St James Junior Vs Kensington Prep

[curiousmum2605]

Hello

Can someone please advise which is a better junior school ? And how should one prepare their child for Year 1 assessment ?

Thank you so much

Depends what you are looking for.

SJJ is a lovely school, but it would expect you to move to their senior school, which is at Ashford zone 6. This is our main concern as we do not want to follow that move, and the school wouldn't prepare you for any external exam.

Ken prep is a very good school, entrance is very selective. You need to be very well prepared for 4+.

Thanks hhks, I thought just the boys senior is at Ashford?
Did not know the Senior girls school was there as well .

Also for Ken Prep, how would you say the format is ? Sorry probably a dumb question but this is our first time for Assessment.

Thank you so much :)

The girls' senior is not at Ashford, it's in Olympia

Oh, sorry, yes, girls are different. We looked for our boy a few years ago. but again, the story is the same, they expect you to go senior schools, and will not prepare you if you want to try other 7+ / 11+ schools.

I think most 4+ interview would be activity based. But schools are looking for maturity (yes, mature at 4+). The girl need to be able to follow instruction, communicate confidently, know basic numbers and letters, play in a group and on her own, etc..

Those are very different.
And if you have a bright and academic girl that passes assessment at Ken Prep - it’d be a very unusual move to pick St.James.
They are very different schools.
One - academic, where bright girls do well, and work quite hards.
Another - more relaxed. With an option for a non-highly academic senior school.

All depends on your child and your philosophy

Thank you for your feedback, Ken Prep is the preferred one but we are so nervous with the assessments. St James looks like a good school but does seem relaxed and our initial thought was Wow no school change until the age of 13 but have not looked into detailed school review for Senior Girls.

Also just a general question with regards to assessment at independent schools so siblings get priority even if they have to do the assessment.?

THanks

Sorry I meant how does the sibling preference work when it comes to Assessments at independent schools?

Sibling policy varies from school to school, you need to check with the school in quesiton. But at 4+, I expect most schools will provide place for siblings.

I suspect St James is far more likely to have a sibling policy than Ken Prep. The other GDST schools such as Wimbledon High, Putney High etc don't have sibling policies although they may look upon them slightly more favourably.
I agree that they are very different schools and will have very different parents etc..

Sibling policy at Ken Prep is different from some of the other schools.
Siblings need to pass asssent on their own right.
And preference only kicks in if it’s bodeline and it’s a question of a non-sibling vs a sibling for the same spot.

As others have said you are looking at two very different schools. Are there not spaces anywhere else? Would it not be better to pick a more mid-point as well such as Fulham Prep (got the senior school link advantages but more openly preps for 11+), Thomas's or Glendower?

Ken Prep is outstanding. It is very innovative but cosy, pushes the girls to do their best but in a fun way. Leaves options open for 11+ but does have the links to the GDST schools Putney High and Wimbledon High.
Whereas St James' Prep is lovely but very much not a particularly academic school. They are less likely to prep at 11+ as you go automatically to the seniors which is pretty much non-selective and very small.

It is totally a preference thing and obviously you can move your DD later on but I would be cautious St James' is closing doors whereas Ken Prep opens doors for the age your DD is.

Thank you all, I have not framed the question very convincingly .

However the answers provided are insightful and gives us a rough idea of where things stand.

What I was essentially implying is we have 2 assessment for Year 1 places at these schools . There were so many things we read and liked about St James but we worried if the ethos they follow would prepare our daughter effectively in this fiercely competitive world.

Also aware how good the facilities are at Ken Prep and how academic it is so wanted to find out if it is a hot house and too pushy which again you do not want. I really wanted an insight from individual parents who send their kids at these schools to understand and then weigh it out.

The next question that arises is , knowing that St James Junior naturally progresses into St James Senior but Senior if the child were to continue with the Senior school does that then impact University admissions and not prepare them enough for life after Senior School ?

Thank you

if the child were to continue with the Senior school does that then impact University admissions and not prepare them enough for life after Senior School ?

It is hard to answer but having had experience of a less academic school (similar level to St James') it meant that the ethos, discussion amongst pupils and sometimes work ethic was very different to that at a more academic school. I don't know personally more detail about St James' but I do know these schools can be at risk of having girls who lack confidence and gain a mentality that they aren't clever and then give up a little.

