Rowan Prep vs Danes Hill vs Notre Dame

[Squiggles1]

Dear Mums, I wondered if you could help me a little. Am currently abroad and will relocate back to the UK this summer. My DS has got into an excellent school but currently am trying to decide on where to place my 6 yr old DD who will be going into Year 2 this Sept.

My DD is bright but as yet has not learnt to apply herself to her schoolwork. She is very very good at sports. She is outgoing and happy with a positive outlook on life. She currently loves school where she is at the moment but struggles a bit because she gets distracted by her friends easily.

During last summer we have looked at some schools and as a result she is waitlisted at a school which would be our top choice - co-ed, quite sporty but a school that goes up to 18years. Other schools turned out to be too small, full or to be honest, too academic, and we have looked at five or six others in the area.

We are now looking at Rowan Prep, Danes Hill and Notre Dame and I would value any thoughts on the above. The threads on Mumsnet on these schools are quite old so I was wondering if there was any updates or thoughts for these schools. The biggest problem I have is that I have not visited these schools and will probably not be able to do so for a while due to family and work commitments (I live in Asia).

I get the feeling that Rowan Prep is very academic and not too sporty, that Danes Hill is fairly good but has a 'snooty' reputation but is good at sports, and Notre Dame doesn't push the girls as hard as they should? Please correct me if I am wrong - I don't want to tread on anyone's toes or get the wrong opinion of these schools. I would ideally like a good school for my DD who will push her to her potential but will also cater for her sports. However, I don't want her to feel like she is always struggling academically because I want her to gain confidence in her learning. Any thoughts please?

Where are you going to be living?
What about surbiton juniors?

We will be living in Walton on Thames. I think Surbiton takes from Year 3 - DD is looking to go into Year 2 in Sept 2014.

Surbiton take from age 4.
I think your view on the other schools is about right. Rowan is a big feeder to LEH, surbiton senior etc.

Twickenham Prep? (it's in Hampton)

Where will you be living? Given that most schools have already filled their places for the new academic year, I imagine some of your choice will be dependent on which schools could accommodate your daughter.
Is there no one at your DDs current school who can liase with appropriate schools on her behalf (assuming she is in an international school if you are in Asia...apologies if this is incorrect)?

We will be living in Walton on Thames. Twickenham might be a bit tough as my DS will be going to school in wimbledon.
It's difficult from here in Asia as none of the schools here have much idea about the UK schools so we're pretty much on our own. I think I have a pretty good idea which school would be suitable for my DD but when you speak to a school, or visit a school, sometimes things aren't always as they seem. And yes it does depend on where the spaces as - other schools I have looked at are full or unsuitable for various reasons. It will most likely be a toss up between Rowan and Danes Hill.

Have you looked at westward, I know a few girls who went onto GHS from there - both very bright and polite.

It depends what you want for her.

My knowledge is that Rowan is excellent at getting girls into the senior school that suits them and is sporty. All the schools you have mentioned are sporty. There are buses from Walton to all the schools and others slightly further afield. If you want more details about the schools do PM me as there is plenty as I live in the area and have very good knowledge of all of the schools.

Dalmationdots - thanks for your post. I think Westward might be a bit small for my DD. Also, she is hugely sporty and I feel, not that academic. We had visited GJS last summer and we really did feel that it was not the right school for her. My DD is bright but not academic, but I am still holding out hope that she will want to do well in school, which is why I want a school which is quite academic but also very sporty so that she can feel happy and confident. Not sure GHS will be the best school for her when she gets older, but you never know! And sounds like ND might be one to avoid..
Daisysue - thank you for all you info too!

Hi, what did you decide in the end? When DD was 9 months we left for the States and we visited DH and Rowan. We LOVED Rowan and really didn't like DH much at all, so we got her a place at Rowan. We are coming back next summer and need to decide whether to take up her place or try somewhere else, so I would love to hear what you decided! Our daughter is only 4 but more academic than sporty. TIA! (PS how did you find it coming back? I'm a bit nervous!)

Hi mommyandmummy, we got her a place at St Georges Junior School in Weybridge in the end. My daughter is extremely happy there and the school has been nothing short of fantastic in welcoming her into the school community. We are very happy with our choice. I hope you find a good school for your DD. The trick though is to start sooner rather than later so that you can see the schools and make the right decision for your child.
We've been back 3 months now and to be honest, have really enjoyed it. We were away 10 years so it's nice to be home.