Oakfield Prep - urgent advice sought

[UmmH]

My daughter has been offered a place at Oakfield Prep for Reception 2016. We were impressed with the environment and staff and my daughter really wants to go there. Although it's a big financial commitment, I would happily undertake it if I were confident it would be the best place for her. However, a friend who's a primary school headteacher and whose children went to both prep and state told me that in her professional opinion and her opinion as a mother PREP SCHOOLS ARE A WASTE OF MONEY particularly for reception. She noted that in addition to the school fees parents had to engage PRIVATE TUTORS to get their children into the desired senior schools. Is this true??? I'd like to hear from anyone whose children went to any prep school, but Oakfield in particular - did your children need private tuition or was the tuition at the school adequate? I know that there are 'top' prep schools where this might not be necessary but unfortunately I cannot afford those. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Just realised you may be talking about a state secondary. My children are primary age, as is my job.

Did you look at SCJS?

Just re-read your post and you're clearly talking about primary. It really is very rare indeed for a state primary to offer all that sport and music and 2 languages for all years every week. Your have very fortunate children. (I mean that genuinely)

I have children in a local state school. I have visited Oakfield twice and I can not see value for money at AT ALL! Having visited the other Dulwich junior schools, I can see value, but with experience of state school under my belt, I would only transfer my kids to Oakfield for 11+ prep in year 5! Saving thousands!!!! The rest is false belief!!!

I guess it also depends whether you pay at primary level purely to ensure success at passing the test for secondary. That was not my reasoning at all. Even if you had guaranteed me they would still pass at 11, I'd have sent them at 4, simply for the amazing experiences they have. The woodland and scores of acres definitely helps.

For added context for those not local, Sudbourne parents are known as 'Smugbourners' by the embittered whose DC missed out on a place. It is very popular. Well on its way to being the next Honeywell, too, if that means anything to anyone.

What would happen if a parent said to a prep school 'We are in two minds and would like to wait for state admissions results before committing to a place?' Wouldn't it depend on how well subscribed they were? I'm just wondering how easily all the Dulwich schools fill reception places and speculating which do so more easily.

My DDs go to an outstanding state school! It IS a really good school but it can't compare with Alleyns and the like! I will be taking them out in order to maximise thier chances at the 11+ but honestly; facilities, level of work pre 11+ prep, resources, class sizes, extra curricular activities offered and a more, are seriously not worth paying for at Oakfield! I say that as someone who has experienced state and 'good' independent! Independent is worth it! Oakfield is not.....

Design, that is absolutely why I said you can only judge on the schools you have before you. Some preps exist for parents who want to pay. I know a couple who paid for a private primary on the same road as the outstanding state they were in catchment for. The private school had woeful facilities and virtually no outdoor space. I could not fathom their decision at all but they had both been privately educated themselves and were frightened of the state sector.

Design eye... Guess we won't be crossing paths then?!!
LOL

Oakfield is fab sch ;)

TC13 apologies for any offence caused. Can I ask if you have experience of state though? I have often seen parents pay for 'perceived' value, and 10k+ per year is a lot of money to spend on something because you 'perceive' the other side to be worse! Through experience I can say 11+ prep aside, if people could experience a good state first, they would not pay for an independent like Oakfield! Not only is there no differentiation academically until year 5 (I have compared work) but in a lot if respects, thier facilities are poor in comparison to MOST local states.

Lentil, yes this feels very much like a school for parents who want to pay and whose children didn't get into any if the local top tier independent's. I'm not writing this to be mean but rather to save the OP A LOT of money! There is no value in paying for paying's sake. Send your child to a good independent or state and look to independent at secondary you want get a good one at primary.

if u cant get one at primary

I know people whose children are at Oakfield and are happy with it; they have smaller classes and good facilities; they have passed into good private secondaries, albeit with extra tutoring the last year.

They went to Oakfield because they couldn't get into the good state local primaries.

Personally, I would only pay private if it is one of the top privates but that's me. I wouldn't go for Oakfield if I have to compromise my family quality of life to pay the fees as there are lots of facilities and extra curricular activities in Dulwich you could do without having to spend 10k to 12k a year.

Also; the people I know with children at Oakfield in Dulwich have complained that you have to pay for lots of extras which the 10k fees don't cover.

For those saying you will move your kids from state to private before 11 for 11+ prep where will you send them? Aside from the intake at 7+ places are few and far between especially if you are discounting smaller preps like Oakfield.

No worries Designeye no offence taken. My sibling and I had to be taken out of Oakfield as my parents had financial issues at the time. We were in year 3 and 4 -thankfully we were able to get a place in a top performing state school in Wandsworth (still in the top 3 today) so yes DesignEye I have experienced both. I remember feeling a vast difference and really missed Oakfield/esp the personal attention. It couldn't compare to the state we moved to in MHO...

I like non selective private schools, students will go onto a vast array of schools and If a child does get into one of the top tier schools it's more meaningful.

My Cousin went to a top private in Surrey and the pressure she put on herself along with the school to get those grades was way too much. Even on other threads on this site it's scary the amount of homework some of these little kids get given at these schools you're referring to. Not all kids can cope with the pressurised pace. My cousin suffered from depression and cut herself whist at the school...she got a place in Cambridge this month.... But at what cost?? I believe that school wasn't right for her.

