Forest Prep School

[Malpy]

Has anyone had any experiences with this school that they would share? Finding it hard to find any real reviews not written by people other than the teachers who work there and are parents (albeit reduced fee paying parents)!

The Snaresbrook one?

Yes, though I think Snaresbrook address is an attempt to get away from the E17 postcode!

My friend's two daughters attend and they are delighted! Good education you receive

I can't comment on the prep school (only existed for 7+ boys when I was there) but I went to the senior school at 11 - 18 (am 35 now so not sure how helpful I am being really!) and loved it. One of the best things was being educated separately from the boys but having playtimes and school bus etc with them - so you had all the benefits of socialising, having friends who were boys, boyfriends as you grew up etc (and all attendant intrigue and teen angst) but no boys in class - so you never felt inhibited/distracted etc by 'wanting to look good/nonchalant/not bothered in class'. Some classes from 14 (GCSE) onwards were mixed because of certain options having smaller classes (RE and Latin GCSEs) but by that stage I knew most of the boys in my class pretty well and was confident enough not to be put off. Our year are still very much in touch and I know years above and below us were similar in becoming very close-knit.

Oh yes - and the 'snaresbrook' business is definitely a cover for the E17 location! We used to take the piss about that even when at school (think E17 the band highlighted that to us!)

Also it may have changed but I had a scholarship and never felt uncomfortable with the inevitable glaring discrepancy in my parents' income/house/car etc to everyone else's. It was there and you had a few nouveau riche parents/children who wanted to show off but the message from the school did not support that and good academic performance was far more important than how much money you or your parents had.

Although they do send in inordinate amount of post requesting money which annoys me!

Thank you for that post. Judging by the recent league tables I don't think the school has much to offer academically so you probably fared much better in your time there. The Snaresbrook/E17 thing is quite amusing though somewhat sad! Although I do think there is a lesson there - the school is trying to be something its not. We had a tour and the "talk" which was long and tedious and delivered by people who seemed to like the sound of their own voices a tad too much!! The senior staff - I guess the heads of school wear gowns which really is a little silly and pretentious - lets face it, this in not Oxford!!! I was also interested to learn from another poster that the prep school children do not have to sit the 11+ if they move to the senior school - clever move by the school to solidify and protect future earnings!!!! However probably not good if you have a very clever DS who is being held back by other pupils.

How was Bancroft back then? Now this school does do well in the league tables and the tour was concise and informative - not a silly gown in sight - maybe thats an omen.

Judging by the Forest fees they really should stop tapping you up for cash!

Be very careful when looking at the the league table results. Yes, Bancrofts beats Forest each year. I believe that it used to back when PartyPooperz was there, although league tables weren't published. BUT Forest always punches above its weight for Oxbridge/London/medical school results. Teachers were dedicated to the (long-term) success of their pupils as adults, not just exam-result producers, and they know how to work the system to the advantage of all of their pupils, not just the ones who are already in the know. Check the destination lists carefully as essentially this is what Forest is interested in - getting their pupils into the best place to continue their education.

I left there quite a while ago - a number of my teachers are still there, or still have strong connections, which I feel speaks volumes about the place. I'm stunned that you manage to come away from the impression that a bright child would ever be held back. Given that I was taught by the some teachers who are there now, I can't believe that they wouldn't continue to let children fly, by whatever means possible. They always had a top set which either sat all their exams at an accelerated rate, or simply did more subjects, or more at AS early etc.

FWIW I would have probably let the league table results down in my day. I got a D in my 5th A level. But as I had my EE offer from Oxford, I didn't really care. Bancrofts would have probably not let me sit the final A level as a school candidiate (always worth checking the number of private A level entries ;)).

Liz Sidwell, current Schools Commissioner was there for some years, and both of her children went there. Obviously historic, but again, many of the heads of department were there in her day.

Again this is just a view of the senior school. The prep school will have changed from my time.

