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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Primary school in Sutton->Secondary Grammar

39 replies

LearnToBeMum · 07/01/2022 13:20

Dear Fellow Mum, need a little help with deciding if we are going in the right direction regarding our DS education.

We are at present living in Feltham and he is going to a state school Y2. We appeared for 7+ exams but couldn't crack it, though he scored a place at The Mall School.

Our plan is to make him sit for 11+ Grammar School exams later on and are hoping he will be able to get a place. With that in mind, we are planning to move Sutton as it falls in 3 Grammars catchment.

For his Primary education, we feel that Independent prep school will help him grow better compared to state schools and the only good Independent I could find in Sutton that fulfils our requirement is Homefield Prep.

Does any of you have any experience with Homefield Prep? Are we making the right decision to go for Homefield Prep? Any comparison between The Mall School and Homefield prep, Sutton...
Your feedback will be really helpful?

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JustTryingouthere · 09/01/2022 10:38

Hi, I have two children who are in the Private Sector. Though I am not familiar with Homefield what I would say to you is Sutton is extremely competitive for Grammar and there are only 3 schools (for boys). Kent has so many more and you have higher odds of getting a place. Google the statistics (not to put you off), but it will help you plan so you know what you are up against and what you need to do. A private school placement is not going to be enough. You will need to do external tuition outside of this and a lot of it. You have the option of saving your money and remaining it State and tutor or transfer to Private and still tutor. My eldest has just wrapped up the Private School exams (local to Sutton), and it was no joke! We did not do the Grammars (personal reasons) but had plenty of friends who did (some made it and some didn't - all had Tutors and all boys in Private). I would say when considering the move (not saying going to Kent), think about the longer term if you decide that the Grammar is not the option etc.

karmi2010 · 09/01/2022 13:16

Sutton is a great area with lots of really good state primaries. We are also considering grammar for DD, but having looked at the options, she now attends the state primary (which I am very happy with) and I have started saving in case she doesn't gets into grammar or we decide at 11 that private would fit her better.

Original poster

LearnToBeMum · 10/01/2022 14:09

@JustTryingouthere Thanks for sharing your inputs dear. Kent was on our mind too but it is quite far from Central London and that's the reason we decided against it. However, going private for Primary because my DS is really shy and I think he doesn't get a chance to blossom in large classroom of 30 kids.

You are right that without external tuitions its hard to crack Grammar schools and we are open to it. We will look into the prospect of Secondary Privates just in case.

Can I ask you how was your experience in Private sector, do you think your kids got better learning and nurturing experience there.
Also, would you mind sharing the Secondary Private schools that your son appeared for in Sutton and if there is any one in particular you are looking for .

PS: Wishing you and your son all the very best.

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Original poster

LearnToBeMum · 10/01/2022 14:13

@karmi2010 That's awesome, actually we first decided Sutton looking at the great state primaries it has to offer but getting a place in a good primary can be tricky too.

For my Younger son, we are planning to go for state primaries ( he will start nursery in Sep), so I guess we can reap the benefit of good state primaries too.

Are you targeting Non Such Girls for your DD?

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cuddlymunchkin · 10/01/2022 14:18

I haven’t heard good things about Homefield - they STRONGLY encourage boys to stay to Year 8 and do not help with grammar school entry at all.

I would suggest state primary with private tuition from late Year 4 onwards.

Original poster

LearnToBeMum · 10/01/2022 14:40

@cuddlymunchkin Thats the thing I am worried about because they will losing kids at year 6 who want to go to Grammar.

Do you know someone whose kids were in Homefield and how was their experience.. this will really help us to decide how to go forward.

As we already have The Mall school as an option and its till Year 6 only.

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karmi2010 · 10/01/2022 15:36

@LearnToBeMum
yes, we are targeting Nonsuch and Wallington Girls, plus the usual private schools around here (Caterham, Freements, WHS and Sutton High).
DD is extremely shy and was at private school pre-prep first as we also thought it would be better for her. The pre-prep was great and we only left becuase of Covid (money uncertainty) and difficulies with commute as it wasn't walking distance. We moved her to a state school reception and actually it worked out really well for us, the school is very friendly and nurtuing and we had no issues with large class sizes.
We plan to start external tuition from Year 4 and at the moment I am just doing a bit of extra maths and English with her on Saturdays using CGP books for her age and it works great for us.

cuddlymunchkin · 10/01/2022 15:52

Yes, I know a few currently and over the last few years and they are actively discouraged from leaving at the end of Year 6. To be fair, it is a prep school going to year 8 so it’s in their interests to hold on to students and not lose them at the end of Year 6 but my friends have been really put out by it. When they went to look round they got a spiel from the registrar about how they support 11+ grammar applicants but in reality they have special meetings where the head tells them about the virtues and benefits of staying until year 8. There’s no preparation for the 11+ exams. My friends have employed tutors to prepare their sons which seems mad to have to do so in addition to the fees for the school!

ChristopherTracy · 10/01/2022 17:20

Everyone has extra tuition at prep for private and grammars though - it isnt limited to Homefield. I know current boys there and they will appear for both the grammars and a range of privates - Trinity, Whitgift, CLB etc

Especially now that most of the private schools have moved to 11+ tests for 13+ like Epsom etc.

