Homefield Prep School

[Mordenmum85]

Often I see some long threads stemming from negative (and often inaccurate places)- so I thought I’d start a new thread from my perspective as a parent.

I went through state school myself, so didn’t know what to expect as a first time prep school parent.

what I found was that Homefield offer well beyond what my DS would get otherwise. He has the same focus on all subjects (and his emotional development) rather than just the ones that lead to standardised testing.

What I see when he comes home:

He is interested in books and discussing these with me, classic texts like the Faraway tree etc and has been from a very young age

We go out to restaurants and he discusses fractions and how to cut things into equal parts.

He tells me what day History and Geography are on, just so he can share facts

He loves the afterschool care and becomes upset if I pick him up early. He is also in a couple of afterschool clubs run by the teachers.

He becomes excited over House cricket and sports competitions. He gets competitive and wants to tell me how many house points he’s earned for himself and his house!

He gets up at a stupid hour in the morning, just so he won’t miss the school day.

He comes home with dirty knees and his uniform requires deep cleaning - as he’s been working and playing hard!

he talks about his feelings… something not all boys do confidently- his friends openly talk about ‘my space’ where they go when they feel worried or concerned. This is something I think is amazing. Boys and young men learning how to deal with emotions and openly talking about support and mental health.

when I’ve raised concerns, the teachers respond quickly- and whilst everything isn’t perfect, they’re keen to involve me in processes to help.

The teachers provide homework, but also remind me to work with him and watch his limits, so he still finds learning fun.

Daily, his friends change and he talks widely about all the boys in his year.

He has music lessons that some days he loves and some he doesn’t, but he has opportunities to learn and to perform.

parent coffee mornings and the parent run association help with uniforms, collaboration and just finding your feet.

That is just my two pennies as a parent.

It is good that you are enjoiyng the school . We were like that too until it comes to year 6 , This school needs a good management and it was last week that year 7 and 8 was pulling wach other's hair ( no safe guard trained teachers) and then the next day year 7 and 4 fought for a ball and one boy was strangeld and none has been logged.

PLEASE think before you comit to the school and they never prepare for 11+ , please parents don't do the same mistake that we have done states schools are much more better than this so called prep school.

It's disheartening to see Homefield under scrutiny, especially when a neighbor approached me today, expressing concerns after reading some posts here. This prompted me to reflect on our journey and compelled me to contribute our positive experiences to this conversation. It's crucial to provide a balanced view, acknowledging the hard work of the teachers at Homefield.

As a parent of two boys who've thrived at Homefield for over five years, and both have received offers from our dream schools, I wanted to share our positive perspective.

I feel that my younger son received very good preparation for 11+, in particular, grammar schools. He went to Test Teach (not sure if the name could be mentioned here) for three weeks and told me, "Mom, I don’t need this; it is too simple." So, we signed out and never went back. My son passed all the grammar schools in Sutton and he is very happy about the exercises he did in maths lessons and the writing tasks with detailed feedback and analysis in the English lessons. I seriously don’t understand why another parent believes that the school never prepares for 11+.

While I won't deny investing in tutors for the 11+/13+, it's important to recognize the invaluable role Homefield played in their academic journey. The school organizes teaching in sets, and teachers in English and Math offer optional challenging homework for those seeking extra stimulation. Homefield operates on a bi-weekly cycle of homework to ensure balance for all subjects, which really benefits my older boy when he moves to a top secondary school. All subject teachers supported my older son in preparing for one of the most challenging scholarship exams in year 8. They used their lunchtime to help him with creative writing and French vocab!

Perhaps I've shared more than expected, but I genuinely hope that those considering Homefield will take the time to explore the website, call the school, arrange a visit, and speak with teachers, boys, and other parents. I believe an informed decision will reveal the true essence of Homefield.

I don't mind a teacher using free resources if they are good. However, I do agree that if a teacher uses Twinkle PowerPoint presentations throughout the term or relies solely on reading the PowerPoint in lessons, that could be a problem. Is that what you feel?

Addressing tutoring, let us be realistic. If the target is the best boys' grammar school in this country, is it fair to say that the school should give the promise of sending the boy in with absolutely no need for tutoring just because a fee is paid? The school fee covers everything boys receive in school: specialized subject teachers, sports, labs, better screens, food, etc. And Homefield is not particularly expensive compared to all private schools around.

While we're much earlier in our school journey with sons in the Lower School, I agree with PamZg around some of the comments on the school being disheartening, and do not reflect our very positive experience.

The school has such a great community feel, the teachers. The boys get to experience a range of sports and activities which are constantly evolving and being added to. Most notably, even at a very young age our son developed a thirst for knowledge far beyond the classroom.

