naturing center london pre-prep with good results at 7+/8+

[glane]

Dear all,
My DS is now 4, and we recently have moved to London. We're looking for a pre-prep in center London for our DS with good results at 7+/8+, but also we'd like to escape from the academical pressure of center London. I know that is very hard to enter many schools trying to register at 4 yo, but any suggestions would be appreciated.

PD: seeing the pressure to enter good schools in London like WUS, SPJS or KCS, we're thinking in boarding in the future, so we need a school that permits enrolling good boarding preps.

Thank you so much.

Garden House may work well. it is fairly gentle but is used to boys leaving at 7 or 8+, including to boarding prep schools.

Merlin in Putney is good for prepping for 7/8+ as it finishes at that age and has to specifically prep children for the 7/8+ tests. It has no agenda to keep you at the school as it ends at this age so they will give you advice and help.

Wetherby has two pre-preps (Notting Hill and Kensington). Both end at 7/8+ but there is the option to move into the prep. It is academically strong but not WUS/SPJS/KCS level so a good middle ground.

It depends a bit what you mean by “good results at 7/8+”, but I have some good news for you, and some super good news.

The truth (which most schools don’t want you to know) is that outside a group of three, maybe four central London prep schools (WU, SJPS, KCSW, plus perhaps Sussex House), you can get a place at any other prep school you want, more or less any time you want (so long as you can pay the fees and are not an obvious psychopath). All other preps have spaces, and their “assessments” are accordingly extremely gentle - nothing that requires special coaching for. Any boarding prep in the country will welcome you with a rolled out red carpet, and even well known day preps which used to have waiting lists from birth etc will magically find your child/children spaces these days.

So pre-prep wise, you either want a school that will coach your kid for the 7/8+ tests for that tiny group of 3-4 London schools, which is pretty hardcore, involving lots of homework and test prep for the whole class for two years straight, starting in Y1. Not a lot of fun for kids or parents.

Or if you aren’t looking at him attending that tiny group of schools, it doesn’t really matter which pre-prep you send them to, because your son will get in to any other prep you/he fancies. Best to pick a pre-prep near to where you live, where you like the head, the vibe of the school and the other parents.

The super good news is that what applies to prep schools admissions wise also applies to pre-preps. Brexit and COVID has meant that, if you ask nicely and can pay the fees, you should be able to get your child into almost any pre-prep you want. There are a small handful of exceptions: eg some “all through schools” like Highgate, where once you are in at 3 you can stay until you are 18, but generally speaking, parents have the power right now.

You don’t say where in London you live, which is quite crucial. I would suggest getting a copy of the Good Schools Guide and seeing what catches your eye that is close to you. If you aren’t set on one of the academic hothouse preps, and you are considering boarding at some point then it’s definitely worth considering London schools which are both pre-prep and prep combined (eg Hill House, Thomas’s). That way, if your son is not ready to leave or board at 8 then he can stay on for another year or two until he is. Otherwise, you are facing a extra change of schools, which isn’t ideal.

Thingaling is very right. My advice was based on you saying 'good results' but it really is true (except for the super sought after preps like Squirrels/WCPS, Latymer, Bute, possible Ken Prep, Falkner, Dulwich Prep etc) the majority will have spaces and are actually very keen to get bums on seats for fees.

And at country boarding preps, even the 'big name' ones, they are begging for you!

Which areas are you open to OP? We used to be in Putney and were headed for Merlin which I loved, but we decided to move out earlier than planned. My boys are now at country preps. A lot of the very good preps around here - Berkshire / Surrey - run buses from London so you can do that until he's ready to flexi or weekly board.

Thank you so much for the answer @DiscoFlamingo!

We looked at Garden House and Wetherby but for some comments we have read, it seems that you have to be registered very early to have an opportunity to get in. Does anyone know if it's really like that? Even though probably we'll try.

About Merlin, it seems a lovely school, but we've moved to Kensington so probably a little bit too far taking into account the traffic of London in the morning.

Again thanks for your help!

Thanks for the message @Thingaling and @DiscoFlamingo!

It surprised me a lot that information, I really appreciate it , I thought that it was far more competitive here in center London, so I am quite relieved to hear that.

The thing is that we want a big name prep boarding so for that reason we thought that the pre-prep had needed good academic standards for making sure that we've more chances to get in.

Thanks for your answers again, I appreciate them a lot.

Redcliffe?

Thanks for your answer @Legoninjago1!

We're mainly open to schools not very far from Kensington, so Merlin unfortunately is a bit too far away from where we live. Even though thanks for the answer and the recommendation of country preps, we'll take a look at them for sure .

I know people who take the school bus from Kensington out to a couple of preps here which are big feeders to the big name senior schools. PM me if you like.

Oh sorry he's 4 - obviously not quite yet with the bus!

Maybe by Yr 2 though. Some do

@glane
it used to be that you had to register for Wetherby pre prep at birth (particularly around the time Prince George was born, when it was thought that he would be attending Wetherby although of course he eventually ended up going elsewhere).

However since then we have had Brexit, people moving out to the country post COVID, and increased competition from new schools opening. So provided you approach them in the right way (ask nicely, show your knowledge of the school etc) most London pre-prep or prep schools will either offer you a place straight away, or add you to a “waiting list” - and movement off that waiting list will be quite fast.

Don't forget OP that lots of boys and girls get into big name schools without having bee hothoused from 4. You also don't yet know what your DS's strengths and weaknesses are. It sounds as if you are in the lucky position that cost won't effect your choices. Choose the school that you like best.

