Moving to London at the end of August with a 6 year old girl need advice re school

[hosulliva]

Hello all, new 1st time poster here so bear with me!!
My daughter and I are due to move to London at the end of August. She is 6 years old. I am moving from Ireland where the system is completely different.
Basically I am hoping that I will be in a position to send her to a fee paying school in London so am looking for advice re same.
I am not certain of the area we will be living in yet but possibly Putney or Wimbledon but would gladly take advice from anyone who can suggest a good private school in any area from zone 1 to 3 travel wise as I will be working in central London.
Any advice with regards to before and afterschool care would also be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance

There are loads of private schools in Putney and it's a lovely place to live.
Your best bet is to phone and ask which have spaces. Some definitely should as there is a lot of movement.
Off the top of my head you could try Prospect House, Hurlingham and Falcon school for girls. They are all non selective at Reception but I'm not sure whether they are when children are slightly older. There are also selective schools such as Putney High.
The state (non-fee) schools in Putney are very good on the whole as well so I wouldn't discount them. Whether you get a place will depend on where you live for them though.

Thanks helloalllll
Pardon my ignorance but what is reception is that like a preschool or something?
I've been trying to look up information re primary education and am finding it very confusing as its so different.
Also as she is 6 does she have to do an entrance exam?

Whether there is an Exam will totally depend on the school. None for state schools.
Reception is the first year of school- they enter reception in the academic year they turn 5.
When is your DD 7? Her birthday will determine what year she will go into.

Hi she will be 7 in October so what would she fall under?

She will be in Year 2 which is the third year of primary school. Definitely worth ringing around the schools to see what they have available. As the previous poster said there are also lots of very good state schools who may well have spaces in Year 2. Certainly no entrance exams for state school. Wouldn’t imagine there would be for private, to go into Year 2 but I’m not sure.

Thank you all for your advice have a lot of research to do and little time to do it!
Do most schools have morning and after school care? I am separated so will be completely on my own.
Also what is the start date for the new school term after summer or does it depend on the school?

Not that it's that relevant but since you asked, reception is the first year of school, the equilvent of junior infants.
In terms of age the school years roughly equate like this
Reception - junior infants
Year 1 - senior infants
Year 2 - first class
Year 3 - 2nd class
Year 4 - 3rd class
Year 5 - 4th class
Year 6 - 5th class

Primary school finishes at the end of year 6.

Just a question though did your daughter start at 4 and 11 months or 5 and 11 months, because in the uk everyone starts the September before their 5th birthday. So if she started at nearly 6 and only in senior infants now, you might want to bear in mind there might be a bit of a jump.

I second Prospect House. Lovely school with a great balance of traditional and modern approach. However it sounds like wraparound (before / after school) care will be important to you so I'd strongly suggest you have a look at Hurlingham School, also in Putney close to the river. They have a high proportion of children from families where both parents work and seemed to me to have some of the best after school provision of private schools in the area.

Thank you all again for your help

My daughter started school at 4 years and 11 months she's a bright kid (even if I do say so myself :) ) and is currently in a Gaelscoil so hopefully even if she does jump she will be well able for the work. She keeps informing she wants to go to an English speaking school :)

look at the Roche School as well, along with Prospect House and Hurlingham as mentioned. Putney has lots of great schools!

So shes in senior infants now? If she wont find it much of a jump at all.

How is her english reading and writing? I'm not trying to think of things to put you off just i dont want her to feel like shes struggling and this to all a bit of a shock. The more prepared the better. And this would happen next year any way, schools over here finish around 3 o clock, i'm presuming up until now shes been finishing at an hour earlier than the rest of the school in infants? I know she'd be expecting to finish at 2.30 in first class but all day can be a bit of a shock in tiredness levels

That said i'm sure she is looking forward to going to an english speaking school

Yes she is in senior infants. She is above average for her reading and writing English so far so hopefully she won't struggle to adjust too much.

