Confused on which prep school to choose

[techdiv]

Hi, we recently moved to London and looking for an Independent school for my 4.5 year old DS in West London (anywhere between Ealing and West Kensington stretch). After mailing and visiting multiple schools, we converged on St James School and Ravenscourt Park Primary. Which among the two would be better? Orchard House doesn't have a place. One of our main criteria is also wrap around care availablity until 6PM. Kindly let me know your information regarding the two or any other great schools I might have missed considering.
Thanks in advance

Looking for reception or year 1 admissions

Have you looked at the Falcons pre prep?

I don’t recommend Orchard House School.

Do you ahve places in both? Because this may well just end up which you get a place in.

St James is a lovely school.

Hi OP

I'm afraid that I don't know west London very well. It might be worth asking MN to change the title of your post to show that it's about prep schools in west London. There are lots of people on here who are very familiar with the area.

Ravenscourt Park out of those two without a doubt. Ravenscourt has an excellent rep amongst parents. It stretches and supports children well.

St James is nurturing and lovely in many ways. However, it can be known as the less academic option. Friend has a child there and the behaviour in the prep is not always good. It is also all-through so will not prep for 11+ and keep options open in the same way Ravenscourt will.

Ravenscourt has the link with Kew House which is a nice option, but it actively preps for 11+ and has a wide destination list.

Agree would probably choose RPPS of those two if you are aiming for a more academic secondary route.

Have you got a place though? It's very oversubscribed.

Definitely not Orchard House. RPPS is a lovely school!

Agree with KW2210

KW2210 & West London - can I ask what you thought was wrong with Orchard house. We just went to visit it. Can't put my finger on it but a few things didn't fit. I would love to know what your reasons are if I may.
The children seemed really motivated and engaged in their activities, but the whole lunch in class rooms, children looking like they are crammed in to the rooms, art/music in different building (the local church) and a few other things seemed to not feel right.

@KW2210 @WestLondonn (sorry new to Mums net so didn't know how to tag - now have to post the query again! :O).

Can I ask what you thought was wrong with Orchard house. We just went to visit it. Can't put my finger on it but a few things didn't fit. I would love to know what your reasons are if I may.

The children seemed really motivated and engaged in their activities, but the whole lunch in class rooms, children looking like they are crammed in to the rooms, art/music in different building (the local church) and a few other things seemed to not feel right.

@HappyLily I previously posted my views here because I wouldn't want another family to go through what we have been through. There were some reactions from some people here who I believe work for the school/Duke.
We took our children out of OH. Small classrooms, no facilities within the school was the least of the problems... Having a good teacher was like a lottery. One year you might get a good one but most of the years we were there we had below average. There is a high turnover of teachers and the pupils. Good teachers don't stick around for long. We spent thousands for private tutors to make up for the deficiencies. Especially the new management do not have the children's welfare as their priority.
We have heard through years that a few families experienced bullying and how the school has not done anything but ignoring. Parents talk to each other! Then it happened to us too. "No evidence" is their denial policy.
If the school can not provide a safe environment for our children why do we pay this much money for a private school...They only care about the money, not the children. There are more to say to back up my statements about our terrible experience but it might be too much in a public forum for some. The reason I spent time writing this is because if I was choosing a school I would want to know this.

I’d choose St.James Prep, it does seem more laid back but I think that’s good for children. Most tutor anyways for 11/13+ exams no matter the school so I wouldn’t stress about that.
Don’t know much about Ravenscourt Park.

By your comment on being keen for a 7+ prep, do you mean you are keen to move at 7+ to a selective school such as St Paul's, Kings, Bute, Latymer etc?
If so, Ravenscourt are the one school who actively ask you not to do this.

You will not get a 4-11 prep preparing your child for 7+ I am afraid. You need to go to schools such as Merlin in Putney, Wetherby, Eaton House. Or tutor/prepare them yourself at home.

If in Chiswick and you don't like OHS, I would look at potentially going across the river to the Richmond schools such as King's House, or try to get into Bute House or just go for Ravenscourt and move anyway (they can't actually stop you).

@achiswickmum , do you have a ds or dd?

I’m not in your part of London but i always found the Good Schools Guide really good for reviews of schools. You generally have to pay a subscription to read the full reviews but imo it’s worth it - think it’s about £35 (well it was when I last subscribed )

@achiswickmum , if you are aiming for Bute/ Latymer Prep a good tutor and prep school are helpful. If you are aiming for LEH juniors then a good tutor is helpful but you dont need a prep school that prepares your dd too if she is bright because many going to LEH juniors are coming from a state primary. The girls 7 plus is shrinking rapidly in popularity so as long as your dd is bright and for LEH juniors confident then she will be fine.
Currently in SW London all the pre-preps and primary schools are struggling to fill their places because of the falling birth rate and move of families out of London so 7plus for girls really isn't a big deal and to be honest the 11plus won't be either unless numbers wanting private places suddenly appear from no where.