Welcome to the tenth annual NappyValleyNet Schools Guide
This year’s guide is bursting with ideas, advice and best practice for parents to help ease the multiple issues and challenges influencing our education system.
How should schools tackle smartphone usage and long hours online, mental health issues, closing the gap between parents and schools and revising the curriculum so it is fit for purpose? Our expert contributors share their insider knowledge on these and other issues, including the spectre of VAT on private school fees.
We also unpick the value-add that boarding delivers, the pros and cons of online v in-person tutoring and advise how best to reduce the pressure of admissions tests on your child.
Read about how schools are teaching climate change, the move away from the one-size-fits-all approach to neurodiverse children, how to optimise open day visits and navigate life at the school gates.
Before signing off, I’d like to thank our four local Preferred Property Partners for their local insight and unwavering support - John Thorogood, Rampton Baseley, Savills and Wilfords.
We hope all the information and practical advice contained within these pages will lead you to the best educational home for your child.
Warmest wishes
NappyValleyNet’s Schools Guide 2024/2025 is published by Nextville IP Ltd Company number 9965295
Editor Gillian Upton
Contributors Georgina Blaskey, Annabel Coaker, Sian Griffiths, Charlotte Peterson, Dina Shoukry, Malcolm Trotter, Nicola Woolcock
Chief Sub-editor Charlotte Peterson
Sub-editor Jane O’Brien
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Sales & Marketing Clare Sheta
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While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, Nextville IP Ltd cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.
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CONTENTS
London Day Schools
Eaton Square Schools
JAGS
Founder, Nextville IP Ltd.
Ardingly College
FINDING THE SWEET SPOT
Sian Griffiths, Education and Families Editor of The Sunday Times, traces the current trends and challenges of our education system
eadteachers across south London have a new message to parents - beware of buying a smartphone for your child, even if they are starting secondary school.
Alleyn’s School
Fears are growing that children living long hours online are more at risk of harm than was previously thought. Many have read a new book called The Anxious Generation by psychologist Jonathan Haidt and taken on board its argument - that smartphones and social media apps lead to sleep deprivation, mental illness and addiction for children. Children can also be groomed online to ‘sext’ - send intimate photos of themselvesleaving them vulnerable to blackmail.
Cathy Elliott, Headteacher of Streatham & Clapham High School has told parents to buy phones for children only when “absolutely necessary” and then to opt for
REVERSING THE MOODY BLUES
At Emanuel, we run an initiative called ‘Disconnect to Reconnect’ where pupils reduce their use of social media over a three-week period and report the impact on their mood. Pupils notice an improvement in mood, happiness and sleep, amongst other positive changes to their wellbeing. Importantly, they have also gained a degree of agency over their use of social media and have become advocates for moderation. We use our form assemblies to run ‘decompression sessions’ in the middle of the day where pupils have the opportunity to do something fun and exciting, whether it be playing a form game of giant Jenga, creating an origami jumping frog and measuring the jump span, or a ‘drop the egg’ competition. These sessions help pupils to retain a sense of balance and perspective in their studies while having fun and reinforcing the importance of wellbeing.
Source: Emanuel School
Eaton Square Schools
brick phones - old style practical phones which can be used to text but not to access the internet.
Putney High School says, “Phones are not permitted at Putney High School during the school day.” The school is using “lockable phone pouches to help pupils step away from the addictive challenges of digital technology.”
Wimbledon High School has boxes where students must lock away their devices all day while Emanuel School in Battersea, for 11-to-18-year-olds, has announced a smartphone ban for the incoming Year 6
with the goal of being smartphone-free for Years 6 to 9.
Emanuel’s Mr Kothakota, Deputy Head: Pupils & Designated Safeguarding Lead, explains that the school runs an initiative called Disconnect to Reconnect to reduce pupils’ use of social media over a three-week period and report the impact on their mood. “Pupils notice an improvement in mood, happiness and sleep, among other positive changes to their wellbeing.
“Importantly, they have also gained a degree of agency over their use of social media and become advocates for moderation.”
Pupils notice an improvement in mood, happiness and sleep, among other positive changes to their wellbeing
Trinity School
As schools start a new academic year, bans on smartphones are just one of many changes made since the outbreak of Covid 19 caused the biggest upheaval to schooling since the Second World War.
With record numbers of children now persistently absent from school - 24% missed a day a fortnight in the autumn term of 2023 - mental health continues to be at the forefront of school agendas. Figures from NHS Digital show that one-in-six children in England had a probable mental health disorder in 2021, an increase from one in nine in 2017.
Many schools offer avenues to try to help children feel secure. At Dulwich College Mrs Fiona Angel, Senior Deputy, says pupils can turn to their tutor for advice initially. “There is [also] an extensive network of other channels of support, including the Head of Year, Head of School, College Chaplain, counselling team, and our Yelcho Room, a drop-in safe space for pupils to express any worries or concerns.”
But if anxiety becomes so disabling that children start avoiding school Kathryn Lester, Director of the Childhood, Attachments, Play and Emotions Lab at
MANAGING EMOTIONS
A survey of over 1,000 parents by Embers the Dragon, a new app designed to build emotional resilience in children and their families, has revealed that more than 50% of threeto-seven-year-olds are struggling with emotional health problems and this is rising steadily into teenage life, with only a fifth of parents believing that their child can effectively manage their emotions.
The main emotional health issues that parents report include concerns over anxiety (46%), neuro-developmental conditions (32%), and low mood (29%).
Two thirds (69%) said that their child has emotional challenges such as identifying or defining their feelings, communicating how they feel or managing their feelings in unfamiliar situations.
THE MEANING OF METACOGNITION
The term metacognition means having the self-awareness to make choices about the sort of thinking that you do, or to reflect on the sort of thinking that you have undertaken. It assumes that acts of thinking are deliberate and free, and aligned with the will to learn and reflect on your thoughts.
How can a pupil use metacognition?
The sort of metacognitive questions that may help a pupil to plan his or her learning may include:
• What do I want to learn?
• How will I do it?
• What challenges may I face?
• What skills, values or resources do I need?
While they are learning:
• Do I understand what I am learning?
• Do I need to try a different strategy?
• What am I finding difficult?
If pupils notice that some thought or other is ‘stuck’, then they may pause, take a breath and change their approach.
Source: Eaton House The Manor
Streatham & Clapham Prep GDST
Broomwood is a multi-award winning school with a focus on wellbeing and promoting a love of learning. Our children were awarded 42 scholarships this year to selective senior schools at 11 / 13+. We have a unique approach: pupils start together in Pre-Prep before moving to Broomwood Girls or Broomwood Boys. Beyond the classroom, they take part in a huge range of co-ed enrichment and house activities: The Best of Both Worlds.
Sussex University, says parents should work closely with teachers to get children back to class swiftly.
“We know that in the long-term, avoidance acts to maintain anxiety - so while not attending school might offer temporary relief to the child from the distress they feel, it is likely to reinforce the anxiety and lead to prolonged absence,” she says.
Headteachers have also recognised the pressure on younger children caused by highly competitive admission tests to senior fee-paying schools. Since 1903 the Independent Schools Examinations Board has provided exams for children moving from prep and junior schools to senior schools in the UK, including designing and setting Common Entrance tests. The exams have traditionally tested 12- and 13-year-olds on up to 11 academic subjects, including maths and classics. But now changes are afoot.
In 2019, just before the pandemic started, the ISEB announced that Britain’s oldest exams were to be reformed. Hot-housing and intensive coaching for admissions tests to highly selective senior schools had also been blamed for growing levels of anxiety in young children.
The board has brought in online pretests to Common Entrance. Pupils in Year 6, aged 10 and 11, can sit the computerised pre-tests in their primary and prep schools as well as take a new iPQ, a project-based qualification devised by the ISEB.
Prep and junior schools are adjusting the way they teach to the new qualifications. Some prep schools have adopted a pre-school baccalaureate, an alternative framework of assessment to Common Entrance which includes measuring skills in technology and critical thinking. Some senior schools will accept the PSB on its own, others use it alongside pre-testing of CE exams.
SCHOLARS - THE ‘IDEAS-MAKERS’ OF THE FUTURE
Academic with a very modern edge, Putney’s ethos of Modern Scholarship is a forward-thinking approach to study which is original and relevant to the modern world. Students learn to think critically, build real world skills and competencies, and develop the vision to problem-solve, now and in the future.
With academic rigour, analytical skills and a distinctly entrepreneurial style of thinking, they are encouraged to be curious, to question and conjecture, inside the classroom and beyond, starting with the popular Year 7 Badge Challenge and Year 8 BAFTA awards. Students explore new ideas and respond creatively to topical issues through essays and artworks, podcasts and short films. In the Debating Forum and PPE, they discuss modern day ethics while a bespoke Design Thinking curriculum explores design innovation, robots and AI in real world applications. They brainstorm and prototype sustainable solutions to real world problems - great training for the innovators of tomorrow.
Source: Putney High School GDST
Some prep schools have adopted a preschool baccalaureate, an alternative framework of assessment to Common Entrance
The PSB website, www.psbacc.org, lists the prep schools that offer the PSB and the senior schools that accept it.
Michael Hamilton-Foyn, Deputy Head Academic, Walhampton says: “Our world is changing and children need to develop the right knowledge, skills, attitudes and values, but crucially they need to ask the right questions. Curiosity is key to learning, both in terms of developing subject knowledge and mastery of skills but also in developing
Thomas’s Day Schools
WHAT TO CONSIDER FOR A MODERN EDUCATION
Alongside traditional academics, other important skills in a rapidly changing world are:
1. Holistic development: Looking beyond academic tests and cultivating essential life skills like critical thinking, communication and problem-solving
2. Digital literacy: Mastering digital tools and platforms with technology integrated into learning
3. Adaptability and resilience: Encouraging experiential learning, challenging students to solve realworld problems and foster a growth mindset
4. Cultural awareness: Celebrating diversity and promoting cultural understanding, with exposure to different perspectives, global issues and meaningful cross-cultural interactions
5. Empathy and sustainability: Empathy towards others and the promotion and practise of environmental stewardship
6. Communication and collaboration: Developing skills in students and engaging in projects, debates and teamwork
7. Entrepreneurship and financial literacy: Preparation for career and economic success
8. Support for individuality: Personalised guidance to nurture a child’s talents and interests, while accommodating diverse learning styles and opportunities for enrichment
9. Community and values: Ensure the school’s community ethos and values align with your own
10. Future readiness: Look for alumni success, partnerships with industry and initiatives that promote lifelong learning and adaptability
Source: London Park Schools (LPS)
Our world is changing and children need to develop the right knowledge, skills, attitudes and values...”
an interest in how we learn and how we improve ourselves as learners.
“Walhampton’s inclusion of PSB skills as a fundamental part of the curriculum nurtures this ‘metacognition’ and empowers children to have greater control over their success.”
Walhampton currently retains the Year 8 summer tests as a way of ensuring rigour and quality assurance. It also affords children practise at revising for, and taking, an exam in a formal setting. This is great preparation for the years of national tests that will follow the pupils’ transition to senior schools.
