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Original poster

private primary

16 replies

mylifestory · 24/08/2010 21:37

Have daughter down for Hornsby House as its my top choice, similar to the school i attended, but need to put her down for another just in case.

Any suggestions? Its also the nearest to me & would prefer to walk but its not essential. Know the locals but need opinions pls.

OP posts:

dinosaurinmybelly · 30/08/2010 20:17

Hello - have heard Thomas' is very good for girls (and less so for boys) and Oliver House is being spoken well of these days if you don't mind the Catholic bias. Don't have experience of either though I'm afraid, and believe you need to register in the child's first year to have a chance of getting in.

EldonAve · 30/08/2010 20:25

Thomas' is selective so no guarantee you will get in

Other options are
The White House
Broomwood Hall
Finton House

Original poster

mylifestory · 29/09/2010 21:44

ah oliver house, yes near bt not heard anything about it, will investigate .... officially catholic but not hardcore ;-)

Broomwood hall is far too snobby, finton house had friends there who wouldn't recommend it, but might give it a try as it looks nice

the white house??

thank you!

OP posts:

onimolap · 02/10/2010 18:20

What sort of school are you looking for?

Parkgate House is very small, but seems to get fantastic results in terms of where the children go on to, many on scholarships

Eaton House The Manor now has a girls' school, but it's only been going a couple of years.

onimolap · 02/10/2010 18:21

And all the parents I know with children at The Dolphin love it. It's a Christian school, but if you're thinking of Oliver House, then you might like to look there as well.

Akiko · 05/10/2010 09:38

Newton Prep is wonderfull!

ready2pop · 05/10/2010 14:51

What makes you say Broomwood is snobby?

I live a stone's throw from their Garrad's road pre-prep so am quite keen on it for my DCs.

Otherwise there are the schools in Dulwich - JAPS is fab for little girls.

basildonbond · 11/10/2010 23:37

If your closest school is Hornsby then presumably you're in Balham, no? so with a child of reception age you really want to be thinking of as short a school run as possible

Have you thought about Bertrum House - bit further down Balham High Road - it's only infants so you'd need to find somewhere else for y3 onwards, but Hornsby have another intake at 7+ (plus scholarships for y4 entry) so you could always apply to Hornsby again if unlucky for reception

Original poster

mylifestory · 19/11/2010 21:05

thanks for all the comments.

my 2 top choices are bertrum house for nursery (1 min walk) then onto hornsby hopefully at 5 (10 mins walk). I'd also thought of the 7+ option if not successful but put her name down for hornsby when she wasn't even 3 months old!

ive added oliver house as a 2nd choice but not sure if i should go for thomas's aswell .... i see the broomwood hall mostly girls all the time and you just feel like punching them, but i'm talking about the nightingale lane branch ....

yup, japs is fab but i dont fancy the trek each day. streatham high prep has wonderful reviews too but id prefer it to be a mixed school to be honest - i went to the secondary there & not sure id send mine there .... putney high has a far better reputation by those in the know, but all that can wait ;-)

OP posts:

ready2pop · 23/11/2010 20:26

Wow - wanting to punch pre-prep age girls is very extreme! What on earth can they have done to provoke that reaction?

Are they rude to you?

ready2pop · 12/12/2010 19:58

Bumping as I'm intrigued to find out what prompted such ire?

The childrens' behaviour or is this an inverted snobbery thing?

Original poster

mylifestory · 12/01/2011 21:21

its the way they treat thier nannies & they dont even have to speak, have that look on their face! nothing to do with snobbery as i was a prep school girl nearby myself a while ago ....

OP posts:

ready2pop · 14/01/2011 20:25

ready2pop · 14/01/2011 20:31

- there seems to be a lot of this unfounded anti-Broomwood stuff about. I've been there recently as my DCs are on the list for entry and that wasn't the image I got at all. As to the girls having a 'look' they were no different to those in any of the other preps I've visited.

I have my DS and DD down for Broomwood, Thomas', Eton House, JAPS and DCPS (but then I suspect I am the other side of Balham to you so Dulwich may be more do-able for me).

Didn't like Hornby or Finton and Bertrum House was just too run down for my taste. I've heard some very bad things about the White House so would avoid at all costs.

ready2pop · 14/01/2011 20:32

Oh, there is Streatham and Clapham High too but from what I've heard it doesn't do as well as the other GDST schools.

fionaos68 · 18/01/2011 17:10

My DD went to Broomwood Hall at the Vicarage for reception year before we moved back to Dublin and I could not speak more highly of it. I had heard various rumours about it beforehand and found all of them to be quite untrue. She absolutely loved it and were we ever to move back to the area, I would certainly try to find a place for her there again. It is really important to ignore rumours and decide on a school based on your own visits. I had visited all of the schools in Clapham/Balham and found it to be the most nurturing environment for a shy but excitable little girl. She thrived there.

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