Combe Bank, Sevenoaks Nursery/Prep School - any experience/comments?

[Peekaboomoo]

Just that really. Are looking at this for DD but would welcome any first hand experience or knowledge would be gratefully received.

I know the secondary school has a bit of a rep for doing well with the students it has but not necessarily the most academic of students go there. Is the same thing the case for the prep?

Any comments gratefully recevied

Hi
My daughter's had 2 lovely years at preschool there and will start prep from sept.
Prep is quite detached from senior school, with great results.
It's a fantastic school, that nurtures the girls academically as well as in drama and sports.
Def recommend a visit to see first hand.
Hope this helps?

Thanks sophie that's really useful. Do you know what % of girls take the 11+? I know they say 100% but I wondered if many of them don't take it to go straight up to the secondary school. We've visited and I was certainly very impressed but wanted to get parents' perspective.

should have said say 100% pass rate, not 100% of girls take it.

We love Sevenoaks Prep! It's so nurturing and has such a family feel to it. The children really come on too and they love it. We also like the fact that it's co-ed.

There isn't a senior school so it's just the prep and the (pre-prep) junior school. Some people but certainly not all do the 11+ and I think they do well.

There's a long waiting list though, I have friends who registered when their child was 18 months old and were told there was no place and they would have to go on the waiting list.

If you're thinking that 11+ is for you, have you looked at Russell House? They're very focused on the 11+ and very successful from what I hear.

Thanks Sevenoaksma. I contacted Russell House but didn't get a response and I think DD would like a single sex primary school (which would discount sevenoaks prep, but it's the wrong end of town to where I live in any case). Combe Bank from a practical point of view is so handy for where I live and work compared to the other prep schools

Is that also true for Wally Hall and The Granville?

Wally Hall and Granville would potentially work. Granville website implies it's very heavy on academia, and although I want DD to pass 11+ I equally want a well rounded education and not hot housed. Wally Hall I might look into...

Yes I think The Granville is quite academic. I have a few friends whose children have been in the nursery there and are being drummed with phonics and letter worksheets at age 3. At Sevenoaks prep it's all play-based learning (which I prefer, they'll get there in the end).