Private Primary from East Lothian

[SacreBleeurgh]

Hello,

I’m looking for anyone who has experience or thoughts on the practicalities of having a child attend private primary within Edinburgh itself while living in East Lothian? Without going in to too much detail or sparking any sort of debate (hopefully!) we think eldest DD is likely to benefit from small class sizes etc and would prefer to send her private from P1. I have experience of ESMS and know a bit about GWC but both at senior level so I’m kind of feeling around in the dark here! Does anyone do this? Most likely from Musselburgh-ish rather than further out. Would be happy to hear from anyone with any relevant insight in to any of the private options. Thanks in advance!

you could get to Edinburgh Montessori arts school in around 15 mins (by car) or 40 mins (by bike) from Musselburgh if that would be a school you would consider?

Is Loretto school not in Musselburgh? They have a junior and senior school.

Don’t underestimate how tiring it is for a tiny one when you add in a commute. We chose to use state primary until age 8 before moving to private partly for that reason. Our commute was approx 40 minutes during rush hour but we were coming into Edinburgh from West Lothian to
Cargilfield Prep school at Barnton so not quite the same.

Loretta is in Musselburgh, and there is Compass in Haddington if you preferred. Both less of a taxing commute than Edinburgh.

Yep, and we’re definitely considering Loretto as an option (sorry, I probably should have said that in the OP) - we’re both likely to work in Edinburgh itself though so also wanted to explore alternatives. Also aware that there are buses that run from P4 which will make things a lot more straightforward, but there’s a few years between the two kids so potentially quite a long time before we are able to use them for both.

Compass is a lovely school!

Loretta is a no-brainier. Can’t think why you would not automatically go for this school.

If you are looking in the city, there is always Heriots.

Never heard of Compass, but it makes no sense if you are working in Edinburgh.

Unfortunately, east and south side schools have closed over the years (RIP St Margaret’s that I went to), so it is down to Loretto, Heriots and perhaps the Academy, depending on where you work.

Does anyone have any direct experience of the junior school at Loretto? I get the impression that it gets a good name, but lots of mixed reports about the senior school, so if we were to use it it would probably be with the intention of moving them later? Thanks for all insight so far. I realise that it’s a potentially a bit batshit trying to get them to one of the Edinburgh junior schools, but wondered if anyone managed regardless!

I’m out of touch now, but watch out for being a day pupil at a predominantly boarding school.

Find out the proportion of boarders. When I was growing up, I don’t know of anyone who went to Loretto as a day boy (I am from Musselburgh). We all commuted into the city - girls to St Margaret’s, boys to Heriots or Stewart’s Melville, and mixed to Watson’s.

You could always start out at the Nippers and move in the city for senior school, but that’s a long way off.

Thanks @CraftyGin, it would most likely be our intention to move them in to the city as soon as was practical. Do you mean most people commuted in even at junior school level? Or just at senior school? I did go to senior school in Edinburgh but from within the city itself and I’ve been away for a number of years so I’m feeling very out of touch!

I went from P7 and got public transport (2 buses). I think most that were not from close to school started later.

@SacreBleeurgh did you go with an Edinburgh school in thr end? We are in the same predicament. We are considering EL private primaries but also Edinburgh academy who run a bus

@SunshineSmiley hi - not in the end as the house wasn’t a goer. We ended up moving closer to another school which was straight through from P1-S6. With the benefit of hindsight and two school years almost done, it would have been too much to manage to do unless one parent was either able to work flexibly or worked right next to the Edinburgh school. How early does the EA bus start, age wise? And what is the actual pick up time relative to your own commute? Ironically we live on route of a bus which runs from
P1 but can’t actually use it as have another child going to nursery and need to drop off earlier than the bus leaves.

@SacreBleeurgh Thanks very much for replying. The EA bus leaves NB from the train station at 7am, it arrives back at 630pm. They take children on their bus from P1 upwards. The times work fine for us. Im in the office twice a week via the train and could take the 720am, im back before 630pm.

DH works in Livingston a couple of days a week and drives in, so on his days in the office he could potentially collect DD about 430pm rather than her take the bus. I work in the city centre 1 day a week so could collect her about 5 on the day i go in.

I am worried it is too long a day for a youngster but realistically, if she was collected from an EL school by a childminder the hours wouldn't be hugely different. Maybe an hour earlier at night. The wrap around school holiday care is a massive plus.

In latter years, if she wasnt loving the school, we could move her to heriots which would be easier for the train. I had really wanted her to go to StG for secondary school but the more im looking into it, I think she would really need to flexi board as they don't run a bus and unless she had a burning desire to board id rather she came home.

