Wimbledon independent primaries: The Ursuline, The Study, The Hall?

[designerbaby]

This follows on from a previous thread, thanks for all the feedback so far.

Despite thinking previously that we'd missed the boat, it now looks like we might have some independent options, which is a huge relief as we're in a bit of a state primary deadzone ? with only one viable option which we're really not keen on for a variety of reasons discussed in a previous thread.

We have places pretty much offered from The Ursuline, The Hall and a possibility of an offer at The Study, and I'd like to see what, if any, knowledge is out there about these schools. They seem like such different places, it's difficult to judge between them... Like choosing between apples and oranges...

Any views/opinions/experience gratefully received.

db
xx

If I had a place at all three of those schools I would undoubtedly take the Study. When you look at where the girls go, majority go on to WHS, PHS and SHS which are all excellent schools. In the past 5 years, they have only sent 1 child to the Hall. Why is that? It is not a school which you generally associate with being academic and it is quite a quiet and reserved school ( not that that's always a bad thing!) When you look at the Ursuline results, again they are not too jaw dropping. 5 of them went to Ursuline High, the local girls schools. 3 went to SHS, 2 to Marymount International, 1 to LEH, and 1 to Putney Park. Not that any of those schools are bad because LEH and SHS are certainly not, it is just that with only 12 girls in the year, there are not many opportunities. Go for the Study IMO

Thank you fleet - I think you're probably right, certainly regarding academic rigour. I liked the Ursuline staff very much, and the small intimate feel if the place, but not sure about secondary prospects. The study felt more formal, a bit stiff even, but their secondary destinations do seem fantastic.

Is this the case do you think, or did I get a wrong impression of the Study?

I think the Hall is probably out, not least because the school run would be a hellish drive, and I'm not sure it has any benefits over the others apart from a nice playground... !

Just out of interest, where are you getting your destination stats from? Seem more detailed than the ones I found...

Many thanks, again...

db
Xx

On the website of both the Study and the Ursuline it outlines them.
I think it totally depends what you are looking for. If you want a small school where the girls are nurtured and know everyone in the schools name in the first week, then Ursuline. If you want a school which has great academics, great pastoral care and is just generally an all rounder school i would go for the Study. It is widely known to be an excellent school

Thank you fleet. I think the study is a bit if an unknown quantity for us. We have registered, but can't go and view until January. They don't come across as so friendly and welcoming, but maybe that's just to the parents, not the girls!?

But we'll reserve judgement until we've seen them...

It would be possible to accept the Ursuline as a backup option, in case we either decide the Study is not right for our girls, or we don't get a place... We wouldn't be able to do that with the Hall, the financial commitment is too great.

Which might decide for us, in fact...!

Thank you fleet, you've been very helpful...

db
xx

I'd go with Ursuline if I were you. A colleague of mine took all their 3 children out of their local state school (W Chase) once they got to 7 and transferred them to Donhead x 2 and Ursuline. They were very pleased with both schools and all 3 got into their first choice secondary school.

The Study is an excellent school but you need to go with your gut feeling. And for all its stated academic prowess, remember that a sizable number of girls starting at Wimbledon High at 11 come from state primary schools.

Thanks Giselle, that's good to know.

I think we're leaning more and more towards the Ursuline, with the jury out on the Study until we've seen more...

It's a shame, there is an awful lot I like about the Hall, but I have nagging doubts (largely fuelled by lots of small negative comments from a variety of sources) which I can't quite shake. I do love the idea though that our outdoorsy girls would probably spending a considerable part of their school week on the common...

I have to say that the fact that I can walk/scoot to the Ursuline in 15-20 minutes, and the fact that DD2 can attend nursery there for full (school) days from 3 (thus enabling me to work to pay the school feed!) are both really big draws - but maybe that's just me being lazy...

