Danes Hill or Notre Dame in Surrey

[Kokeswycombe]

Hi. I am moving to Esher from abroad this summer and I am looking for a school for my children, DD1 (10), DD2 (7), DD3 (5). I have a DS (16) who is already at boarding school at Lancing College in Sussex. I have looked at quite a few schools in the area and have narrowed it down to Danes Hill and Notre Dame. I liked Rowan Prep as well but unfortunately they only go up to 11 which will not work for DD1.

From my tours of the schools, I loved Danes Hill and so did my girls. We were impressed by the facilities and the children seemed really smart. But then I did a search on this site and was quite alarmed by the tales of bullying that go on there. While my girls are very confident and can take care of themselves, I am concerned that Danes Hill may not be the best place for them to settle into a new environment. Notre Dame was nice and the pastoral care seems to be one of the things that it has going for it but it don't seem particularly academic. My girls are very smart and we have plans for them to apply for some of the top boarding schools at 13+ (Beneden, Wycombe Abbey etc).

So I would like thoughts from anyone who has actual experience of either school. My DH says I am being overprotective and that I should just let them go to Danes Hill but I have to admit that I am having serious second thoughts.

Why are you waiting for 13+ places? Girls boarding schools generally start at 11, the two you have mentioned certainly do, it is only boys and some mixed schools which do not start until 13.
Notre Dame is a straight through school and is not going to do anything to help you get into an alternative school at 13+. You seem to be looking for very academic senior schools, so I am surprised you are considering Danes Hill as a prep.
Have you considered St Catherines in Bramley? it is a quick run down the A3 from Esher. It is one of the top girls day/boarding senior schools in the country and has it's own prep. Its probably more what you are looking for long term and your DDs wouldn't need to move.
If you need a very local prep try looking at Milborne Lodge, it is very academic and has a good track record with Wycombe.

Thank you so much for your feedback. I don't really know much about prep schools in the UK, only senior schools and I have been working with an educational consultant, who obviously doesn't know what she is doing! She told me Danes Hill was quite academic! The school also raved to me about the number of their students who get scholarships to top schools in the area. False advertising??

We are already registered at Milbourne Lodge and I am going to see it very soon so will certainly consider that as an option. I had heard that it was very academic but had deteriorated quite sharply when it was taken over by Cognita a few years ago. I will also look into St. Catherines though I think I may have left it a little too late.

I do know that girl boarding schools in the UK start at 11 but decided to keep DD1 until she was 13 because her literacy is not as good as it should be and I wanted her home with me so that she could be properly settled in the British system and I can help her as much as I can. DD2 and DD3 can go on to boarding school at 11+ if that works for them. I am in a bit of a quandary here because ideally, I would go with Rowan Prep as it seemed quite academic and DD2 and DD3 could leave at 11 and go on to boarding school but then what do I do with DD1? Very confused. Would love some advice please.

We recently checked out Rowan Prep and Notre Dame. Both have received good reviews from colleagues with daughters currently or previously attending. Re: Danes Hill, have heard some negative comments from a few people on academics.

My impression is that Rowan really focuses on getting girls into their first choice at secondary level and does a consistently good job of it. I have heard similar regarding Milbourne Lodge and also Feltonfleet (which I'm told are v good for entrance to the large public schools).

Just a bit of advice: forget Notre Dame, not academic enough and a lot of issues. If your child has not been there from the start, she will never get a chance to do anything as they already have their favourites!

I am sending my DD to Milbourne Lodge next year after having seriously considered other girl's schools in the area including Rowan & Notre Dame. If you are looking to send your daughters to a boarding school at 13, ML definitely caters for this as most boarding schools have a preference to have an intake at 13 and ML has a stering reputation and relationships with most top notch boarding schools. Although the school do not necessarily cater for the common entrance exams at 11+, the prep for the 13+ starts early and hence 11+ exams are not an issue as the students would be adequately ready. Whilst the school traditionally caters for boarding school, the have recogned the need to cater for common entrance exams for those who do not want to send their children to boarding school which is a 50-50% split I was told. If you child is academic and thrives on this (and does not mind being one of the few girls in the class) ML is the best option and will get you into your preferred school. However, if your child needs a bit nurturing and prefers a girls environment then Rowan would be best suited.

There is a lot of 11+ style preparation at Milbourne, since the top boys schools demand entrance 'pre-tests' for this age group - if you don't pass the pre-test at 10/11, you don't get to sit Common Entrance at 13.

Lady Eleanor Hollis (girls only very academic) but only start at 7, girls schools in Guildford (Tormead and GHS), St Catherine's Bramley a trek from Esher though.

Don't think you are being given good advice by the consultant - Notre Dame definitely not academic enough if Wycombe Abbey is your aim while Guildford High, St Catherine's and LEH are.

Most prep schools in and around London have all the girls leaving at 11 not 13, only the boys stay. Most girls boarding schools take them from 11 as a consequence.

Easy option is Rowan as there are no prep only round Esher that will have many or any girls beyond 11.