Avenue pre prep or other options?

[Spongebobsquarepants8]

We’ve moved to the area and I have a reception aged DS looking for a school place. We would prefer a more liberal state school, but the ones local are full.

I’m starting to look at private schools in the area (I haven’t contacted any about space yet!) and wondered what people think of the Avenue Pre-Prep? Or others locally?

I don’t intend to keep him at private, when a state school place comes up (but probably year 3 so he doesn’t do too much moving around) I’ll move him over to that system. Is that a bit odd? Since his peers will all be prepped for the 7+ and I don’t want that kind of place for him?!

He’s very bright though. I just don’t love the north London private school situation, but I can’t find a reception place at any local state schools.

Anyone?

Are you talking about the one in N6? Does it have space? It's normally quite oversubscribed. It's a good school but state school places are unpredictable and you're at the mercy of admissions. There's absolutely no guarantee you'll get a place for a Y3 start unless you're going for a school that has separate infant and junior sections, most of whom have one intake now anyway.

Yes that’s the one! You’re right - I don’t know if we’d get space later.

I don’t really know what to do to be honest - any advice would be welcome!

Local people have told me a state school place will most likely come up by September, and we are 1 on the waiting list for our closest. But DS is very social and very ready to be in school again.

I’m keen to take a look at any lovely options!

Which local authority have you contacted about school places? I’m surprised, given falling enrolments, that there aren’t any places. We have a reception place for Sept 24 and I was surprised by the offer stats eg Tetherdown, which I thought was considered very desirable, didn’t seem full even at first offer. (Could have read it wrong)

Have you tried neighbouring authorities eg Camden and Islington? Or Barnet if you’re out that way?

Also there are some absolutely fantastic private pre-schools around the area that take children up till 5, could he go there and start school proper in September? It’s a lot of money paying for private school to cover a 4 month gap!

@Spongebobsquarepants8 I think you have to be prepared to swallow losing a terms worth of fees if you are going to do this. State schools won't wait for your notice to be over; you need to accept the place within a week usually.
Have you got any other state school options you can accept in the interim whilst you wait? Being number 1 doesn't guarantee anything but you know that already.
The good thing about a pre-prep will be that he'll likely be quite ahead of his state school peers in Y3. You may also be underestimating the levels of SEN kids in state school reception classes. Its really bad at the moment. By Y3 it tends to even out as it's long enough for the ones most in need to get support. I suspect you'll be much happier with a pre prep though. Both academically and pastorally.
Have you actually got a space offered? Have you looked at Annemount?

@pjani I don't actually think Tetherdown have ever had no catchment in the history of the school. I was absolutely shocked. Coldfall too. 1.2miles. Insanity. Hasn't been that large for at least 25 years. It's always always been 0.58m at most.

The Avenue is well regarded locally. I know a few happy families. But in preparing for the 7+ it seems a long way from the liberal education you’re after.

what are the closest state schools with places? They might be a better fit, and no loss of fees when you move schools. I agree that places regularly come up at Highgate Primary and st Michael’s N6.

There are several pre-preps around Hampstead/ Highgate. But an 3-13 school might be better because they’re not preparing for 7+. North bridge or Devonshire in Hampstead, or Norfolk House in Muswell Hill. Heathside in Hampstead is liberal and creative.

Otherwise….There is a Forest school in Highgate Wood, a Montessori in Hampstead and I think a Steiner School somewhere in Haringey.

We’re mid year entry (so reception now). I haven’t asked Haringey / Camden for any school. We only applied to the local ones. (I don’t want to drive over to Finsbury Park, Crouch End etc forever.) Could cycle over to the Avenue fairly easily from where we are though!

Waiting wouldn’t be the end of the world. And if we sent him to a prep prep I really wouldn’t want to move him again very quickly, but he can stay with his cohort. But it is a risk at where would have a place next after that. Ahh in-year entries are tricky!

Thank you for the recommendation of Annemount and the Montessori and Northbridge and Devonshire. I don’t know any and will look into all!

I'm a bit confused what borough you've applied to then. Islington? Barnet?
I think you can probably see how you can end up 'stuck' in the private sector. There is a very very small chance your child will be able to stay in their cohort at a pre prep and seamlessly move to a state school of choice in Y3. It just doesn't happen. If it does, you're extremely lucky.

I agree with PP re liberal education. Pre-preps are brilliant, I do think they provide a far better education than a state EYFS and KS1. They extend that little early childhood that bit longer whilst being quite rigorous.
However, it is not the liberal education you're imagining. I doubt your local state school is either tbh.
The NC and OFSTED has left little room for school personality and you're probably judging it based on the type of parent that sends their kids there. For example Ashmount is full of hippy dippity media type liberal parents and teachers are on a first name basis etc but it's curriculum is the same as everywhere else and it's really not any more liberal than most other schools aside from the first name thing, which quite a lot of preps actually do.

