State/ Private confusion - living in WImbledon

[MommyG]

I've initiated threads before asking about certain independent school for my two DSs. For the last 3 years I was abroad, and we now want to come back to UK. (hopefully for good)

But I'm sooooooo confused about their schools .. do I really want to spend so much money on private education for primary schooling, when there are good state schools around me?

My house is in the catchment of Dundonald school, which has outstanding Ofsted reports. I dont know if my kids will get in there, as they will need to go into Yr 4 and Yr 1 respectively.. but if I do get in, do you think I should go for that, or should I go for any private school. (I have finally found one that has places)

Private school will come upto almost £2000 a month, and with both me and my husband working, we defn can make it, but do you think it is worth that much though.. Like any other parent I want the best for my children.

But I dont want to spend just for the sake of saying its private. Is there a true value add in going private. If it is sports and other extra curricular-s that is lacking in state schools, cant I just enrol them for that privately? Or is it the crowd of parents/children that is the problem here? How do you think that will affect in primary days?

My upbringing has been outside UK, so I really dont know the standard or rather or the differences btw private/state, and am not able to make a decision.

So sorry for this long post, and am really sorry if I have offended anyone in anyway, I'm just trying to arrive at a sensible conclusion here..

What country do you live in at the moment? Is it somewhere where they start school a bit later - 6 or 7?

MommyG - no not all the indie schools will be 13+ entry - Kingston Gramm for example is 11. And is cheaper than Kings which will be very hard to get into without going down the prep route.

Take the private route very seriously in Merton as the secondaries aren't great.

Presumably they will be going to Willington? Find out where most boys go onto from there and how much those senior schools are - if you think your ds' have no chance of getting into Sutton Grammar/Wilsons/Tiffin etc then its a long haul to 18.

Just off to cook supper but you could try the Independent Schools Council information & advice service (ISCias). I've never used them but they may be able to suggest some options.

They have a free service for parents should they have general queries about ISC schools or the independent sector.

Their national helpline is open Monday to Friday 9-5 and provides information to parents wishing to enquire about ISC/ ISC schools / the Independent sector. The number is 0845 SCHOOLS (7246657).

Parents can also email them at [email protected].

LadyLapsang, I live in UAE at the moment, but they go to a proper British school. So age-wise they are same as UK standards. And many thanks for the helpline number!

Thanks omnishambles, looks like we may have to take the private route.. and yes, Willington does seem to be the one.. as they have places, and ppl generally seem to have a good opinion on the school! No one has said anything bad so far. Good idea, I will ask them for a list. Not sure about DS2 though, whether he should go to a state school until prep stages.

Wow.. it will definitely be a stretch for us with 2 boys going private
So sad that a place with great primaries does not have good secondaries. But I was just going thru some league tables, and any school with good results is selective.. and I'm sure there will be a mad rush for these schools.. so I think situation is same everywhere..

I will defn work with them to get into these good schools.. but we never know the whole world seems to be vying for these top schools !

Why don't you try St Matthews (state)school in Raynes Park. My DD and DS go there - it is massively oversubscribed but some people leave at 7+ to go private so there may be a space in year 4. People do leave before then e.g. twins of diplomats (who went to work elsewhere) in my DS's clss left two spaces but they quickly get filled.

It is a fantastic school both my children are very happy there.

Generally speaking, State education in the UK is not a 'risk". Don't be scared and put off by people who have absolutely no experience of it!

why not apply for Dundonald, but take the Willington places as well (you'd lose the deposit but hey). Dundonald is a lot harder to get into than Willington, to be honest! It has a great reputation. But all the primary schools around Wimbledon are pretty good - Bishop Gilpin, the Priory, Wimbledon chase, Holy trinity, Pelham - all seem to do pretty OK.

Where Wimbledon seems to suffer is secondary schools where the choices seem quite dire if you are not Catholic or smart enough to get into a grammar school - but you have time to think about that once you come back (if my expat friends are correct your son will be well advanced in the curriculum). I think the state sector works well for kids that are reasonably "normal" - able to listen to the teacher, and follow instructions, reasonably social, average or above average ability - and not so well for the oddballs. And smart, sociable kids will do wherever they go.

Thanks for posting that seeker, I thought I was going mad reading this thread!

If it is such a "risk" using state education, I wonder why so many of us do it .

I have no idea mind you what the situation is in Wimbledon wrt secondary schools. Tho I have to say anywhere that still has 11+ and grammar schools wouldn't get my vote.

Please dont get put off by the word risk. I never intended in that light. I'm so sorry. I'm just thinking for my DS's as somehow I dont think he is of grammar material, and we dont stand any chance to get into faith schools. So what I'll most probably left with are the state schools Merton, which I am not too keen on in this stage, only bcoz I dont think they are doing great - looking at all those league tables.

If I was so confident of his capabilities, I wouldn't probably even be bothered, as I know he will get in somewhere or the other and shine with what he has. Unfortunately, I don't think that is my situation and that's why I said its a risk. Very sorry to have pissed you off. He is a bright boy no doubt, but I think needs solid support. Having said that, I will definitely try & prepare him for his grammar entrances - I hope he proves me wrong.

florenceuk, Thanks - yes I am doing that. You are right, our kids are a little ahead in their curriculum.

But can I pls ask something - if I do get into Dundonald, then after year 6 can I send him to prep school? It must be difficult getting places probably, isnt it, since many children that are unsuccessful at grammar stage will be trying there, am I correct? Or maybe I should register now itself for Yr 7 in these prep schools?

One word of warning about preps, many times they only have intakes at 7+, 8+ and 11+ (year 3, year 4, and year 7). Kings College is a bit unusual in that it does accept candidates outside these years.

MommyG,

Check out the possible senior schools for your DSs. If they have 11+ entry, they will be within the reaches of pupils from both prep and primary schools, even if they are selective. A selective school at 11+ usually assesses on verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and then perhaps an English and Maths paper (each school is a bit different as to what they do). The standard for these papers will be similar to KS2 Sats. A good preparation for VR/NVR tests is to do a few practice papers, which you can buy on the High Street. You can't revise for these tests.

If you really don't want to send him to a prep school, don't even visit. You will fall in love with it and then will always think, what if?

Don't worry too much about published entry points. School populations are mobile and children leave at all stages. If the school has a place, they will offer it at any time.

Good luck with your decisions and your move. We got into the independent sector when we moved to the UK, and haven't regretted it at all. As a teacher, I've seen both sides, and working in the state sector has convicted me even deeper about educating my own children privately.

Thanks all so much for your responses. MmeBlueberry, you make a very valid point, having seen both sides.

I am too confused to make a decision here. I think will have to handover to DH, who is not as over-concerned and anxious as I am

One thing I have understood from all this is that I have to get more serious on the education front! The last 2 days has been an eye opener for me.. But atleast I have got a hang of the system now .. and I must say, its not simple !

I live near Wimbledon and if I had the chance to send my DCs to Dundonald I would.Sadly I can't afford to live near enough but never ming. The secondary options are not so good though so you may want to think independent for then which (don't know anything about this) may dictate where you go at this age.

Never mind not never ming

What areas in (Greater) London have good state secondary schools, that are not selective? All selective schools may be really difficult to get into isn't it.