Homefield is a good all round school, especially if you want a diverse environment.

sunshineclouds24 · 10/01/2022 17:24

@LearnToBeMum , I'm familiar with the Twickenham area and The Mall and have a ds at Hampton who has ds from Homefield in his year. I would move to Sutton if you want a house move but don't move to Sutton for Homefield prep. You would do better to stick with The Mall and tutor on top from Year 4 for Tiffin looking at private back ups like Hampton/KGS. Only move to the Sutton area if you are looking for a house move for the whole family. Living in Feltham and sending your ds to The Mall which is a lovely school is a good combination and a path trod by many families.

cuddlymunchkin · 10/01/2022 18:50

Pupils get into grammar schools despite being at Homefield, not because of being there! They actively discourage the pupils from leaving before Year 8. That’s the difference - of course, pupils still do get into the grammar schools from Homefield, parents are willing to invest in outside tuition to get them there. There’s just no encouragement from the school itself to get them into the grammar schools, obviously they don’t want pupils to leave prior to Year 8.

And incidentally, have you seen the numbers lower down in the school? Looks like they’re not as popular as they once were…

My own children are at Freemens following state primary, In case you were wondering about my own choices.

karmi2010 · 10/01/2022 19:15

@cuddlymunchkin

And incidentally, have you seen the numbers lower down in the school? Looks like they’re not as popular as they once were…

My own children are at Freemens following state primary, In case you were wondering about my own choices.

@cuddlymunchkin Are you happy with Freemens? Did your children join at 11? I really liked the school when I visited but am slighly concerned by some of the reviews on mumsnet (there seems to be several bad reviews and not that many good ones...) But school looked really nice and friendly on the open day and their results are great, Would really appreciate your opinion! Thank you!

ChristopherTracy · 10/01/2022 20:15

@cuddlymunchkin we will have to agree to disagree. They would of course love boys at HF to stay on until 13 but they know that it isnt possible when most people will jump to grammars, Trinity, Whitgift or Epsom now at 11+. Kings is the only real local 13+ school now.

Way back when I had real issues when I looked round CLFS so it just shows how much we can all differ.

karmi2010 · 10/01/2022 20:43

@ChristopherTracy
woud you mind sharing what was not so good about Freemens?
Thank you!

cuddlymunchkin · 10/01/2022 20:47

Freemens is great, my first joined at 11 and the other two joined at age 7. Very different children, all have thrived there, despite the covid disruptions.

karmi2010 · 10/01/2022 21:02

thank you very much @cuddlymunchkin!

ChristopherTracy · 11/01/2022 09:57

I'm not sure our experience from a few years ago on an open day will be representative @karmi2010 but the year 7 who showed us around didnt know who to go to if he was bullied or had any problems and said that the older children were mean among other things.

Pastoral care was high on our list for DS and so we passed. I did ask the same questions at every school and usually got - form tutor/named special person etc etc. Royal Alex and Albert was the other school where the response to that question was slightly eye opening. But as stressed this was a few years ago.

karmi2010 · 11/01/2022 10:02

@ChristopherTracy thank you very much! Pastoral care is high on our list too

Original poster

LearnToBeMum · 11/01/2022 14:02

@karmi2010 That's great, I didn't explore the option for girls secondary around as I have only Boys. But seems like a good plan. I am also try to do a bit extra maths and English with him on weekend.

He does Maths happily but when it comes to writing Stories or inferring meanings, my DS gives me a tough time.

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Original poster

LearnToBeMum · 11/01/2022 14:06

@cuddlymunchkin I totally get that and that was at the back of our minds as well but we are pretty sure that we have to for private tuition route if want to get into Grammars.

Financially, it an extra burden but hoping my DS will benefit from the small class size and teachers attention.

The thing that confuses me is they still market their 11+ placements (private+ Grammar), though I havent compared the numbers from previous years, will have a look!

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Original poster

LearnToBeMum · 11/01/2022 14:13

@sunshineclouds24 Thanks for your valuable feedback dear.

The Mallis very good and we were rooting for it too but the thing is only Tiffin will be the Secondary option based on catchment. Though with Sutton we get 2 more schools (Sutton Grammar, Wilson Boys + Tiffins ).

Also, I have a younger DS who will be joining Nursery in Sep, so looking his future education which will be in a State Primary (We cant afford both in Private), we though Sutton will give best of both worlds.

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karmi2010 · 11/01/2022 14:18

@LearnToBeMum
I can highly recommend Sutton state primaries. We are in Carshalton and the 2 schools I have experience with, Victor Seymour Infant and All Saints Carshalton, are absolutely brilliant, and I heard very good reviews about absolutely all other Carshalton and Wallington Schools.
Also, you missed Wallington Boys which is a third boys grammar in Sutton.

Original poster

LearnToBeMum · 11/01/2022 14:26

@ChristopherTracy Thanks for your valuable feedback dear. I do get that point that we have to put an extra effort and when parents are determined to kids to 11+ (Private or Grammar) exams , it will be tough for HF to hold back kids. Also, as more and more school are now withdrawing 13+ exams, I see 11+ as the future.

The Mall School, Hampton was also till13+ but looking at the changes it became 11+ few years back. So, who knows may be HF will follow a similar route in years to come.

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ChristopherTracy · 11/01/2022 14:28

Yes or there has been constant gossip about HF expanding upwards to GCSE, cant see that myself now with the expansion of Ewell Castle though.

Original poster

LearnToBeMum · 11/01/2022 14:34

@karmi2010 Oh yes, I did forget about Wallington. So, yes having 4 Grammars in Catchment gives a good chance to my DS to get into at least one of them.

Thanks for sharing the recommendations for state primaries in Carshalton. I liked that area very much but we purposely decided to stay close to Sutton than Carshalton as it was on the boundary of Tiffin's and we didn't want to lose it.

If you do have any recco for Primaries close to West Sutton, please share.

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