Independent schools and Tiffins?

[faye0333]

Hello. I am totally new to posting on Mumsnet but have been an avid fan for a while now! Seeing as such great advice is given continuously I thought I'd try my luck with my own question:

Currently my DD is in a fabulous state infant school but I've heard that the junior isn't so academic. As the ideal situation would be for her to go to Tiffins (amazing rep and non paying to boot!), I am thinking about potentially applying for an independent school to (hopefully!) give her the dedication and extra boost between 7 and 11.

The ones I like the sound of are:
Rowen - small and nurturing by all accounts, good at getting girls their first choice but with no potential to stay on if it all goes wrong!!
LEH - potentially harder to get into and perhaps harder to leave?

Surbiton High would be another obvious choice but it really is mixed reviews and plans to extend that worry me - could anyone tell me otherwise?

After reading many old posts on here about these local preps I'm wondering if anyone could give me some fresh reviews/ideas on the above??

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Have you thought about doing extra tutoring instead of swapping schools? I don't know Rowan prep? but surbiton high and leh both have entrance exams at 7+ so you'd likely have to do some extra work anyway. Do you mind saying which infant/junior school she's in?

I would not set your heart on any particular school. My daughter just left Tiffin Girls and disliked it. The school is getting bigger and the catchment changing so it is likely to be a very different school in a few years time.

I think if your DD is clever enough she will get in and agree that a specialist tutor is the best preparation.

Yes we did think about tutoring but I'm not sure if I'd feel a bit mean making her do 'extra' schooling when she could potentially get all she needs in a 'normal' day at a prep school, if you know what I mean?

Very interesting comments about Tiffins too, you are right, in reality they will all be different schools when the time comes I suppose!
I've heard about the entrance exams and am happy to do a bit of prep for that at the slightly easier age to avoid the bun fight at 11 when, in this area, independent schools are a necessary consideration if your child is academic.

Don't think if you pay for prep your DD will not need tutoring for Tiffin Girls. It is almost unheard of for any child to get into TGS without tutoring, no matter how expensive her prep school! It is the fact that there are so many capable applicants for so few places, that tutoring for speed and accuracy to get a few points more than your neighbour and be past the cutoff point is considered worthwhile by many parents.
My DD attends an academically selective prep where 100% of the girls achieve at least level 5 across the board in Y6 SATS ( in fact the vast majority have reached level 5 by Year 5) but yet only a handful get into Tiffin out of all who apply each year. Without exception, the girls who gain a place have been tutored for several years.

If you are considering prep there is a huge difference between the academic standards of LEH and Surbiton High. Would say LEH most academic, then Rowans then SHS.

Preps are great for what they can offer your DD while she is there but are certainly no guarantee of Grammar school success.

I know what you mean about the extra work... but the fact is a prep school is going to lay on huge ammount of homework every night - which primary state schools just don't (I am speaking from experience of both here). Given that, any extra tutoring on top of state primary homework is likely to be overall less what she would have to do in a prep (and preps also often have longer days and more often than not a commute).

Also I second this stuff about tutoring in prep schools. I'm amazed that perfectly able/average kids are paying for extra lessons in maths aged only seven. Don't think a prep school will do the work for you.

All 3 schools have 7+ entrance exams. Rowan's sit girls early in October so force successful applicants to make a decision before any if the other schools, who all play fairly and offer in January. The result us parents hold a Rowan place, then sit more academic schools in jan and release the Rowan's places in jan. I personally know at least five parents who dropped their Rowan offers in Jan this year.

LEH is the toughest to get into, but as u already say, harder to leave. Some do leave for tiffin though, and LEH juniors do help prep girls who want to sit 11+ elsewhere. They are very grown up about it.

Surbiton had a very low no of places at 7 this year as they already had two forms open, so didn't add an extra class at all. It was a shock for many local parents and pushed extra pressure into the other local 7+ available places. Have you thought about Newland House? Excellent school. I'd personally rate it over Rowan or SHS and I have visited all the above schools in past two years. Pm me if you want more info.