Honeywell School, SW11 and private alternatives

[AnSW11dilemma]

We are lucky enough to live within the catchment area for Honeywell School, SW11. I understand that it's a great state school with outstanding Ofsted reports and happy parents and children. So far, so good.

It's also an option for us to educate our children privately, although not without some sacrifice. We would consider this primarily for smaller class sizes, although also for the extra-curricular opportunities and assistance with entry to upper schools.

The alternatives that we're considering are Finton House, Broomwood Hall and Thomas's. I've looked round all four schools, and thought they were all really good in different ways (and, equally, all had some disadvantages), but am struggling to come to a decision.

I DO understand that this is a nice problem to have, and that the dilemma arises from being spoilt for choice. I would, nonetheless, be very grateful for any advice that any parents at any of the above schools might have! Thanks in advance!

interesting the implication that belleville might be better than honeywell... both look really very good imo though but always nice to find out more. what a surprise that self-interested existing parents aren't interested in extending the great schooling to a wider group by adding another form. there is also a campaign to set up a state secondary school for kids at these schools. Personally I think this is the last place the council should be spending their cash but interesting nonetheless...

www.thensc.net/

Thanks again to everyone for your comments.

I haven't heard anyone say a bad word about Honeywell, so I think we'll probably go with it. I did love the atmosphere, and am more and more convinced of the advantages, including a more relaxed ethos, local friends (and no knickerbockers or boaters!), even leaving aside financial considerations.

OurLady, I'm not half-hearted; I'm simply new to this, and don't know which school would suit my children best. If I'm dithering, it's because I want to make the right choice, find a school that suits us and stick with it, but I certainly don't feel a moral obligation to go private!

Oh, ignore me - I'm getting emotive because I remember how upsetting it was for the ones who didn't get a place .

Honeywell is supposed to be great. You are very lucky to be in their area. If you go private, do visit Newton Prep - great school, lovely atmosphere, fantastic facilities, very creative, excellent teaching and loads of extra curricular activities.

the thing that really makes me is that you hear of people (anecdotal only though so can't substantiate) doing the old renting-a-one-bed-flat within catchment and then surprise surpise hotfooting it back to their own out of catchment house as soon as they have secured a place. that's something the council and governors should be looking into and clamping down on. people (yes, moi!) who've lived round here for years suddenly find that they are a whole 100m too far away from their local school. the same people can then use sibling preference even though they are then obviously out of catchment. arggh.

Am right there with you AnSW11dilemma - we are in the exact same situation, but a year earlier, my DD starts this September.

We were out of catchment originally, and due to go to Newton Prep. So we moved .....

Now we're in catchment and have a place at Honeywell and I'm wobbling.

My biggest fear is the tutoring that will be needed for the CE exams at 10/11 if we do stick with state. I am so anti-pressure, and I thought state would be more relaxed than prep. Now I'm thinking it's more like blissful ignorance for a few years, before a bombardment of tutoring in Y5.

I'm seriously considering going back to Newton, but my other half won't hear of it, and is adamant Honeywell will serve us just fine.

Have you thought any more on it ? Any further advice you can give, as my deadline looms ?!

Does anyone have any practical experience of getting a state school child through the common entrance. It clearly must be do-able as 47% of Honeywell children go on to independents ..... I just need reassurance !

P.S. Honeywell isn't getting expanded as per Belleville because it's a foundation school, meaning the 'school' rather than the Local Gov owns the land - rather than because Belleville is better (though it may be, who knows). Honeywell cannot be instructed by Wandsworth Council to add an extra class, Belleville can.

Lolly78 - my son is in Yr 6 at a good state school and doing exams for the independents so I have very direct recent experience! I would say provided your child is reasonably bright - top third/half of the class, say, (depending on how academic a senior school you're aiming for) he or she will need tutoring for one year (1 hour a week plus a little homework) in order to get a place at a decent independent secondary. That's what my son and his friends have done (plus friends from previous years) and they are pretty successful on the whole. What I've seen is that children who are very bright still get scolarships to very impressive schools, children who are sort of average bright still get places etc.

I can't say the process is stress-free, but so long as they're fairly bright, you really don't need to think about it until Yr 5 (and go to the open evenings in the Autumn to get a good idea of where you're aiming). Things do get a little frantic towards the end, but in retrospect, I think that's more to do with our (the mums') hysteria about the whole thing than the actual situation - all independent schools try to give the impression that they're massively over-subscribed and you're really lucky to get in, and figures like "4 children for every place" are bandied about, but in reality, they know that most people apply for 3 schools or so, so pretty much everyone seems to get a place.

