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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Kensington Prep vs Wimbledon High

66 replies

user1485881724 · 31/01/2017 17:07

Our DD got an offer from Ken Prep and Wimbledon High but not Putney. We are absolutely delighted but at the same time gutted as we live close to Putney and that was our first choice. We need to decide very soon but we are unsure which school we shd go for. In terms of distance, we live in between both schools. I am leaning towards Wimbledon as it goes all the way till 18 whereas DH prefers Kensington as it is a better school than Wimbledon. If only DD could stay in Ken Prep all the way till 18, then Ken Prep is the obvious choice as we both really like the school.
DD is a quiet and shy girl so i am not sure she will be better suited for which school. Would appreciate any views on either school from other parents. Help please!

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PrepSchoolMum2017 · 01/02/2017 20:11

Dear user1485881724. First off, congrats on getting great offers for your DD! Our DD is going to KP in Sept, and it's going to be a 30 min commute for us. We chose it over offers at our nearest GDST school and also over NLCS because we felt the ethos at KP is unrivalled - not only are the girls stretched academically but it seems to value kindness and compassion too, which I don't think is to be underestimated, esp in an all-girls school. Someone else has already made the point about not knowing which school will suit your DD when she's 11 (which I completely agree with, and is one of the reasons we didn't go with NLCS which would have been the easy option in many ways) and it's also worth bearing in mind that schools can change a LOT in seven years (both for better and worse) so a school with good results now might not necessarily be the same at 11+. If I were you, I'd go with your gut as to which school you like best and which your DD is going to fit in better at / be happier at. Girls come from all over west London to go to KP so you certainly won't be the only commuter. And I had the same risk-aversion / anxiety re the 11+ but the leavers' list is so impressive I'm reassured that they'll be fine! Let me know what you decide - if it's KP we'll be meeting in the summer term! Good luck with the decision - it's not easy, I know.

Gella08 · 01/02/2017 23:09

Hi everyone

Our DD got an offer from Falkner House and Ken prep and j am really debating overall feel / gut feeling vs logistics. We are 5 mn away from Ken prep and 20 mn commute by bus to Falkner . I know both are lovely school but I am wondering from experience is logistics most important point ? Also any idea if siblingvpolucy is easier at one or the other?

Eastpoint · 02/02/2017 07:09

Try doing the run to & from Falkner House by bus on Friday afternoon and see how long it takes. In your circumstances I would choose Ken Prep.

Peppapig · 02/02/2017 07:55

It's not true that GDST schools allow easy transfer to another GDST school, so don't think that will happen. GDST students are treated like any external candidate

Peppapig · 02/02/2017 07:57

Sorry, wrong thread!

Peppapig · 02/02/2017 08:01

It's too early in the morning - not the wrong thread after all!

Just pointing out that if you start at a GDST school there is no help/advantage on transfer to another GDST.

LadyOhDearOhDear · 02/02/2017 08:37

Peppa - I think there is priority for occasional place movement (ie. not reception or year 7 entry)

RoccoW14 · 02/02/2017 08:54

FHS vs KPS - one difference is that FHS offers an early drop off at 7:45 and after school care (at additional cost) until 5:30.

Other than that, I would read all of the reports (ISI, Good Schools Guide, Tatler..), check both websites, fees, leaver destinations etc. and decide of the differences what's most important to you.

MrsNuckyThompson · 02/02/2017 08:56

I think WH has a rep of a very rounded education. Not quite so strong on academics as Putney etc but very well balanced. I think the lack of 11+ is a great thing!!

Peppapig · 02/02/2017 09:10

WHS came top of all GDST schools last year so not sure where their academics are not as good! And top 10 in the country for GCSEs I believe

PrepSchoolMum2017 · 02/02/2017 09:59

I think NHEHS was top GDST at A Level last year (72% A*/A vs 66% at WHS) but given the national average is 26% they're all fantastic results. I think you just have to go with your gut instinct about what's right for your child.

tourbillon · 02/02/2017 10:04

The GDST league table takes both gCSE and A Level scores into account.

Eastpoint · 02/02/2017 10:13

There has always (well for at last 40 years) been an intense rivalry between PHS & WHS. I was v impressed WHS outperformed Oxford & SHHS, it has quite a broad range of pupils. However all it takes for a school's overall place to change is 2 or 3 girls who have non-school related complicated lives, an ill mother or a nasty divorce will really affect a students life & that will change the league tables.

