Recommendation for private schools in London

[privateschool]

Need recommendations for our Year 6 DS. We're considering private schools (single sex or mixed) that are a commutable distance from East London (near Hackney/Stratford). We'd like a pretty academic school and from what I've seen at a couple of open days, all the privates tend to offer a range of extracurriculars. So, extracurriculars are likely not going to be a deciding factor. DS has low profile SEN, so we would like a school that has good pastoral care.

Currently considering City of London, Bancrofts, and Forest (though I think this is less academic than we'd like). Any recommendations and feedback would be very welcome. Also advice on how to prepare for them. Thanks.

If you’re near an Overground station you could consider adding UCS (Hampstead, near Finchley Road & Frognal Overground).

Regarding prep, City’s website has useful sample subject papers and a maths topic checklist. For practice you should consider getting him some Bond and/or CGP 11+ books from your bookshop, and downloading the free past papers available online for the UKMT Primary Maths Challenge. Seek out past papers on other schools’ websites, too.

Make sure you ascertain what subjects are tested for each target school out of Maths, English, VR and NVR, and how (computer or paper-based tests, multiple choice, full answer, structured interview?).

Is he currently in a state primary? Don’t underestimate how busy his Y6 contemporaries will be with prepping for these exams!

You mention highly selective schools. Reality is you are not going to choose them, they are choosing you

What low level SEN does he need? I work in one of the schools mentioned and know the academic criteria is very very high.

Thank you all - we're actually near the Central line underground. Thanks for all the prep advice, he sat a few exams for the 11+ grammar schools so most of the prep from that should come in handy. The format of the exams is different though, so we need to make sure he's ready for that. Currently in a state primary and yes the last year has been tough, we had a tutor who taught him all the Y5 and Y6 stuff, since he essentially missed out on Y5 due to the pandemic and the lack of lockdown provision at his state school.

We're most interested in City of London, as it would be around 30 mins door to door commute from us, so wouldn't entail a house move etc. But ofcourse very competitive to get into. His SEN needs are to do with social anxiety and would need some consideration from the side of the school especially when it comes to interview and also subsequent provision when he joins to help him socially integrate with his peers.

Have you toured all schools to understand their pastoral care?

These highly competitive schools can be brutal in terms of social integration.

Are you sure these schools are the right place for your child?

not toured them (did an online open day for one). That's what we're trying to understand - whether they would be a good fit. DS is very academic so would thrive in an academic school but we need to balance that with his SEN needs. Our local comps are not good, not sought after and based on their academic results, we don't think they'd be a good fit for DS.

I understand, I know they're starting to offer face to face open days so that will be a good opportunity.
Best of luck!