Wetherby Kensington

[Ladylibra16]

Anyone with boys attending WK?
Is it good as WEtherby prep?

We would be interested to know too! I personally felt it was smaller and more homely than the NH branch and I also really liked the head Mrs Milnes. But I was told they start prepping for 7+ almost immediately (certainly a different approach to Falkner or Garden House), and I worry if it makes it too stressful for the boys? I guess maybe if that's what they start with, they will get used to it?

If any parents can share current experience that would be much appreciated!!

I think there are a lot of misconceptions and some misunderstandings about 7+ prep.
To start with - and so you understand the timeline - 7+ exams happen in the fall of when kids are in Y2.
So - schools that prepare kids for 7+ have just two years to work with the kids on it.

So - before I say anything else on that - any school that prepares kids for 7+ but tells the parents they don’t start that preparation in reception is not telling the truth.
So - if you want your boy to sit 7+ - there is no way to avoid it.

But now let me explain what the ‘preparation’ actually means. Boys in west London who are at prep schools focusing on prepping for 7+ - do tend to start and go at a faster speed in YR and Y1 than they would have been going at a state school. YR in a state school is play based. Prep schools simply can’t do that. They have to cover more than statutory curriculum in YR/Y2 and have the boys sit an exam.

Even if compared to girls preps in the area - boys go a bit faster. (Girls schools work towards exams in Y6, so can afford a slightly less steep learning curve in R)

So - 7+ boys schools will teach more and go faster. They will also have to practice test taking, certainly in Y1.
Generally speaking - at least at Wetherby - only older kids in the year do 7+. Spring and summer boys tend yo stay for 8+. At that age half a year in age makes a big difference in maturity and schools take that unit account when advising you on what’s best for your son.

I have girls. Mine did 11+. I have lots of friends with boys who did 7/8/11/13 plus. If I had boys - I think I’d chose 7/8+.
In my observation - the stress of that exam is very strong for the parents. While the boys don’t feel the stress - certainly not the same way as kids who are 11 or 13.
7/8+ is like a sprint. It’s still only a few years of school materiel and a bright kid will be able to grasp it with not much difficulty. They do have to do a bit more practice than kids who don’t take the exam. But again - it’s for a short time and saves a lot more of that at a later stage.
Schools like Wetherby and Eaton H - know how to teach boys. They have been doing it for years. Their program is geared towards getting the boys where they need to be by the time of the exams. And they have a track record of results. While still managing to do music, sports, and art.
They are not some sort of grim Victorian institutions.

FH - there isn’t enough data on it yet. Garden H - don’t prep for 7+ and only a few manage 8+ with lots of extra work by parents.

A lot of these things are choices, obviously. You don’t have to do pre-prep, and chose a school that goes to 11/13.

But - if you have a bright kid who matured early - he’ll be just fine with 7/8+ and can then be in a school till his A-levels. There is a lot to be said for that.
Or if you have a kid who matures a bit later - you can chose to go for 11/13.
Schools like W or EH - have middle school option which is great. In my opinion.

Thank you @MMmomDD this is very helpful! Our son is bright but he is not the studious sort who likes puzzles and learning letters etc, even though he is able to do these things. We also have an offer from WK but we are now more leaning towards Hill House (very different school I know!) which seems a little more suited to his temperament.

@jlangthorn
Most boys aged 3-4 aren’t the studious sort that are able to sit for hours and learn letters.
And that is why it is amassing to me that boys pre-preps manage to organise their school day and curriculum such as to manage to teach groups of boisterous boys to read, count and take exams. But they do.
This is what I meant by ‘these schools knwo how to teach boys’.
They work with how boys are - and have a combination of short lessons and breaks for physical activity, they motivate them by making it fun.
They don’t handpick puzzle loving quiet boys - like academic school girls preps do - for example.
So it must tell you something.

Are you sure about Hill House? If you want a ‘happy school’ rather than ‘academic’ - why not try for Thomas’a?

But if you think your boy is smart - why not give him a chance and see how he does at Wetherby? It’s always possible to move between schools at a later date - and a lot of people do.

If you are keen to do 7/8+ then it makes sense to do Wetherby. Prepping yourself for 7 or 8+ is possible but it is a lot more stressful as you are having to do all of it and won't get advice from the school.

@MMmomDD yes thank you for the helpful insights, we have decided to go with WK as it is convenient location-wise, and we do like the academic approach - if for whatever reason DS doesn't get on with it, we can always switch schools later on and it is much easier to go from a strict school to a more relaxed one (eg hill house) than the other way around!
@Ladylibra16 I hope you get positive news from the WK waitlist!!

@Jlangthorn thank you! Indeed, For the same reasoning!