Rowans or squirrels in Wimbledon

[Vijac]

We've got a place at rowans for kindergarten next year and will then also have an automatic place for reception. I have just received an invite to the reception assessment for squirrels and am thinking that I will turn it down as we already have a place at a good school without going through all that.
Does anyone have a view on either school that can help with my decision. Are there any big difference between the two? Is one more sporty, academic, arty etc? Thanks!

I think they are very different schools with very different heads, vision and priorities. Have you visited Squirrels?

Rowans are very coy about their leavers' destinations, so it's hard to say how well (or otherwise) they are doing.

No I haven't visited squirrels yet but will this week. In what ways do you think they are different?

Rowans? Squirrels? What Woodland are you living in? Why aren't schools just called things like Wimbledon Junior anymore.

Squirrels is a nickname for Wimbledon common prep school! Though my ds is a cheeky little scamp so squirrels is about right!

Don't they have one called Wombles?

My impression (but DS only starts Reception next year) is that Squirrels is more academic, and also significantly more successful in getting boys into Kings. It also seem more ethnically diverse (perhaps unsurprisingly).

I found it quite difficult to buy into the Rowans' salespitch. It was just so fluffy, with very little hard facts about their pupils' performance. Asking the head about anything (staff movements, success rates, percentage of girls) was like pulling teeth. Not the sort of relationship I want with a school.

Sorry I'm sounding so negative! Plenty of parents swear by the Rowans, so I'm sure it suits some people just fine! It just wasn't for us. I think perhaps we're not posh enough :o

Thank you prima. Very useful, it is strange that they aren't more transparent about it. It's so hard to know what kind of school will be the right 'fit' when your child not yet three!

We have visited Rowans as well and I agree with prima. I think the head teacher is difficult to communicate with. Loads of words but no facts and a bit defensive at times.

We were shocked by the fact that she mentioned some families take their children to tutoring at 7:30 in the morning before school as southwest London schools are very competitive - she thought this was normal.

This is definitely not what I want for my DS's primary education experience.

Hi @Vijac @primafacie saw this msg and hence posting a query. Did you end up sending you ds to WCPS? We have an offer but wanted to understand how is it and what the possibility of KCS after Y2? Kindly advise

Thanks

@Lohith you would be much better starting your own thread than resurrecting lots of old ones that no one will read to the end of to see your query. This thread was created in 2014. I doubt the experiences of the original posters will be particularly relevant to you.