best private school for 4 years old

[mellysmummy]

Hi all,
Me and my husband looking for a private school for our 3 years old daughter. We live in Cutty Sark near Lewisham in South East London. She is so sensitive and shy child, English is her third language currently. We are looking for a private school that improves her confident. We searched majority of local private preps and schools only but your personal advice and experiences will help us to decide. Meanwhile we moved to England recently so we do not have too much friends or family to discuss it - so it is more difficult for us to decide. We want to go for private as I mentioned my daughter is so shy I do believe she will flourish in small group more and also I would like her to stay at school until 16:30- 17:00 at least 2-3 days in a week. So its needs to be somewhere that she can get instruments, dance and/or language lessons after school time. The system is also not so familiar to us... For example preps are up to year 6 after that the students needs to get in to the 11+ exams. I would like the know... competitions for the private schools in this area? One of my husbands friends told us that secondary schools only offer place to 5-10% applicants. Is the competition like that in this area as well? If it its sounds risky. But if she can easily can get a place in one of the private secondary schools after preps it is ok... we do prefer small, warm and friendly school for her. I know my daughter is still 3 years old and too early to think about the secondary or 11+ right now but as I do not the system, I don't want to make wrong decision and then change her school later on.
Thank you.

Have you looked into Montessori? My very shy daughter really benefited from it

@ChnandlerBong sorry I said “near Lewisham” because we are 15 mins away from Lewisham and in South East almost everyone knows the Lewisham area. I was trying to give a clue for readers to understand where we live actually.
Meanwhile I would like to thanks for the recommendations 🙏🏻🌸
And @newsibling123 you read my mind... Its true because of language problem I know the first year will be hard for her to settle so that I dont want to move her other school next year.

@Mellysmummy personally I wouldn’t rule out some of the independent schools. They are pretty international and gave smaller classes so might be a good place for your dd. We used to live in Greenwich and there actually weren’t that many private nursery schools when we were looking.

Honestly I’d go and have a look at the primaries and the independents and make sure you apply quickly. It will be ok!

@mellysmummy

Hi all, Me and my husband looking for a private school for our 3 years old daughter. We live in Cutty Sark near Lewisham in South East London. She is so sensitive and shy child, English is her third language currently. We are looking for a private school that improves her confident. We searched majority of local private preps and schools only but your personal advice and experiences will help us to decide. Meanwhile we moved to England recently so we do not have too much friends or family to discuss it - so it is more difficult for us to decide. We want to go for private as I mentioned my daughter is so shy I do believe she will flourish in small group more and also I would like her to stay at school until 16:30- 17:00 at least 2-3 days in a week. So its needs to be somewhere that she can get instruments, dance and/or language lessons after school time. The system is also not so familiar to us... For example preps are up to year 6 after that the students needs to get in to the 11+ exams. I would like the know... competitions for the private schools in this area? One of my husbands friends told us that secondary schools only offer place to 5-10% applicants. Is the competition like that in this area as well? If it its sounds risky. But if she can easily can get a place in one of the private secondary schools after preps it is ok... we do prefer small, warm and friendly school for her. I know my daughter is still 3 years old and too early to think about the secondary or 11+ right now but as I do not the system, I don't want to make wrong decision and then change her school later on. Thank you.

Why would you not consider a small, warm and caring state primary school?

Also to help with your English... "We are looking for a private school that will improve her confidence."

"We do not have very many friends or family."

For that area I would recommend Blackhearh High School also. We were sorry to leave London and to take the girls out of the school. While it is all girls it has a friendly ethos and a really strong approach on bullying. Girl on girl bullying is very subtle & passive aggressive even at primary level and they handle it very well. The nursery classes (3 - morning, afternoon, or all day) are great and it's extremely multicultural as a school. The downsides, not a lot of open space at playtime though they are inventive with their space; the class sizes are large for an independent school; a child with special educational needs eg: dyslexia does not get extra support.

Colfes is a great school but tricky to get to if you are central Greenwich. Short in distance but traffic will be stationary. Irrelevant if you will simply rent/buy somewhere convenient nearby once you have decided.

Blackheath Prep is or was very academic and has highly competitive entry. Pointers is evangelical in ethos, which may appeal or really won't. Heath House seems to attract those who like the quaint uniforms but say little about the quality of the education. A lot of boys in particular seemed to move on at 7 to boarding or other preps.

The state schools at primary in the area will be multicultural and are of a high standard. I wouldn't dismiss them but a place may be tricky albeit most don't have a nursery so it will be private nursery and applications at Christmas time or thereabouts.
Secondaries vary but in my experience at least 20%of families move onto other locations within 3 yrs for work or family and so I wouldn't plan my whole life around it.

If you can visit the schools, I would.

@supersonicspider thanks for the advice :) I am not British - English is my third language. And we moved to London just 3 months ago. We came here to work and If I tell where I work trust me you not going believe because I passed more than 3 tests to have that position in here. I am doing my best to improve my English.🙏🏻Buuuuuut I do not think we need to have super good English open the tread here. If you are unhappy with my English you can type in German or French.

@TypsTrycks
@TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams thank you both for you recommendations.

