Wimbledon Park Primary or an Independent Local School

[RCha]

We have been offered places both at WPPS and a local independent school (The Study) and find it very difficult to make a decision between the two schools.
We like the community feel of WPPS and it seems like a great school with many academic credentials. We are however unsure how difficult it wold be move onto an independent school such as Wimbledon or Putney High in secondary school - at either 7+ or 11+?
Does anyone have an experience with applying to an independent secondary school from WPPS?

It’s a tough decision - and very dependent on your child. We moved DS1 from WPPS after year 1 to a prep school in Wimbledon. We moved him because we could see he was coasting along quietly - he wasn’t causing any problems so they just let him get on with it and he wasn’t being pushed at all. He was given an ‘average’ label and it was clear from parents’ evening that the school didn’t expect more than that from him.

Moving him to a class of 15 meant that he got the attention he needed and he just flew. When he arrived at the prep he was behind his peers in every subject, by the end of the first year he was on a par with them.

He is now at a selective co-Ed independent school in Surrey and quite frankly has amazed us!

I know a lot of girls who are very happy at the study.

Good luck!

Thank you so much, very valuable insight.

Schools like Wimbledon or Putney High are amongst the most academic in the country. They will only be suitable for a highly academic child so I wouldn’t expect that any primary/prep will get your daughter in there as it just isn’t a realistic expectation.

I don’t know the schools personally but the state one does have excellent value added and exam results. If you can’t decide between it and the prep, just save yourself the expense and go with the state option.

Lots and lots of girls from State primary and WHS and PHS senior schools - just need to probably do some tutoring. Although most children I know at prep schools seem to do external tutoring as well..

Can't you start with WPPS & move to independent options later down the line (if you think it's needed)? The other way round is not really an option. Would be bit sad to let go a place at WPPS - from what I've heard it's an amazing school.

I mean not just junior schools but also prep schools later, say year 3 or so?

Thank you @BeautifulBlackBamboo, we have pondered over the option of moving to an independent school at either 7+ or 11+. The only thing I don't know and don't want to put my daughter through at this age is tutoring/stress to pass the exam. We both work full time and this would take away a lot of precious family time.
I also know a few children sitting an 11+ exam in Sept and frankly, the amount of tutoring they've been through over the past year is not something I want to put my family through if I can avoid it :)

RCha you will have to tutor if you aim for WHS or the Sutton/Tiffin grammars at 11+ wherever they are previously. Whether that is 1:1, group lessons or just you doing it yourself. They have to be familiar with the exam format and getting in or not can be a matter of a few marks so it can be left to chance.

Prep schools will do some VR/NVR and lots more practice but ime it still falls massively short.

@RCha - I agree with you that escaping the 7+ 11+ is best, however most children at prep do end up tutoring. I know 2 at The Study who have signed up tutors for their 11+. This could even be just to 'not miss out' because everyone else is doing it. Unless you are at an all through school it seems mostly inescapable.