The other thing is that at tutor company we used, there were HOARDS of prep school kids coming along just the same for their weekly session! So I'm not sure how much less stressful the process is just because they're at prep school. Although in theory prep schools prepare children for the big transfer to independents, I think that equally, independent schools are very keen now to skim off bright kids from state schools so the whole "great relationship with independent schools" thing that prep schools claim may not be so important.

I can honestly say that even putting the financial considerations to one side, I'm very glad we sent our DS to a state primary because the benefits have been huge - local friends, local parties!, not a hideous amount of pressure//3 hours' homework every night etc, and at his school, great teaching, good facilities and lots of opportunities to shine.

Lolly, I know tons of children from state primaries who do the transfer - as it's been said many, many children at prep schools are tutored too and are under pressure through out their school careers. You will be super stressed at 11plus time whatever system your child is in and in many ways it'd be worse in the private system as there are some very alpha mummies there. I would start with the state school and move if it doesn't meet your needs, the advantages of a local school are huge

Hi, this may be too late but I have two children at Thomas's and we are very happy with it. The plus points for me are:

• the level of attention the children receive - the classes are not small (20) but in Reception there are 2 teachers for each class or 1 teacher and a full time teaching assistant and then in Years 1 and 2 - there is a teaching assistant shared between two Year 1 classes so there is plenty of time for individual reading etc.
• the level of sport played
• the wide choice of extra-curricular activities - everything from jewellery-making and cookery to touch typing and pottery to judo, climbing and golf.
• the emphasis on drama and music

Good luck with your decision!

Hi I have applied for a place for my son at Honeywell too, but being 0.9 miles away I probably have no hope.

Our first choice is a Catholic primary, which also means I won't be put on to the waiting list at Honeywell if he doesn't get a place at those first two choices... However if he got a place I would bite their hand off!

Another choice was Belleville, although I am nervous now about him getting accepted as they are introducing a new class. I know this was mentioned above but not sure if you know that the new reception class will be annexed of to the other side of Clapham Common, permanently. I am very uneasy about how they can maintain the same levels of teching and care, and avoid a "them and us" attitude developing between the two sites. Being further away if we did get a place, it wouldn't be in the first three classes on the main site IYSWIM, but probably in the latter 91-120...

I feel so pressured about it all too! We would struggle to pay independent fees, but as we plan to leave London in the next couple of years, could manage until then. So we've made a deposit to the Whitehouse Prep just in case he only gets our most local school (which I didn't put down for - this is very likely and I don't want him to go there.)

The Whitehouse was recommended to me by someone in the know at Hornsby (wonderful school but waiting list too long for us to stand a chance), as a similar, small school with a pastoral nature.

I know children who go to Whitehouse and they are very sweet, and also like the fact they play sport every day and have lots of day trips.
My son has had a few encounters in the park with Broomwood/Thomas's boys when minding his own business on a slide etc, who have been spiteful on many occasions - maybe this is because their nannies' weren't watching them well enough (!) but it certainly enforced the spoilt tarquin stereoptype...

As others have said, why not try Honeywell then leave if you're not happy? People move away all the time and places at independents are often available after reception.

As a teacher who has taught at one of the private schools you have mentioned - PLEASE consider Honeywell seriously. It is an outstanding school and it's primary focus is education....remember, these private schools are businesses . I taught a number of children who had moved from Honeywell to my class in the private school - their 'thinking skills' where second to none compared with the privately educated children who learn by recall, rather than really understanding a concept. The private schools are VERY behind in up to date teaching methods.

FWIW, we live in the catchment for the independents you mentioned and Honeywell/Holy Ghost catchment. We will have our fingers crossed he gets into the outstanding state schools in our area because a) I really believe they offer a better education and b) they are free!

Ooh what an interesting post. Good to know about the "recall" vs "concept" learning...

Honeywell and Holy ghost catchment is a lucky place to be! Hg has lots of sibs this year so good luck to us both...

If you haven't already made a decision, just to let you know my daughter was at Honeywell, had the most wonderful 7 years, got into every private school she went for (some with scholarship offers)and the top local selective state option. Yes, she had a year's tutoring for exam practice but this was not a big deal - one hour a week. Many friends who'd sent their kids to private schools had children who did much less well, and many of them had tutoring too.Class size was never an issue as the teachers are great and the school did wonders for her confidence. Lovely parents and children - I have nothing but praise for the place!

Sorry - just read that back and it sounds rather smug! What I meant was that the school served her very well - all her friends did extremely well too.

Can I just say that not all private schools are businesses. Ours is non-profit and owned entirely by the parents. It is an important distinction to make (as addicted pointed out above) and it is certainly something I would consider in choosing a school.

stillfeel18inside - can i ask which tutor agency you used and whether you would recommend it? also the cost

Hello Mumsw, know this thread is 4 yrs old but if you do receive this I was wondering whether you can remember the name of the tutoring company you used while your child was at Honeywell?