I think you have missed the point! If there is no 11+ for prep school pupils then it is effectively no different than a state comp. with students at many different levels in terms of achievement. I'm never swayed by the "teachers send their own children there so it must be good" theory as I think we are all aware this is done for ease and the substantially lower fees they are offered and parents are subsidising! Theres a point, I wonder if these teachers at fee paying schools declare their little DSs and DDs reduced fees as "benefit in kind" - must ask a tax inspector. At my current DSs school, we just lost out on having the best teacher there as her DS was in my DSs class and she was moved to teach another class for this year as she cannot teach her DS. I think it would be fairer altogether if teachers were not allowed to have their own kids at the school they teach in. Maybe then they would understand how frustrated a lot of people feel. Any views

Well, firstly the prep school pupils have always sat the entrance exam, so if that has changed it is very recent (and given this is how prep pupils have been eligible for scholarships I would expect it to become unpopular with existing patents). Similarly to any London 3-18 school, they expect the vast majority of their pupils to go through, but if any can't they look at what needs to be done:- one to one support, putting the child back a year or suggesting alternative schooling. This is done several years in advance of 11+. So yes, again as is common across most similar schools, by the time your child has reached year 5 or so, you are usually informed as to whether your child has a place at the senior school. This is to stop the braindrain that would otherwise happen as paranoid parents prepare their children for other schools in case they have a bad day in the exam.

Obviously some parents will still prepare the children for grammar schools. Comparison with the state comp seems slightly ridiculous: entry at 4+ and 7+ is still selective. Given the proximity of the Redbridge grammars you may find that the brightest children are there. But in yersm of getting your child to Oxbridge/med school the current team at Forest is amongst the best.

No independent school that I am aware of doesn't aim to fill their places. I suspect therefore that unlike grammar schools which require an absolute threshold, the cutoff for Forest, Bancrofts, Chigwell etc fluctuates each year, depending on how many sit, and of course who can afford it.

Sorry but you are wrong. Children at the prep do not have to sit the exam to enter the senior school - if they are bright they can sit for the scholarships but if not they go straight through. How can you put a child back a year just before the 11+? Equally, isn't it a bit late to let the parent know in Year 5 that there may be a problem?

I'm not really sure where the notion that they are marvellous at getting people into Cambridge/Oxford comes from as their stats don't back up this theory.

I took one posters advice and had a drive by at close of play - the place was sheer bedlam. Lots of 4x4s being driven by parents who could care less about anyones safety. I think this school belongs in E17 not Snarebrook!

I didn't say that they put back the children in year 5! Usually, if there is a problem it is spotted and communicated fairly quickly, and obviously worked on. Putting a child back a year is a fairly rare event at any school, particularly one which is selective at all points of entry, including age 4. As you enter Year 5 you should know that your child will progress to the senior school. If your child isn't up to the standards needed you should be told by the end of Year 4, giving parents at least a full year to look at alternatives.

Ds1's school, run on similar lines, doesn't have any academic selection into Nursery and reception, but progress into year 3 is not automatic. No parent would ever be "surprised" to find that their child is unlikely to progress though - usually the issues will have been flagged up very quickly. Equally at the end of Year 4 parents are informed as to whether their child will be transferring to the senior school.

My (much younger) brother wasn't able to progress through at Forest.

Out of interest, which stats re Oxbridge/London/med schools have you looked at and drawn your conclusions from?

From what I have been told by a few parents (who do actually have children at the school) there is no real benchmark and therefore it is difficult to assess where you should be pitching your child for senior school, Sorry about your younger brother but i am guessing that was some time ago - I doubt he would have a problem now. It appears to be bums on seats or fees in the bank that count in this school!

Coupled with some parents horror stories of this place and my drive by experience I think Forest should be left alone. The morning drop off and afternoon pick up would be enough to make my blood boil!

The "paranoid parent" banner you put forward is quite insulting - aren't we all concerned parents trying to do the best for our kids?

Are you sure you are not a member of staff?

"The "paranoid parent" banner you put forward is quite insulting - aren't we all concerned parents trying to do the best for our kids?

Are you sure you are not a member of staff?"

