Advice/ Exp with independent schools near Croydon

[anuaaru80]

Dear Mums,

We are moving back to the UK ( croydon) after 7 years with in Switzerland and have narrowed down the list of schools to the following for my 5 year old son. We are looking for all round development and excellence in studies. Any advice/experience is appreciated.
Oakwood School Purley, Surrey
St David's Prep Wickham, Kent
Royal Russell School Croydon, Surrey
Breaside Preparatory School Bromley, Kent
Warlingham Park School 7 Warlingham, Caterham, Surrey

RR is not regarded as "academic", it also largely feeds its own senior school so will not prepare towards 11+/13+ entrance for other local selective secondaries (Whitgift, Trinity, state grammars etc). Also consider travel times at peak hours as while those may not feel geographically spread, traffic can very slow. Where in Croydon will you be living?

We would be in South Croydon near Forest dale. I am aware reading other threads that RR is not very academically inclined but I am looking for a more of a well rounded development for my son. Any recommendations? I was looking into St Davids too. Until now my son has not been exposed to organised learning, here in Switzerland its more of organised playing and learning through activities. I want to make the transition as smooth as possible that includes giving him more support so that he can catch up and also sports and drama as he loves them.

Some of those are an hour or more by car away. Traffic is terrible. At that age being close to school is a huge advantage. Purley is located favourably, also consider whether the travel and pressure of private is needed so young, the parents who choose private at 5 tend to be super pushy academically.

St David’s is a nice, small school with a very close knit community ethos. It does not feel pushy academically at all especially in KS1 stage but still produce very good results at Yr6. Definitely worth a closer look into if you think the commute would be manageable.

thanks! will definitely look into St Davids!

Breaside thinks it is academic and tries to reflect this in their results, but their success is due to pushy parents, everyone is privately tutored to within an inch of their life. It is a small school with no green space and is quite run down. The quality of teaching staff is lacking and the SEN provisions are zero (although they will try to tell you otherwise). The bullying with the parents and children is another matter to consider. I have known lots of people at this school and they all think they are proud of the school, they have to be as they are spending a fortune there, but many of them have now left and have left feeling sad as the school has let their kids down.

hello,

I realise this post is a little old, but just wondering what independent school you decided on in the end and wondering if anyone had more up to date insight with these schools.

Thank you!