Schools near Maidenhead - St Piran's or Lambrook?

[Snow16R]

Hello!

Our DS is 2 now and we've recently started to look into schools for him and we are a bit torn between St Piran's and Lambrook.

Geographically speaking St Piran's is the closest and it's even within walking distance, which is a very big Pro. However it's 2-11 only and we aren't quite sure where to go after 11, as we sort of wanted to send him to Wellington later but that's only 13+ so there will be a 2 year gap. That being said DS is only 2 now so who knows what he will be like in 10 years time and if Wellington kind of school will be the right fit for him later ( or whether we can afford it at all if Lab puts 20% on the school fee...)

We liked Lambrook however it is further. 20min drive doesn't sound too bad but we are both working parents so the drop off and pick up will still be a pain...I know they have mini bus going from Maidenhead, but I wonder if there's any age limit for the school mini bus? Can a 4 year old get on their school bus?

We are first time parents and new to the area so any advice at all or sharing you experiences with us is highly appreciated.

Thank you
S

OP, Lambrook has an assessment process and is extremely popular and over subscribed. I would have a more realistic option and have it as a lovely additional extra if you got lucky (although 4 is incredibly young to sit on a minibus without a chaperone anyway).

Thank you @tennissquare!

You are right Lambrook is extremely popular and we'd be lucky if we can get in...I'm asking about the mini bus as it is important for us to figure out how in practice we can do the school drop off and pick up if we got lucky.

If 4yo is not allowed to be on the mini bus we might as well rule out lambrook now so we don't even need to be bothered about thinking of how to prepare for their assessment etc!

Bump...

We visited St Piran’s on an open day a few years ago and another visitor asked at the Q&A where do pupils typically go for secondary. According to the Head back then they predominantly go into the state sector and grammar schools.

Perhaps ring Lambrook and ask about the mini bus but I’d think there must be a specific year group that this is for and upwards.

@Snow16R Go local and then look at Papplewick from y3 onwards. You need a traditional prep if you want Wellington. So to 13. Or move for y7 and 8 but I think that’s disruptive. You will have to get a child minder to drop off and collect if you cannot.

If you are considering Wellington then they ultimately need to be somewhere that prepares them for common entrance (so Lambrook or Eagle House), but I wonder if you might be better going more local till y3 or y5? Both schools have “normal admissions at this point”.

The problem is you have no idea what your little one will be like at reception stage. I had 2 who would have hopped on a minibus no problems and one who literally had to be peeled off me and no hope. What you don’t want is to be committed and then having to workout how to drive your child back and forth because they can’t manage the minibus.

There are often lots of events (sports fixtures, concerts, assemblies) and especially in the first few years you may want to be there (and much easier if you are in a local school) then one you have to drive 30/40 mins to. Once they are a bit older they are usually much better at understanding why you can attend somethings and not others (my eldest by Y6 was very much “don’t bother” when it came to sports fixtures.

If I was you I would do Highfield Prep to 7 (boys only till that age and I guarantee lots will be off to prep schools after that) and then Lambrook or Eagle House at 7.

St Piran’s is an absolutely lovely school, but not an academic powerhouse to prepare for top-hitting secondary schools. Most of the bright kids do go on to grammar (because of proximity more than anything else); there will be one or two each year who go on to top private schools, (and a handful to local state comps) but 50-70% go onto good independent schools in the region.
https://www.stpirans.co.uk/admissions/leavers-destinations-scholarships
As your DS is only 2, I’d say choose what works practically for you as a family - there is time to move to a prep (that goes to 13) later if that’s the route you want. There are lots of two-working-parent families at St Piran’s, so the wraparound offer is very good.

Most schools don’t allow minibus use until Year 3 (though I don’t know about Lambrook).

Thank you @IceLollipop!

Very good point on the mini bus...we only thought about how convenient it would be with a mini bus but never thought about the possibility that DS might not cope with that at all!

We also haven't thought about Highfield - didn't know boys can go there until 7yo. It is also very close to us (walking distance!) so will arrange a school visit as well. Do you think Highfield is better than St Piran's academicaly? Do kids at Highfield have a better chance to go to good prep schools?

@tennissquare thank you for sharing!
Very good idea that we can move to another prep later, we haven't thought about that.

Also it's very assuring to know that they have good wraparound offers at St Piran's. Our biggest concern indeed is the school drop off and pick up, the fact that they can stay open until 6pm is very helpful.

@Snow16R there is probably not a lot in it academics wise. None of the schools are like London day schools (pressurised and everyone is thinking about 11+ from age 4).. They are all good (Claire’s Court also great). You’ll get small classes, individualised attention and more extra curricular stuff then the state primaries (which are generally all good).

St Pirans has massively better facilities (own swimming pool), but I would go down Highfield route as all the boys leave at 7 so you will get a lot more support in terms of where to go on to. St Pirans I know are great at this, but at 11.
St Pirans you will find your child will probably be in the minority leaving at 7. If they’ve made loads of friends/happy you may feel very torn then moving them.

Facilities less important in the pre-prep stage. Highfield is also cheaper. So I would save some money in the first few years as Lambrook and then Wellington will be very expensive.

Very good advice @IceLollipop ...

We are a bit torn now already that we want him to have a nice childhood without too much pressure about exams etc but we also want him to be academically good so he can go to a top secondary school and a top uni later.

You can probably tell we are first time parents so really have very little idea of what's going on...

Why do you think facilities are less important for pre-prep stage?

I was discussing with DH last night after reading yours and others replies, and he raised a "pro" for St Piran's being 11+ only and kids go to grammar school after, as top unis nowadays are taking more kids from state schools than from private schools...

I guess at the end of the day it really depends on the child rather than anything else but as parents you really just want the best for your kids.

This is what I'd do in your situation. Take a look at Papplewick. It's great and feeds Wellington amongst other top seniors. It starts in Y2 actually and boys do bus in from Maidenhead.

@Snow16R on the the facilities point my experience of what made my children’s early years was not the lovely facilities but more the home corner, the beach experience in the classroom and ultimately the very individualised learning. Lots of schools zone off the pre-prep (own playground, garden etc) so it’s smaller and not overwhelming. Things like pitches are more important in prep when they are “properly” playing things like netball, hockey and rugby.

I know it’s easy to say this (and I was so like you with my first) and I’m 13 years down the line. Try not to worry too much. The reality is you have funds if it’s not working you can move your child. Don’t forget the importance of logistics and your wellbeing.

You don’t need to choose a school now. You can register at various ones (you may have to pay a couple of hundred pounds but in the big scheme of things not masses). Schools also change a lot and quickly, particularly if Heads change.

. I met the old head at St Pirans, did not like him, ruled it out. Met the new head (although I think he’s been there about 4 years now) at a professional event and was so impressed by him and probably would have chosen school at the time if they were in position when I had been looking round. But I know other people rave about the old head - it’s so individual.

Great advice @IceLollipop really appreciate it! Thank you

We will check Highfield out.