She is currently finishing her normal school day at 1.30pm at the moment with an hour afterschool then to a childminder until at least 5.30pm so unfortunately/fortunately she already endures a long day so hoping the adjustment period wont be too long although I am prepared for the battle :)

I believe the summer holidays there are also shorter than here is it 6 weeks? Would parents normally use camps etc for term holidays?

Oh well thats great sounds like it shouldn't be too much of a jump, infact she might enjoy going to an englush spaeking school as you say.

Ah i'd forgotten quite how much difference there is in summer holidays, yes the english schools break up mid/late july rather than the end of june. Camps isnt as a big thing over here as it is in irekand but i'm sure there are some.

There's more likepy to be if you are still thinking about sending her to private school.

Ok thank you ill have all that organised hopefully!!!

Private school is significant more expensive in the UK. We are heading back to Ireland soon and amazed at how cheap the private schools are. €10 to 15k a year Vs £10k plus a term.

I am fortunate that if I can make a business case for it that my employer will pay some if not all the fees for the school so that is why I am primarily looking at them although I am not adverse to the state schools either!

So far St Mary's, Our lady queen of victories and hotham have been recommended what are your views on these schools?

OLQV is a catholic school and you will almost certainly need to be a practicing catholic to get a place. St Mary's and All Saints are both cofE but you may be able to get a place in Y2 if you live fairly near. There are children at both of all religions (and none).They are all very good schools. Hotham is bigger and more diverse- you are more likely to get a pace there as more classes- it is also a good school.
Forgot about the Roche- also good.
State schools have 6 weeks holidays in the summer, the private schools usually have a couple of weeks more.
There are tons and tons of holiday camps and clubs all around the area. That will not be a problem at all.

I heard good things about Our lady of Victories, but also its impossible to get into. Check out the website locrating. It gives you the ranking of the schools in the whatever area you look at...just type post code in.

Hello!

Working Putney mum here - my girl is in reception at Hurlingham and I can't say enough good things about it. She loves school so much that she wants to go at the weekends! Also, I'm happy with the afterschool care - it's £15/session and they get a cooked tea at 5pm. You have to pick them up by 5:30 though - many of the other local afterschool clubs go until 6pm.

From a selfish POV I also like that Hurlingham is at the bottom of the hill on the river - which means I can pop on the Thames Clipper ferry to work in the morning after drop off and not deal with the aggro on the tube.

Good luck finding the right school for your DD. Putney has lots of great options both state and independent and it's a lovely neighbourhood for bringing up a child.

Thank you lizard legs like the look of hurlingham emailed them today I presume they are only easter holidays now though?
I will be working in grosvenor place so with regards to the clipper ferry where would that take me to in relation to that and can you use the oyster card?

You’ve confused two schools! There’s Our Lady Queen of Heaven in Wimbledon and Our Lady of Victories in Putney. Both are Outstanding Catholic schools. You do not need to be Catholic to get in although prepacrising Catholic families get priority. Worth ringing as spaces often appear further up the school.

Hello hosulliva,

Yes Hurlingham is about to break up for Easter hols until the 24th so probably not the best time to talk to them alas. And the ferry is a bit far for your workplace but there are some good local buses you can take from the area. DM me if you want more info.

Yes- i was typing too quickly on my phone! - def Our Lady of Victories in Putney- no 'Queen'! Extremely sought after...The other one is at the top of Putney Hill on the way to Wimbledon.
Re wrap around care- there is now a before and after school club for All Saints and St Marys which rather confusingly operates out of Oasis Primary School (where you would definitely get a place for Y2 next year but they would be the oldest class in the school!).

Thames Clipper- you can use an Oyster Card. Not super convenient for Grosvenor Square though- would probably need to get a bus from Embankment /Westminster as it would be a good half an hour walk.

Hurlingham break up tomorrow so they should reply to your email tomorrow.

Cross post with Lizardlegs! Also happy to answer a message- DC's are at one of the state schools mentioned!

Hello
I am looking for someone familiar with North Bridge House primary school in Regent's Park.