Peppapig · 02/02/2017 10:19

Oh absolutely Eastpoint, and it's not a good way to choose a school in any case, but equally that achievement shouldn't be denigrated!

Gella08 · 02/02/2017 10:46

Thank you very much for the responses. I will read the reports. I did read a lot already and it feels that both are excellent so are Putney and Wimbledon which I also saw and I am starting to think that location/ logistics becomes key especially at 4 when it is really hard to assess between all these great schools which one is really best suited for ones child.

tourbillon · 02/02/2017 11:11

In my view one can worry too much about "choosing the right school for the child", particularly at primary. Most girls who pass the selection will absolutely thrive at any of them. For example it was said upthread that One school really values kindness - it's simply not the case that other junior schools don't. There is a huge emphasis placed on girls' happiness and welfare at all these schools. I genuinely believe there's little between them at primary level.
My DD is very academic - do I regret not driving her to Bute House or LEH Juniors every day and instead choosing a more local relatively academic school for her - not a bit! When the time comes we can look elsewhere at 11 if we want to.
Any school that selects at 4 instead of 7 will still have quite a range of ability. This is why the top boys' schools don't do it.

Eastpoint · 02/02/2017 11:40

Dd1 wasn't offered a place at PHS at 4, instead age went to the only school that offered her a place, a nasty journey which had to be done by car or bicycle. The below is not bragging but shows how screening 3 year olds is not 100% reliable. She was offered a place at a local prep school for yr2 and from there was offered places at 5 schools, including SPGS & PHS at 11+. She was even offered a scholarship at one of the schools. She has now left school, A*AA and is at her first choice university.

Original poster

user1485881724 · 02/02/2017 12:36

Dear mummies,
I can't thank you enough for all your input and help. It has really helped us to assess which is best.

We are most likely going to choose KP. As I am most likely be going back to work, KP is on the way by tube into the city. It is also a better school (in my opinion only). The main winning factor for WHS for me is that DD does not have to go through the stress of 11+ but as one mummy here pointed out that KP has an excellent track records of their leavers. The only prob is KP finishes at 3pm and has no after school care whereas there is Apple Pip in WHS and the girls can stay till 530. But I am sure we will work something out in picking up DD.

Hi Gella08,
If I were you, I will definitely choose KP due to distance. In my case, it is just sheer coincidence that it takes exactly the same amount of time by bus,tube,car to both schools. If only DD were to get PHS, then it will be a clear choice for us.

OP posts:

Original poster

user1485881724 · 02/02/2017 12:38

DH just called and we just realised that we have to start thinking about schools for our DS which will be turning 2 in Sept this year. So we need to consider options for him as well and looks at schools around KP or WHS.

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OhhOuch · 02/02/2017 12:49

I'm a former WHS girl myself and I loved my time there, I have nothing bad to say about it at all!
But I will warn you that she'll still have to do the 11+ and they won't have any trouble finding someone to fill her spot if she doesn't make the cut, many parents seem to think that current junior school girls are exempt from it!

RoccoW14 · 02/02/2017 13:57

Offering after school care at Ken Prep (like Falkner House and Wimbledon do) would be a great addition.

I too have a daughter who will be starting reception there in September.

LadyOhDearOhDear · 02/02/2017 14:28

IME, if mums are working when their kids are prep school age, there is a nanny / au pair to do the child stuff. What are you going to do in the holidays (which are long!) if you are at work?

Original poster

user1485881724 · 02/02/2017 15:36

Hi mamabear,
I have spoken to the deputy of PHS and told them about the other offers and it is still a big No. It makes sense as obviously they do not want to set a precedent and they have many bright girls on the waiting list. We have been asked to try again next year to see if there are any occasional places.

OP posts:

Original poster

user1485881724 · 02/02/2017 15:49

LadyOhDearOhDear

We are planning to get a nanny once I go back to work. Only issue is we just found out that DS nursery pick up is also at 3 and DD pick up in KP is also at 3.

OP posts:

Gella08 · 02/02/2017 16:53

Ladyodear ,

I see there any school bus or extended nursery hours?

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