“As part of our curriculum development programme, we spoke to every senior school
that we have sent a child to over the last decade and all were fully supportive of our PSB implementation plans; Walhampton pupils continue to be highly sought-after.”
For families with children who may have been home for months or even years post-pandemic, Hybrid@LPS, the first hybrid school in the UK teaching children up to sixth form age, opens this month (September 2024). Dukes Education, which runs around 25 schools in the UK and Europe, will ask students to come in one day a week for lessons in subjects like art, science, drama and sport, and log into live online lessons from home on the other four days.
Camp Suisse
Hybrid@LPS is linked to the London Park Schools that Dukes is opening in London, including LPS Mayfair, LPS Clapham and LPS Sixth (currently Eaton Square Senior and Eaton Square Sixth).
The hybrid school will charge around £4,000 - £5,000 a term. With Labour pledging to bring in a 20% VAT charge on private schools and some schools saying they plan to pass on most of that to parents in higher fees, Suzie Longstaff, Principal of London Park Schools, says her aim is to support parents by “trying to make education affordable”.
Smaller schools - and most private schools are small, with less than 300 pupils - are expected to find the VAT charge
hardest to manage. Experts estimate that as many as 25% of parents will leave the sector over five years and some schools will have to close.
At The White House Preparatory School, a 250-pupil school in Clapham which offers an after-school club in stockbroking and Latin among other subjects, Vice Principal Grace McCahery has launched a coalition of small schools to ask the government to exempt schools as small as hers from paying the charge.
Like others, McCahery is drawing up contingency plans to handle the extra tax thought likely to come in from September 2025. She is ruling out job cuts or cuts in bursaries which are offered to around 100
pupils at The White House but other schools, especially outside London, are looking hard at such options.
McCahery says keeping class sizes small is also a priority, but many parents expect class sizes in private schools to grow if the government carries out its manifesto pledge.
The threat of bigger class sizes and redundancies in the private sector are adding to teacher stress which has already resulted in recruitment and retention difficulties in many schools, both state and private.
In response, schools are trying hard to recruit and keep good teachers, with rules for parents such as only contacting teachers between 9am and 4pm.
TIPS FOR STUDYING FROM HOME
• Create a study zone: A dedicated area to focus without distractions
• Stick to a routine: Establish a consistent schedule for your work when not in lessons
• Manage distractions: The phone and social media are key culprits. Use apps that block distractions during study sessions
• Stay connected: Participate in discussions with your classmates and tutors, ask questions and collaborate on projects
• Take regular breaks: Short breaks during study sessions to rest and recharge boosts concentration and productivity
• Stay organised: Use digital tools to keep on top of your workload such as calendars or task listsorganisation is key
• Look after yourself: Eat well, exercise, get fresh air and enough sleep. Wellbeing directly impacts the ability to learn effectively from home
• Prepare for tech issues: Be ready for internet outages or device problems; know who to contact for technical support
• Manage time wisely: Prioritise tasks based on deadlines. Allocate specific times for different subjects or assignments
• Seek help when needed: Don’t hesitate to ask questions of classmates or teachers - they’re there to support you
Source: Hybrid@LPS
“We have rules about when you can email the teacher,” says McCahery. “We strive to maintain their work-life balance. Nobody needs to send an email at 11pm or 7am.”
Another measure to alleviate teacher and headteacher stress involves reforms to the school inspectorate Ofsted, also expected to be brought in now that Labour is in government. The single word judgements on schools of “outstanding”, “good”, “requires improvement” and “inadequate”, labels by which many parents currently choose schools, will be scrapped, and replaced with something more like a descriptive report card.
The move has been called for by teaching unions after respected headteacher Ruth Perry killed herself after her previously outstanding primary school was downgraded to inadequate.
Meanwhile, girls continue to outperform boys at both GCSE and A-level. For years, the leaders of single sex schools have argued that teenage girls and boys perform better when they are taught separately, with girls more likely to study STEM subjects such as maths and physics at A-level in girlsonly schools and boys more likely to feel confident opting for English Literature, or dance and drama in boys-only schools.
However, a growing number of boys schools in particular are now moving to enrol girls and vice versa, arguing that boys and girls will have to work together in their careers - so need to learn how to get along from an early age.
Nonetheless, differences between boys’ and girls’ behaviour are constantly being discussed in schools with implications for how they should be taught.
At Broomwood, for instance, where the boys’ prep school is now in co-educational collaboration with the girls’ prep, Louisa McCafferty, Head of Broomwood Prep - Girls says: “When Broomwood conducted our wellbeing survey it threw up issues that we weren’t necessarily expecting. We were able to address problems at our girls’ school, such
Another measure to alleviate teacher and headteacher stress involves reforms to the school inspectorate Ofsted
TIPS FOR FRIENDSHIP AND SUCCESS
Wellbeing and pastoral care are top priorities for parents given the rise in mental health issues among adolescents. We create spaces where every pupil feels comfortable, valued and accepted, and given the tools to take ownership of their wellbeing. Tips to help foster a sense of community and belonging are:
Encourage self-expression: Empower your child to embrace their identity and express it freely. Celebrate their individuality and remind them that their identity goes beyond school and into all areas of life.
Join or start clubs: Beyond sports, music and art, clubs like Fishtank Club, Swifty Club or Warhammer can help children with unique interests find common ground and make friends. Encourage your child to join.
Promote security: Help your child feel secure during adolescence, crucial for success both in school and in life.
By supporting your child in these ways, you can help them build strong friendships and a foundation for lifelong success.
Source: Alleyn’s School
PHONE-FREE CHILDHOODS
In the UK, 91% of 11-year-olds have a smartphone and 20% of children own them by the time they are four. The average age for a UK child to receive their first smartphone is around aged nine and certainly by the time they begin secondary school. A campaign group, the Smartphone-Free Childhood (SFC) - smartphonefreechildhood. co.uk – is a WhatsApp group sharing tips for parents, encouraging schools to implement smartphone bans and lobbying for government legislation and tech industry regulation. In May this year, the House of Commons education committee published a report supporting a total smartphone ban for under 16s as well as a statutory ban on mobile phone use in schools.
as identifying and tackling problems with sleep. And after listening to our boys, we gave them more control and responsibility over setting expectations of behaviour and consequences. Both these steps have had a huge benefit to the children giving them a sense of control and confidence that we are listening to them.”
There are likely to be changes down the line to the curriculum. The new government has proposed a review of what is currently taught in schools - expect to see discussion of a more diverse curriculum with more study of literature by black and ethnic minority authors, as well as of notable figures in subjects ranging from history to science and the possibility of bringing in more technical subjects such as digital skills and engineering.
New education secretary Bridget Phillipson has said she will review the curriculum, giving subjects such as art, music, drama and sport, subjects known
EMBRACING INNOVATION IN EDUCATION
Equipping students with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing workplace is crucial. The World Economic Forum published the top ten skills of the future:
1. Analytical thinking and innovation
2. Active learning and learning strategies
3. Complex problem-solving
4. Critical thinking and analysis
5. Creativity, originality and initiative
6. Leadership and social influence
7. Technology use, monitoring and control
8. Technology design and programming
9. Resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility
10. Reasoning, problem-solving and ideation
When looking at schools, ask how they are developing and rising to these changes beyond the traditional curriculum. How are they embracing technology? What is innovative about their curriculum? What additional opportunities do they offer students to help them grow and develop?
Source: DLD College London
to help children with their mental health, a higher priority in the school timetable. Oracy and early maths will also feature in any review as will a greater emphasis on digital skills.
There is widespread agreement about the narrow specialisation of A-levels not equipping youngsters for a 21st century world of work. The new government
Continued on page 20
The new government has proposed a review of what is currently taught in schools
Finton House School
A forward-thinking, outward-looking education, based on a strong set of values, for boys and girls aged 2 to 18.
Thomas’s Kensington 11+ preparatory school Reception to Year 6
Thomas’s College Year 7 to Year 13
Thomas’s Battersea 13+ preparatory school Reception to Year 8
Thomas’s Clapham 13+ preparatory school Reception to Year 8
Thomas’s Fulham 11+ preparatory school Reception to Year 6
Thomas’s Kindergarten EYFS - Aged 2 1/2 to 4
Thomas’s Academy 11+ primary school Reception to Year 6
thomas-s.co.uk
Schools are trialling new ways of learning to keep abreast of offices where AI and robots will perform many of the tasks humans currently carry out
A GUIDE TO FAILING FORWARDS
Accept that making mistakes and failing is inevitable. We don’t make them on purpose, but they happen, and so we should value them when they do.
Analyse
Why did the mistake or failure happen? Was it speed, lack of knowledge, incorrect use of knowledge, wrong time/ wrong place? Examine why the failure happened and what learning can be taken from it.
Source: Finton House School
Feel
There are so many feelings wrapped up in making mistakes and it’s OK to feel them, to be disappointed or angry. Name them and explain them but set a realistic time limit for this.
Make a plan
Ask yourself, ‘How will I approach this next time?’ or ‘What am I going to do next?’ Ultimately, use what you have learnt to fail forwards.
Woldingham School
supports more art, sports, drama and music in the curriculum - subjects that help children catch up on the social and emotional learning they missed in lockdown. Climate change is also on many schools’ minds with a new GCSE in natural history now up and running and many schools offering sustainable volunteering initiatives to children.
Meanwhile, a boom in pupils studying science, technology and maths subjects at GCSE and A-level in recent years, encouraged by the government, has led to computer science becoming the most popular university degree.
Schools are trialling new ways of learning to keep abreast of offices where AI and robots will perform many of the tasks humans currently carry out. Whitgift, for example, is trialling triangular desks for students instead of in rows facing a teacher at the front of the class.
At Whitgift School James Piggott, Director of Learning says: “In modern education it’s not enough just to learn how to solve problems, but to mix with people who have
different life experiences and perspectives.
“We’re moving away from the traditional classroom seats in rows as students need to lead lessons and rows are prohibitive to discussion. See where the teacher is in the room over the next few years, and increasingly it won’t be in the front but in the middle or back.”
He explains: “We are going to start a small trial for two terms with triangular-shaped desks. Their shape fundamentally changes the dynamic of a classroom - putting a number of them together means you have a classroom of curved grouping where students are face-to-face with their peers.”
In modern education
it’s not enough just to learn how to solve problems
PASTORAL IS KEY
Broomwood places a huge emphasis on listening to children and addressing their needs. Each year we conduct a pupil wellbeing survey and were delighted that most describe themselves as ‘very happy’. When issues do arise, we are proactive and address them quickly. For example, in our last survey we discovered that some older girls were finding it difficult to sleep, which made it harder to concentrate in lessons and regulate their moods. This prompted us to organise pupil and parent workshops, providing tips on how to get a good night’s rest. Girls from Year 5 onwards also choose their own tutor, identifying teachers they have a good working relationship with and who they believe can champion them through the year. They meet twice a week to discuss academic concerns and any pastoral or social issues, and the tutor is on hand to offer support at every stage.
