Wetherby Pee-Prep

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A quick question - how is it that Wetherby has such a good ratio of pupils that get into St Paul's Juniors (68) and Westminster (55) in the last 5 years.

It's almost as if you have a better than 1 in 3 chance of getting in.

They don't have an assessment to get in, are they a feeder? Surely not all kids are that bright?

Other Pre-Peps don't have the same ratio, they more like 1 in 7.

For example Hampstead Hill.

I'm curious. Our son is at a decent pre-prep, so just find it interesting that Wetherby Pre-Prep does so well.

They push incredibly hard. Set from early on. Tests from reception. Lots of rote learning and cramming. Parents have to play a big role. Often tutors brought in too.

It is also a large school. Those numbers are still excellent though.

Not putting the school down, it is doing what traditional pre-preps do and preparing for prep admissions.

It makes me laugh when compared to girls' London system where parents easily criticise if there is any pressure or over prepping for 11+. The pressure these little boys are put under is so much more, so much earlier.

Pee prep? Is that sone kind of fancy private school potty training?

I don't know much about SPJ but for WUS the largest batches are from the Wetherby and Eaton House group of schools. Both are non-selective and have an academic focus but as others have noted the cohorts are bigger as its larger and multiple school (2x Wetherby and 2x Eaton House).

Other schools generally send 2 or 3 kids a year from much smaller year groups.

Generally go with a school that suits your situation and as long as they get 1 or 2 into those 2 schools I'm fairly confident their preparation is good enough

They manage out any problem children... It's obvious I think. They are probably no worse than most competitive preps but I'm sure it happens.

yes - they have larger groups, i think perhaps 40-60 in each year, but to be sending 1/3 into SJPS and WUS is incredibly…..if the year has 50 they are sending roughly 18-20, which is impressive. Hampstead Hill in NW London sends a few out of probably 20 or so boys…..so there is something they are doing.

perhaps it’s just cramming and technique….if you do the same questions 100 times, you get the gist of it?

They do charge 25k a year, compared to 18k at other pre-preps.

It's 7+ and 8+ and isn't a third of the year if you look at the numbers.
Many of the boys will be very heavily tutored ( and will be continually tutored throughout all their years at St Pauls)...

Sorry - was looking at St Pauls only and thinking not a third- but tutoring comment still stands!

Indeed, it’s basically 120 pupils in 5 years, so 24 a year, out of roughly 60/65 pupils?
could be heavy tutoring, but then I think many pupils get tutoring in all pre-preps.
I wonder if they have a “arrangement” with SPJS and WUS?

The school has no 'arrangement'.

Wetherby stats boil down in large part to self selection by parents.

Firstly most who apply are families in central London, Notting Hill, Chelsea, etc who wish their sons to to enter SPJS and WUS. They have easy access to SPJS and WUS. They are willing to pay for tutors. These parents register soon after birth - they are very motivated, and further, if your name is picked out a hat, the headmaster must meet the parents before any formal offer.

Half the work is done before day one of Reception!

Comparing Hampstead Hill with Wetherby is like comparing apples to oranges.

A school like Hampstead Hill is co-ed, and most families are from NW London, miles away from SPJS and WUS , so of course less are going to be interested in going, the parents with sons are more interested in UCS and Highgate school - Not because they think those schools are better, its because they don't want to move home and London is a huge city.

@Idrisistheman - motivation by parents I’m sure helps, as does tutors. I’m not sure the NW pre-preps are solely for parents who want UCS / Highgate.
The Hall is in NW London and has an excellent record of sending pupils to SJPS / WUS, similarly Arnold House.

I think if you have the opportunity to send your child to SJPS / WUS, you do, or most would do.

where I think Wetherby is different is that they want everyone to apply to SJPS / WUS, pre-preps probably will say that other schools would be better for your child and the parents listen to the advice.

We use WUS now and back at 4+ we had the choice of the 2 non-selectives (as we got offers) with larger exits to WUS. We chose "selective" GHS and in hindsight would do the same -- we don't (and didn't at the time) feel the pre prep hot housing was worth it.

The strongest children in the WUS lower school right now aren't from the those 2 schools (even with their large showing). As other have said it's really down to the parents.

However, does Wetherby and Eaton house do more exam prep than most schools? -- yes they do.

check percentages, they have increased class sizes massively so have a year group about triple or quadruple the size of other pre-preps. And of course they are reporting 5 year averages to hide that it has become far harder in recent years. Don't be fooled, their success rates are no better than other pre-preps.

Out of 88 pupils in a year so considerably more