Totally confused...Prep/Private schools in or near Harrow

[Desinessie]

Please help, your experience and advice would be greatly appreciated.

My DD (3 ½ years old) will be starting Reception in September 2011 and I am looking for a private/Prep school for her. We live in Harrow area. I know I have left it very late and wish I could turn back time by 6 months!

I am totally confused as to which school she should attend. I knew nothing about the private system until I started researching all the options available.
We have been offered a place at 3 schools, so far

Reddiford Prep in Pinner
St Margaret's in Bushey
Peterborough and St Margarets in Bushey.

Also, we potentially have the option of applying for a place at Alpha prep in Harrow.

My DD is August born so will be one of the youngest in her class. The feedback we have received from Reddiford is that she is academically behind children the same age as her who attend the school's nursery. They have conditionally offered her a place, after a little persuasion from myself, to start this Summer term so that she can catch-up a little before Reception starts this September.

Can anyone advise on any of these schools, or any that I may not have considered. Do we go for a Prep school or one that goes all the way through to GCSE's or A-levels?

How can anyone know whether a 3 year old child is going to thrive in an academic environment (which I believe Reddiford is, please correct me if I am wrong? I did really like the school).

I am totally confused as to what I should do...I do hope you will forgive my naivety?it's my first message on Mumsnet so, apologies for this long rambling message.

Well done you for being able to talk the school into giving your daughter a place - it does mean that the school does recognise that with a litle help/time your DD will do well at their school.

Out of all the schools you mention I would say Alpha is the one I would go with. 2nd would be Reddiford then P&M and I would home school before wasting money on the others.

good luck with your choice - I really feel for you it's not easy!

By the way do you know that Habs girls have 5+ assessment?

I can't comment on the quality of teaching at P&SM, but I do know that their Reception intake in Sept 2010 was likely to be only ten girls and that they made a significant number of teachers redundant due to falling pupil numbers last summer.

If you're looking for an academic environment I'd focus my energies on Haberdashers 4+, North London Collegiate or St Helens. I would be very put off Reddiford telling you that your DD is behind academically when she's still so little, academia is irrelevant at this point and they should be totally learning through play. Peterborough and St Margarets is not a academic school and St Margarets is lovely but is far from one of the top achieving schools in the area.Northwood College would be worth looking at too as another option.

Thank you all for your replies. It certainly has given me a lot to consider.

Pixieonaleaf - Reddiford was impressed with my DDs social skills but she wasn't able to do some of the tasks they gave her - cognitive puzzles, talking about opposites, naming some shapes etc which the head teacher of the infants school told me the other children are able to do. I agree that it is a worry that I'd be throwing her into an environment that is judging her on ability at just 3.5 years old! I think we both (head and I) suggested she starts a term early (i.e. summer term) and with input from home she would be ok.

Mumteacher - thank you for the advice on Alpha. I will be completing the registration form so hopefully will have this as an option too.

Mrshomersimpson - thanks for the info on PSM.

Summerinthesunshine - I'm not specifically looking for an academic environment as such, the problem is I just don't kinow what I should be looking for full stop. The nursery DD attends doesn't think an academic environment would be right for her. She has trouble sitting still for more than 1 minute!!

summerinthesunshine I think that if the girl is going to start in reception this Sept then she has missed the assessments deadline at all those schools. They took place Jan 2011.

The only one now is 5+ at Habs this coming Jan 2012 for entry into yr1.

Desinessie check out Habs it's a great school. From the feedback the head gave you it seems like your DD did well. The things she struggled on can be easily taught - the things that she did well on can't.

Mumteacher - I'm hoping that the Prep schools will get her ready for a place like Habs (if we find that she enjoys an academic environment).

What are everyones thoughts on a Prep school versus a school like Habs that goes all the way through to GCSEs/A-Levels?

I think for an august child they may well be a late developer so I would go for a normal/nuturing prep rather than a highly academic one - she should have "catched up" by the time she was 11. Listen to her nursery.

I have a friend whose DD goes to Alpha and she is very happy, although my friend has mentioned she maybe should of sat the assessments for Habs as she does feel the school is limited in terms of facilities outside of academia (so to speak)

I personally would still consider Habs for 5+ and it is also worth phoning St Helen's / Northwood College etc for Year 1 entry as places do sometimes become available (if you like these school obviously)

If you are going to consider changing schools at 5+ i would probably choose Reddiford for the reception year as your daughter is going to get the extra time there and this may well help with the prep for forthcoming 5+ assessments

I wish your daughter well in whichever school you choose for her