Primary education in hertfordshire

[PriSaini]

Dear Mums and Dads,

Need some advice on schools. We are from abroad & no experience of schooling here. We live in hemel hempstead & want to send my 4+ son to Harbs or Merchant Taylor at 7+. But before that he needs to complete his year 1 & year 2 in some reputed school, currently he goes to reception in berkhamstead independent school which I'm not sure if its academically good enough to prepare him for 7+.

We have ONE specific question needing your local knowledge.

• schools for 4+ boy - Our target is to start in a very good primary\prep until 7+, then to get into Habs, MTS, or St. Albans as appropriate.

• Radlett Prep, Berkhamstead, Aldenham any of these good academically? any other school which I might have missed?

Berkhamsted would normally just expect children to join the senior school. Habs prep takes from 5+.

Lockers Park at Hemel Hempstead would be best, surely? Transfer out at 11 or 13. It’s on your doorstep, starts at 4-5 years (YR) and is academic. Have you looked at it?

None of the prep schools in Hertfordshire will prepare your child for the 7+ as they want you to stay to 11 or 13.

Berkhamsted is 100% the wrong choice for your child if you have any intention of leaving before 18. They do not prep for any entrance tests other than their own. Likewise with Aldenham (which is less academic than Berkhamsted).

For entry to Habs / Merchant Taylor’s when he’s older I would look at St Martin’s in Northwood or Radlett Prep. Practically all their boys head to those two schools at 11 or 13. Very academic.

Lockers Park sends boys to a wide range of schools, does well for academic boys, but does take a range of abilities.

Lockers Park these days takes a very wide range of abilities.

Pp is right that no Herts ind school will actively prepare your child for 7+ as they want you to stay either the whole way to 18 or at least to 11+ if they are just prep.

Chesham Prep? Used to be very good, had a dodgy head recently but now removed so may be better again.

Actually pre-prep lockers park school was added in September 2015 only therefore was not sure if it has good reviews.

But the boys in the pre-prep at Lockers are expected to continue into the prep so again you would have no 7+ preparation.

I think you might be getting a little confused with the way things are in most of the rest of the country vs London. London has several stand alone pre-prep schools which only go to 7. Hertfordshire has none of these - the only ones that exist are attached to a prep and the expectation is that your child will continue on. Berkhamsted, for example, has a pre-prep on a separate site but it doesn’t prepare for 7+ exams - it’s just a way of getting more outdoor space for the youngest children.

If you are in Hertfordshire and want your son to be educated there then you should think about joining a school in reception, 11+ or 13+. The only real movement at 7+ is children moving from the state system into private, not moving between private schools.

Thanks I will try for Radlett & st martin’s Northwood. I have already sent them a email enquiring on availability 😊. Yes I’m looking for more academic school. I hope I get a place into atleast one. I don’t mind if it’s a lil drive from Hemel h, for me it will b same because even now I drive to Berkhamsted everyday for pick drop.

Both St Martin’s and Radlett are very academic and will get your son where you want him if he’s bright enough. It will just be later in his school career than 7!

Thanks a ton for guidance.

Sorry to hijack your thread but does anyone know if radlett prep would provide the same academic rigour for girls if one is aiming for NLCS, Habs etc at 11+?

Absolutely. Although, a great prep matches the child to the next school, not try and make them something they are not academically.

If you compare their 2018 Y6 offers stats vs. 2017 you can see that far few girls were entered for NLCS and Habs in 2018. In the prior year they entered loads and a high proportion got offers.

I guess what I am saying is that even a prep with a great academic reputation will make no guarantees.

That's great to know. Definetely don't want my child in a school that does not suit her. Would just like the option should she be well suited. Thanks for that insight!

Hey as suggested I applied for St Martin's - but no space :(
But I am being offered space in St John's and Radlett prep. Please can you advice asap which is a better school?
Radlett prep is closer to me, co-ed, cheaper, good leaver's result BUT not sure if they good in sports & extra curricular activities like St John's.
Please advice. If you were given a choice out of these 2 which one will you go & why please?

Just to specify the location of St John's is northwood.

Both are great schools so I would just follow your gut reaction or which one is closer to home? Which one does your son seem more at home at?

Do you want single sex or co-Ed is the obvious first decision.

St John’s has the Merchant Taylor’s tie in which is no bad thing, but what if your son doesn’t make the grade? Also, not sure whether more boys leave at 11 or 13. At Radlett they all leave at 11.

If it were me I feel Radlett offers more options in terms of future schools in that it feeds to a wider range than St John’s which has a much shorter destination schools list.

Depends which side of Hemel you live. Two Waters in Apsley is a lovely school