The bus is the only reason im really considering EA. Its just whether it is too much for a youngster.

That sounds like a really long day. No way my 4.5 year old would cope with that.

@NimbleKnitter its hard to know what to do for the best, short of giving up work.

We are almost decided on Loretto for DD. We didn't plan on going private straight away but local school has no wraparound care. On the list for the single childminder but nowhere near the top. She is a Nov birthday so would be going to preschool for a year. I think you have to be 5 by start of term to go into Year 1. It's about 15mins from my work so should work out OK and they have wraparound care from 7.45 in the morning and until 6.30pm if you need it. We went to the open day last weekend and really liked it.

Have also not heard great things about senior school but we thought if we needed to move her at that point she'd be able to get public transport into town.

I agree, it's too long a day for a little one. Realistically to make the bus you'd need to be up before 6am and in the evening they'll be so tired it'll be eat, wash and bed. No quality family life at all. Maybe from upper primary this is more do-able but still a long day for young children.

Local childminder is slightly different even though it's a long day, because they won't have the long commute and children can 'chill' a bit more in the evening session.

I know everyone wants to do the best for their children but a good education shouldn't be at the detriment of all round wellbeing and family life.

@Blaize230 i contacted loretto on friday. Thats annoying i just missed the open day, they told me the next one isnt until October but I could arrange a one to one tour. Thats really good to hear you were impressed. I am in the same boat, they told me DD would need to go to pre school first as they need to be 5 for junior school, and follow the English age cut offs - Sept to Aug. Do you know if loretto do a holiday club for care throughout the holidays? Or what the youngest age they accept children on their minibus? Thanks for any insight!

@SunshineSmiley We had also had a 1to1 tour without DD which was good. They have pupils show you round so you can ask them some questions and get a feel for the place. They definitely have a holiday club and I think it was the Year 2 teacher said one of her pupils goes on the bus with an older sibling so maybe they can go from the start? I was concerned DD might be a bit disappointed that it was still a bit like nursery but they have all the specialist teachers and go to assemblies and whole school events so I think she will feel like she's moved on to school. DD already knows one pupil in the preschool from nursery and her parents have been very positive about the school.

@Blaize230 thanks thats very helpful. Il definitely go on the tour. Did you go and see anywhere else?

@SunshineSmiley We didn't. I start work at 8.30 in Midlothian so there was no way I could get her in to any Edinburgh school and back out for work. Compass was not really the right direction. My nieces went to Belhaven (too far for us) and they loved it. Quite a while ago, now both in their twenties. I think they have the same policy with age and I don't know if they have a preschool. Worth having a tour of both I would think.

@Blaize230 i spoke to Belhaven on Friday too and we are waiting to hear back with a date to visit them. Really like the look of belhaven. Where did your neices go onto afterwards? You cant start belhaven until aged 5 and its the same at compass although compass have a reception class you can go to from 4. Iv just checked the bus timetables for belhaven and loretto from NB, compass doesnt seem to have one available online. Both belhaven and loretto would arrive in nb at 630pm. They leave NB at 720am and 740am so much of a muchness. It will be interesting to see if the compass minibus arrives back earlier, since its by far the closest. I am pretty sure it leaves at a similar time though as i often see it when im walking to the station for work in the morning. DH and I could make the day slightly shorter by doing drop offs and collections ourselves a couple of times a week.

@SunshineSmiley they went to Ampleforth. Would you keep DD at nursery for an extra year if you went for Belhaven? I don't know how it works if you decide to send them to a school which follows Scottish system of Feb cut off for secondary school. Would they just go to S1 and be a year older? DH keeps telling me not to think too far ahead! I'm definitely all for not going to uni at 17. I did and it was really annoying.

@Blaize230 yes belhaven said she would stay at nursery fof an extra year and advised of some nurseries that can help children prepare for belhaven with extra activities in the additional year. The issue there is that DD is already on the waiting list but cant get a space in these nurseries as they are over subscribed. If i sent her to the loretto pre school or EA or anywhere else, it would make sense to just move her up into the junior school where she would have some friends. If she was to end EL school and go to an Edinburgh day school for secondary she would be one of the eldest in the year rather than the youngest. If she went to loretto, i guess it would make sense to stay right through but like you, i have heard mixed reports on the secondary and for the additional fees, id want to be certain it was worth it. Its such a hard decision to know what to do for the best! Part of me thinks send her to state until p3 or 4 but then iv got a huge childcare problem and what if she cant get a space as these arent traditional intake years?!