Feedback on Ibstock Place & Harrodian

[ameliex]

Hi, I am trying to chose between Ibstock Place and Harrodian for my 4yo DD.. I live overseas atm so no local knowledge about either. Just going off one visit to each. If you have girls (or boys) at either/both please could you share your views on how they compare at pre-prep / prep stage. My DD is reasonably outgoing, chatty, happy, gentle child. V much a people pleaser. Feel too early to say how academic/sporty etc Any help welcome! 🙏🏼

Where are you going to be living? The most important thing is which is easier to get to from you ...

Hi ElegantineP, I will be living pretty much equidistant from each.. about a 10 min drive. I am keen to chose a school close-by for playdates

Which will be easier for your child to access by public transport when they're older - the schools go all the way through to 18, so you won't be driving them forever. There's not that much else to choose, so I would seriously base the decision on that.

There must be more to differentiate them than public transport availability! Do you have kids at either?

I have friends with kids at both. I am not being facetious, they are both well-regarded schools in lovely locations. You're highly unlikely to get a comparison from someone who had a child in both Receptions, or if you are it will be someone with an agenda either to praise or slate the school, which will not help you. Go on your gut instinct for which you preferred, as someone with much older children that's never failed me.

I used to teach at Ibstock and loved it. It’s a gentle start that then gets more academic as the children get older. Great grounds and facilities. I loved that the younger children got muddy - quite rare for London!

Hi @dollyandteddy yes I love the fact that it backs on to Richmond Park and great to hear that they do actually use it! Is it reasonably ethnically mixed? How international is it? And also do the kids come from all over or a couple of local kindergartens primarily. Thank you

Most started in the nursery, a good representation of international families but not particularly diverse.

I'm trying to decide between ibstock and harrodian for my kids - ages 7 and 11. I have heard rumours that ibstock is becoming very academic and gives a lot of homework. Is this true? On the flip side, I hear that harrodian is a party school with many celebrity kids. Any advice would really be helpful! Location is not so much a concern