Help! Eaton house the Manor vs St. Anthony's

[JinUK]

Hello, I will be moving to London from South Korea in coming Sep. I applied for a number of independent schools and Eaton / St. Anthony's informed me of the availability of place.

Which school would you recommend in terms of childcare and support? I hope the school will be caring in a friendly atmosphere, not competitive or putting academic pressure on pupils. It's my DS's first time ever living abroad so I'm very much concerned about it.

Where will you be living?

The parking around Eaton House the Manor is diabolical, entirely because of school run congestion; and the school site itself is pretty crowded (overdeveloped, I think). It's a good school if you live by it. But I wouldn't travel for it.

SquirmOfEels Thanks! I am thinking to settle in the neighborhood of whichever school my DS will be going to.

I don't have any experience of St Anthony's but Eaton House is lovely. I don't know what Squirm means by crowded but you would be surprised by the amount of outdoor space the school has within its grounds. And everywhere is light and airy not like some London prep schools that are in a terraced house with very little light.Then there is the fact that they are just across the road from the Clapham Common (Google maps it) and they use the common every opportunity they get during the day. Academically, it is brilliant without any pressure. They take a range of children but their results (where the children end up) are spectacular. I couldn't recommend it more highly. If you live around Clapham (I am assuming that's what you're planning to do as the two schools are so far from each other) you can either walk/scoot to school as many children do or catch a bus. You wouldn't need to drive. Also there is a school bus from Belgravia. Your DS will be welcomed by the other boys.

Eating House weed at 8+, and may 'counsel out' at other points.

There has been considerable development on the school site in recent years and I wouid describe it now as cramped in comparison to their schools in the area (which are definitely not in terraced houses)

It's a fairly trad sort of school, with an enduring reputations n for lots of quite dull homework (compared to the other highnand hger performing schools in SW London)

I'm afraid I don't know anything directly about St Anthony's

Academically, it is brilliant without any pressure. They take a range of children but their results (where the children end up) are spectacular

Any London prep aiming to get its alumni secondary places in private London day schools has to be highly competitive and highly pressured. That is a simple question of supply and demand. Those that are less pressured are aiming at boarding schools, which are now very much a buyers market.

All London preps weed out a various points if they think the children will not get a place at the place the parents want. Sometimes they do this by asking the parents to move the child but more often they will suggest that the destination should be eg Bradfield/Sherborne rather than Westminster/St Pauls.

The bottom line is that if you want your DS to move on to Westminster, St Pauls, Eton, Winchester, Harrow you will have to accept pressure. Both Eaton House and St Anthony‘s are identical in this respect.

MimiDul It's definitely wonderful to know that they actually have light and encourage outdoor experiences in the common. Thanks for the information!

AnotherNewt Thanks. I guess it would be considered cramped compared to other primary schools in the area... good to hear they give out dull sort of homework.

MullofKintire Thanks for the info. I thought of sending my DS to a decent primary school in that respect but I've heard it was a hit or miss allocation along with the risk of over-subscription. Also, I doubt whether a teacher can pay enough attention to a newly attending child from overseas with more than 15 or even 20 pupils in a class. As long as the teachers do not push too much and as long as they make sure my DS receives right care, I would not ask much more.