[quote mellysmummy]@supersonicspider thanks for the advice :) I am not British - English is my third language. And we moved to London just 3 months ago. We came here to work and If I tell where I work trust me you not going believe because I passed more than 3 tests to have that position in here. I am doing my best to improve my English.🙏🏻Buuuuuut I do not think we need to have super good English open the tread here. If you are unhappy with my English you can type in German or French.[/quote]
Don't worry @mellysmummy

Most English people can barely speak English correctly never mind a foreign language, having three languages places you in an elite far above the vast majority of English, I mean literally 94% of the country.

You can write English far better than most native posters on here could start a thread in a non-English language

Trust me @mellysmummy, your English is perfectly fine. You live in an area which is incredibly diverse and where nobody cares about their neighbour’s country of origin or language skills.

Good luck with your search!

@mellysmummy also which month was your daughter born in? If she turns 4 before 31 August then she should start in school in September (rather than Nursery) and you have missed the application deadline for state schools - but the council can probably help with that.

@newsibling123 @TypsTrycks thank you so so so much. That is so kind of you 🙏🏻🌸
I can handle that as I studied PHD in Psychology. But I am here as a mum of 3 years old and we need to understand we are all perfect in some topics or/and not perfect in others - which is so normal🍀 we live to learn - to improve...

@ChnandlerBong she needs to start reception in September 2023 x
But I was told that we need to make the applications for reception place in October- November 2022. So I wanted make a list of schools that we need to visit until that time.

Little Sponges is a lovely nursery in greenwich. It’s very small and nurturing, and they have a lot of experience with children who don’t have English as a first language. It’s a Montessori nursery, worth looking at.

I second Little Sponges - although they do have a long waiting list.

Might also be worth looking at Robert Owen nursery. It’s state run. Very experienced teachers, nurturing and has a strong ethos of child-led play. It’s quite diverse too.

Thank you for the recommendations x
I really liked the online video tour of Blackheath High. They also have nice after school clubs. Meanwhile I met with a lady in the Greenwich park today - her 3 daughters goes to Blackheath High Juniors and she said it is lovely and nurturing environment for girls - no bullying etc..
But I will also consider Little Sponges and Blackheath Prep.
Do you think I should also visit the Colfe’s? Blackheath High Juniors ISI report is excellent, Colfe Juniors is good. - GCSE results almost the same but its not something that I care a lot right now as she is just 3 years old.

Thank you again everyone 🙏🏻🌸

Happy to see you here! Catty Sark lovely place! We lived there a year ago and I still fall in love with it! I wish you and your family will feal the same.
My little one was going to the BHS nursery and we were very happy with it. My daughter isn't too shy, but I saw girls who feel uncomfortable first half a year without their mums. I saw how soft and gentle were their teachers and teachers assistants. They were very very supportive and they wanted to help them with all their hearts. I would say it is the best place for starting. They don't care do girls know English or not. And my daughter still have friends from there.

@rujik2 thank you so much for your comment - means a lot 🙏🏻🌸 I must say I have been so impressed with the comments for Blackheath High School. And yes we love Cutty Sark too 😍❤️

@mellysmummy Blackheath prep has a whole assessment process for nursery. The Sept 2023 Nursery intake will already be set.

they do sometimes have Reception places available - but you'd need to register now for Sept 2024 if you're interested? HTH

@ChnandlerBong my daughter needs to start reception in Sep, 2023. She can start nursery this Sep but I think we are a bit late:/// but still I will visit the Blackheath Prep, Blackheath High School and Little Sponges. Not sure about Colfes as I didn’t like the ISI report.

If she is shy isn't she going to be overwhelmed with school. Why not find a good day nursery where play is mostly focused upon and uilding social skills. Most are open long hours to accommodate working parents. Think about school from aged nearly 5

That’s what I’m saying. There are no reception places at the prep- or only v few- as all the nursery kids take them….

My daughter went to Greenwich courtyard nursery which is really close to you, in the church grounds. It’s a state nursery and we loved it. Small with wonderful caring staff who are still there. She then went to Pointers in reception which wasn’t good for our daughter at all so later moved to Blackheath Prep which was absolutely brilliant - both teaching and pastoral care. The headmaster there is very good. They prepare the children very well for 11+ (Grammar and private) and get great results. However as some of the other posters said it is a less stressful option to go for a school that also has a senior school so Blackheath High worth looking at too

I'm interested to hear in what way Colfes Junior isn't selective, they have 3 or 4 applicants per each place at 4+, and do an assessment to decide who gets a place? Is that not selective?

@Ilikepinacoladass wow you dug this post from 18 months ago to ask that?!

I just don’t know any kids who have been turned away at 3 or 4. They may have lots of applications but if each kid is also applying to Pointers/BP/Dunstans/Farringdon’s/wherever then that doesn’t make it oversubscribed.

also doesn’t stop it bring a good school

HTH

Your best bet is to look around and see what feels right for your child. Getting a place at one of the very academic secondary schools in London is tricky but I wouldn't worry about that now - closer to the time you will know what is likely to suit your dd and what to aim for. My ds has just gone into yr7, he has gone to a school I would've never thought about when he was 3 but it suits him. I would also look at the state sector. The classes are bigger but my son's school was very nurturing and speaking a range of languages the norm.