The prep school North london/Herts with the best facilities

[mumsqna]

Hi, first gen Nigerian immigrant here, I went to a top primary school there and I would like the same for my children.

I can see which prep schools have good leavers destinations.

What I’m looking for is which schools also have the best facilities.

Large field for the children to play
a pool for them to swim in
Great science, music and tech labs
lots of after school clubs (sports, drama, tech, art, science)

We also had a farm where we grew things but that’s a bit of a stretch.

Do you want a prep school or a through school? Habs has amazing facilities but it won't prepare for the 11+ as they assume you are staying. Edge Grove I think has good facilities but less academic.

York House has everything- including the animals!!!!!!

Hi @passport123 thanks for responding. I think I’m more interested in a prep as I would like them to eventually go to boarding school like I did.

oh I heard that habs great facilities but how are the kids, do they get be well rounded?

@BookwormButNoTime hi thank you for the recommendation

Beechwood Park is another country prep which would be worth a look. A good number go onto boarding school. Also has the benefit of flexi boarding in the higher years so they can try it out.

To be honest though, the “nicest” facilities I have seen are at Berkhamsted. New, a lot of investment, quite slick. The school itself is all through though with no prep for 11 or 13+.

I think it’s more important that you focus on leaver destinations and general feel of each school though. I know some schools with great shiny facilities but aren’t that great in other areas (academics, pastoral, the arts). You should find a place where your children feel at home and are happy. Having an amazing swimming pool is irrelevant if you’re miserable.

Do they want to board? Actually want to, not just to please you?

Manor Lodge , Highgate, North London Collegiate (girls) St Helen’s (girls), St Margaret’s Bushey, Belmont

Hi @BookwormButNoTime thank you. I definitely agree. I’m trying to find a balance between Academic, good pastoral care, international, good sports and music clubs.

Hi @passport123 ah well going to boarding school is a right if passage in our family. It’s your first step of independence before you go to uni

@afewtoomanychoices thank you very much. I’d looked at Highgate school. My only concern is that it’s an all through school and they won’t prepare you for other public schools

So they have to board whether they want to or not?

How far out can you go- would Heath Mount be too far?

Boys or Girls?

Lots of boys schools prep for the 13+ rather than the 11+ as traditionally that’s when they would move.

which boarding school do you want them to go to? They might have feeder schools.

You're asking this as if it's relevant in any way. The original post has made it abundantly clear that it isn't.

It is because if the kids are going to get a choice in their post 11 education then considering a through school may save them the 11+. If they're going to board whether they like it or not, then clearly they need a prep and one that specifically feeds into boarding schools ideally.

@passport123 they have some choice. I may not send them at 11/13 but at 16 they have to go. Going from home straight to uni seems like quite the jump

@Danni677 ohh I hadn’t heard of this thank you. I’ll look into it.

The vast majority go straight from home to uni. Very sad if a child has to board with no say in the mattwr.

@Twilightstarbright both, I’d be looking for a mixed school where the boys go up to 13 and the girls go up to 11.

The schools I’m definitely looking at are:

Sevenoaks
Beneden
Kings School Canterbury
Charterhouse
Rodean

Schools I might look at:

Bedales
Downe House
Wellington

Will also look at same day schools as well in case their not ready to leave at 11/13:

Merchant Taylor’s
Habs boys and girls
Highgate school

Thank you

If they are less academic then I'd add Aldenham into the mix. Superb facilities and pastoral care.

@passport123 thank you very much I’ll have a look

Aldenham is also an all through school.................

Part of the problem you may have OP is that the majority of prep schools in Hertfordshire tend to send children onto day schools - there isn't a huge appetite for boarding in this area. Those who do go onto board tend to go reasonably locally - Oundle, Rugby, St Edwards, Harrow, Eton and Wellington being very popular, as well as Haileybury, Stowe and Bedford. BUT schools are sending only a handful of children to these schools as opposed to them being in the majority.

Heath Mount and Beechwood Park are probably the co-ed preps in Herts that send the most to boarding schools. Lockers Park (boys only) also sends more than a handful but it's been having a bit of a wobble recently.

You are getting lots of great school recommendations but they all target a very different audience. If you are aiming for a boarding school at 11+ or 13+ then choose a standalone prep that goes to 13.

"Manor Lodge , Highgate, North London Collegiate (girls) St Helen’s (girls), St Margaret’s Bushey, Belmont"

None of these plus Habs will prepare your child for Boarding school. A few go from Edgegrove but it's a tiny tiny minority. The above schools will expect your child to carry on through to their senior school apart from Manor Lodge who are an 11+ school with a focus on local independent day schools and a few grammar / faith state schools as their destinations.

@BookwormButNoTime @eatsleepswimdive ahhh just seeing this thank you very much for the advice.

In case anyone stumbles across this I just recently found out about orley farm in harrow.

It used to be the prep school for harrow school
the school sits on 36 acres and has lots of facilities
great senior school destinations
it’s also quite diverse too. I think majority Asian

Took me a while to find this, I’m not sure why there isn’t more information about it