Lol at the juxtaposition! The "paranoid parent" feature is actually a feature of my sons's school where until a few years ago, parents who were fearful that their child would not get into the attached senior school would get their children unnecessarily tutored in Year 5 prior to the entrance exam. Of course once they go to that expense they enter the children in for all of the competing selective schools so the senior school lost up to half of the prep school children. Now the children are formally assessed by the senior school in at the end of Year 4, so parents know they have a guaranteed place at the senior school. Very few therefore sit for the other schools, and most children progress to the senior school.

All independent schools are about bums on seats in that sense. Show me one selective indie senior school which doesn't fill its places regardless of whether the standard of intake drops in a given year? You would really have to spend some time in a state comp to see the difference: the difference between teaching the top 20 % or 30% of the ability range is entirely different from teaching the full range.

Equally all schools have 4x4 parents who are inconsiderate. Spend enough time at Bancrofts or Chigwell and you'll see similar.

But you've clearly made up your mind, and are looking only for views which suit yours. My views are very different. And they are based on my current knowledge of current staff. The fact that I am still in touch with a number of them is possibly unusual in this day and age, especially as I haven't lived in the area for over 20 years, but as I have indicated, says an awful lot about their quality and inspiration as individuals. And they have had far more influence on me as a person than any of my friends' 4x4 driving parents.

FWIW Bancrofts is also a very good school. Others from the area head to City of London schools - doesn't seem too tricky a commute. Or of course there are the Redbridge grammars.

Hasn't Forest doubled the intake of prep school children? It's quite easy to get in but there's an interview (I'm not absolutly sure about that). You have to be very careful because there has been lots of problems with an older sibling getting in and the younger one (s) weren't offered a place because of their 'interview' at 3 years old...

Anyway, I have a friend who has two children there and they are quite happy so far. It's a fantastic school with brilliant sports facilities. Having said that, if I was to fork out 20+ grand a year to send my kids there I'd expect results.

malpy
to be honest for someone who cannot find real reviews you seem to have done your homework or have already made up your mind about it. you spoke n to parents who have children at the school you have searched the league tables you have also done a covert drive by.If the issue of 4x4 puts you off then youu must expect life to be a handed to you on a plate. i take it you haven't gone onthe underground during the rush hour , and on the issue of postcodes E17 e20 or Snaresbrook does it matter after all that is exactly what it is a post code. are you sure your child is not already at the school and you just need assurance that it is a good school and you haven't made a mistake. pepole who send there kids do just that send their kids there so send your kids where you feel there is no traffic and none of the teachers have their kids there

Calm down LadyMuck and Shalom1. Just looking for feedback before making a decision that is right for my DS. My drive by was anything but "covert" and it is something I have always done when picking schools or properties. Yes, postcodes do make quite a huge difference for both schools and property. So much for the helpful friendly advice! Oh and Shalom1 - try using spellcheck next time. LadyMuck I'm sad to hear your friends parents were not very nice but you do seem overprotective about the school in E17!

You do seem to misinterpret posts somewhat? Never said that my friends parents weren't nice, just that they have had no impact on me, unlike the staff and fellow pupils. A drive by judging parental driving is a bizarre way to judge a school.

I think that my main point with Forest is this: it doesn't get the same League table results as Bancrofts in the league tables. BUT that doesn't mean that the pupils aren't as successful in getting into their first choice uni courses etc, and in general are very successful in later life.

But if you're looking at preprep or prep then you have many years ahead of you and you can see how your child develops. Unless you are happy with the senior school then there is no point signing up for the prep school IMO.

Good luck with whatever you do for your child.

I think this school belongs in E17 not Snarebrook!

You sound like a horrific snob. However, DS may go here, so it's not in my interests to persuade you you are wrong.

Goodness malpy- what exactly was it you wanted here?

People offered their opinions and are told 'you are wrong' - surely if that is their experience it isn't 'wrong', just different from yours?

Personally I don't give a stuff what postcode a school is in- it's what goes on behind its closed doors that is important to me. Homes are an entirely different matter, but if one is paying fees, living in the correct postcode isn't as all-important.

I am very keen to know how your 'very clever DS' would be held back by pupils in a school that he doesn't attend who do not sit 11+?

