Private primary school near Kensington, Mayfair

[Juthawan]

Hi all
This is my first post. I will move to London around this August. My son's 4 years old. My husband office 'is in Mayfair so I'm looking for private school near Mayfair, Kensington, Paddington. Could you please advice information from requirement as below,
1 Good private school around Mayfair, Kensington, Paddington, Marylebone.

1. Which private school use Singapore Math curriculum?

I'm going to London in July for finding condo and school.
Thank you very much for all advise.
Juthawan

I don't know the area, or anything about the Singapore curriculum (though I'd imagine no London schools use it) but some general points:

1. private schools break up in the first week of July, so that is a bad time to come. You need to come earlier if you want them to reliably be around to talk to you

2. If he is four you have presumably missed reception entry which means you are looking for chance vacancies, which will narrow your options

3. The next main admissions point is the 7+, for which you would usually start to tutor from year 1, so you might want to look into that when you arrive.

Hi Bluecarpet

Thank you for your information. Now i'm confusing. Private school is independent school? I find school from internet. I found Garden house, Hill house, Etc..don't need admission point or i misunderstand. But i don't know which scool is good. So i need recommendation from all of you.
If i'm going to London in second week of July, will it open?

Thank you very much.
Juthawan

Yes, private schools and independent schools are the same. However, just because you are paying fees does not mean the schools have any places. London schools will all be oversubscribed, and you will struggle to get a place for September in a school of any calibre.
My children's school finishes July 6th, I imagine most are similar, sorry.
They will all be used to communication with prospective parents by email, so do begin emailing them all now, and get on waiting lists, there is bound to be churn before term starts.
As to Singapore curriculum, I've minutes, so sorry.

Hi Juthawan
The admissions dept for the school will probably stay open, but you will not be able to see the school in action, and get a feel for the atmosphere.

Regarding Admission point- can I ask are you coming from an international school enviroment? Turnover at international school is very high, so places come up all the time. Less so in 'normal' private schools. You might get lucky, but your first question to any admissions is going to have to be if they can accommodate you. Then start looking for reviews. There's nothing so disheartening as setting your heart on a school you can't have.
If he is 4 now, are you looking at Reception or Y1 for Sept?

Also, be aware that a journey that looks short on the map may take a very long time in London traffic! If you're using tube, journey times will be shorter, but v crowded (though, if you're from Singapore, your son is probably used to that! )

Also, I teach in Asia, so I am familiar with Singapore Maths, but it is nowhere near as popular in the UK. You may find some tutors offering it, but it's not likely a whole school will go down that route.

I've minutes means I've no idea, sorry my phone has gone autocorrect on me.

I'm very surprise that i have a lot of information from you. Thank you very much. I have already sent registration form to 4 schools. Only Hill house, ICS and ST Nicholas replied me to visit them and register. I'm interested in Knightsbridges school because it has chinese language subject. But it's full. Do you have other school which has Chinese subject to recommend me?

Thanks

Juthawan

Hi fatowl

My son is studying private school in Singapore but we came Thailand. He's going to K1 in August. So i think he should study in reception for Sept.

Thanks

Juthawan

Hi MachiKoro

I worry a journey too. Firstly i will find condo first after that i will find school near my condo. But i can't wait becoz i fear that school will be full. So i find scholl first after that i will find condo 's near school.

Thanks for your information.

He will go into reception if he turns 5 between 1 sept 2016 and 31 August 2017.

I wouldn't get too hung up on the Chinese as that will hugely restrict your options. You can always tutor out of school for that.

Second week in July all the private schools will be on holiday . Some may have admin staff around but ideally you need to come this month, asap really.

Hi bluecarpet
Thank for your advise. I'm going to London asap.

All the big cities in the UK have Saturday schools in Chinese ( Mandarin or Cantonese, depending where you are) so that children whose parents speak a Chinese language can learn to read and write written Chinese. My friends son is almost 4 and has been having lessons since September (he's trilingual Mandarin/Cantonese/English). They use the same order of learning as schools in mainland China as far as I know, and they have plenty of materials available in UK to support learning.

Hi Machikoro

Thank you very much for your information.

I'm just wondering if your DH's (Dear Husband) company have any relocation advisors that could help?
Or any families that have previously been posted to London who could tell you what worked for them,and what didn't.

Loads of the London prep schools do Singapore maths these days. Falkner House is in Kensington is opening a new boys branch so might have spaces but I don't think that is until Sept 2017.

Even if the school doesn't do Singapore maths, maybe a school with a Confucius Classroom could help? And I have a friend who sends her young children to the local university every weekend for Mandarin lessons, as her school doesn't cater for that.

I'm not in central London, but in my local area, as with London, unfortunately an ability and willingness to pay for education doesn't necessarily mean that you can get a place in the school of your choice. By this time of year, most of the Infant/Reception places are full. However, that doesn't mean all - as previous posters have said, approach schools to find out if they have spaces, and then take it from there. I wish you absolutely all the best with your move, and finding a suitable school place.