Caldicott VS Papplewick VS Lambrook

[Raeside]

Hullo - just seeking some intel regards the above 3 schools, if anyone has it! I can't get into a debate about boarding, because I know it is something I am just going to have to get my head around, and that DS will likely adore it. I'll figure out how I'll manage later on!

My DS is currently in Form 2 at a particularly lovely, not-hothouse London day prep (am very happy to recommend it to anyone; it has been the most amazing school) and as I have real issues with the 7+ system I am - perhaps unhelpfully - not engaging with it. We live in West London and have easy access to buses out to Farnham/Ascot as provided by all three schools.

DS has been offered a place at Papplewick, and more recently at Caldicott. My husband recently visited Lambrook and has decided that is his favourite, but I am leaning towards Caldicott due to its relative closeness to home, the more modern approach taken by the new Head, and the fact the fees are less chunky than Papplewick! I adore the PW ethos but they insist on an extra year of compulsory boarding, and it's extra travel time there and back each day....

I am very confused, tho', and not sure whether to stand my ground re: Caldicott or to agree to submitting DS to the Lambrook assessment in January. Obviously there are pluses and minuses to all three schools, but I have been rather put off by the size of Lambrook, and the reputation of 'Lambrook' parents. We are not super wealthy, nor are we city people or country landholders!

Thank you in advance, so much....

Purely personally, I would choose flexi-boarding over compulsory. Sleeping in school is brilliant fun when it is totally the child's choice. My 9yo DS sometimes chooses to sleep in and other times he doesn't want to- if he's under the weather or more tired than usual, or just has something he fancies doing at home. I wouldn't be happy for him to have to sleep in on the nights he didn't want to.

Noted - thank you!

Hi @Raeside
I'm also debating Papplewick. Love it and it's close to us, but worried about the compulsory boarding. NB - there is no compulsory boarding for 9 year olds. It's the last term of Yr 6 as I'm sure you know. So 11. Still - not for everyone.
Im also thinking of Lambrook and have started a thread about it. Some people have mentioned the 'type' of parent but nobody's gone into great detail. I'd love know more about what people mean. I'm assuming flashy new money types but could be completely wrong
Have you looked at St John's Beaumont. I really loved it and we may well end up there although it will make me sad to drive past Papplewick to get there! The other lovely boys prep which buses in a lot of boys from London is Woodcote House. Did you see them?

Thank you Lego!

I haven't looked beyond those three because of travel times and because of what DS's current school thought might suit him best. They know him really well and I do trust their judgement. I shall take a look though - cheers for the tip!

Papplewick boarding is the autumn term after they turn 11, onwards, I think? Either way it's going to work out significantly more expensive over the 5 or 6 years DS would be there and that is, sadly, a key factor. I feel very disloyal saying that because PW has been where I imagined him going, until recently.

Just found out that the offer at Caldicott comes with a £2k acceptance fee - ouch. PW was £700, much easier to swallow the potential default on that.

Lambrook does look lovely but my thinking is that a smaller school for the next phase would be nice, as the senior school is pretty much guaranteed to be a big one in terms of pupil numbers. And as you say - the parents thing does scare me a bit.

Ha! You sound very similar to me! I too had always wanted PW and I too am now wobbling. And oh my gosh yes PW fees are eye watering. We have two to put through too! They can of course leave if they or you really don't want the boarding, but I guess it's not ideal at that point.

Woodcote wouldn't be much further on the journey time. Probably around the same. I would definitely have a look. It's really, really small though and facilities are not as good as PW and certainly not to Lambrook standards. I'm assuming if your husband loved Lambrook then it won't be his cup of tea. I have friends with boys there though and they utterly love it. I mean crazy love it! I haven't ruled it out.
May I ask what your husband liked so much about L?

Lego - I hesitate to say but I think it was the fact they do all the washing of filthy sports clothes for you that tipped him over the edge! That and the flexi-boarding, and less Saturday school commitments. Also the bus from/to London is just 8 or so mins walk from where we live, altho' PW and C ones are only 12-15 at a stroll, and about 3 mins in a car, so not exactly an effort.

