was doing things in year 2 that she was doing in reception and year 1 at Pembridge. She was very happy here and so was we as parents with the teaching she received. My friends that have daughters here are still very happy and I actually don’t have anything but positive things to say about this school. Yes it is expensive but as are all private schools. The girls end up confident and ready for the 11+ exams and with a school that is non selective getting these results says more about the teaching. Not like your GD and FH that cherry pick at age 3/4 Pembridge just try get all the girls to a good level without anxious pressure and instead from good teaching and support.
The best uniform too :)

@4444jackieH some great well thought out feedback. Thank you!

We could not have asked for a better experience at Pembridge. Nurturing, kind, ambitious and great fun. Our daughter absolutely loved the school, her friends and teachers. A couple of girls left at 8 for the ‘most academic’ west London prep but didn’t have a happy experience and wished they hadn’t moved. They also didn’t end up with the exit results they’d hoped for, so make of that what you will. We’d choose Pembridge every time. If you want to PM me, I’m happy to try and help with any specific questions you have. Good luck with your decision!