I think what I'm learning is that I'm really conflicted in the way I feel about education. Having attended a sister school to Wimbledon High (Norwich High) half of me is a bona fide, dyed in the wool academic snob. But then the other half of me, having chosen to go from an academically focused educational environment to art college is a proper liberal leftie arty farty hippy, who likes the idea of a liberal relaxed rounded slightly alternative approach.

Thus I may never feel 100% confident with whatever we decide... Oh dear...

Thanks do much for taking the time to reply I really appreciate all the feedback, and I really am taking it all in, and it is helping me to (slowly) start forming decisions in my mind.

Thanks, truly,
db
xx

Oh and slightly that your friend took her DCs out of Wimbledon Chase... I was under the impression it was like the holy grail of state primaries...

Di you know what prompted their decision?

db
xx

Hi DB

You're absolutely right about W Chase's reputation - my colleague and his family moved home just to be bang in its catchment area. Their children are very close in age and it was great for them as it was a 3 minute walk to school, but they felt they weren't being stretched enough, and they were looking to the future (couldn't afford 3 children in private secondary) so their aim was to get them into grammar schools, which they did.

As all 3 children are now in secondary school, W Chase may be better and Ursuline/Donhead worse than they were then, but he was happy with both schools. Not just for the academic strengths (they may have had extra tuition for the grammars - he never said but I never asked) but for the added value extra curricular stuff etc.

Neither school is known locally for their academic prowess as they are non-selective, but the Study is also non-selective as is Willington but both are somewhat traditional prep schools, very much geared towards getting the girls/boys through the entrance examinations to senior independents. Donhead is now Informally positioning itself as the "grammar prep" and Ursuline may well do the same, if this isn't already the case.

Surprised anyone would move into catchment of WC when they could move into catchment of Dundonald.

I think the main issue with Ursuline is that entry is at nursery level not at reception from what I understand.

Yeah, but to be in the catchment for Dundonald would, from what I understand, mean essentially pitching a tent in the playground...

Single form entry (apart from a bulge year last year - certainly not when Giselle's friends were looking) so if you're trying to buy a house you wouldn't have too many options. We looked for a house near to Dundonald when we were buying and fairly swiftly gave up hope. Furthest accepted child last year was something like 100m from the school gates... Daft.

Ursuline accept in nursery and reception, as nursery is smaller than reception and also co-ed, so only half can go through to reception. We have an offer of a place there for DD1 for reception in 2012 and for DD2 starting nursery in 2013, which is dead handy...

I think we could do a lot worse, and, lazy as I am, the fact it's walking distance and both girls could be in the same place within 6 months is very attractive - especially as we moved to the area to have good schools locally... Possibly having a mother not having a daily nervous breakdown on the school run might, in itself, be a distinct educational advantage.

I do wish they'd give the place a bit of a tart-up though [shallow]...

db
xx

This is a really interesting thread. Just to pick up on something you said wobblypig. We bought our house 5 years ago, naively assuming that we'd get into Dundonald or Merton Park.
We actually got W. Chase, which is a 5min walk for us. It had a fanstastic rep at the time.. Unfortunately, I don't know for sure whether it has to do with going up to three class entry and so acting as a sort of 'soak up any kids who can't get in anywhere else in Merton' school but the standards academically just don't seem that high to me there. To pick up on what someone said, if you have a bright kid, they are not going to be challenged there...although that might well be the case for all state primaries.
Having said all of that I have a real soft spot for the school still...it has a fantstastic feel to it, and is ver enclusive, and I may well send DS2 there until 7, simply because we can't afford to have 2 boys in the private system at the same time...

I took my children out of a wimbledon state school (the priory) and it broke my heart to pull out of the state system. I looked at The Hall and whilst a small part of me thought 'this is what education should be like' there was something that didn't feel right. It was a bit....evangelical! They were very strong on community, educating the whole child etc but a bit vague on results and no ICT at all made me twitchy, I think it does have a place.

Didn't consider the study or Ursuline.