I think because of the hefty Caldicott acceptance fee we will have to make a decision soon.

Woodcote looks lovely but the bus pickup is absolutely not so handy to where we live, which is a shame. Thanks so much for the tip tho; I've passed your rec onto a friend who lives nearer, as she is still looking at options.

This is all Extremely Difficult!

Isn't it just!. My problem is that they all have different pros and cons and no one school is coming out clearly in front. My other problem is that my older son would love to be at a school with only boys and my younger really likes playing with girls What to do!
I love that your husband considers things like dirty sports kit! He's a keeper
Will you please keep in touch with your decision process?! Feel free to PM if you prefer. You're a year or so ahead of me so I'll watch with interest! We were going to be doing the bus from SW London but have now moved to Bucks. Oh - just lastly, Aldro was the other one I looked at. I believe they have a bus too.

Sorry Berks not Bucks. Hence haven't looked at Caldicott but I hear good things.

Shall do!

Sports kit mud is so grim - clever marketing by Lambrook!

Caldicott def worth a look - they have lots of diff bus services I believe, and only about 250 kids.

Bump!

@Xiaoxiong is a very helpful Papplewick mum! Hope she doesn't mind the tag

I'd suggest you folks look past the prep schools and consider the senior schools now at this stage. I only know Papplewick well of the three schools here - my DS boarded full-time there from Year 6 until he left after Year 8. Papplewick is the most academic of the three IMO and regularly sends boys to the premier senior schools in the nation particularly Eton including a great track record of successful King's Scholarships! The head, Mr Bunbury is still there today - he took over when my DS was into the Lent Term (I think) during Year 6.

Parents-wise, some of them had their noses permanently stuck in mid-air but that didn't bother me an iota. Conversely, some of them had become long-term friends and regularly invited DS and ourselves to their homes and even holidays abroad. I must admit, I couldn't catch up with them but they never stopped trying - even when they had already left the country and were already abroad; still phoning up and said, please come we'll wait for you at such and such airport!

DS had some great times at sleep-overs at their homes - some of them had acres of land as their back garden with tree houses and wild deer running around freely. Their sons equally enjoyed their return sleep-overs at our humble London home going out to local pizzas and open markets, etc.

Thanks for the message, Peterneras, useful to know. I really did like PW and Mr Bunbury and his ethos are great, 100%. Not too worried bout parents there either. The extra commute, boarding and fees are the cons of PW. We wouldn't really be hoping for Eton or Harrow for our son.

Obviously DS may decide he wants to go there - I really hope not - but that'll be very much up to him!

Hi @Raeside Just wondering if you'd got any further with your decision making. I'm still a bit stumped !

Lego I feel like I should invite you over for a playdate with my DSs and our various neighbors with kids at your other possible schools to help you decide

Hi @legoninjago - sorry have only just seen this! We will def be going for Caldicott I think. Have ruled out London day schools and it's closer than Papplewick. Also we've just bought a new house and the Caldicott drop-off is handy. 😂

Sorry - @legoninjago1 - got your name wrong!

Compulsory boarding rings alarm bells for prep schools who are financially struggling particularly the smaller ones. The huge hike in Teachers Pensions is causing many preps to struggle so do your research on the financial robustness of each school if you wish your DS to have an unhindered run through

Thanks @FlowerandBloom - it's a good point. I don't think the boarding situ at either PW or Caldicott is new - it's something they've traditionally done, so would figure not so much a relatively recent policy to shore up finances...I will continue with due diligence tho'...

@Raeside fantastic. I've heard great things about Caldicott. Hope your DS has a brilliant time there!

@Xiaoxiong haha! Yes please!

@legoninjago1 thanks - and best of luck with your decision! If things had been diff our DS would've been going to PW and am sure he'd have loved it. Go with your gut...

Thanks @Raeside I will. And good luck washing all that filthy sports kit

Hi ladies, just checking-in, anybody still there?
Found myself in the same situation PWvsCaldicottvsLambrook ;)
Would very much appreciate any feedback on those schools and if your boys went there - are they happy?