Source: Broomwood Prep - Girls
Emanuel School
ENRICHING EDUCATION BEYOND THE TIMETABLE
Loved locally for its reputation as a family-run school, The White House creates exceptional opportunities for children, with a focus on strong academic results whilst enriching each pupil’s experience beyond the curriculum
The White House is a unique school which continues to win the hearts of its close parent community by delivering an exceptional experience. Children of all ages shine in an environment that is always keen to celebrate each other’s successes, whether in class or in the multitude of extra-curricular opportunities and events on offer.
Alongside a forward-looking curriculum is an extensive programme of enrichment. Deeply embedded within the curriculum is ‘Choice’, a dedicated weekly afternoon in the timetable when pupils are given the chance to choose from STEAM, performing arts or sports, giving children the space to develop their interests and learn to collaborate. Further up the school, Enterprise gives children the chance to create, manage and budget their own businesses. For Year 6, once the 11+ has been completed in January, the cohort has
Alongside a forwardlooking curriculum is an extensive programme of enrichment
five weeks off timetable for skills-based learning. This year, in Life Skills week they learnt how to cook a two-course meal (including menu planning, budgeting and shopping) and how to get around central London (under the watchful eye of a teacher). In Science Skills week, a topLondon surgeon led the children in a heart dissection!
The journey ends in Year 6, when pupils leave to go to top London day schools
and some boarding schools with over half achieving scholarships. The two-form school now houses 230 pupils overall, with class sizes of no more than 18, delivering a highly personalised learning environment. The school’s multi-millionpound investment in facilities over the last couple of years, including their RIBA 2024 shortlisted new lower school building, has made this educational experience even better, with a new immersive, innovative STEAM classroom and a gymnastics facility. The coming year will see their nurseries - Woodentops Nurseries - expand with a new opening in Clapham Old Town joining their current locations in SW4 and SW12. As the last purely family-owned and run school left in Nappy Valley, staff retention is high so as pupils develop, long-standing teachers can spot their interests and talents and help advise parents in how to nurture these skills, and the sense of community among parents is strong. It’s through both the school’s family ethos and the families that make up the school that The White House remains a unique institution offering an unrivalled experience.
3O YEARS OF MAGIC
Celebrating 30 years on Clapham Common, Eaton House The Manor continues to inspire and engage students in the most magical way
Eaton House The Manor, comprising of a single sex prep school for boys aged four to 13, a single sex prep school for girls aged four to 11 and a co-ed nursery, enjoys a 125year legacy of academic excellence since the foundation of its sister school in Belgravia in 1897. Celebrating 30 years on its site overlooking Clapham Common, the school prides itself in being a magical place for children to develop a lifelong love of learning, a sense of adventure and self-confidence.
“We believe that a school should be a magical place, where children flourish intellectually and emotionally, and where their opportunities and horizons are expanded at every turn,” says Principal Sarah Segrave.
Eaton House The Manor is a ‘sky-isthe-limit’ school where students are taught that they can excel at anything. Academically, it has gone from strength to strength and the range of scholarships achieved across academics, music and sport demonstrate this. In 2024, students
in Eaton House The Manor Prep and Eaton House The Manor Girls’ School won 42 scholarships and awards to leading day and boarding schools.
Senior school destinations for boys typically include Dulwich College, Eton College, Westminster School, St Paul’s School, Tonbridge School, Radley College, Charterhouse School, Harrow School, Whitgift School and King’s College School Wimbledon. Similarly, in recent years, girls have gone on to leading senior schools such as St Paul’s Girls’ School, Godolphin and Latymer, Wycombe Abbey and Downe House.
Beyond academics, Eaton House The Manor offers a diverse range of extracurricular activities enabling students to find and develop their own passions. These include running club, politics, current affairs, basketball, table tennis and tag-rugby. The boys and girls come together for some clubs such as drama and chess.
Students also go on a wide range of trips throughout the academic year. Destinations include Paris, the Lake District and Weymouth.
Wellbeing is incredibly important at Eaton House The Manor. Staff prioritise the mental health of their pupils, and in turn, happy children achieve great results. The House system, dedicated form tutors, and the extensive new wellbeing hub, contribute to a strong framework of pastoral care ensuring that every child is championed and supported throughout their education.
Segrave’s mantra is that no child should pass unnoticed and as such all students are celebrated. The latest ISI inspection report noted, ‘Respecting others is an innate quality exhibited by all pupils, with diversity and inclusion being openly celebrated.’ This school is ambitious, kind and friendly, and fully committed to weaving its magic for another 30 years and more.
CLIMATE CHANGE
PROTECTING THEIR FUTURE
How are schools teaching pupils about the world they will inherit? Georgina Blaskey highlights the student-led initiatives that are the first step in tackling climate change
Many young people are worried about the climate crisis and how governments around the world are – or aren’t – dealing with it. According to the latest Save The Children survey of 3,000 children, 70% are worried about the world they will inherit and no
fewer than 75% want the government to take stronger action on the climate and inequality crisis. Some 60% think climate change and inequality are affecting their generation’s mental health in the UK, and more than half (56%) believe it is also causing a deterioration in child mental health globally.
Schools offer children an opportunity to make positive changes in their local community, giving them a sense of control over a spiralling world issue, which is something that can help alleviate the worries that many pupils feel deeply about the planet they will inherit. Taking action through
Woldingham School
student-led initiatives and programmes is a first step. “Certainly, young people at Ardingly are increasingly concerned about the effects of climate change and there are a number of student- and school-led initiatives to encourage everyone to play their part in mitigating these, including a popular Eco-Society,” explains Ben Figgis, Head of Ardingly College.
“One of the most eye-catching, however, is our Solar Car Project, where teams of students have designed and built three solar-powered vehicles in recent years. Our Solar Car Project has fostered environmentally responsible engineering skills in a generation of students and has twice been shortlisted for Prince William’s prestigious Earth Shot Prize.”
Dulwich College runs an annual Eco Week, which is a whole-school initiative, explains Dr Cyrus Golding, Head of Geography and Advanced Electives. “We have been developing approaches to equip students
Thomas’s London Day Schools
Bolingbroke Academy
Fencing, beekeeping, Japanese club? With a Whitgift education you’re challenged academically and supported to discover interests you never knew you had. We offer independent day and boarding for boys aged 10 to 18 on an inspiring 45 acre parkland.
Start your journey today by exploring our website.
to make changes and a real difference to supporting environmental efforts. Teaching about sustainable issues runs across different disciplines, and sustainability is further highlighted by our annual Eco Week.”
At Woldingham, the approach is to propel students into action to lean on those in power. Davina Stansfield, Woldingham’s Head of Wellbeing, says: “Our focus at school is about sustainability, which we discuss in wellbeing lessons, as well as in clubs and societies, such as Eco Club and Beekeeping. In wellbeing lessons, we talk about how students can represent their views, which includes raising concerns with an MP or local representative.”
Climate change and the surrounding issues are embedded into the Global Studies Curriculum at Thomas’s. “In Year 7, pupils complete a whole Geography unit on how to make the world a more sustainable place and reduce the impacts of climate change,” explains Emily Jenkin, Head of Upper School, Thomas’s Battersea. “Pupils are encouraged to think about the causes and effects of climate change, how it has social, environmental and economic impacts, as well as ways in which we can prevent it.”
At The Roche, Head Jonny Gilbert says, “You can’t go far wrong if you are guided by the UN Goals for Sustainable Development. Learning about these provides a practical
framework for children to understand how they and others can make a difference for our world.”
It’s never too early to listen, and at Broomwood even the youngest pupils are given a voice. “We have Eco Monitors in the Pre-Prep. These children are responsible for helping teachers to ensure that we recycle classroom materials. They have completed training and are aware of what we cannot recycle too, such as tissues and paper with paint on it. The Eco Monitors also encourage classmates to turn lights out and taps off when they are not being used,” says Victoria Davies Jones, Head of Marketing at Broomwood.
Putney High has banned single use plastics, cut unnecessary electricity consumption and recycle efficiently as part of their Breathe programme to inform classroom learning, driven by an eco-committee supervising these simple measures and much more. In addition, findings from the school’s first-of-its-kind study into the positive impacts of Biophilic design in the classroom have now been rolled out across the school and shared with others worldwide – helping organisations to understand the impact of nature on wellbeing and academic performance.
“It has made a direct and positive impact,” says Head, Jo Sharrock. “Putney put green
infrastructure and environmental learning at the heart of its teaching, development and commitment to the community.”
Giving pupils agency at a young age to understand that even the smallest actions can make a big difference, and that everyone has a role to play in safeguarding our planet, will help define a generation who feels able to address the failures of the past and create a brighter future – and one of the best places to begin to do that is in their school community.
Putney High School GDST
The Roche School
HAPPY CHILDHOODOUTSTANDING RESULTS
In September 2023, Northcote Lodge, Broomwood Hall Upper School and Broomwood Hall Lower School united under one name, Broomwood. One year on, the school continues to thrive under its new identity
Positive changes abound at Broomwood, where the mission is to give each child a bespoke and dynamic journey through their childhood. There are 600 children who are educated on four sites, all within walking distance of each other and situated between Clapham and Wandsworth Commons. Children can join from the pre-school Little Broomwood at the age of three, until 11+ or 13+. Boys and girls are educated together in PrePrep. In Year 3 they move on to separate single-sex sites, Broomwood Prep – Girls and Broomwood Prep – Boys. However, children come together for a huge variety of co-ed extension activities, mixed residential trips, sporting events, drama, music and art. At its heart, this is one thriving, dynamic school: Broomwood has the same uniform, the same House system and the same values. As the teachers claim and parents agree – it’s the best of both worlds.
are ambitious for the children, not just for their academic achievement but for the education of the whole person. The academic enrichment programme has been designed to reach all pupils regardless of their academic attainment. There’s a wide range of subjects beyond the curriculum which children can sign up for, from flamenco dancing to Ancient Greek and gardening. Many children also take part in the Dukes Leadership Programme which helps them to develop a variety of skills including teamwork and individual research. Music and drama thrive here, with performances and ensemble opportunities across all year groups, and sport has a high profile at Broomwood, with children of all abilities encouraged to play fixtures - and for those who are keen to play at a higher level, the schools’ teams regularly qualify for local and regional competitions.
Many children also take part in the Dukes Leadership Programme which helps them to develop a variety of skills including teamwork and individual research
Rightly proud of its achievements, Broomwood’s academic approach has been described as ‘robust’ whilst also seen as ‘fun and friendly’. In the latest 2024 parent survey, the teaching was said to be ‘outstanding’ and the school was commended for the provision of an ‘all-round education’. Options for life after Broomwood Prep are rich and varied, proven by this year’s cohort of boys and girls (103 pupils for 11/13+) who were awarded 42 scholarships to competitive senior schools.