Obviously that's an extreme example but in the UK more than ever children are suffering from stress /anxiety / depression esp in highly regarded private schools. I appreciate they're right for some kids or maybe it's more right for the parents than the kids.
We have to study our kids and decide what's right for them and their little gifting /personalities. Granted Oakfield isn't right for every family but definitely shouldn't be ruled out as a poor school against other local privates. As an ex student and now a parent of a child that goes there I can say honestly it's a worthy consideration for any parent who wants their child to be the best they can be and enjoy their school life.

Bottom line some children will flourish under less pressurised environments and Oakfield offers a great environment for that whilst getting a heck of a lot of attention and having an incredible childhood! Also it's refreshing to see a multicultural school that is a true reflection of London today can't say that about the other local privates :)

TC13 Oakfield's diversity is one of the best things about it, and is the thing that has made me come back to look at it amongst the more academic Dulwich schools, on more than one occasion. My DD's go to a diverse local state and I can honestly say that the difference between that and Oakfield is marginal. Of course attention can not be matched, but at 10k+ per year with extra curricular activities on top, I just cant see the financial value. You are right when you say it depends on the child, but I think most kids that wont thrive in more academic environments like Alleyns, will do just as well in a local state! State schools have come a long way in the last 10 years, and even more so in the last 5! I'm not saying Oakfield is a bad school, I'm just saying I think it is on par with local states and we are lucky in South London to have LOTS of good states to choose from! I say this as a parent who will be taking my children out to go to an independent!

innocuoussocks - Oakfield is a great example of a school that will have space in year 5 - so not worth paying for in the years prior to that!

In 20+yrs of teaching in state primary schools I would say that in purely academic terms, those who are very bright and those who are really struggling will generally do well and reach their potential. Where a good non selective independent school comes into its own IMO is how far it can raise the attainment of that large middling cohort. Academically average children (which must kids statistically will be) will do vastly better in small classes and get far more attention that they would DVD in a good state school.

It's true, I have to weigh up the pros and cons of these particular schools and decide whether to risk losing the prep place if I wait for the state offers. Everyone's advice has been relevant and helpful, so a heartfelt thank you to you all. TC13, your personal insights into Oakfield are very encouraging. Would you mind if I PM'd you with one further question? I promise I won't start cyber stalking you!

Oh my, I didn't even see this page of additional posts from this morning! To answer fidel1ne's question, I am a relatively safe distance from Sudbourne, but rumour has it there are a lot of siblings this year. I also like Bonneville primary which, although not outstanding, did impress me (they have forest school!) and it hasn't been oversubscribed in the past (though it's definitely up and coming with lots of interest from parents). My child was accepted into one of the more selective Dulwich schools but I turned the place down because I did not think I could comfortably afford it, it was not ethnically diverse and it felt formal. The last two points were brought home to me after subsequently visiting Oakfield. What I may do is visit the selective school again in a couple of years and consider a Year 3 application.

No probs feel free to PM me. :)

LentilStew I love your expression 'rubbish primary schools with hats' - LOL.

Luna9, I think you've made a good point and I feel my DD will do well in either a good state primary or Oakfield, so I guess it's down to how deep I feel my pockets are, whether we get a place at a good state primary, and whether the prep will still have spaces if we don't. I suspect preps generally do have places, as there are parents who register at several and make their final choices later.

TC13, I've messaged you.

My child is Year 6 at Oakfield. While I agree that the school has helped bring him out- he was very slow to read, write, and engage in lessons, I really feel that the year 5 to 6 tuition very suddenly dropped off in quality. It appears that nearly all the parents are hot- housing and tutoring their children whilst also paying for a private education. My son had achieved a lot, and squeezed himself into the top sets - great, glowing reports for attainment and excellence- but subsequently we weren't told about his terrible results in the practise test papers for the Private secondary schools. I was fully aware we might have to choose a private school because of where we live- we weren't offered any of our choices in the state sector because of proximity criteria, either for my daughter previously, or for my son this year. Therefore he only got into 1 school for secondary, and that happens to be private, and miles away. He just wasn't at the same level as the other kids academically, and Oakfield didn't inform us that he was struggling with the practise exams (15% for example.....) until just before Christmas - i.e. only a few weeks before the exams ! Some of the teachers in years 5 and 6 must completely rely on the fact that all the parents get private tutors for their children, and thus leave it to the parents to sort their child's 11+ entrance success. I feel that this is all a big game, and they cheated! Ultimately it comes down to money and competition, yet again. It's big business after all. The result of this is I'm going to sell up and move, and put him in to a normal secondary school with a more holistic and grounded soul.

Not sure whether anyone's still reading this old thread, but Forza's experience reminds me of an acquaintance's. She was (it seems) led to believe that her dc was an academic high flier and seemed completely bamboozled when they didn't get into the "top" school they were aiming for. Of course, that might just be because of an off day at the entrance exam, but I do wonder whether the school has a vested interest in leading parents to believe that the children are more academically able and more likely to get into sought-after selective schools than they actually are.

I have to say too that the quaint uniform (do the boys still wear caps?) would put me off. Of the not very selective preps, Rosemead looks more appealing, although it has very little outdoor space.

What did you decide, OP?