Hampstead Hill School for a 2 year old ?

[adijagmom]

My DS has been offered a place at HH school for a September start when he will be just over 2 years (July born). Me and my partner work full time so we were initially planning to keep him there till 530 all days but I have heard a lot of feedback from others saying younger kids struggle with a long day at school. Anyone else here with kids at HH or other pre-preps that go full day ?
Also, the other option would be to find a child minder who can pick him up from there at 2pm everyday - does anyone have this arrangement and know any child minder that could do this ?
Torn in between as we like the school but I do not want to make him super tired by keeping him there till 530 !!

On the plus side- they take a nap. DS had given up his when he started and was hideous by dinner time. Peer pressure at HHS meant that he took a nap with everyone else and was pleasant until bedtime even with the 5:30 pick up. Also, they potty train for you. Hurrah! Also, all DCs learn to eat politely with cutlery. The food is really nice.
Minus side- nothing.

Surely you could have just asked on this thread instead of upping every thread you could find and clogging up the board?

@fennie - sorry dont know what you mean as I am posting for the first time.

@horsemadmom - thanks a lot for the tips. He does take a nap even now so I would like him to continue that which looks like possible based on your post. Potty training seems like a big plus too :)

Well clearly do because on one of them you apologised for resurrecting a year old thread.

@feenie - yes and then I realized I could just start a new one which was more relevant. Anyway do not think it caused any clogging of boards. If you have any response to contribute, I would be grateful.

Nope, don't know the school, and nor will many posters - which was why it was so irritating to see half the board clogged with threads about it.

adijagmom, it is a long day but keep in mind lots of kids are in daycare for that long from 6 months old. He may be tired but you know getting him used to another childminder etc is not easy either, I would just go for it. He will adapt. It's a great school and very well known in Hampstead, by the way.

@sanam2010 thanks. Yes, he is at a child minder now from 8-6pm so he is used to being away from home and at child care. I just wondered if the school atmosphere was different and more intense ! But good point on that too.

Sorry to bring up another questions but I think my decision on HH also rests on the 7+ exams - I have had parents tell me it is ridiculous to have 6 year olds writing competitive exams and in principle I agree. But I am not from the UK and am wondering if here it is considered quite normal?

That school is a hothouse of the highest order. Most parents who send their kids there so in order to get them into UCS etc at 7. It's not somewhere I'd consider in any way. Forcing pencils into the hands of children who should be still developing gross motor skills. Yes they potty train, asap whether a child is ready or not. Accidents are frowned upon. Rabidly competitive parent body fed by the headteacher who keeps the ethos that way deliberately.

@ourkidmolly - did you have kids at HH ? Or is this the feedback you receive from others ? It does seem quite competitive in there and I found the extra curricular lacking. But in general parents seem happy and of course results at 7+ are good. Such a hard decision to make when your child is so young.

My best friend sends her kids there. It's an opinion that's all.

yes the 7+ is a ludicrous thing to do. we're in the midst of it and I agree it's bonkers.

is it any more mad than my atheist friend who went to church for 7 years to get all her kids into the local faith school? probably not. you have to work with the system you're in.

Wow yes - I heard of people willing to do that too ! It is crazy the systems and as an expat it is REALLY hard to understand why kids at that age need to move schools and write competitive exams for that. IN some cases I hear of 400 kids applying for 30 spaces in a school - that is just bonkers.