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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

South woodford schools - St Aubyns versus Forest

15 replies

Manisha2012 · 29/12/2013 22:08

Hi,

My child is 4 year old and is currently in St Aubyns, South woodford. He has an offer from Forest school to join reception. I know Forest is a good school but obviously there are other good schools in central London like Westminster, St Pauls which do take at 7+ or 11+.

I am thinking of declining Forest now and keep him in St Aubyns till 11+ where they will prepare him for entrance to other good schools including Forest, Bancrofts and others. He can go to Forest at 11+ as well

Does anyone know if St Aubyns is good in preparing or do you need private tutions? Their website is very impressive in terms of destination of 11+ students.

The other option is to send him to forest now and prepare him at 11+ as well but that will definitely be my own effort (tution or otherwise).

I am trying to find a way to get my child into good schools without a lot of effort from my end (since I am working). My understanding so far is that St Aubyns prepares students at 11+ and hence he will have more options instead of restricting him to Forest from early on

Any thoughts or experiences will be very helpful?

Manisha

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QueenofLouisiana · 30/12/2013 10:45

I believe St Aubyns is pretty good at preparing children for 11+ entrance elsewhere. Certainly I was at school (at one you've named) with people who had gone there. I wasn't keen on Forest, but that is personal opinion and it has probably changed since I looked around!

Original poster

Manisha2012 · 07/01/2014 18:42

Queenoflouisiana - Thanks for your reply. As regards the prep, can you elaborate a bit more - I mean I want to understand if I need to invest time from my end or will the school be able to help the children them selves. I have also requested the school to speak to some parents who had their children in 11+.

Any help would be highly appreciated. Perhaps you could point me to someone you know

OP posts:

Ktay · 07/01/2014 20:09

Are you really considering St. Paul's - isn't that over the other side of London?

I was also at one of the schools you mention, with several old st aubyn's pupils... I get the impression entry is a bit more competitive these days though.

Original poster

Manisha2012 · 08/01/2014 12:34

Ktay - Would you by any chance happen to know any of these old St Aubyns students. I want to understand how they prepare and how much time does a parent need to give into it. I know it depends on the child but the school plays an important part

Yes - I am considering St Pauls - I am assuming at 11+ my son should be able to use public transport and we may also shift closer to city by then

OP posts:

mary21 · 08/01/2014 17:02

I thought St Paul's started at 13 and their junior school Colet Court at 7 or 8+ with an intake at 11+ aimed mostly at State school boys. Maybe you need to think about whether you want an 11+ or 13+ senior as moving at 7+ then 11+ the13+ would be a lot of moves if you don't have to

Ktay · 08/01/2014 20:07

I have only vaguely kept in touch with one of them I'm afraid - and it is 25 years since we took the entrance exam so if they're anything like me I doubt they will remember much about the preparation!

I now live near(ish) St. Paul's and travelling back to the woodford area takes at least an hour - we are a bit further out but on a fast train line, which Barnes isn't. I wouldn't relish doing that trip twice a day at school age.

QueenofLouisiana · 08/01/2014 21:28

I'm not in touch with anyone who went to St Aubyns now, I don't think- although I'll put out an appeal through old school friends.

Just starting to wonder if I was at school with Ktay, it sounds as though we are the same sort of age.

Ktay · 08/01/2014 22:18

Possibly! I did a-levels in 1996...

QueenofLouisiana · 08/01/2014 22:20

I'm a 1994 leaver, are you an OB?

Ktay · 08/01/2014 22:22

Yes!

QueenofLouisiana · 08/01/2014 22:26

I thought you might be. You're right about it being a lot more competitive now. We live miles away so putting DS in to that school is not an option. I'm quite lad in some ways, not sure I could cope with the pressure!
I was in School House, seems like an age ago!

Ktay · 08/01/2014 22:39

Don't think private is going to be an option for us, the fees are so expensive now - and we are on other side of town anyway. I was in north house. I think the 'new' head who started after we left changed the atmosphere quite a bit.

Sorry for the hijack op!

Original poster

Manisha2012 · 09/01/2014 18:41

Thanks both for helping. I just started a new thread on St Aubyns leavers. Lets see if anyone replies.

thanks again for taking out time to reply

OP posts:

SAO30 · 15/03/2015 15:47

Hi Manusha2012 - what did you finslly decide to do?

TheWansteads · 23/09/2019 08:03

Hi. Just hoping to revive this thread again. We are considering St Aubyn's and Forest for our DS. For us (subject to being offered places at either) it may come down to cost as Forest seems a lot more expensive and as a % their fees seem to go up annually at a faster rate than St Aubyn’s. Any experiences would be greatly appreciated. Does anyone know how early you have to sign up to St Aubyn’s to be in with a shot of a place as it is done in a first come basis? Thanks.

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