Bute House or Latymer Prep

[Inneed0fhelp]

Our DD has managed to get an offer from Bute House and Latymer Prep following the 7+. Both are excellent schools but very different - single sex v co-ed, up to 11 v up to 18.

Can anyone with children at either school offer any insights into the schools so we can make a decision?

Our DD is quiet, pretty smart, likes sport but isn't super sporty.

Afraid I can’t help but am in the same boat so following for any insight. #firstworldproblems

I would choose Latymer school.

Fix problem of 11+ and co-ed education , which important in the future.

Deff go for Bute if you want a solid education for the next 4 years for your DD and guidance on what a better fit would be at 11+ which is often a healthy time to move anyway . Have friends there who don’t have a bad word to say about it . Personal experience of Latymer prep ( DD is in the upper years ) and the teaching is of a very low level for years 3 and 4, lots of video watching and worksheets, lots of deadwood staff who really should be moving on but don’t as their children are in the upper school so it’s convenient - they are nice but not challenging kids and excited by teaching . As others have said, it does avoid the 11+ but at the expense of a rigorous and creative education in the prep years which is what you’ll get at Bute . Feel free to PM me

Thank you for your thoughts @Iffolio and @Poseidon54

Its fantastic to hear from a parent with experience of the schools. Its certainly helped us make up our mind. Thank you

@DadofDaughters good luck with your decision!

We are at Bute and agree with the above post. Fantastic school with incredible teaching on the whole. Dd loves her teachers. It's all very high standard, including pastoral responses and care. Only point to consider is no grades or exam scripts until end of year 5 for 11+. You have to trust the school and not be someone who needs to know all the data points.

They are both great schools. It depends on what Latymer Upper means to you.

It makes sense to think seriously about senior school preference rather than just looking at 7-11 provision or 11+. I’m sure you’ve seen Bute destination page. Are you confident that Latymer Upper is THE senior school for your DD to spend teen years and do GCSE from? Some parents are, then Latymer prep is a no brainer. Some parents are not sure yet. With both offers at 7, you wouldn’t need to worry much about 11+.

I have an experience of Latymer and nearby prep schools. Latymer prep especially is harder to get in (in terms of academic attainment) for boys than girls for obvious reasons - much higher no. of boy applicants due to 7+ being a main exit point for boys in the area.

At Latymer, it’s pretty often that the top sets are dominated by boys. Of course there are stellar girls. But more boys turn down nearby singlesex super selectives for Latymer than girls do. Probably due to more parents of boys (than girls) strongly preferring co-ed environment.

Latymer prep years academically is more relaxed (as they can afford to be) than say top sets of prep schools. Hence trying to do 11+ from there would be harder work.

I have a DS at Latymer prep and DD at Bute (year 6). Both LOVE thier schools. Bute is amazing but jury is still out on new(ish) head and new deputy. To be clear, being at Bute does not give you a golden ticket to SPGS, G&L, City or LU! There is immense pressure on the girls at 11+, mostly from the parents rather than the school. My DD didn't sit Latymer 7+ because we were so blown away by the old head at Bute, so it was Bute or nothing for us. We regret this and I know a number of parents at Bute who had 7+ offers from Latymer and Bute and regret not taking Latymer because of the craziness that is 11+. Latymer kids do get an easy ride in year 3/4 but in my opinion that's great because they're just kids! Then in year 5/6 they actually get to follow a broad and rich curriculum because they're not having to do endless amounts of VR, NVR, ATOM, exam prep etc...
If you only had Bute then definitely take it, it's a great school, can't fault it, but if you have Latymer and Bute seriously consider Latymer. We have been really pleased with the pastrol care there and kids are all lovely and "normal".

I have PM'd you @RavenscourtMum - interested in this. We are deciding between Bute and SHHS or stay put at our current prep.

We really love Bute especially the new head. The new head is so much more realistic about tutoring, not mixing up the classes so much each year, etc. Congrats on both offers, well done.

Thank you to everyone for responding. It reinforces what we thought. Both are wonderful schools so we can't make a bad decision (hopefully!)

I would definitely go for Bute. Your girl is likely to have a better learning experience there and equal if not higher potential to get to the secondary she would like layers ai think Latymer prep trade on the fact that you are likely to get in the secondary school, I was not that impressed about their teaching or day to say experience for the smaller kids.

Although I would agree avoiding the 11+ is a strong advantage. You can't go wrong probably

Hi parents. I accepted bute offer for my DS to join year 3 in sept. Do any of you have contacts of current year 2 parents at bute or is there a whatsapp group etc?
will help to clear doubts like uniforms and clubs etc. we are going to be travelling for the 1st year at bute until hopefully my youngest does assessment and gets in next year.
thanks parents lovely to read some parents opinion in this thread.

Hello. We are at Bute. I saw this topic and hope I can help. We have sons at other schools so have seen different ways. Overall Bute is brilliant and my daughter loves it. We moved from another girls prep and wanted single sex so did not apply to Latymer. We thought we'd pick all through to skip 11+ exams but then could not turn down Bute. So I cannot compare or give advice really, only give you my experience of Bute.
The standards are high compared to my sons' school. You need to believe in the ethos. We are getting towards 11+ now and yet to have any guidance. We know my daughter is doing ok and on track but don't know how that translates to which schools would be suitable next. You have to be ok with just having descriptive feedback. No grades, cat scores or school exams. You just have to trust until end of year 5 when they'll reveal the grades to help you decide. It is very different to my own schooling experience. The Class WhatsApp groups and parent body are full on. Most are parents international (like us) and openly competitive and hard to please (not like us).
We have noticed a lot of senior staff changing under the new head. I guess this happens and most seem to leave for promotions. I just hope movement calms down as my daughter has had lots of change and gets very attached. On the plus side, my daughter loves her teachers and we are impressed with the pastoral and way they teach the girls to manage friendships. We also love the sport this year. They have a football team which made my daughter so thrilled!

I don't think you will get into the current students WhatsApp groups until you start. But there will be some events before you start and you will surely have access to uniform fittings and a second hand uniform sale. Clubs change every term and there won't be anything to know or sing up for until school gets started in September.

Don't worry you will get what you need when it's time.

Thank you soo much @DilettanteMum . I was only notified of new parent day in summer holidays and we are away most of summer so thats why thought if i need to sort uniform etc earlier. I shall wait for info from school and thanks for reassurance that all will communicated to us
at some point.

Hi, Anyone offered a WL place at Bute House yet? I wonder when (and if) it will move.

It should have moved. We gave up the place for Bute House before half term. Good luck!

Hi @Swanso May I PM you to ask advice please? Thanks

You will all have made your choices by now but for anyone googling this - back in the day two dds offered Bute but we turned it down for LP. We preferred co-ed and wanted the senior school eventually, so it was a no-brainer for us but I also didn't love Bute on visits there, it seemed very big. LP had a much cosier vibe. Two very different girls both adored the prep school, were nurtured and inspired by some fantastic teachers, had lovely friends and went on - along with their peers - to thrive academically and socially in the upper school. They had to do 11+ in those days but it was more of a formality than an actual deal and the lack of pressure was fabulous, especially as one dc had an illness that would have made 11+ very challenging at that age. I'm sure Bute is fabulous too but we never regretted our decision

I have a girl who is 5 atm. I am looking at Bute for 7+ as I believe they are feeder school to St Paul's. Any advice on how to plan and start preparing for the 7+ assessment. Any suggestions would be appreciated.