We've also seen a lot of really positive developments in the wraparound care provision and the new before-school care and breakfast offerings are game changing for working/commuting parents.

We don't have the experience of the exam years but from our time there so far, we couldn't have picked a school better placed to teach and understand our boys, and have loved the community we feel truly part of.

**the teachers are very accessible.

I agree about younger ages no exams fun and children don’t know to elaborate what is going on , wait until they go to year 5,6 and ask , people don’t speak as they need references with out good references you can’t do nothing , also ask about the marking procedures, they swap papers and his friend is marking the papers ,and ask how they play in the play ground only 4 balls available and not allowed to go to the ground only mugs pitch , ask about lunches sometimes not even bread available, check the facts don’t be like me that who believed my son is getting over all good education and nice environment, some people even told me school is better than KINGS , truth people don’t give honest views, and school display parents hard work TUTION sand TUTION most children were getting tuition from India ( this year 6) and not only one two or three tuitions , please dig it and see.

for the French question they don’t have to use TWINKLE as a private school we have books to follow to support the curriculum, please check boys books and see what I am saying is right or wrong

Also we used to have a very good music department and not any more , when we started boys used to write and compose the Christmas poems that they sing at the church and I was very impressed and at that boy’s behaviour was in another level , now it is all about being the best in the top set and lower set is I don’t know, every day I am telling my boy it is not about being best and you don’t have to be the best , they rank them like second best third best and no KINDNESS , BE YOURSELF is gone , my other son goes to a different school secondary and I see the difference , there no one bothers about other persons marks and I feel like it is normal not pressure the competition is with you not with your friend.

NEW parents please check and dig it , I honestly think ROBIN HOOD school is better and don’t fall for labs and languages ( any way from year 7 secondary schools they teach from zeroth level and your son won’t miss any, if you have lots of money it is ok but if not save that money for his future , if you are like me not very rich and doing everything that you can do for your children research and talk to parents in upper school year 8,7,6

The latest 2022-23 year 6 cohort of Homefield has probably the best-ever exit results. In this cohort of about 60 students, 6 went to Wilsons, 4 to King's at 11+, 1 to St Paul's at 11+, and among the 15 and so that stayed onto Year 7, 4 of them had top school offers and likely 2 will join Westminster at 13+, 1 will join St Paul's at 13+, and 1 will join King's at 13+. So among the whole cohort, you are talking about 1/4 to the very top schools (Wilsons plus the top 3 London boys schools). For the rest, 1 went to City of London, 1 to Hampton, 1 to Tiffin, 5 to Sutton Grammar, 4 to Trinity, 8 to Whitgift.

So the results look very attractive, aren't they? But then you must look behind the numbers. My strong recommendation is that you must ask someone with kids in the upper form (year 5 or 6) or who recently graduated from year 6 or 8. Either your friend, friend of friend, or friend of friend of friend. Try your very best to find one, that give you an insight as to what the school really is. Of course, the Head just left and a new Head just joined. Things might change in the future.

True that they are lots of satisfied parents in particular in lower forms, but there are indeed quite a bit of grievances in some parents in particular in the upper forms (I don't know the percentage, whether majority or minority, but quite some as far as I know)

This is exactly why I don't like forums. Hearsays, rumors, negative judgements...😒

I personally know all three Eton moms really well. I know how genius those three boys are. They do lots of things besides academics: sports, music, chess, art, coding... Not everyone who goes to a top private school needs hours and hours of tutoring.

On the other hand, there are boys heavily tutored to prepare for the 11+ / 13+. This is a choice of the parents. I feel that lots of Homefield families are determined to send their boys to top grammar or top private schools. When the parents look around and find out that almost all boys/girls targeting those schools are being tutored, no matter which schools they are in, it simply leaves them no choice.

This is not Homefield's problem. Ask all the new joiners of KCS, and see how many of them could confidently say that they haven't been tutored. In my opinion, a full-time mom willing to spend lots of time checking exercise books should also count.

I think you missed the point. Homefield's problem is not about tutoring. It is about the lack of support for 11+ as seen by some parents. No lessons on reasoning, no mock tests, interview workshop in January when most senior school interviews were finished, loads of homework in the Autumn term when students were busy preparing for 11+, etc. Some parents felt they were left on their own. And of course, the attitude of the previous head.

There were some bad comments about teaching quality on MN, but for me, I rather think the quality is ok. Some unqualified teachers but that happens in many other schools. Some are quite dedicated indeed.

Part of the reason for the problem was that it is still a 13+ school, and the school does want more to stay for Year 7 and 8. They even gave out some misleading information about offers given in previous years (inferring it is much easier to apply for 13+ instead of 11+ for some schools). But then almost everyone wants to leave after Year 6, all but a very few targeting Eton (which starts at Year 9) or Westminster and St Paul's (with many more spaces at 13+ than 11+).

