Anyone have experience of prep schools in Potters Bar area?

[suzanneme]

We are trying to decide between nice local Catholic primary (I and DD and baby DS are baptised Catholics - DH is C of E and happy with us being RC!) and several prep schools in and around Potters Bar. Can't decide, particularly, whether I wouldn't prefer a mixed school for the kiddies at primary age. Hmmm.

hi
The private schools don't have Ofsted reports other than if they have provision for nursery age kids (under 5s I think). Instead most of them are inspected by the independent schools inspectorate which produces very similar reports to Ofsted. I can't remember the name of the body but the Ofsted site provides a link under each of the private schools.

They are all much of a muchness and the problem is some of the reports are several years out of date.

It still winds me up that I am becoming so obsessed with this when my ds is so little. Maybe the best strategy is to just register at the main options and try not to think about it til next year?

I am very impressed by your knowledge on all of this. I feel very ignorant as to school matters and think I am going to do some serious research now. I didnt think that most schools were willing to take expressions of interest etc until they were at least 3 so you have opened my eyes. I may see if I can go to the next open days for the schools in the area. If I remember correctly I think I saw one advertised for Manor Lodge a few months back. I am not even sure where we will be living in a couple of years time as I get itchy feet every few years but assume it will be somewhere around here or perhaps Radlett (if we win the lottery!). Good luck with your search - I'd love to hear if you make any decisions or find anywhere particularly good.

I've just seen this thread that I started has got going again! We ended up moving out to Welwyn Garden City for work reasons, and our DD and DS will go to a local prep (Sherrardswood) now - DD has started in the nursery and is very happy, and it's a lovely school. We were impressed with both Stormont and Lochinver House when we went to look around them, but I was a bit concerned by lack of outside play space at Stormont, which I think is really important when they're very young. Tour of Lochinver House was very impressive (though we were taken round by two 12-year-old boys, whose idea of what we'd like to see and ours were very different....I have never seen the inside of so many boys' loos in all my life!!). DH didn't like the 'feel' of Lochinver House though, and the constant mentions of their anti-bullying strategies put us off a bit and made it sound like a hotbed of bullying!! But it seems to be an academically very successful school, and we liked the headmaster. We didn't go to see Manor Lodge, but have only heard good things about it.

I agree with everyone about St. John's Prep - it seems to be a place of mystery, and the fact that there's no ISI report on it really put me off. I didn't think their exam results looked very good either.

Good luck with your choices!

Hi Suzanne

Really useful info - thanks!

Lochinver was my no1 choice on paper but now I have seen it and thought more carefully I am not so keen.

I know someone who has a son there and she has said it gets very blokey in the latter years.The history teacher even admitted that he emphasising 'boyish' subjects like battles and wars which was quite offputting.

I'm also not keen on the 13+ emphasis as if my ds moves to a school that starts at 11+ surely most of the boys will be all settled and newcomers will find it difficult as they are surely in the minority. But I did think it was an impressive school generally.

Glad your dd is happily settled in at school!

Anyway thanks for starting this thread as it was on exactly my question!

I don't really know much about St Johns but 2 families in our old road used the prep school - there is a separate senior school (but v small and limited GCSE choices apparently - won't worry you know but it will later). They were happy with it and it looks fine on website. However, it doesn't seem to be affiliated to any of the prep school associations which may or may not matter .. I don't know.

Re comment about outside play at Stormont - they do have the field behind the school and wellies are part of the uniform, they are encouraged to use the field all year round.

Sylvm, do you have a link for the St. John's website? I have never been able to find it online.

Glad Stormont have a field (must admit we didn't see it). I partly chose DD's present school as it's set in 25 acres of beautiful parkland, which they make good use of. I went to a state primary which had huge grounds that we loved, and I have very happy memories of it so wanted the same for my two.

www.stjohnsprepschool.co.uk

is the web site for St John's.

Thanks lvj73