Prep school or all-through?

Purplewhisker · 2024-03-19T16:40:15+00:00

Just went back from an open day from GHS and frankly speaking I’m slightly disappointed. The girls are lovely and bright. It’s more about the facilities - I was expecting a larger campus as it hosts girls from 4 to 18. I’m not quite sure if my dd will be very happy to stay here for 14 years. By all means it’s a school with very high reputation and academic records. I probably need to manage my own expectations. My dd will start at a pre-prep school in Kew this year. I’m thinking to get her attend some assessments for 4+ which could potentially help us avoid 11+. I’m also thinking about schools like Nottinghill and Ealing high, James Allen, Alleyn’s, Highgate, NLCS. We will need to relocate if we go with those schools except for NHEHS( if DD can get in). I’m happy to relocate, just thinking how likely will a kid stay in a same school for 14 years? I haven’t got a chance to view these schools as open days are in future dates. Any tips, experience sharing will be appreciated.

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RandomUsernameHere · 19/03/2024 16:55

Both my DC were in all through schools (although not sure they called them that, but it was a prep attached to a senior school). They would have stayed on but we relocated. I went to one school from the age of 7 until 18. I think it's a long time to stay in one school and it can be beneficial to have a change, in terms of gaining confidence and forming new friendships. On the other hand, it would be great not have the worry/hassle of the 11+, we're in the midst of preparing for it at the moment and I will be very glad when it's over!

tennissquare · 19/03/2024 17:40

There aren't many dd that start at 4 in an all girls school and last until 18. My dd went to Surbiton High, she has left now but I think it was something like 7 girls in a 6th form who had started at 4.

If your dd is bright enough to thrive at GHS for secondary then she will be bright enough to endure the 11plus and to be honest its easier the minute you step out of west London because there are so many all girls schools between Hammersmith and Guildford.

Private education is going to go through a massive change in the next 15 years with the vat on fees, pressure from unis to accept a more mixed intake, rising costs for private schools esp regarding teachers pensions, closure of small failing private schools esp prep schools, fall in birth rate, Latymer upper dropping GCSEs. The list is endless and it's impossible to know what the landscape will look like - there will probably be a labour govt for a majority of your dd's education. Go for what is best for your family in the near future and of course try the 4+ assessments but focus on the prep schools.

Original poster

Purplewhisker · 19/03/2024 22:11

RandomUsernameHere · 19/03/2024 16:55

Both my DC were in all through schools (although not sure they called them that, but it was a prep attached to a senior school). They would have stayed on but we relocated. I went to one school from the age of 7 until 18. I think it's a long time to stay in one school and it can be beneficial to have a change, in terms of gaining confidence and forming new friendships. On the other hand, it would be great not have the worry/hassle of the 11+, we're in the midst of preparing for it at the moment and I will be very glad when it's over!

Thanks for sharing your experience. Best luck with the 11+!

OP posts:

Original poster

Purplewhisker · 19/03/2024 22:21

tennissquare · 19/03/2024 17:40

There aren't many dd that start at 4 in an all girls school and last until 18. My dd went to Surbiton High, she has left now but I think it was something like 7 girls in a 6th form who had started at 4.

If your dd is bright enough to thrive at GHS for secondary then she will be bright enough to endure the 11plus and to be honest its easier the minute you step out of west London because there are so many all girls schools between Hammersmith and Guildford.

Private education is going to go through a massive change in the next 15 years with the vat on fees, pressure from unis to accept a more mixed intake, rising costs for private schools esp regarding teachers pensions, closure of small failing private schools esp prep schools, fall in birth rate, Latymer upper dropping GCSEs. The list is endless and it's impossible to know what the landscape will look like - there will probably be a labour govt for a majority of your dd's education. Go for what is best for your family in the near future and of course try the 4+ assessments but focus on the prep schools.

Thanks for your insights re independent school - as a new parent with education background mainly from overseas, the education system here can be a bit overwhelming. I used to be quite keen to get my dd in a 4-18 school so that our family can be more “thought”. However I’ll give it another think. Especially relocating means we’ll lose the opportunity to try for Tiffin. Again, a super competitive school not sure if it’s right for my dd.

OP posts:

tennissquare · 19/03/2024 22:29

If you go for a pre-prep in Kew you can always try for LEH juniors at 7 which feeds into the senior school and also gives you the option of Tiffin. Kew has a really good range of prep schools too. There is such a range of prep and secondary schools in SW London for girls of all abilities that you really don't need to move unless it's for a housing reason.

minipie · 19/03/2024 22:42

I wouldn’t try to predict what school will suit your 11 year old when she is 4 or younger.

I know someone who sent their daughter to one of the preps you mention, mainly for the “all through” benefit - but in the end she is going elsewhere for senior school. Better fit.

The difficulty with going to a prep at an all through school is that those prep schools won’t prepare the kids for senior school entrance (other than a bit of light prep for their own senior entrance paper). So if you do decide you want other options, you are at a disadvantage compared with kids from prep schools that do lots of broad 11+ prep.

Also if your child couldn’t get a school place via the 11+ process (ie only gets a place because of being at an all through prep) is that really the right school for her anyway?

If you are happy where you are I would pick a good local prep that does 11+ preparation. You’ll have access to a lot of senior schools from Kew. As to relocating for Tiffin, you can take that decision later when you have a better idea of whether your DD would get in and whether it would fit her.