The ethos of the school is #BeYourBEST. Staff
A PLACE TO THRIVE
Emanuel is a thriving co-ed day school located in a green oasis in Battersea, just ten-minutes from central London. It is an ambitious and aspirational environment, with success in academics alongside sports, music and drama
The vision of the school is for its pupils to be happy, confident and kind, and to demonstrate high aspirations in all they do. To achieve this, pupils, parents and teachers work together in a three-way framework: teaching and learning - to ensure lessons and daily interactions are full of vitality and inspire endeavour, confidence and ambition; pastoral careso that every child is recognised, listened to and understood within a community that values the development of spiritual and social understanding; and cocurricular and community life - so that every child enjoys being part of a larger cause, finds friendships and develops lifeenhancing interests and passions..
At Emanuel, co-education is integral. Its benefits are seen throughout the campus
At Emanuel, co-education is integral. Its benefits are seen throughout the campus in the positive ways in which pupils interact and co-operate with one another
in the positive ways in which pupils interact and co-operate with one another. Girls and boys thrive through sharing fresh perspectives and supporting each other in the classroom and through their cocurricular activities.
Sport, music, drama, clubs and societies play a significant role. A total of 239 clubs and activities take place outside of lesson time every week. Excellence has been recognised nationally in performing arts and is the envy of schools across the country, with opportunities abundant in eight annual staged theatre performances, seven major concerts and numerous informal events in school and at local venues.
Emanuel is committed to sustaining a community in which all people from diverse backgrounds and cultures feel
included, respected and able to have their voice heard. There are several pupil voice groups: The Archer Group (named in honour of the first Black London Mayor, John Richard Archer) focuses on race and ethnicity; The Bridge explores gender equality; the Athena Society is an academic feminist discussion group; and pupils and staff engage with communitywide events such as Black History Month and Pride Week.
Emanuel is very much part of its local community as evidenced through its diverse and award-winning partnership and outreach programme. The school’s aim is to foster aspiration and social mobility through education so that young people are able to make the very best of themselves.
ONE DIRECTION
Nicola Woolcock, Education Editor of The Times, guides parents through the maze of opportunities available for their child’s education
There has probably never been a time when finances have been so instrumental in deciding whether to commit to private school.
The new government’s plan to introduce VAT on fees combined with the cost-of-living crisis and substantial fee rises in recent years (8 per cent on average this academic year), is bound to influence parental choice more than usual. Moreover, a decision as to whether they can stretch to the additional cost of boarding and whether their school of choice is likely to remain financially viable - for the family’s income and also as a business.
Thames Christian School
Those with older children may be more likely to commit to a few years of private education, say from the age of 13 or 16, than those considering whether their four-yearold should start independent schooling but possibly face switching if finances become constrained.
Parents still have a choice, of single sex or co-educational, day or boarding, rural or city, lavish or modest, but changing fashions and fiscal matters may well help them decide.
Sage advice on the matter comes from Sebastian Hepher, Principal of Eaton Square Prep School: “Parents should not be swayed by facilities, parental views on the dinner party circuit or the school that is ‘flavour of the month’, as hard as that can sometimes be. If the reality of the school’s published values and aims, teacher/pupil and pupil/ pupil relationships do not match these, then their children will not thrive, no matter what the rhetoric or visual impression.
“What is most important is finding the school that best suits the individual pupil,
and ensuring that it is the one which will develop them to their full potential.”
Single sex education is going nowhere at the most expensive end of the market and many, especially girls’ schools, remain wedded to their status. However, several prestigious boys’ schools have started to welcome girls or announced that they will, including Westminster, Winchester and Abingdon.
Most schools making this decision say it has been driven by ideology and the belief that it is better for girls and boys to be educated together, but the changing fashion leaves less choice for families who prefer single sex education.
It has also, undoubtedly, been made by some with an eye on financial health, by doubling the spread of their potential intake and allowing them to remain academically selective. This can have an impact on neighbouring schools by providing a new source of competition.
Parents should look carefully at what a newly co-educational school has done to
welcome their daughters, one girls’ school head says.
Cathy Elliott, who became Head of Streatham & Clapham High School in September 2023, said: “We nurture young women who embody our core values of kindness, respect, compassion and integrity and aim to develop individuals who will make their mark in society over the next 25 years and beyond.”
“The quality of friendships and a strong sense of community are paramount. Friendships often last a lifetime. Boys’ schools [that become co-educational] often overlook essential aspects such as physical infrastructure - as well as lavatories, changing rooms and common room spaces, you need girls’ sport provision, appropriate menu choices and décor that feels welcoming to girls, plus social and pedagogical concerns such as teaching and learning styles, collaboration and competition and approaches to feedback. Do staff understand the adolescent journey of females?
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LPS Clapham
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LPS Clapham Co-ed 11-16
7-11 Nightingale Lane, London, SW4 9AH
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LPS Sixth October 3rd 2024
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November 20th 2024
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“Boys’ schools stand to gain more from becoming co-ed than the girls that attend them. For girls to thrive in previously all-boys’ schools, these institutions must undertake deliberate efforts to create a supportive and inclusive environment.”
It has a prep school so families can, theoretically, enrol their daughters from the ages of three to 18.
Another advocate of single-sex education is Louise McCafferty, Head of Broomwood Prep - Girls, a stone’s throw from the boys’ school, Broomwood Prep - Boys. She said: “We recognise that boys and girls have different educational and pastoral needs as they approach adolescence. That’s why we deliver our lessons in a single-sex environment on different sites. However, we come together for a vast range of coed activities such as house competitions, extension work, debates, residentials, sporting and creative activities.”
The locations of both Broomwood, in Wandsworth, and Streatham & Clapham High School, allow their pupils to take advantage of London while not being in a city centre.
Another local single-sex school is Eaton House The Manor, which celebrated its 30 year anniversary in June. The 1.5-acre site
CHOOSING A PREP SCHOOL
Feeling overwhelmed is perfectly normal but ask yourself a few simple questions and the whole process will be far more manageable.
• What are your first impressions? Does the school feel welcoming? Do the children look happy and confident? Do the pupils reflect the kind of individual you hope your child will one day become?
• Do the aims and values of the school match your own? How confident are you in the pastoral and welfare support? It is our belief that happy children make good learners.
• What are the facilities like? Is there provision for wraparound care if needed? Is there the option of school transport?
• Where do the children go after leaving the prep? Is there a senior school with which close links are maintained?
Follow your heart and trust your instincts: you’ll know when you have a good fit.
Source: Streatham & Clapham Prep School GDST
Broomwood Prep - Girls
Eaton House The Manor
OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM MATTERS
The breadth of co-curricular provision offered by many independent schools is a strong draw. Beyond the immediate skills gained, participation delivers other indirect benefits. Time management through having to coordinate a busy timetable; social skills from collaboration and communication, enhancing growth of emotional intelligence and adaptability; confidence from activities like public speaking, performing, or leading a team; and the process of overcoming fears or nerves helps to create resilience. The most vital benefit potentially is health and wellbeing. Taking part in any form of physical activity or something that brings joy, like playing music, can only be welcomed. Consider what the school includes within the fees, and what extra costs you might incur for things like outdoor pursuits versus drama or singing. Also, how much exposure there is to something different that your child may never have had the opportunity to try before.
Source: Whitgift School
opposite Clapham Common is home to a single sex prep school for boys aged four-13 a single sex prep school for girls aged four11 and a co-ed nursery.
The Good Schools Guide rates it as an academic school with impressive outcomes without a hothouse atmosphere. Claire Fildes, head of the girls’ school, flagged up “another fantastic academic year for 11+ results in 2024. At Eaton House, our ethos encourages confidence and positivity in the girls and empowers them to believe they can be anything they want to be.”
Added Sarah Segrave, Principal: “We believe that a school should be a magical place, where children flourish intellectually and emotionally, and where their opportunities and horizons are expanded at every turn.”
A new provision of wraparound care called The Vesper Club launched this year, aimed at helping busy parents: “Our fully managed programme will have a ‘home from home feeling’, with ‘Vespertines’ overseen by staff,” says Segrave.
One school that could not be more central is DLD College London, set between Waterloo station and Westminster Bridge. It says it offers 5* “urban boarding” within its tower, with lessons and accommodation contained within the same building.
We believe that a school should be a magical place, where children flourish intellectually and emotionally
It has 55 classrooms, a 70-seat theatre, science labs, photography studios, a gym, swimming pool and 250 en suite bedrooms. Its striking glass and metal home resembles a cross between BBC’s Broadcasting House and City Hall. Its website says: “Unlike some other boarding schools, we encourage boarders to be able to explore London safely, with support structures in place to keep everyone safe, and to get the most out of living in the most exciting city on earth.”
Principal James Kidd says: “Empowering DLD students in the classroom through coaching fosters growth, resilience, and confidence. Guiding them to discover their potential makes learning far more engaging and impactful.”
At the other extreme location-wise is Ibstock Place School, surrounded by green and on the edge of Richmond Park, which has more than 2,000 acres of wide-open
Dolphin School/Noah’s Ark Nursery
Hybrid@LPS
space and woodland. It promotes its beautiful grounds and “botanical feel”.
Headmaster, Chris Wolsey said: “Our location is undeniably an advantage, in providing pupils with access to the park for a multitude of activities including rugby, cross country running and ‘wellbeing walks’.
“Facilities such as our swimming pool, playing fields and cookery facilities are regularly used by partner state schools. Ibstock’s newly created Forest School has had successful visits from partner state primary schools.”
Being an all-through school is “absolutely central to our identity”, Mr Wolsey says. “We truly are one school from four to 18 - and it’s immensely helpful that both our pre-prep and prep schools are on the same site as the senior school. It means that we have uncommonly strong bonds with our families and we get to know many of them over a long period of time.
“Our young people are able to have a seamless transition from phase to phase, with all of the benefits which this brings in terms of their wellbeing. Our prep school brings buoyancy and energy while our sixth
form brings purpose and vigour. It’s brilliant to sometimes see our oldest pupils work alongside our youngest.”
Similarly, the school’s identity is strongly bound with being a day school and coeducational - “it’s in our DNA and we’re fiercely committed to it,” he adds.
“It has shaped a school culture which is vibrant and inclusive, and a programme which is impressively broad and vigorousour boys learn from our girls and our girls from our boys. We move forward as one.
Many schools are keen to showcase their facilities but nearly all agree that teaching is the most important aspect
CHOOSING A SCHOOL
• Decide on the basics - day or boarding, single sex or co-ed - but be open to the unexpected about a school
• Check the logistics. Journey times matter, especially if your child is committed to the co-curricular. Will they cope with the longer days? Where will your child’s friends live?
• Try to talk to parents who have children at the schools on your list; try to avoid rumour or hearsay
Questions to ask:
• Are the children happy at school?
• How does a school deal with bullying?
• How do they encourage children to get involved?
• Is there a wide variety of activities on offer?
Source: Dulwich College
Emanuel School
“Being a day school matters too. We see our pupils’ wider families a lot, and that helps us to build the strong sense of community.”
