I would say that if your child is happy, settled, and thriving, leave her where she is. Lots of Rocking Horse parents—and parents from other nurseries—join in Reception (just over a third in our experience), and this is very normal. Parents I know who have done this are all very happy with their choice.The school is also never full from Reception upwards and always takes new pupils (regularly mid-year), so I wouldn’t worry about losing her place. It’s not like London, where we had to register DC pretty much at birth 😂. Just tell admissions you plan to join in Reception instead. Be aware, though, that there are fewer nursery places than Reception places, so nursery spots can fill up.
We are considering moving schools as the academic side of things hasn’t been what we hoped for—at least for our particular children. We’ve found some inconsistency in teaching quality: some teachers are very good, others less so. Quite a few children seem to be behind local state primaries in literacy and maths in Pre-Prep. However, one of our DCs had better luck than the other with teacher allocation, so everyone’s experience is a bit different.
It’s also very hard to know when they’re only two or three what the right school for them will be. A little more time in a nursery not attached to a particular school might give you a better sense of their personalities and interests, helping you find a school that’s genuinely the best fit.
HH, in our experience, is very lively—with lots of free flow, free choice, and many activities and transitions throughout the day. This is great for some children (we have friends who love it—it really suits energetic, bouncy kids), but not for others. Co-curricular opportunities, sport, and especially drama are fabulous, as is the community feel. However, it just hasn’t worked for our particular DCs, who find lessons quite boisterous and haven’t, in our opinion, had sufficient stretch in subjects like maths and English. They often complain that the work is boring and too easy.
Academically, it doesn’t feel as aspirational in Pre-Prep anymore under the new head, and many parents are now seeking extra support (e.g., at places like Mathnasium) to help their DCs catch up. Prep, however, has been better in our experience. That said, after some concern about teaching quality in Pre-Prep (and something of an exodus in Year 2 following disappointing standardised test results), the school does seem to be making the academic side more of a priority and communicating children’s progress more clearly. By the time your child is ready to join Reception, things may well be back on track. Staying put for nursery may therefore give you time to see how things develop and to explore alternatives.
The old head was seen as too pushy, and the new one may have overcompensated too far in the other direction. It’s quite possible that, with a bit more time, things will find a comfortable middle ground—it’s just not there yet, in my experience.
I would still pick HH again in a heartbeat if I had a drama-loving child, as the performing arts are truly top-notch. But my DCs really resent the constant emphasis on school productions—they dislike going on stage, are always hidden in the chorus (their enthusiasm is palpable!), and find the endless rehearsals eat into lesson time.
A bit more time in an independent nursery may give you the breathing room to work out the genuine best fit for your family and your particular child.