London Private Senior School For "Tim Nice But Dim"? / Where Do Average Kids Go?

[EmbroideryQueen]

Please help! I'm looking for a private Senior school for my DS within reach of central, north or possibly west London.

My DS will be moving school at 13+ and has various mild SEN which mean he usually gets CAT scores of 100 -110 and "may or may not just scrape through Common Entrance at 55%".

(Note, I'm not actually calling him or other DC like him dim as thread title suggests, just that I'm very aware that this is how he is thought of by many London schools.)

I'd love some suggestions for any Senior Schools looking for 55% CE or below in the right sort of area.

Thanks!

I now Portland place well and I wouldn't recommend it. It's seen as a place where rich parents send their dim kids so they don't mix with the riffraff at comprehensive schools, but still do badly academically.

I know many who have gone their and failed to reach even the floor target (5 GCSEs at grade C). For a private school this isn't acceptable. The behaviour of their pupils is also notoriously bad, you would be horrified to hear what they get up to.

I didn't think they had a catchment but we rejected it due to distance

Hibbleddible oh dear! I'm sad to hear that about Portland Place!! Just wondering, how up to date is your info? I believe it used to have a reputation for crappy results, but that seems to have changed quite a bit? Is that due to some selection now?

Are the ones failing to reach 5 A-C all capable of it?

Oh, gosh! PM me some stories about what they get up to??

AveEldon admissions website seemed to be saying catchment unless there are special circumstances which we wouldn't fall in to.

St James School journey would be difficult though not impossible. Also, it's a boys school and I'd pick co ed if given a choice.

Halliford their website isn't working for me atm.

John Lyon looks good, though it is boys.

Berkhamsted also looks good. Transport could work for us. Diamond structure looks potentially good (do boys and girls spend time together at lunch and for clubs?)

THE LIST SO FAR:

Aldenham
Portland Place (if I can be convinced there are no issues)
NBH (as above)
Wetherby (if they can convince me they won't throw him out as it becomes increasingly selective)
Berkhamsted
Haileybury (if admissions not too academic for day pupils)
St Christopher's, Letchworth
St Edmunds, Ware (if it's so amazing I can get over it being Catholic)
John Lyon

Plus others on my reserve list.

Embroidery I'll pm you since you asked, but be warned its not for the faint hearted!

St Benedict's is Catholic in name, but not an issue if you aren't (I think)

hibbleddible can you also PM me as I am thinking of Portland Place for 2018 entry although I haven't looked into it yet.

St Bens is regularly used by people struggling to find a not too selective place for boys in West London. I dont think any I knew were Catholic. Interalia it's a good option for a sporty boy as their facilities are good.

I've known four Portland Place families. None particularly posh. Indeed three were state primary, followed by a panic when they realised state secondary would not work and needing to find somewhere quickly. The fourth was unhappy at his initial secondary. Two families had very clever children whilst the other two's far less so. They all seem to have benefited from the nurturing a small school can provide and all seem to have done what they should academically.

Thanks for the updates on St Benedicts being not so Catholic.

needmoresleep how long ago were those families at Portland Place? Any idea what pupil behaviour / discipline was like?

I think I'll start a thread on PP.

Just to add to the NBH comments, my post about not hearing good things was specific to the senior school in Hampstead, I have no idea about Canonbury.

Thanks Sleepwhenidie any idea about PP as I asked above? Thanks.

I wouldn't discount Wetherby prep at all.

Would you consider Mill Hill?

My DS is at St John's. Can't fault it at all.

Where are you in London as lots of children commute from SW London every day.

Would you consider weekly boarding?

Sorry Embroidery I know a couple of happy parents and DC's at PP but no detail about it.

eatmytoes888 I assume you mean Wetherby Senior?

Mill Hill I really love but they told me they select DC who are above average, so I assume there's little chance.

Good to hear that about St Johns.
We are N London so a bus from SW outwards could work but only if it happens to be on a route which means no journey / easy journey through zone 1.

A longer journey with a couple of nights flexi boarding a week would be OK. Weekly boarding I'd have to give more thought to.

Thanks sleepwhenidie.

Yes, sorry I mean Wetherby Senior.

St John's is a great school but much harder to get a place at now, lots of London parents have discovered it!
Mill Hill is not as academically selective as UCS or Channing. It's a great school so worth more consideration, if you like it.