St James' Senior is great for the right girl. I personally would look at it if my DD was struggling at 11+ and not going to get into Francis Holland etc. In that case, I would hope St James' would be 'right' and would fit my DD, push her to achieve her personal best. The teachers there are certainly capable of pushing the girls and teaching to a high level. The problem comes with more academic girls when the whole class is working at a lower level or the general discussion isn't the same level as at more selective schools.
I would be very reluctant to pigeon hole my DD into this aged 5. St James' Junior is lovely but it doesn't have to be seen as 'all through' (you can switch at 11+ or any point). I wouldn't see the Senior school (at this point in time) as an advantage. It would be an advantage for a Year 4/5 child who you already know will struggle to get into more academic schools or who needs a small nurturing environment for them to move there early to skip the whole 11+ drama. You can't say for sure your DD won't end up at the same university as if she went elsewhere but I guess statistically due to their different intake their leavers' destinations are different.

It is really hard to judge girls senior schools in London. A girl might be just right for St James at 11 but be wanting more stretch at 16, so, say move to Latymer Upper for sixth form. For a fairly unselective school they seem to get good results. But look at GCSE not A level/university.

But in answer to your question. Ken Prep if you have a choice.

Reading your post OP I am slightly puzzled as you’ve picked too Prep schools at complete opposite ends of the academic spectrum and wanting to compare them. Ken Prep is one of the most academic preps in London and St James is where many parents whose girls need nurturing and may not cope with 11+ choose.

KingFlamingo’s post is excellent and sums up the situation nicely.

It’s hard to answer a question about hot-housing in relation to preps that focus on 11+.
From a point I’d view of schools that don’t have an 11+ end point, or, say, comparing the curriculum of these schools and American or European schools - yes - they cover more material in early years.
Just the way the system works.

So - hot-housing is a judgement, not an absolute term.

If your daughter passes Ken Prep assessment - she will be OK with the curriculum. And not feel pressured to go at the speed they do.

Also GDST schools are long established and dont have the same need to produce year on year results that some of the privately owned Kensington Preps do. Ambitious parents often prepare the latter, because of those result. KenPreps results are fine but as a result it will be less of a hot house.

To answer your question re Ken prep as a 'hot house'. Absolutely not. Their selective intake and ties with GDST schools means prepping for 11+ will be no more tricky than other schools and have the slightly reduced pressure of links to Putney/Wimbledon etc.
I don't really believe many schools are 'hot houses' due to the simple facts schools which tend to be labelled this are selective in the first place, so they only take girls who will cope with a reasonable academic pace (and usually they have support departments to help girls if there are any ares they do struggle a little in).
Schools like Ken Prep, Bute House, Putney High are all fab for the girls who get places. They keep them motivated, keep a very broad focus with lots of wider extra curricular opportunities and really inspire girls and build their confidence, as well as nurturing them and helping them through the friendship difficulties etc which is inevitable when growing up.
Girls at these schools tend to be busy, highly engaged and feel very stimulated and confident and self-assured just from being in an inspiring environment where they are constantly given a chance to try out new things and told they can succeed.

Really, if you get a place at Ken Prep, unless you really feel your DD is struggling and passes the entrance assessment through some fluke, please don't turn it down for St James!

Thank you so much for all the inputs, I feel slightly comfortable now and not all over the place with the decision that we will make.

KingFlamingo , really appreciate the way you have summed up everything . On another note, I need to learn to objectively state my points the way you have. Also you mentioned you are speaking from the experience of less academic school and what that does to you , its so apt. Thank you again.

While researching about GDST schools, I further found out that some schools including St James Senior, Kenprep are part of GSA#(Girls schools association) schools as well.

In the end like most have stated , it depends on the child and ability and how they can cope in an environment conducive to them.

GDST and GSA are different.

The lattter is, effectively. a trade assoociation. The former is a charitable trust set up in 1872 to educate girls, at a time when girls often did not receive the same level of education as their brothers.

Which is what I meant. It is a long established and well-regarded educational charity.

Other Kensington schools may be privately owned, or as is increasingly the case, funded by venture capitalists. The schools may be good but they have different objectives.

One concern about St James', is the people who own it and their beliefs. Google.

I have friends in both of these schools, as well as in most schools in the area, come to think of it.
The beliefs of the owners of St.J school maybe were more prominent in the school some time ago.
Now - it’s not an issue, really.

Yes, in primary school - kids do a bit of Sanskrit, and do have a bit of meditation. But it’s not a problem for most of the parents. At least more than saying a prayer before lunch - like most private schools seem to do, at least around here.

Dearest All,

Thank you so much again for all the feedback, we are delighted that we got the place in both St James & Ken Prep following the assessment. There were in total 5 girls for assessment at Ken Prep and 2 at St James.

We have decided to go with Ken Prep .

xx

Congratulations. Very well done.