I know this is a privileged problem but here goes
We currently have our eldest child (Y1) at a large independent school which goes all the way through to Y13. However we feel it is too academic so we are moving him.
There is another large independent school, very similar, in fact almost identical, in facilities but with a different (more nurturing) method of teaching. Both schools get similar academic results, often swapping positions from one year to the next. They are both Co-Ed.
Both of the above schools are a car ride away - approx 30 mins including parking up and dropping off etc, then 20/25 mins home.
However, there is a local prep (up to y6 - we are in the North of England so no common entrance at either) which is a ten minute walk from home. Its facilities cannot compete with the larger school but it has a great co-curricular program, probably marginally superior to the larger school. Both do plenty of school trips including residentials and ski/sports trips etc. My middle child is currently at the nursery at the local prep and he is very happy. However, we want both children to be at the same school from September 2025 so we either move my eldest to this one and keep the middle child here or move them both to the new larger school. If the choice is to go to the local prep we would be looking at them going to the larger independent school for Y7.
The local prep has very small class sizes - y1 is 4 children currently. Y2 is 9. I think the smallest year group is reception with 4 and the largest is the current y6 with 11. They combine two classes every afternoon for the non maths and English lessons so the children have more people to interact with. By contrast the larger school has class sizes of approximately 15 with two form entry so a total year group of 30.
Fees wise the local prep is very keen to keep fees affordable and even with the VAT now levied on fees have some great creative ideas to this end. The larger school is in my view more commercially focused and has a community that will continue there regardless of fees, so in my view is more likely to charge “what it can get away with”. For example, the larger school does not offer sibling discounts (I have three children). The difference in fees between the two is approximately £3’000.00 per annum now. Whilst we find this acceptable, my concern is that over the next few years as the new VAT on fees settles in, the gap may widen.
Both my husband and I work flexibly and mainly from home so we can do the commute in absolute terms but obviously the longer we spend going to and from school means the less work we can do / have to do in the evenings. The local option also means the children can ride their bikes and dust off the cobwebs before and after school.
We want our children to be children and their prep years to inspire a love of learning. I would really appreciate some thoughts on which way to go.
Thanks for reading xx