My last post was to reply Mumtoanan/the post before mine. I shared my thoughts re 11+ and 13+ preparation in my previous post. This is smiply another proof of people don’t see the whole picture and rush to make a judgement.

İn response to mumtoanan, you have stated a number of factually incorrect allegations...can I suggest that instead of ONLY writing the ( incorrect) negatives that if you have a current issue you speak to the new headmaster who I'm sure would be keen to address any concerns as he moves the school forward- in the short time he has been at Homefield changes are in place for the benefit of the boys. There are a lot of good points about Homefield, staff work extremely hard for the benefit of the boys to enrich their educational experience and it's shame you don't want to recognise that and only want to criticise.

Can you point out incorrect things please ? Staff …… I have 1000 things to point out and I have done my bit and I don’t want to give any more details about it , but again I wanted to give a shout to new parents as I really think once you started you are trapped so better to warn them then at least one parent will be saved , not everyone have money and I want to show that all the claims that school shows are not accurate.

I get so frustrated when parents bash Twinkl. It’s an amazing tool for resources designed by teachers all across the world specifically for the teaching curriculum! It is so much better to have the teachers accessing ready-made resources and having more time to teach the pupils then wasting their time designing worksheets. Thank you so much Twinkl!!

It's all about the PNL here. It's a vile place.

We were naive enough to believe the 'we know boys' messages and thought this is the place for our excitable boy. How wrong were we? I deeply regret putting my son through their incompetence.

Recently, with the new head, we've seen experienced teachers let go (they probably cost alot you see), only to be replaced by cheaper, inexperienced staff. So, we thought, OK, lets give it a chance, maybe this will bring new ideas, freshen up the place, let's hope it's a change for the better yeah?

Well, no. Not in the slightest. These new replacement pawns are not there to teach better, no no no....They're simply their to improve the PNL silly! (But please, don't tell them that!).

So, then, what do we do with those students that need a little extra help? You mean the risky ones that could negatively affect the school performance scores? Yes, those guys. Why dont we give them the help they need?

Hahaha. Don't be absurd!! Why would the school do a silly thing like that?

Instead, lets bully or manage out those kids who require extra support. Yes, you read that correctly BULLY those vulnerable children that expect extra support from us. Can we do that?! Of course we can! Who are they gonna believe? Us or the kids? Hahahaha.

So, dear parents, you maybe in disbelief, you may even be asking 'whatever could the reason be?'

Well isn't it obvious? If you can get a cheap teacher to simply go through the motions with talented kids, requiring little effort or experience to succeed, all while maintaining a decent leavers score then we are laughing all the way to the bank aren't we?! YES! you've cracked it. You're a genius!! How do you spell expl...exploit...EXPLOITATION? Give me an 'E'...you get the idea.

They DONT make successful boys. They make MONEY from them.

If you have an intelligent, focused boy- they will succeed anywhere and I wish you and your child the VERY best, from the bottom of my heart.

If you have a son who maybe a little too boisterous, whose light is a little too bright and may require a little more 1-1 attention, guidance and support, then this is NOT the place for them Im afraid. It would hurt the school's PNL. Silly!

I wish you all and your wonderful, beautiful families a joyous and prosperous journey. 🙂

Schimi and a shake....I'm out.

And another headteacher bites the dust...

Bizarre, he lasted a year…

Only lasted a year, and less than a month from start of new school year, the head "stepped down".

And look at the new ISI report......

And the enrolment number.....

How many now leave before 11?

The 16% fee increase in response to the VAT

The food....

.

I still consider the school to be a good one, and my son is doing very well there, which I’m grateful for. However, I have had some concerns recently, especially regarding the changes at the school and the issues surrounding the previous headteacher. I’m relieved that he is no longer in place, and I’m hopeful that the new head starting in the summer is exactly what the school needs. She seems to have the right experience and background to guide the school in the right direction.

That said, I do have ongoing concerns about the governance, particularly with the Chair of Governors. The way she handled the hiring of the last headteacher was frustrating, and it seems she often dismissed parents' concerns about him until the last minute when she was probably checking the schools finances. It’s clear that the previous head didn’t step down voluntarily, but was rather pushed out. I believe that resolving the issues within the governing body would go a long way in improving the school’s reputation and overall environment.

Regarding the last ISI report that can purely be blamed on the disaster of the last head and the Chair of Governors.

Is there any formal way for the Chair of Governors to be asked to step down? Sorting out the governance seems critical to the school’s future.

On a different note, I know that most schools don’t specifically prepare students for the 11+ exams, but if anyone has recommendations for a good tutor or tutoring company in the Sutton/Wallington area, I’d really appreciate it.
Thank you!