The school focuses on oracy, which it says goes far beyond public speaking, to build confidence for pupils by developing their influencing skills. Children have ethics and rhetoric lessons from Year 7 and take a public speaking qualification at the end of that year, with a debating qualification in Year 8.
The school also has several innovation spaces to incubate creativity, with facilities including green screen cinematography, podcasting and robotics equipment.
Many schools are keen to showcase their facilities but nearly all agree that teaching is the most important aspect. This is especially the case for King’s InterHigh, which has no school building - all lessons are online.
It certainly is a cheaper option, charging only £5,000 a year. The school teaches five live lessons a day remotely and all are recorded for catch-up.
The school has more than 6,000 pupils from the age of seven to 19. It was founded in 2005 but grew rapidly after Covid. Some families dip in and out, staying for primary before choosing more conventional secondary, or vice versa.
This month Hybrid@LPS opens its doors to pupils up to sixth form for just one day a week while on the other four days children are taught online. Part of the 25-strong Dukes Education, fees are around £4,000£5,000 a term.
While these online schools are innovative, there are some things that cannot be provided online, making it perhaps less appealing to parents who want their children to have a long, in-person day filled with arts, music, sports and social interaction.
Thames Christian School in Clapham, a bricks and mortar school, focuses on strong pastoral support. It also prioritises “personalised teaching, a flexible curriculum and all-round development,” its head Stephen Holsgrove says, adding: “Navigating educational choices can be overwhelming.”
From last September, it opened a sixth form. The school claims not to be either/or. It offers GCSEs but pupils are also exposed to subjects such as woodwork, textiles, fashion, cookery and design technology.
At the opposite end of the spectrum from online-only is boarding, where children are usually immersed in school-life seven days a week. Full boarding is in steady decline while flexi-boarding continues to grow, however some full boarding schools remain, which
ENRICHMENT OUTSIDE CLASS
All-encompassing enrichment must become a staple for schools to challenge, stimulate and support children as they look to the future. After the 11+ exams, Year 6 pupils are exposed to a variety of academic enrichment, extra-curricular activities and key skills to benefit them as they progress to secondary school and beyond.
Highlights include completing a First Aid course; planning, shopping for and cooking a two-course meal; independently navigating to Covent Garden with limited teacher assistance; writing and recording a song at Brixton Recording Studios; dissecting a lamb’s heart with a surgeon; learning British Sign Language; exploring the use of everyday Latin phrases and Latin within medicine and the law; kayaking on the Thames; and creating their own art exhibition with artwork inspired by El Anatsui’s installation at The Tate Modern and the ‘When Forms Come Alive’ exhibition at the Hayward Gallery.
A prep school should prepare children for the future and our Life Skills for ReceptionYear 5 inspires them from an early age, ensuring school is an exciting, dynamic and enriching environment every day.
Source: The White House Preparatory School
expect pupils to remain on-site throughout term, apart from exeat weekends.
Boarding is far more expensive, on average, although much more is included in the fees and pupils are usually kept busy with high-quality extra-curricular activities.
Adam d’Souza, founder of Commons Education, weighs up the pros and cons. “If you add up after-school childcare, food and
commuting to a London day school, it comes out at a similar cost to weekly boarding at a lot of schools.
“Financially, you may be better off with weekly boarding - and it frees up big chunks of time for studies, sports or other extracurricular activities. I often remind busy working parents that you might not see your child much during the week once they start
Truly Independent
senior school, so boarding can help to carve out quality family time at weekends.”
Parents in south-west London and the home counties may find boarding schools free up choices as well, rather than restricting them to the area. That
being said, it is not for everyone and some people who boarded themselves as children are among those shunning it as parents. However, advocates are keen to point out that facilities have moved on from the days of austere and chilly dorms.
WHY CHOOSE A BOYS’ SCHOOL?
A focused learning environment
Without the presence of girls, boys may experience fewer distractions, enabling them to concentrate better on their studies. This can lead to improved academic performance and the development of strong study habits
Tailored teaching methods
Catering specifically to the needs and learning styles of male students, the school may use teaching techniques that promote active learning, hands-on activities and competition, which can engage boys more effectively
A wide range of extra-curricular activities and sports programmes
This fosters a sense of camaraderie and healthy competition, encouraging boys to develop their talents and leadership skills
A nurturing environment
Boys can freely express themselves, explore their interests and develop their individuality without fear of judgment or stereotypes
While the decision depends on personal preferences and educational goals, the unique advantages offered by a boys’ school can contribute to a well-rounded education and personal growth.
Source: Ernest Bevin Academy
Ardingly College near Haywards Heath, West Sussex, sits across various sectors - it has equal numbers of girls and boys and equal numbers of day and boarding pupils.
It vows to ensure no child is overlooked and that its mantra is “nobody excels at everything, but everyone can excel at something”.
Is boarding at the school worth the extra cost (maximum fees are £30,300 for day, £38,150 for flexi-boarding for three nights and £46,500 for full boarding)?
Headteacher Ben Figgis, believes so. He said: “There’s no doubt that boarding can offer significant academic, social and wellbeing benefits. It helps forge independence, maturity, self-confidence and the ability for students to take responsibility - and agency - for themselves during those crucial teenage years.
“It sounds obvious but our boarders at Ardingly also benefit from not having to do a daily journey to and from school; instead of wasting that time on a bus, train or in a car every day, they get to spend their time after the school day making use of our glorious 240-acre campus and our facilities.
“For many families with two busy working parents, the weekly or flexi-boarding options work really well as you don’t have to worry about weekday logistics or school runs,
Streatham & Clapham High School GDST
Where Tradition Meets Innovation
At Eaton Square Prep School, located in the heart of Belgravia, we offer a unique educa�onal journey for children aged 2-11. We firmly believe in the poten�al of every child to succeed and provide a broad curriculum that kindles a love for learning. Our environment is a harmonious blend of tradi�on and innova�on, crea�ng a community that feels like an extended family. We are renowned for our strong pastoral care, academic excellence, and a diverse range of extra-curricular ac�vi�es. We ins�l the values of perseverance, ownership, integrity, service, and empathy (POISE) in our children, equipping them for life.
The reason boarding is so popular is because, frankly, it’s often much more fun for a teenager to live with their friends in a boarding house
but instead can set aside the weekends for quality family time.
“At Ardingly, I think the number of day students who end up switching to some kind of boarding speaks for itself, with around 50 per cent of the student body choosing to board by the time they’re in the sixth form.
“The reason boarding is so popular is because, frankly, it’s often much more fun for a teenager to live with their friends in a boarding house than it is going home every evening to their parents.”
As for VAT on fees, it appears this may now be introduced in January 2025 so parents may need to consider their options.
Ibstock’s Chris Wolsey said of the situation: “The board and senior leadership team have planned scrupulously for a number of contingencies. However, there is still a great
deal of uncertainty about the precise nature and scope of the government’s VAT proposal, making it difficult to tell what the exact impact on fees will be. That said, we have assured our families that were the full VAT rate implemented, this would not be passed on to them in the short term.”
WHERE TO FIND HELP AND INFORMATION
Department of Education
Find a list of school and college performance tables and find and compare schools and colleges using a map, www.education.gov.uk
Independent Schools Show
November 2024
The show brings together the leading independent schools, the brightest thinkers and the most respected heads to help you make the right decisions for your child.
Battersea Evolution
London SW11 4NJ
8-9 November 2024
Tickets free if you register in advance. www.schoolsshow.co.uk/london-tickets
Nurturing talents, inspiring minds
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. Find an Ofsted inspection report at www.reports. ofsted.gov.uk
The Independent Schools Inspectorate Browse school reports, www.isi.net
Numerous studies show that girls excel academically, socially, and emotionally in a single-sex environment. We challenge traditional gender stereotypes, allowing girls to develop a strong sense of self and confidence to make their own choices. Our pupils are encouraged to take risks in their learning, embrace mistakes, speak out, and put themselves forward.
A girls-only school nurtures key character traits, ensuring that pupils are equipped with the skills needed for leadership and success. By understanding how girls learn and develop, and promoting all career paths and subject choices openly and equitably, we empower our pupils to excel without limits. The diversity of academic and enrichment opportunities enables every girl to forge her own future, be her best, and achieve her ambitions.
Source: Sydenham High School GDST
Whitgift School
KIND AT HEART
A breath of fresh air, London Park Schools provide a visionary approach to education with kindness at heart
LPS Clapham’s newly opened site in Clapham South is providing a refreshing approach to education, fostering caring and compassionate global citizens of the future. But it’s not alone; alongside it are secondary schools, LPS Mayfair, LPS Sixth (form) and the newly launched LPS Hybrid which offers a partially remote online education (available in Mayfair only).
On its latest site, Group Principal Suzie Longstaff says, “There was a real need for a new, smaller secondary school in the area with a personalised approach to learning in a warm and caring environment.”
Susan Brooks, Head of LPS Clapham explains, “It’s very much about finding each individual child’s passion. So, we are deliberately smaller. We will always be a
school of no more than 250 students so that we know each child well and can help them maximise their strengths.”
In many ways, the school offers the same scale of opportunities expected at larger independent schools but with the added benefit of smaller classes and a more bespoke education - there are only two forms and 40 students in Years 7 and
SCHOOL PROFILE
8 rising to 60 in Years 9-11, when there is a natural transition to LPS Sixth in Belgravia.
The school’s philosophy is to challenge outdated ideas and to build new and better ways to inspire and engage young people. True to its progressive nature, LPS Clapham rejects the traditional 11+ and 13+ entry exams in favour of what it calls ‘Discovery Days’. Instead of sitting an exam, applicants are invited to take part in fun, practical activities, such as an escape room. “We want to see how children work together and how they think through problems,” says Longstaff.
In the same vein, although exams are a feature of school life at LPS Clapham, they are part of the journey rather than the destination. Brooks explains, “Secondary schools have become very exam driven, and increasingly, the skill set needed for students when they leave education is much broader than what you would get in an examination.”
“Teamwork, building resilience, articulating arguments, asking questions –these are the vital skills we want to support our children with,” continues Longstaff.
It is these critical thinking and problemsolving skills that LPS Clapham teaches through its unique integrated learning curriculum, connecting subjects around themes. This approach to learning combines science, technology, engineering, the arts and maths to guide student enquiry, discussion, and problem-solving. “Through problem-solving we teach the soft skills of empathy and resilience too,” explains Brooks.
There are also a host of extra-curricular activities. Students enjoy overseas travel such as a marine conservation trip on a tall ship in Spain and geographical studies in an alpine chalet in France, as well as regular drama and music performances. Students play a broad range of traditional team sports, but they can also try less conventional sports such as climbing, cycling at Herne Hill Velodrome, badminton, basketball and rowing so there is something for everyone. “The benefit of our co-curricular is that every child is involved, not just those that are excelling. It’s about finding the potential in each child,” explains Brooks.
Wellbeing is front of mind at LPS Clapham which provides peer mentoring schemes, counsellors, mental fitness programmes and vertical form groups so that children make friends from all age groups. It also has a strong Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
department and because of its smaller and nurturing environment, teachers can be more flexible in how they adapt to children with differing needs.