I also note that on another thread you state that your DS does not need to sit 11+ in his current school-"in my DSs current school children do not have to sit the 11+ if they have attended the prep. Hence there is a lot of dross scraping into the Senior school." - yet that is what you're attacking here?

Are you just a disgruntled parent trying to do the school down? Be sure you can back your claims up with evidence.

I think you just go about pitting down schools as previously stated your own DS school doesnt seem to be up to scratch so I really think you should take a step of that soap box you bought in snaresbrook and look in the mirror. On 14/10 you said CHarterhouse. Square school did not have sports facilities, classes were up to 29 pupils, from what I know of Forest it has a lovely sports facilities the classes are no way up to 29 ( in fact the prep has only 16) so what really are you looking for. I think you should homeschool your beloved clever child because with an attitude like that it may rub of onto the child and they may find it difficult to settle into school and enjoy an important tome of their life

Charterhouse Square DOES NOT have sports facilities, that is a fact and our friend has a child there who did have 29 in the class. My DS is moving and all I was interested in are various views on different schools we had considered, not interested in doing "down" any school. A little bit horrified at your aggressive retorts and surprised at being attacked and called names. So much for the sisterhood ladies!!

LadyMuck, thank you for all your info. and good advice good luck

Shalom1 "of that soap", "an important tome of" Spellcheck, spellcheck.

maply - I know nowt of the schools in question and care even less but that retort to shalom1 about the spelling makes you sound like a complete arse.

That is all.

For what its worth, I think name calling and bad language have no place in a Mums chatroom.

I have heard great and awful comments on Forest, so it is very much your own experience. My DSs and DDs are not in the same schools as I feel each one is individual and should be looked at on an individual basis. It is a bit of a juggle but they are all happy and doing well.

I think driving around and looking at the schools is a great idea as the open days are normally mid morning and it is hard to get a real "feel" for the school. I don't think that is being snobby, just practical. If you are investing a lot of money in your DDs or DSs education it is a serious business and not easily rectified if you get it wrong, particularly in London.

Why do people feel the need to call names and bully people online. I would be upset if my children or their friends were doing this.

I was interested in finding out about this thread as I am considering sending my child to Forest. I teach in an East London state school and think private is the way to go. Here are the reasons:

• smaller class sizes
• specialist teachers
• swimming lessons, languages, music lessons from an early age
• most offering before/after school activities/care
• more preparation for university
• more freedom to teach how they want, what they want

As a teacher in the eastend, I have a class of 30 children and 30 different abilities. Private schools automatically have the upperhand here - you won't have a class with such a wide variety of abilities, and if you do have different abilties, you are not stretched as much so you can offer more support where needed. This being the case, more children will reach the levels they need to achieve, so I don't think anyone has to worry about other children bringing down their child. (and before anyone disagrees with this assumption, please have experience teaching at both a private and state school for at least 13 years like I have!)

Having said that, different schools offer different things - as parents we need to explore the different schools and find which one best fits us and our child. We are not spoilt for choice here in the eastend, so I don't think bringing down one school over another is beneficial. I went to have a look at Forest and was very impressed with the facilities and school grounds - many other schools don't have this. It's also closer to my home, which is easier for me. They also have a fantastic library! They also offer many other things besides academics, which is important to me. So, as you can see, these may not be things that you were looking for. I'm pretty sure my child will do great anywhere, state or private, as she is bright and with my support will achieve what she wants.
I think all of you here will also probably have very successful children - the most important part of a child's education is parental involvement, and it looks like all of you have that. So, instead of trying to persuade, disuade, etc people to think one thing or another, take comments at face value and use them to HELP make a decision, along with all the other information only you would have.
...I know will:)

Endall- welcome to Mumsnet , despite its name, this isn't a 'Mum's chatroom'- MN is inclusive, it is for all parents.
Please do however report any posts you feel are bullying, as MNHQ cannot police all the boards themselves, and they do take bullying seriously (there's a little 'report' button on each post at the end of the coloured block).

All should feel welcome here, even sockpuppets.