The Hampshire School, Chelsea, London

[IWantToMakeTheBestDecision]

Hello, This is my first ever post. Although I've read Mumsnet nearly every day for the past 10 years! I'm looking for information about The Hampshire School in Chelsea. It's a GEMS school. If you have children at the school or know people who do please can you post some information about the school. I note they have had 3 heads in 5 years (GULP!) and on the Facebook page there are lots of reviews from the same month and year all praising the school in general terms - almost as if the school had a drive to encourage parents to post about it! Ha! Anyway, any genuine mumsnetters who know the school and can comment on it? that would be much appreciated. In particular, are there British-born children at the school? The only thing I have heard is that it's popular with people moving to the UK (as they are under-subscribed.) TIA.

I never hear of children going there and we are a very long term London family.

I imagine with it being GEMs it gets expats kids where companies place children there when they first move to the UK.

No idea if it is any good so can't comment!

What are your other options?

Lots of international families, for sure..but most London schools similar. Possibly a slightly higher proportion that others but not ridiculously so.

They new head looks good. Shouldn't think it would be a terrible choice.

How old is/are your DC? It's probably not a school most people pick at birth or register early for. If you have time I'd look around. It also only goes to 11 which may not be what you need. What is your current situation and what are your hopes for secondary?

Our neighbor's DC goes there, started from nursery, now in YR. The parents seem happy with the school. DC is British born, parents are not but they have settled in London so not expats.
I have heard other neighbors are also interested to send their DC there.

Thanks for commenting. Why do you say that about GEMs? What is it? I thought just a normal educational group of schools, no?

Thanks for commenting. I live on Old Church Street so it's the easiest walk to school! Yes, the new head looks great. But there surely must be a problem to have had 3 in 5 years. This is unusual for central London isn't it? I don't have a goal for a senior school. I want to see how my son develops.

Thanks for commenting @Lily7050 That's interesting. Do they live very locally to the school? I'm in Old Church Street which is why I'm considering it. Do you have any idea (or please could you ask your neighbours!) why there have been 3 heads in 5 years? Seems excessive and suggestive of a problem.

@IWantToMakeTheBestDecision
Not a negative. It is an excellent brand. It is just a very internationally focused group of schools - hence likely to bring in children from across the world in need of a school space at short notice, rather than long time Londoners, is my guess. That's probably why I never here of local DC going there.

It's actually great that you don't have a specific school in mind, really sensible approach.

Personally I'd pick Thomas' Battersea from where you live. It's a great school. A really good mix of children and good results for individuals. Lots of local families.

You could also consider hill house. More traditional and preps well for 13+ boarding schools if that's your aim, but others too if day is your preference. It's more international than Thomas' so more pupil movement but it does have lots of local families too.

You are also very near Cameron Vale which is good.

Honestly I'm sure Hampshire School is fine but I'd pick one of those three over it as a 'surer' bet. The Hampshire is under subscribed because it's less popular. It's probably not great they have had so many heads but it's not necessarily an issue, might be coincidental.

How old is your DS?

They live about 30 minutes walk to the school, near Imperial Wharf overground station.
The last Head of Hampshire has moved to Parsons Green Prep this year.
Not sure why she left.
I will ask my neighbours when I see them. Everyone is now away visiting families.

@User16529834 : Thomas's is ballot for non-sibling for the places available after siblings accepted offer. Also the recent scandal with Thomas's Battersea head of pastoral care is not good for the school reputation.

Hampshire School used to be not so international before it was acquired by GEMS. I have a neighbor, 30+ year old lady who went to Hampshire School.

@IWantToMakeTheBestDecision : if the Hampshire School is closest to your home and you are looking for Reception place I would go there.
We were advised by a retired HM of one of well-know London school, to choose the closest to home for primary.
We are sending DS to Parsons Green Prep because it is closest to our home except Thomas's Fulham where we did not win ballot.
I have the same concerns: too many heads changes recently and cannot find many reviews, but I think it would be tiring for a 4 year old to travel by public transport for 30 minutes each way every day to another school that I like more and that is £700 cheaper than Parsons Green.
I already started looking at 7+ options though with summer born DS it may not work.

according to inspection reports Hampshire School has gone from 300 pupils to just over a hundred in 3 years, so classes must be collapsing. It is in a huge decline, hence 3 heads in 3 years. GEMS is a giant global firm with 100s of schools, none do very well outside of UAE where it is based. CVC a private equity firm owns it and is currently selling it. Cameron Vale is on the up, have heard v good things about it. Garden House also good. Hill House family owned but reputation for being v international and again in decline.

@Toots12345 Thanks for your message. I think it would be a mistake to choose the Hampshire School then. It may well close in the next few years. Why do you say Hill House is in decline?? I haven't heard that at all. Do you know people there? Also, Cameron Vale School is tiny with no facilities. What good things have you heard?

I think "decline" in international schools like Hampshire or Hill House over the past 3 years might be due to Covid travel restrictions and less number of expats arriving to London. The numbers might get better since restrictions have been removed.
Also there is decline in birth rate in London so some school will have less pupils because of this.

We had a tour of Cameron Vale a couple of years back just before lockdown (didn’t go in the end due to relocation) and it had a lovely ‘nurturing’ feel about it and the children looked really happy. I was impressed by the staff we met -really lovely and ‘child focussed’. It reminded me of a good old ‘traditional family school’.

Their destination schools are pretty good, so I wouldn’t write it off just due to its size. Worth a look.

We didn’t like Hill House (a bit stuffy and creaky) and have also heard things about them getting unsatisfactory reports. I suppose they are resting on their royal connection laurels!

All central London prep schools don't really have any facilities! If you are talking pools and playing fields. Garden House, Hampshire school and Eton Square have no real outside space either, just more classrooms in bigger buildings and larger class sizes.

Cameron Vale is 5 mins from Battersea Park (some of the best sporting facilities in London) and also uses a local
Astro and pools.

It's results are amazing (get kids scholarships into all the top schools)

Yes currently a very small school but filling quickly.

The previous owners sold it to a family owned group of schools called Forfar, who have invested heavily into it and just secured the excellent former Princes Gardens Head (where my nieces go).

So we are very pleased with it. The ground floor nursery and baby room is very homely and the attention to the child amazing.

Are you there now? Is the head very new then?

Yes and Head appointed at the start of this term.

So Bridget Saul is no longer the head @Toots12345 ? What year are your children in? What made you choose the school? Do most children live nearby in Chelsea?

Alison Melrose is the great new Head. Kids in Y2 and Y6.

hello @IWantToMakeTheBestDecision What have you decided? I need to find a new school for my 6yrs old daughter. Currently at Redcliffe Gardens School (which we love by the way), but the school is closing in down July. We are undecided between Hampshire (where every RGS child has been guaranteed a place) and Parson Green Prep, which we toured and really really liked, but not as logistically convenient as Hampshire. thank you.

Have you looked at Newton?

We were there and I have friends with children there now. Great school, really good facilities (sports pitches, theatre, recital hall, dance/music practice rooms) and the Head is amazing. Goes to 13+ too, and good destination results.

thank you @BabyStopCryin We know Newton Prep, a very good school indeed, but logistically doesn't work for us.

I’ve heard great things about Parsons Green Prep.

We once chose on logistocs (close to home and work) rather than an 40 min commute and it was a disaster. The school was a hot house and just the wrong place completely. The 40 min commute (longer when the train strikes were happening) was 1milion times better.