Eaton House Belgravia and Wetherby admissions

[Pregnantlady]

Hello!

We are thinking of putting our DS's name down for Eaton House Belgravia and/or Wetherby. We know these operate a first come, first serve policy so we need to do this as soon as possible after birth. Does anyone know whether these schools when operating their admissions policy give preference to kids who live locally? We live in EC1 (Clerkenwell) so not local at the moment but think we will move west by the time DS is 4 and ready to start school. Trying to work out whether our applications are less likely to be successful on the basis of our current address. Also any comments on these schools, and their admissions procedures, would be gratefully received. We heard there was new management at Eaton House Belgravia- has that made any difference?

Hi
We registered at Wetherby and at the time, 5 years ago, it wasn't really first come first served. Apart from priority places to alumnae etc, they also don't automatically offer in order of application. Otherwise they'd be full come November! Give them a call and talk to them would be my advice.

Do people still register their children at birth? Many great schools have stopped that idiotic policy. Just out of interest, how do you know that your not-yet-born son would suit Eaton House or Wetherby? Wouldn't it be better for you to have met your son, learnt more about him, his temperament and how he learns before you decide on a school for him? Wouldn't that be the best course of action for the child? Please ignore your friends and neighbours who may be putting you under pressure by suggesting you register for schools now or that this school or that is better. As far as I've seen, it's the children that make the school what it is. So any school will be lucky to have your son especially with a mother as motivated as you are.
Good luck with the birth.

You don’t NEED to put down at birth or else anymore. Wetherby did go through a crazy phase a few years ago when everyone thought Prince George would be going there and fathers were rushing from hospital to the school office to get one of the handful of places allocated to that birth month (that’s how they avoid being full by November). But more recently it’s been a bit easier to get places. If you really really want a place at either school, one way or other you will end up with one by the time your child is four and ready to start. People panic register for multiple schools & then drop out, and lots of international families are always coming and going, especially with Brexit. So places open up.

But if you do want to sign your son up at birth via the first come first served route, don’t worry about location - it doesn’t matter to Wetherby or EHB where you are living now. Although obviously from your point of view you don’t want a long commute home with a four year old after a full day at school so closer to admission you probably want to move somewhere on a direct bus or tube route to the school.

Re EHB - parental views are that the (newish) head is OK, runs a tight ship, and more to the point has had some very good success getting boys into the top London preps. Parental views on the private equity firm that partially owns the school are not so good - fees have gone up a lot compared to three years ago, way above other schools in the area.

Yes terrapins is absolutely right. I was one of those who slightly panic registered at about 4 preps and we are now in a completely different location and planning for yet another different one for 7+! So 400 quid down the drain!
We were offered everywhere we registered for even though we were told by one we were on the waiting list etc etc.
Dont worry. Also if you're planning to move West, there are some fabulous preps in West London. I wouldn't commute past them to get to the other two you mention, personally.

AFAIK, they don't pay attention to address

They don't require birth registration, but the earlier the better so you are further up the list. And don't worry, the list moves huge amounts, as people often register early for a couple of first-come-first schools, and then add selectives later, and perhaps move away anyhow

Agree that you'll probably want to,add preps close to where tryouts choose to live next, but as you're not sure then fairly central ones seem a pragmatic starting point.

Wetherby has a secondary school, and it's first cohort take their GCSEs this school year. You might like to look out for the results. It's impossible to tell what sort of secondary school will be a good fit later for an infant, but having the option of a linked path through might be worth it for you.

Thanks, that's really helpful and reassuring! Nice to know we don't need to panic!

Gosh !

Having a finance background and knowing the misalignment that private equity firms can have on the people and businesses they try to milk, the word "private equity" immediately raises suspicions. It's a synonym for increasing expenses and school fees, maybe even cost cuts as the PE firm aims to grow its IRR.