Kindness is truly at the heart of this school, which through its personalised learning and big picture thinking is inspiring a new generation of inquisitive minds to be determined, resilient, empathetic, and of course kind.
We will always be a school of no more than 250 students so that we know each child well and can help them maximise their strengths
Some pre-prep and prep schools require registration the day your child is born, or shortly after 0-1 4½7/8
Start to consider catchment areas for state schools. Almost all pre-prep and prep school applications will need to be submitted within this period
State primary school application deadline. This is the January of the year the child is due to start school, so those who will turn 5 during their first academic year (1st September – 31st August) 3½-4 4-11 State primary school. Your child will
or 13
11-18
13-18
The results of GCSE exams dictate entry into the sixth form or a Sixth Form college. Check admission dates at individual colleges as some request earlier applications. For a 16+ move to an independent school, applications, written exams and interviews are undertaken during the autumn term of Year 11
State secondary school. Apply by 31st October of Year 6. Grammar schools set their own exams, taken early in Year 6 (see below) 16-18
Independent day or boarding schools. There is a Year 6 entry at some independent secondary schools, with exams taken in Year 5 (10+). The 11+ exams for Year 7 usually take place in the November or January of Year 6. The 13+ Common Entrance exam is taken in June of Year 8 where still required; in cases of selective boarding and day schools this will have been preceded by a pre-test in Year 6 or 7. Some grammar school applications need to be in before mid-July of Year 5, with exams in the autumn of Year 6
Independent boarding or day schools. The 13+ Common Entrance exam is taken in Year 8 where still required, often preceded by a pre-test in Year 6 or 7, and many London day schools have their own 13+ exams in the January of Year 8. Applications for many boarding schools are often 18-24 months, or even 3 years, before the year of entry, not just 12 months like many London day schools
PLATO OR PODCAST? IT’S DEBATABLE
From why we’re here to where we’re heading, at Putney you’ll explore the existential and delve into the detail. Find your own formula whether it’s through the Athena scholarship programme or BAFTA challenge, lessons in PPE or even PIE –that’s Putney’s Ideas Exchange. Food for thought. We’ll ignite your learning journey… whatever your destination.
SCHOOL PROFILE
FROM GREEN SHOOTS
Q&A with Mrs Jo Parker, Head of DUCKS, the co-educational Infants’ school and Kindergarten which sits in its own grounds within Dulwich College surrounded by green space and affectionately known as ‘the gem on the hill’
How would you describe DUCKS at Dulwich College?
DUCKS offers children from six months to seven years of age an environment of early excellence; we have an abundance of outdoor space to explore and excellent early education learning spaces filled with natural light. Furthermore, we have access to all the facilities and resources of Dulwich College.
At DUCKS we believe early years education needs to encourage our youngest learners to interact and construct knowledge by facilitating an environment that offers support, curiosity, communication, and cooperation. We encourage negotiation and problem-solving by providing openended tasks and materials that spark creativity, focusing on the experience and process rather than just the outcome.
We want our children to learn, to know that thinking is fun, and to be good at it. Provoking their curiosity and creativity through opportunities of discovery and exploration allows for problem-solving and innovative thinking. Our practitioners scaffold learning, providing ways for the children to predict, explain and collaborate.
Weekly sessions in our inspiring Forest School have also facilitated the development of resilient children who are not afraid to make mistakes and display an ability to bounce back from minor difficulties. A consideration of the benefits against the risks enables children to safely experience adventure and a sense of challenge.
How are parents involved at DUCKS?
Our partnership with parents is essential. Children have different ideas, needs, values and perspectives and we encourage this
diversity, ensuring every child has access to and participates in meaningful experiences with positive outcomes.
Parents join in ‘Stay & Learn’ sessions in Forest School and within the everyday learning environment. Families partake in assemblies, cooking experiences and share celebrations and festivals with the community. Every year we celebrate Parent & Carer Week.
How are children engaged to learn more about sustainability and the environment?
Forest School is the perfect backdrop for children to engage in the environment and develop an understanding of its importance through immersion and overarching curriculum themes, such as Our Planet,
Blue Planet, Invention and Innovation. We also mark special weeks and days such as Wildlife Day, Earth Day and Eco Week where we encourage leaving the car behind and have a bicyclers’ breakfast. In a recent project with a collaborative focus, children built a model sustainable DUCKS town with infrastructure and biodiversity, led by a local innovative architect.
How is inclusivity encouraged?
DUCKS is an inclusive and diverse community. A sense of belonging is developed through our community who come in to lead workshops and assemblies, for example, Diwali, Rosh Hashanah, Lunar New Year and Ramadan. Our inclusivity is reflected through sharing celebrations with those around us.
EARLY YEARS EDUCATION
A HEAD-START ON LIFE
Communications, independence, resilience, curiosity - these life skills are more important than ever and it’s never too early to start learning them says Dina Shoukry, who advises on what to look out for in early education
We want children to know that thinking is fun,” says Jo Parker, Head of DUCKS at Dulwich College. “We want them to be inquisitive and inquiry-based learners who develop as critical thinkers. Provoking their curiosity through opportunities of discovery and exploration allows for problem-solving.”
Eveline Day Nurseries
Indeed, the government’s early years foundation stage framework (EYFS) which came into effect on 31st March 2021, has a strong focus on independence and communications - life skills with which pandemic babies have been found to struggle.
A 2023 study by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland found that babies born during the pandemic have poorer communication skills because they heard fewer words as they were not leaving their homes. It’s this cohort who are starting at nursery and schools now.
Charlotte Butterfill, Director of Butterfly Preschool explains, “The level of communication that children have is very minimal when they come to us now compared to how it used to be. This could mean there is a lack of stories, talking and communicating in the household and more screens.”
Amy McManus, founder of Little Green Nurseries agrees that children coming to her now are lacking the basic skills expected.
“Children are finding it difficult playing with actual toys,” she says. “Toddlers are coming in swiping books rather than turning pages and many don’t like to get dirty.” As such, she has reduced the amount of technology in the nursery and refocused on opportunities
to learn basic life skills whilst getting dirty, like planting vegetables or messy play with iced jelly and shaving foam.
Similarly at The White House Prep, the school is introducing ‘Nurture’, an extracurricular programme focusing on growing the children’s interests outside the classroom. The aim is to learn practical life skills every Monday afternoon in small groups. This includes community activities such as litter picking, team building skills such as mapping the local area and a mini-architects programme. Teachers will plan the activities according to the children’s interest and exploration. “Our hope is that the children
Children learn at a different pace and it’s crucial for early years settings to create a welcoming environment
SETTLING INTO NURSERY
Talk about it
This will be one of their biggest transitions to date so let them know it’s happening. The summer before nursery starts, talk about big school, what they will do there and how much fun they’ll have. Walk or drive past it a few times and have a go at the school run. Always mention nursery in a positive light.
Settling-in
Most nurseries will do home visits and settling-in periods which allow the child to meet their teacher and get used to the new environment with their secure adult. Back at home, mention the teachers’ names and what they played with at nursery.
Say goodbye
Children need to understand that you will be going and then you will come back. It is important that you say goodbye and you don’t just disappear. They may be upset, but any good teacher will be able to settle them down.
Hold it together
It is essential not to cry as they will think they are being left forever! Hold it together and then go and find a coffee shop for a shot of caffeine and a cry.
Source: Butterfly Preschool
feel secure to communicate in environments different to a classroom setting and further extend their vocabulary as a result,” says Senior Deputy Head, Olivia Palmer.
With this in mind, parents should be looking for a broad and ambitious curriculum with an emphasis on learning through play which fosters independence and curiosity. “Children learn through a play-based approach, meaning that they make links and develop as they engage in a variety of learning opportunities,” says Carly Foulkes, Headteacher at Alderbrook Nursery & Primary School. “Our school values of curiosity, tenacity and collaboration are instilled in our children as soon as they join our nursery, ensuring they are resilient, independent learners from an early age.”
At Woodentops Nurseries they do this through ‘sustained shared thinking’. This is when children engage in extended periods of play and learning with minimal adult intervention. “We observe a child’s play and know when to be a participant, and when to let them lead. Watching, looking, listening to the communication between them, and
Little Barn Owls Forest & Farm School Nurseries
thinking about how we scaffold that learning in anything from maths and phonics through to social skills around good listening and concentration,” explains Sarah Sanger, founder and Principal.
Children learn at a different pace and it’s crucial for early years settings to create a welcoming environment that prioritises all children no matter their needs. “It’s our aspiration to ensure that all our girls have excellent foundations in place, which then gives them an accelerated start into life in Reception, but all children develop at totally different stages. Therefore, we try to be bespoke in terms of what we are delivering,” says Helen Loach, Head of Prep at Streatham & Clapham. Children here can do French, music, drama, art, PE, Mandarin, coding and more in a formally structured timetable if they are ready for it and if not, then they have a curriculum that is more suited to them. This personalised approach means that most girls start to read and write by the time they start Reception.
However, parents are still underestimating what is expected of their children when they start school, warns Butterfly Preschool’s Butterfill. “Children should know all their phonics, recognise their numbers from one to ten and quantify them.” Recognising
DUCKS at Dulwich College
Dolphin School/Noah’s Ark Nursery
that parents are children’s first educators, Butterfill supports them with learning at home through simple tasks such as colouring in the lines for motor skills, practising writing names, reading and sounding out words.
Children who enter primary school with a solid foundation in early literacy are better equipped to engage in classroom activities, follow instructions and participate actively in learning. “At Dolphin, early literacy skills develop quickly due to the well-structured phonics programme, enabling children to develop secure pre-reading and writing skills,” says Adam Woodcraft, Early Years Coordinator. “Children make excellent progress due to the rigorous assessment process that highlights areas of strength and weakness and identifies children’s next steps.”
Another outcome of the pandemic is that parents are much more anxious about what to expect in terms of development and education. As such, many nurseries are providing regular parent workshops with external experts, and an open-door policy so parents can consult with teachers at any time for parenting advice, from eating greens and behavioural concerns at home to applying for and even appealing primary school offers as well as issues that impact the community. The White House recently
Children
BEING COMFORTABLE, HEALTHY OR HAPPY
Wellbeing, kindness and resilience are in the sedimentary layers of our curriculum and several core aspects of our ethos have been in place since the school was founded.
hosted a parent workshop about anti-racism in the Early Years. At Little Green Nurseries, McManus describes it as a triangle, “So here, we stick to the triangle: happy parents, happy children, happy staff.”
“People say parents are partners, but no, they are family to us,” exclaims Bedrie Beytula-Sali, Area Manager at Eveline Day and Nursery Schools. “We send our monthly planning and celebration calendar to parents, and they put their own special occasions in there. We do cooking, dancing and dressing up from every part of the world, celebrating everything about the child. Our four-year-olds can say hello and
Love for one another comes from a place of respect and tolerance where we celebrate differences in backgrounds, beliefs and identities. Having wisdom as a child is crucial, and when we own our knowledge, we have a better sense of self-assurance and self-care to tackle problems, understand the feelings of others and take action. Similarly, recognising our mistakes or challenges enables us to confront them, allowing positive thought which helps us make progress.