We’re Haringey council (hence not wanting “any” school as we’re quite close to Camden, if you see what I mean - and Finsbury Park etc would be quite a commute, no local friends, etc.

We’re Highgate ish, Muswell Hill ish. If that makes sense! We knew we weren’t in a catchment-heavy zone when we moved, but everyone said Highgate Primary was lovely and that should be what we should go for. We’ve applied for that and others.

Gosh it’s so tricky. Although I knew it would be. I think my problem is, we decided we’d just wait for a nice school place to come up when we moved (Ie: in year 1 if that’s how it turned out) but now I’m thinking DS is missing out on friends and fun.

And also, I moved him once - he was very happy at his old school which is too far to commute to - so am reluctant to move him again quickly. Which is why I suddenly thought a pre prep might be a good idea - they’ll all be moving in year 3 anyway!

Confusing! I may need to rethink the plan. Please do let me know of any lovely private schools that I’ve missed and I’ll get on the phone today! Otherwise wait? So unsure. What would people recommend?

Feeling a bit like I’ve made a mess of it all, to be honest! And sort of wishing we’d just stayed in our old area. (I’m also missing my old network too. We moved for the greenery and the fact that there are so many families here - we were very central before.)

@Spongebobsquarepants8 I think if you want local community I'd avoid private unless you can magic your way into Highgate as they're predominantly in that area in the junior school.
Have a look at Ashmount, they're a nice school with a lovely community of parents, similar to Highgate.

You've got more options if you're willing to travel to Hampstead. I am assuming that's not on the cards if you want to avoid travelling. There's Norfolk House but it's tiny and probably not the community feeling you're looking for. In your shoes I'd probably sick my kid on the Ashmount, Coleridge and Highgate waiting lists. They all have nice communities.

I bet there are great schools that aren’t far that you’ve missed, by not approaching any local authority.

Why not call and ask about vacancies and research the state primaries with places? People seem to love all the Muswell Hill primaries. Have you tried St Michael’s? St James’? Muswell Hill Primary? There are plenty more much loved primaries in the area, and in bordering authorities too (Yerbury?)

I'm also really confused how you're on a waiting list if you haven't approached any council?

Sorry - I have approached the council sort of - I’ve done the online in-year admissions form, got an email saying DS didn’t get into any of the schools I put on the list (can choose up to six). I checked the status of his application, which tells you where you are on the waiting list for the schools you applied for, and DS is 1 in preferred school.

But I haven’t contacted any of the local private schools to see if they have spaces. I wanted to collect up a list and research them a bit first.

I also haven’t asked the council where there’s space (ie: anywhere - not just the ones I applied for).

Ah that makes sense. I do think it’s worth finding out where there are places (Camden too) because I’ve seen on the local parents Facebook groups that most local primary schools seem to have highly devoted supporters. And very few complaints.

There are so many state primaries you won’t know all of them (till you start looking) and one might be a good fit for you. Good luck!

I’ve applied for some of those on your list! (Within the six I applied for in the in-year admissions form).

But yes, perhaps I should ask the council (Haringey and Camden, even though I live in Haringey, I’m close to Camden - St Michael’s is Camden I think? So I couldn’t apply for that in the Haringey form. Maybe I’m wrong!) where exactly there’s space and go from there.

Thank you! Yes this is great advice. I will do this. I wonder if they actually answer emails?! I’ll email them today and call them on Monday!

Have a look at compare schools to find the closest.

I’d call the schools nearby and ask to look around and go on the waiting list. Coleridge is 4 form entry, so places come up more often, but even the two form entry schools will have some churn.

On your original plan of pre-prep to state in y3, there are a few children locally who switch from state to private at that stage, freeing up state places. So, I think you’d certainly find a place, but 7+ prep is intense and focused on English/maths, so might not be for you.

Compare schools

How did you get on, any luck finding suitable vacancies?

@Spongebobsquarepants8 did you make a decision? I have experience of the Avenue (all incredibly positive) if you need any specific info.

We actually are still without a school place! I didn’t want to take a state place far away and wasn’t sure about the privates so didn’t contact them. We are top of the list for a few preferred state schools, and have been told we’re likely to get a spot in September.

I am still interested to know more about Avenue though. I was only hesitant to contact because of committing to years of private school! (It just felt odd to move him back into state, and away from friends he’ll have formed, at year 3.)

There is a popular pre-prep near where we live and a number of parents then move them to state school in year 3. For some, its about giving them a really strong start and for others, the child didn't get into their preferred private school and so they preferred state to the alternatives.

Either way, it was totally fine for the kids. At that age, they don't care and everyone was leaving to school. There generally are places if you are in an area that has 7+ entry into private school as there will be kids naturally leaving the sate sector for year 3 creating spaces.

I'd go ahead and contact a few private school options. I wouldn't want my child out of school for such a long period of time for both academic and social reasons and worst case scenario you lose a terms fees if a place comes up in September that you want to take. Otherwise, you can move him in year 3.