Hampstead Hill School or Mulberry House School

[ThamH]

Hi,

Trying to select a pre-prep/nursery for my daughter.

We're hoping to get a place at either MHS or HHS.

We're currently on the waiting list.

Does anybody have a preference or recommendation between these 2 schools?

Thank you!

HH does not pose itself as a feeder to any of the selective schools in fact they discourage 4+ applications by placing pupils who apply for 4+ at the other schools on the waiting list for 4+ entry at HH. While MH may not discourage 4+ applications i dont see how much prep can be done at this stage of entry (and i have done a few rounds of 4+ and 7+ with my DCs - a lot will depend how they feel on the day especially at 4+ assessment ), the curriculum in both schools is very similar at the early years stage, so both HH and MH are more of a 7+ rather than 4+ schools. also its important to note that schools like highgate etc. started to have very diverse intake for both 4+/7+ with a variety of candidates coming from different preps and state primaries following 7+ exam, so neither MH no HH is golden ticket to the selective schools

MH is a 4+ school when it comes to girls.

this is questionable how much prep can be done by school at 4+. MH's curriculum is not drastically different from the one in HH or some other preps in NW3 at the EY stage. so id say its just a marketing gimmick when the school claims they are 4+ feeders. i'd look at the location (very important when they are little) when choosing between these two schools and 7+ exit results.

It is questionable indeed, but what I’m saying is MH encourages exit at 4 for most girls, while as mentioned before on this thread, HH doesn’t.

Disagree that MHS encourages exit at 4. The last few preps classes have had an even mix apart from the current prep 2 class. There aren’t that many through schools for boys at 4 so many stay, but MHS doesn’t encourage either way

I don’t think MHS encourages exit at 4+. However they have some inexperienced teaching staff preparing the kids. A big change from their
earlier reputation. My personal gripe has nothing to do with the racial mix. It’s due to extremely pushy tiger moms (and these can be any race) and a principal who doesn’t engage with parents (us and many more from what I hear) even when there are concerns. However I do think parents are generally becoming pushier as they feel the school is not preparing their kids well/ not performing up to standards and that the school is not managed well. A bit sad as my kids used
to love the school.

The kids at mulberry are all being tutored additionally for the 4+ now which quite frankly is ridiculous. If you don’t want to do that, you’re an outlier and your child is seen as “less than” by the big schools as they compare mulberry vs mulberry.

However, HHS is just as bad. I know their current 7+ year has had multiple messages from the head about the sheer volume of kids being heavily tutored.

Also, the current head is leaving HHS, although I doubt it will make much difference as Andrea still rules the roost. I would say HHS aren’t as open to communication as MHS, even if you did feel that your responses from the head there weren’t up to par.