These life skills sit within the curriculum, paving the way for independence in work, mind and thought so that critical thinking comes with much greater ease. Children are comfortable challenging each other, asking questions and developing their sense of agency.
Source: Dolphin School
goodbye and count in different languages. I can’t tell you how many of our parents are beyond happy about this.”
Preparing for school is another key issue and while nurseries and pre-schools work with children to become confident learners much of the anxiety comes from the parents. Kristie Dodd, Marketing and Events Manager at Little Barn Owls Forest & Farm School Nurseries explains, “The anxieties stem from parents having less communication with schools; when Covid hit, parents didn’t have the opportunities to fully engage. Children going to school in this cohort are Covid babies, so the attachment is there. It’s a lack of understanding that we’re trying to bridge through our parent workshops.”
Moreover, the aim of school preparedness isn’t just to focus on reading and writing but rather to ensure the children are confident and independent learners. Kerry Smith, Head of Learning at Little Barn Owls adds, “We weave phonics and numbers into our inquiries when working on a project. We had a child who wanted to be a builder, so he worked with our artist to make a woodwork car and in the process measured and wrote down which tools he was going to need, and then wrote down how he was going to do it.”
Parents should also look closely at the
management. Woodentops’ Sanger advises, “Parents should be looking for a head of nursery or a nursery manager who makes them feel unique. They should give you the feeling that they listen, that they welcome you, that they understand you and they’re there to support you. That is also going to tell you how that leader approaches the management of the team; if they’re a good listener, they’re probably going to be great with the staff.”
Eveline Drut, Director of Eveline Day Nurseries agrees, “Staff have got to be loved and love those children.” At Eveline the staff are considered family and in London where the cost of living is making it expensive for teachers to live, a nursery that can retain experienced managers as well as hire and train new staff is a winner.
Parents should ask about staff qualifications as well as ratios and specialist teachers. Some early learning settings will be operating off-ratio, which means they have more staff than the required staff-to-child ratio, so they can be more agile in offering specialist learning. At The White House, two trained ‘Emotional Learning Supports’ who are additional to the Specialist Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENDCo) come
PLAY-BASED ASSESSMENTS FOR 4+
• Focus and listening: Read to your child, pointing to the words, and asking them questions on the text including what it means and what might happen next
• Collaboration and kindness: Practise please and thank you. Play games that involve collaborating and sharing. Try Cupcake from Orchard Games or do craft projects together
• Spatial reasoning: Jigsaws are ideal and try Smart Games too - Bunny Boo is excellent
• Critical thinking: Sorting and classification exercises; see how many ways you can divide up toys into characteristics like eye colour or animal type; try memory games too
• Perseverance: Make sure that games are difficult and keep your child motivated to finish. Don’t be afraid to make a game impossible!
• Talking: Ask your child to draw pictures and then talk about them.
Source: Mentor Education
into class to support children who may be struggling with friendships or having trouble communicating. Many nurseries and early learning settings will also have specialists come in for sports, dance, mindfulness and languages. At Little Green Nurseries, being off-ratio means McManus can often accommodate last minute pleas from parents for an extra day or half day at nursery.
Staff training is key. Some early learning settings will be progressive in how they teach. For example, Woodentops is collaborating with Oxford University in the ONE Project looking at the different ways to teach maths in early years. Some will do a lot of in-house training - at Eveline staff across the seven nurseries regularly share knowledge with each other, and at Butterfly Preschool all the staff are trained in first aid as well as holding a range of teaching qualifications.
Facilities and outdoor learning are very important but that doesn’t mean that everything must be state-of-the-art. Questions parents should be asking are, is there access to an outside space? Is there forest learning? Are children taken out on trips to museums and landmarks as well
Streatham & Clapham High Prep GDST
as to the local library or supermarket? Are the community invited in? Butterfly’s founder, Butterfill warns to look beyond the facade, “Parents now are of the Instagram generation where everything has to look amazing, but that comes at a huge price, and I would much prefer to have amazingly qualified teachers who are looking after these children than the latest expensive community play chair.”
This year funding is key. As well as a cost-of-living crisis hitting parents, early year settings are under immense pressure with rising costs, government underfunding and a drop in the birth rate in London. As such, many nurseries are changing their funding structures to make places more accessible to parents. Parents should speak to nurseries to see if they can offer the government funding, if they are eligible and whether they accept childcare vouchers. Many nurseries are also being more flexible in offering part-time places so that more children have access. Streatham & Clapham offers payment plans and financial assistance based on the family income and Eveline offers sibling discounts, as well as helping parents apply for government grants and special needs entitlements to ease the financial burden.
Pre-nurseries, nursery schools, forest nurseries, childminders, playgroups and daycare - there is an abundance of options for parents, but the most important thing is the feeling parents get when they visit. “Parents should feel an immediate sense of belonging and trust that fundamentally,
Many nurseries are also being more flexible in offering part-time places so that more children have access
when they leave their child in the morning, they are going to be utterly happy within the environment that they are experiencing,” concludes Streatham & Clapham’s Loach. If so, then together they can give children a great head-start on life.
What am I entitled to?
All families in England are entitled to 570 hours of free childcare or early education per year, which is usually taken as 15 hours per week for 38 weeks.
Working parents of three-to-four-yearolds, where both parents are each earning less than £100,000 pa, are also eligible for a further 15 hours, so a total of 30 hours.
Working parents of two-year-olds where both parents are each earning less than £100,000 pa, can also access 15 hours childcare support.
OUTDOOR LEARNING AND THE BAREFOOT APPROACH
Outdoor learning can consist of a variety of opportunities, from forest school sessions and trips to simply just taking learning outside.
For babies and toddlers especially, being outdoors can enhance physical skills, emotional wellbeing, and an understanding of the world around them. Throw in the barefoot approach and you can reach new levels of outdoor exploration!
Babies’ early understanding of the world is made up of what they can see, hear and feel. To allow them to explore the world around them freely, simply without shoes or socks can open up a wealth of new understanding.
The ability to risk assess one’s own environment usually doesn’t come until later in the early years but imagine being able to understand the sense of ‘hard’, ‘bumpy’, ‘soft’ and ‘cold’ underfoot from your very first steps, and therefore move forward with more knowledge and understanding of the world around you.
Source: Little Barn Owls Forest & Farm School Nurseries
From September 2024
15 hours childcare support will be extended to eligible working parents of children from the age of nine months.
By September 2025, most working families with children aged between nine months and five years old will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare support.
Depending on your provider, these hours can be used over 38 weeks of the year (during school term time), or up to 52 weeks if you use fewer than your total hours per week.
In addition, there is a Tax-Free Childcare account - the government pays £2 for every £8 you pay your childcare provider. More info at: www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Free education nursery providers
Those offering free nursery education for three- and four-year-olds include maintained nursery schools and primary school nursery classes; private nurseries offer the 15 (some 30) free hours as above.
When to apply
Closing date for applications for nursery places in maintained primary schools for entrance in September 2024 was in February
Butterfly Preschool
2024. Each year follows a similar timeframe. More info at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
The EYFS is how the government and early years professionals describe the time in your child’s life between birth and five-years-old. Nurseries, pre-schools, reception classes and childminders registered to deliver the EYFS must follow a legal document, the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework, which sets out: the legal welfare requirement that all those registered to look after children must follow; the seven areas of learning and development to guide professionals’ engagement with your child’s play and activities; assessments of your child’s progress; Early Learning Goals - the expected levels your child should reach at age five; and the written details the professionals should give you at age two and age five.
More info at: www.foundationyears.org.uk
The White House Preparatory School
AN ALL -ROUND EDUCATION, FROM START TO FINISH
The start of the Thomas’s story is a humble one, brought about through hard work and tenacity when it began in a dusty church hall in Pimlico in 1971. Now, Thomas’s offers London families a full education for children from the ages of two to 18
From the outset, founders Joanna and David Thomas were determined to create a school environment that achieved three key aims: high academic standards; an emphasis on the arts and plenty of sport, reflecting both their personal and professional interests; and a strong set of values. While this vision remains, the schools have moved with the times. These days, they offer a forward-thinking, outward-looking education.
With kindness at the core, the schools’ aim is for pupils to achieve academic success through a broad curriculum and a four-dimensional approach to education which develops knowledge, skills, character and metacognition. The schools’ vision is clear: that every pupil leaves Thomas’s with core values and a strong sense of social responsibility; inner strength and positive physical and mental health; academic success and a wide range of skills, interests and attributes; curiosity about the world and a love of learning. Ten values form the foundation of a Thomas’s education: kindness; courtesy; honesty; respect; perseverance; independence; confidence; leadership; humility and being givers, not takers.
This ambitious approach runs through and extends beyond the classroom.
The schools’ aim is for pupils to achieve academic success through a broad curriculum
An extensive co-curricular programme includes a wide range of sports, from team games to golf, gymnastics and padel. For culture vultures, there’s a play every year for each year group and film, art and pottery clubs. Thomas’s Daheim (‘at home’) is a former hotel refurbished in 2016 as a bespoke Thomas’s outdoor centre, located at 1400m in the Austrian ski area of Wurzeralm near the Kalkalpen National Park. It allows every pupil the chance to experience the truly outstanding beauty of the mountains and offers an unrivalled opportunity to spend time in a spectacular location, with trips in both summer and winter from Year 5.
All school sites are in central LondonThomas’s Kindergarten, based in Battersea, welcomes children from two years old, Thomas’s Battersea and Thomas’s Clapham from four to 13, and Thomas’s Fulham and Thomas’s Kensington from four to 11. Opening in September 2025, Thomas’s College in Richmond, will take pupils from 11 to 18. While all prep school pupils will continue to receive excellent preparation for entry to a wide range of outstanding senior schools at 11+ and 13+, current Thomas’s pupils will be given preference over external candidates and eventually the plan is to offer day, flexible boarding and weekly boarding places.
ADMISSIONS
ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO!
The process of applying to a new school can be stressful - for parents and children alike. Georgina Blaskey shares best practice on how to prepare and support pupils’ approaching admission tests and interviews
We all know that places at London’s most prestigious secondary schools are highly sought-after and the admissions process can be a demanding one for children, particularly if multiple applications have been made. Your child will go through a period of exams, interviews and tests as well as additional tasks for those pursuing academic, art, music or sports scholarships.
But with the right support and a wellplanned approach, children can manage the array of assessments and emerge satisfied - and unscathed. Read on for our fool-proof guide to surviving admissions.
Do your research
The starting point for many parents is understanding how your child will be assessed. Prep schools will be well versed in
the requirements of prospective secondary schools, even if they change from year to year. To support your child, try to be on top of this too. As well as having on-going, regular conversations with your child’s current school about what the process will involve, ask the secondary school you’re interested in how they assess. Be clear with your child about the format and content of the tests as different schools have different approaches.