@Thingaling

It depends a bit what you mean by “good results at 7/8+”, but I have some good news for you, and some super good news.

The truth (which most schools don’t want you to know) is that outside a group of three, maybe four central London prep schools (WU, SJPS, KCSW, plus perhaps Sussex House), you can get a place at any other prep school you want, more or less any time you want (so long as you can pay the fees and are not an obvious psychopath). All other preps have spaces, and their “assessments” are accordingly extremely gentle - nothing that requires special coaching for. Any boarding prep in the country will welcome you with a rolled out red carpet, and even well known day preps which used to have waiting lists from birth etc will magically find your child/children spaces these days.

So pre-prep wise, you either want a school that will coach your kid for the 7/8+ tests for that tiny group of 3-4 London schools, which is pretty hardcore, involving lots of homework and test prep for the whole class for two years straight, starting in Y1. Not a lot of fun for kids or parents.

Or if you aren’t looking at him attending that tiny group of schools, it doesn’t really matter which pre-prep you send them to, because your son will get in to any other prep you/he fancies. Best to pick a pre-prep near to where you live, where you like the head, the vibe of the school and the other parents.

The super good news is that what applies to prep schools admissions wise also applies to pre-preps. Brexit and COVID has meant that, if you ask nicely and can pay the fees, you should be able to get your child into almost any pre-prep you want. There are a small handful of exceptions: eg some “all through schools” like Highgate, where once you are in at 3 you can stay until you are 18, but generally speaking, parents have the power right now.

You don’t say where in London you live, which is quite crucial. I would suggest getting a copy of the Good Schools Guide and seeing what catches your eye that is close to you. If you aren’t set on one of the academic hothouse preps, and you are considering boarding at some point then it’s definitely worth considering London schools which are both pre-prep and prep combined (eg Hill House, Thomas’s). That way, if your son is not ready to leave or board at 8 then he can stay on for another year or two until he is. Otherwise, you are facing a extra change of schools, which isn’t ideal.

I would take this advice with a large piece of salt. Lyndhurst, Devonshire House, the Hall - all properly competitive at 7. I assume the ones near Kensington are the same. They aren't short of monied parents.

“I would take this advice with a large piece of salt. Lyndhurst, Devonshire House, the Hall - all properly competitive at 7. I assume the ones near Kensington are the same. They aren't short of monied parents.”

What you say definitely used to be true, and maybe could still be true for those three schools (although they are not in central London and they all have the distinct disadvantage v WUS/SPJS and also UCS & Highgate that they don’t have attached senior schools). But from what I’ve heard, pre-prep/prep schools across the board have seen far lower application numbers this year. Even schools which last year could set a high bar for entry are having to lower it this year to fill up classes, or are staying open to last minute summer holiday applicants.

Reasons:
Lots of moneyed European families leaving UK post Brexit
Lots of moneyed British families relocating outside London
Lots of moneyed Asian families leaving UK during COVID and still not back (who knows when?)
Some people who were moneyed pre-COVID who are not so moneyed now... who

at the same time as:

More schools being opened, or existing schools expanding the age groups offered
Parental preference for schools which run from 3-18 or 7/8-18.
A trend in provision from single sex to co-ed.

Schools want people to believe that there is a bottomless pit of price-insensitive parents queuing up to send their kids to their school. But it just isn’t true at the moment.

Working in the prep sector I would agree with @Thingaling , there is a lot of smoke and mirrors going on in Registrar offices at the moment.

but in that area there are many less options at 7 that will take you through to 18. Belmont has dropped the 7+. Highgate are taking more at 4 so have less places at 7. UCS are now taking all from the pre-prep and all siblings so have about a third less places at 7 than they used to. That puts more pressure and more genuine competition for the preps

Check out Newton prep - it’s one stop on the train from Victoria station (and goes to 13+)

Agree with Thingaling.
I was surprised to see most schools we registered last year have increased their fees.
Will see next year when we go for assessments.

@Lily7050

Agree with Thingaling. I was surprised to see most schools we registered last year have increased their fees. Will see next year when we go for assessments.

Yep you need to budget about 5% a year for standard increases, as well as the uplifts in fees that come as your child progresses through the school.

@Socrates978

I am quite disturbed at very recent reports of cheating in school examinations at Sussex House, reported by students and teachers alike, but little done. The parents I have heard from are totally up in arms and would like a much firmer stance taken from a school keen on maintaining their reputation. Such inaction does little to reinforce the message, 'work hard to achieve results, in fact, it is supporting the fact that 'cheats prosper'. '.

Is this across all year groups, i.e. a culture of cheating? And teachers know it takes place? This is the first I've heard about this endemic problem.

@Mustbemagic

Redcliffe?

@Mustbemagic: Do you have personal experience with Redcliffe?

Their website seems to be well organized. Unlike some other "big named" schools, Redcliffe has tours scheduled up to end of October so people can choose and book. Online registration is very efficient as well.
I got interested as they became attached to Godolphin and Latymer School. I hope it will indicate high academic standards in Redcliffe.

@Socrates978 sussex house is an outstanding school. I have a son there now. It is very advanced academically and nurtures the boys. Cheating accusations are dangerous especially as it was just one child and the school dealt with it immediately. Very Irresponsible of you to post this here as it is NOT a problem in the school but simply with one boy during one exam week. The boys are extremely dedicated, bright, respectful and well mannered and cheating is not acceptable as you claimed.