MusicMum80s · 21/03/2024 14:41

I have kids at one of the all through London schools you mention above. Most of the kids stay on who start at 4 / 7. Last year I think only 2 of the year 6 children left for a new school in year 7. There is more churn at 16 but that's true of all senior schools not just all through ones.

I know lots of local teenagers who stayed on from young and really enjoyed the experience

Original poster

Purplewhisker · 21/03/2024 15:31

tennissquare · 19/03/2024 22:29

If you go for a pre-prep in Kew you can always try for LEH juniors at 7 which feeds into the senior school and also gives you the option of Tiffin. Kew has a really good range of prep schools too. There is such a range of prep and secondary schools in SW London for girls of all abilities that you really don't need to move unless it's for a housing reason.

Thanks @minipie @MusicMum80s @tennissquare for sharing your opinions and experiences. All very inspiring to me. I also booked a discovery call with an education consulting provider. Will update here if there’s any interesting insights.

OP posts:

Londonforestmum · 21/03/2024 19:28

minipie · 19/03/2024 22:42

I wouldn’t try to predict what school will suit your 11 year old when she is 4 or younger.

I know someone who sent their daughter to one of the preps you mention, mainly for the “all through” benefit - but in the end she is going elsewhere for senior school. Better fit.

The difficulty with going to a prep at an all through school is that those prep schools won’t prepare the kids for senior school entrance (other than a bit of light prep for their own senior entrance paper). So if you do decide you want other options, you are at a disadvantage compared with kids from prep schools that do lots of broad 11+ prep.

Also if your child couldn’t get a school place via the 11+ process (ie only gets a place because of being at an all through prep) is that really the right school for her anyway?

If you are happy where you are I would pick a good local prep that does 11+ preparation. You’ll have access to a lot of senior schools from Kew. As to relocating for Tiffin, you can take that decision later when you have a better idea of whether your DD would get in and whether it would fit her.

"Also if your child couldn’t get a school place via the 11+ process (ie only gets a place because of being at an all through prep) is that really the right school for her anyway?"

True to a certain degree, but some of these schools have such a large number of applicants at 11+ that it's not just the ones who would struggle at the school that aren't getting a place... Not getting a place at 11+ doesn't mean it's 'not the right school' for them necessarily, it just means there were lots of others applying? Obviously there will be cases where it's a matter of not the right school for them, but I think even in the prep of an all through they would be having that discussion with you, you wouldn't just go through automatically - but you do usually get preference/ an advantage over the huge amounts applying at 11.

Labraradabrador · 21/03/2024 21:37

I would pick the school that is best for the child you have now, not the future child you haven’t met yet. If that’s an all - through you are under no obligation to stay. If you decide to take 11+ you may need some extra tutoring around test prep as there are some peculiar types of questions that you wouldn’t want to encounter for the first time in an exam , but my understanding is that this is not uncommon even among those at preps.

we are currently at an all-through, but will be looking closely at options at the end of junior school. Kids change so much over the course of primaryit is difficult to anticipate what they will need from a secondary when you are starting them in reception. At our school there is a definite divide between junior and senior, and it is not uncommon for children to move to another school at that transit ion point. At the same time the class size more than doubles due to new students moving into our school, so I think it feels quite different even for those who have been attending since reception

finally, fwiw, we have several friends at Notting Hill Ealing in the junior school and they all LOVE it despite having very different kids with different strengths and personalities. I don’t know if they will continue to senior school and if so whether they will still be so happy, but it would have been top of our list for dd if we hadn’t moved away.

Londonforestmum · 21/03/2024 22:03

It's probably only worth not going all through if you have some decent alternatives nearby you could be aiming for. Otherwise you'll probably just ending up applying at the all through anyway at 11 - and with a disadvantage of being one of many applicants

Original poster

Purplewhisker · 22/03/2024 00:08

Thanks @Labraradabrador for sharing your thoughts. One of the things I try to keep in mind is that if we decided to go for an all-through school, we would need to make sure there are alternatives nearby. If dd changes her mind or we feel it might not be suitable for her, we still have something to go for without another house moving.

I’m glad to hear about your friends’ experiences with NHEH. I recently found out they have their junior school moved to a brand new building. Looking forward to the open days!

OP posts:

Lazytiger · 22/03/2024 10:15

tennissquare · 19/03/2024 17:40

There aren't many dd that start at 4 in an all girls school and last until 18. My dd went to Surbiton High, she has left now but I think it was something like 7 girls in a 6th form who had started at 4.

If your dd is bright enough to thrive at GHS for secondary then she will be bright enough to endure the 11plus and to be honest its easier the minute you step out of west London because there are so many all girls schools between Hammersmith and Guildford.

Private education is going to go through a massive change in the next 15 years with the vat on fees, pressure from unis to accept a more mixed intake, rising costs for private schools esp regarding teachers pensions, closure of small failing private schools esp prep schools, fall in birth rate, Latymer upper dropping GCSEs. The list is endless and it's impossible to know what the landscape will look like - there will probably be a labour govt for a majority of your dd's education. Go for what is best for your family in the near future and of course try the 4+ assessments but focus on the prep schools.

The last paragraph is very good advice OP.
All through are great for parents (it certainly reduces their stress) but not always the right thing for the child and if you do want/need to change at 11 they won’t prepare you for this so you’ll have to tutor.