top london prep schools

[mommyhii]

Hello mommies. We will be moving to UK by mid June and would really appreciate some feedback on the following schools

Heathside Preparatory
St Christina
Devonshire House
Arnold House
Hereward House

How tough is it to get in these schools? Which one is the best amongst them. I prefer one which is academic but also. nurturing. I have already send out emails to these schools but only heard from one or two regarding availability.

Thanks

Are you looking for this September? They all have admission procedures, which are all done by now so you're looking for a chance vacancy or someone who has dropped out and they haven't filled the space. You'll need to ring them.

Thanks blue carpet. Yes I have already mailed but will be calling them too. So far some have asked me to complete the registration so am really hoping there is space that's why they have asked me but still unsure. Any reviews on the schools?

Hello OP

I have seen the last three. Do you have boys and girls? Hereward House is small (boys only) but I loved the head. He was planning on introducing chess as a full on curricular subject. We didn't get in there.

Devonshire House is mixed and is big - I think about 100 kids go into Reception although some come from the nursery. I know people with kids there and they are happy.

Arnold House - boys only and starts in year 1 (so you need to find somewhere else for Reception - a preschool). This is probably the most "prestigious" of the school's you've listed - although I know little about the first two - they get a lot of boys into Eton / Westminster / St Paul's etc. You need to apply between your son's 1st and 2nd birthday. This is the school where they are most explicit that to proceed, you need to go to the open evening on the specified date, you need to attend the parents' interview on the date offered, your son has to come to the assessment on the date offered. I think this is so oversubscribed, they do whatever they can to weed out the applicants who aren't really, really keen.

Having said that, I loved Arnold House. The head was lovely and it had a great atmosphere.

I would not recommend Heathside...it is very unsettled and chaotic, lots o favouritism going on by the owner any head of the school as well.It is going up to GCSE and with no proper foundation and teachers. Last month a year 6 boy was grabbed by the neck by a teacher..

Arnold House supposed to be good and also The Academy.. Devonshire Houes is not to bad..have no idea about others

Assuming you have son/s, Dulwich Prep London (in south East London) is really lovely. It send boys to Eton, Westminster etc although many boys prefer to stay local and go to Dulwich College or Alleyn's.
Alleyn's is mixed Reception - sixth form; Dulwich College is Year 3 - sixth form.

Sorry, OP, I didn't read your post properly - are you fixed geographically?