Arnold House

[nurseryparent25]

From this year, Arnold House has started pre-reception and reception class - previously the intake was at 5+.

We've been fortunate to have been offered a place in the pre-reception class. While Arnold House has always been a top school choice for us, the current situation makes things a bit different because we were aiming for our boy to start there at 5+ .

If we accept the place now for a pre-reception class, we will have to leave a prestigious North London nursery school (my boy loves going there!) in the middle of a two-year cycle that aims to prepare children for the 4+ assessments.

Also, appearing for 4+ assessments for the Hall, UCS, etc. will almost be pointless.

I would be grateful to get candid feedback on :

a) How is Arnold House doing just now in terms of performance, results, etc.? I have heard mixed reviews recently

b) How The Hall, Highgate and UCS compare to Arnold House (if we decide to pass up on the current opportunity and sit for assessments end of 2021)

Many thanks

Your child is 2 or 3 right now. You have no idea how academic he will be as he develops. All are very good schools. Your focus on performance and results at this point is slightly terrifying. Focus on which school you think will be a good fit for him right now and stop planning for academic outcomes at 11 or 13!

The very fact you talk about him going to "a prestigious nursery" says it all.

a 2 year cycle that prepares for the 4+ assessments

can't really relate to any of this - surely you liked arnold house or you wouldn't have put his name down? surely your own opinion is more important than any randoms online?

I presume you mean Clowns nursery? All the schools you mention are great schools, our son is in one of them. Seems the only decision to make is whether you like Arnold House more than the others - in which case - going with their prereception class is the most logical option. Otherwise let your son flourish at nursery and make a more informed choice at the 4+ entry time. More options then, you can do more research and watch how he develops between now and then. I would only go for Arnold House now if you are fully convinced its where you want to go above the others and it works for your family logistics

Funny, I also assumed you mean Clowns. You may regard it as prestigious (bizarre way to describe a nursery!) but I know of several people who feel their kids were completely let down by them - notably those who have absolutely lovely children that didn't make the cut for the most selective schools at 4+ and who ended up feeling like they'd failed with a less bright academic future ahead. AT FOUR YEARS OLD.

Hothousing a child of 3 and training them to pass the 4+ is utterly wrong in every single way.

It makes me shudder that you asked nothing about how happy people's children are in these schools, what pastoral support they offer, the ways children are supported etc etc. Just references for academic outcomes. I hope your 3 year old lives up to your intellectual aspirations.

@nurseryparent25 what did you decide, if you don’t mind me asking?