Streatham & Clapham High School GDST
WANDSWORTH STATE SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
• Applications to join Year 7 in September 2025 open online on 1st September 2024 and close on 31st October 2024
• Put up to six schools on your application form and list them in order of preference - just putting one school on the form does not mean you will get a place there
• Check carefully whether the schools you are applying for have any extra admissions requirements, eg the Wandsworth Test or a supplementary information form
• Offers are made on the evening of National Offer Day, 3rd March 2025. You should accept or decline your offered place immediately. If your child is offered a place at a lower preference school, they will remain on the waiting list for the higher preference school(s).
Source: Ark Bolingbroke Academy
In the main, the interviews are geared towards finding out about the pupil - a chance for pupils to talk about their interests and ask about the school. There will be a few scenario-based questions, such as, ‘If you met the prime minister what would you ask him?’.
Limit the number
Consider how many admissions tests to put your child through. Be realistic and only apply for those schools where your candidate has a good chance of being offered a place; too many and your child’s wellbeing will suffer. Three is a good number whereas six is too
many. Moreover, let your existing school and/ or tutor advise on which schools to go for as they know your child - and their prospectswell. And there’s the rub as it is often parents who ignore this advice.
For years tutors have been criticised for hot-housing children into top-notch private schools and in their defence, the demand often comes from parents themselves, as well intentioned as they are. “It’s about educating parents,” explains Mary Lonsdale, founder of tutoring agency, Mentor Education. “Parents overwhelmingly bias tutors who say they’ve got children into certain schools rather than understanding if they have the tools to teach their child.”
She adds that a crucially important job of a good tutor is to advise parents on which schools their children will be suited to depending on their academic ability, interests and personality. “Sometimes, this means having tricky conversations with parents who are aiming too high.”
Steady, stress-free preparation
From early on, your prep or primary school will be preparing your child for any English and Maths papers that they might be asked to sit - at the 11+ entry point, tests on these two subjects should align with the national curriculum. Some schools also teach verbal and non-verbal reasoning in the early years.
The long summer break is an important time to maintain learning and consolidate skills. Pupils should complete summer homework set by teachers and listen to their teachers’ advice.
Having said that, it’s important to keep the balance; you don’t want them to burnout or lose motivation before the exam season has even begun, which is a very real risk. Let them develop their interests outside of the classroom too as the school will be interested to learn about hobbies.
Reading is generally a very good preparation and it’s worth noting that book worms are usually well placed in entrance assessments.
This is when a school’s broad and diverse enrichment programme comes into its own.
Tracy Dohel, Principal at Ernest Bevin Academy, says: “While academic rigour and results are often at the forefront of parents’ minds when choosing a secondary school, the extra-curricular programme and enrichment opportunities offered by the school are just as important.
“Enrichment programmes not only enhance children’s learning through exposure to new experiences and opportunities, but they also contribute to the overall development of character, and help to develop important life skills such as confidence, self-discipline and leadership.”
These extra-curricular interests will land well in any admissions interview.
Moreover, think about your child’s wellbeing during this preparation time. Those who are tired and hungry won’t be as focused on further learning.
Comments Edward Rees, Head at Hornsby House School: “Our Year 6 cohorts continue to step up to the challenge of the 11+ process, achieving a balance of work, rest and play as they secure their places for Year 7 at some of London’s top independent schools.
“It is the culmination of seven years of nurture and excellent schooling in which the children are encouraged to take risks, try new ways of overcoming challenges, and learn how to educate themselves.”
What to know about interviews
Over-preparing your child for an interview will be obvious to any assessor. Instead, you want to provide them with the opportunities to discover what it is they do enjoy and encourage them in their development - this
LOWERING THE STRESS OF ADMISSIONS
• Make a shortlist by attending senior school fairs or exhibitions, where you can speak to staff in person. Applying to too many schools will up the stress levels.
• Visit your top choices. Choosing a school for your child is a big decision and will often come down to gut feeling gauged during a school visit.
• Find the best fit. Be aware of your child’s strengths and find a school that fits them rather than trying to make your child fit a particular school.
• Do some entrance test preparation, but not too much. Your child will ideally feel confident going into their tests, so it is worth looking at past papers or familiarisation tests if available, but spending hours on revision can lead to anxiety.
• Use school admissions staff who are there to guide you through the process and are always available to help.
Source: Woldingham School
gives them confidence which then carries across in the interview.
Remember that interested pupils are interesting to schools. They are looking for a spirit of curiosity in both the school and the world around them. Schools want to
discover how they think rather than simply what they know.
In the run up to the interview, try to keep them relaxed and chat through a few simple questions with a parent or older sibling. Perhaps, ‘Why would you like to come here?’
HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR DAUGHTER IS READY FOR SENIOR SCHOOL
• Practise the journey to and from school in the holidays to make sure that they are confident about the route and transport arrangements
• Enjoy the ritual of sourcing a new pencil case, water bottle and school bag so that she feels fully equipped for the first day
• Talk through the timings of the school day so that your daughter knows the daily rhythm of her new school
• Find out about the typical school lunch menu and ensure that she has nut-free snacks with her to fuel her through her day
• Look on the school’s website to find out about all the co-curricular opportunities available and talk together about which activities she will join
Source: Streatham & Clapham High School GDST
Ernest Bevin Academy
TIPS FOR SUCCESS AT 11+ AND BEYOND
Navigating the 11+ process can be challenging for both parents and children. A wellrounded approach to preparation can make a significant difference
• Integrate sports, hobbies and social activities alongside academics to ensure children remain confident and stress-free.
• Personalised support is key. Differentiated teaching in core subjects and specialist instruction in arts, languages and sciences can help meet each child’s unique needs. Regular communication with parents provides insights and guidance.
• Familiarity with various testing styles is crucial. Practise with past papers and resources like Atom Learning, along with mock tests and CAT assessments, building confidence and readiness.
• Beyond academics, nurturing essential skills such as public speaking and debating is important. Opportunities for lessons and club participation can enhance confidence in communication.
• Collaboration between schools and parents is vital to find the best senior school fit for each child, ensuring alignment with their strengths, interests and aspirations.
Source: Eaton Square Prep School
or ‘What are your favourite activities at school?’ or ‘Tell me about your favourite book or film’. Pick a topic to discuss from a newspaper or ask family members who they don’t see regularly to have a phone call or Zoom with them as a mock interview. It may be that parents are concerned the interviewer will not grasp who your child really is, especially if they are nervous. But rest assured that personalities will and do
shine through during interviews. And if you can put your child at ease from preparation stage through to interview, it shouldn’t be as stressful a process as so many of us fear. The main message is to let the school do their part with teaching, while you encourage reading and discussion at home so your child can relax and be his- or herself. As Oscar Wilde famously said, “Everyone else is already taken.”
FURTHER HELP
Founder of Mentor Education, Mary Lonsdale produced a guide, ‘How to pass the 11 Plus’ to help parents navigate their way through the oftencomplicated process. The book covers everything from making the right choice of school for your child, to how to start effective and stress-free preparation. All of Mentor’s 40 years of helping children successfully pass their entrance exams are in this book, making it invaluable to parents.
PREPARING FOR SENIOR SCHOOL
Getting ready for senior school isn’t just about passing the entrance exam. It’s a year or two’s journey that needs careful planning in terms of breaking down the knowledge, skills and personal capabilities that your child will need to successfully navigate this exciting transition.
Simply bashing through endless past papers are a sure-fire way to put your child off studying and results in a surface-level experience, with no conceptual understanding beneath this that they will need in their senior school studies. How can your child build up their academic ‘fitness’, such as attention span, vocabulary, reading comprehension and accuracy in problem-solving? What about the resilience to fail and pick themselves up?
Empathetic tutors add huge value when making a game-plan, as they know your child’s academic performance and can advise on what focused prep work would make the most impact.
Source: Commons Education
LPS Mayfair
Alleyn’s School
A HOME FROM HOME
A traditional British prep school with a progressive, digitally savvy and multi-cultured outlook and most importantly a home from home, Eaton Square Prep is a school where pupils are cared for and loved
Set in three Georgian townhouses in the heart of Belgravia, this small, two-form entry, co-ed prep, with its traditional uniforms and felt hat (boaters in the summer) is anything but stuck in time. Apart from its insistence on good oldfashioned manners, it is innovative, modern and cosmopolitan.
Most importantly it is a school where the children are happy. The Head, Mrs Trish Watt, says, “It’s tangible when you’re in the building to see how happy the children are within the parameters of a real traditional prep school education.”
This academically ambitious school, which is non-selective at entry, is turning out pupils at 11+ to leading senior school destinations.
This year, the Independent Schools Association (ISA) inspection revealed that it had a significant strength in inclusivity and a phenomenal value add from the start of the children’s time at the school. Mrs Watt explains, “No child is left behind. It all goes back to the kind of love and care that we give them.”
The school’s success is very much down to its ever moving and progressive curriculum. “It’s about questioning absolutely everything that we do and making sure that it’s the best that it can be with the child at the centre of that,” says Mrs Watt.
Innovation is key and the new Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) space includes a digitally augmented sand pit and an immersive educational wall and floor where children are engaged physically, intellectually and socially. They learn about the Ice Age or contours in geography in an experiential way rather than simply sitting behind their desks, and world-leading scientists are regularly invited in to talk. Extra-curricular activities are available in abundance. TEDx accredited, the school is active in public speaking as well as drama. It also offers an array of sports
The school’s success is very much down to its ever moving and progressive curriculum
and is particularly strong in swimming, which the children do all year round at the local leisure centre. The school regularly competes in national competitions, winning silverware and even producing Team GB swimmers.
Rather unique to Eaton Square Prep School, the children go on residential trips from Year 2 for one night, in Year 3 for three nights and by Years 4 to 6, they are sailing in the Norfolk Broads, skiing in Norway and enjoying a classical tour of Italy. French, Latin and Spanish are also part of the curriculum.
This is very much a school moving with the times, but at its core is the timeless value of fostering good human beings.
“The values of how the children learn, the curiosity, creativity, the willingness to make mistakes and learn from them - our goal is to instil a genuine love for learning that will take them through life,” concludes Mrs Watt.
TAILOR-MADE EDUCATION
A Hornsby House education is one in which families feel the exciting and wideranging opportunities to learn and flourish, all individually wrapped around their child
From getting muddy in Reception Forest School to surviving in the great outdoors of the Highlands, children are provided with a floor but no ceiling. They are encouraged to give everything a go across the broad and balanced curriculum, where learning is to be embraced not feared. In a continuously changing world, the agility and creativity of our teaching staff ensures that the children hone the skills that they will need at their senior schools and beyond.
At Hornsby, every child will act in major productions, sing in a choir, have their artwork displayed and play in sports fixtures. Collaborating, empathising, developing resilience, thinking critically and innovating are essential skills, and pupils are nurtured through this myriad of opportunity.
Children learn best when they’re safe and feel valued, so kindness is a central pillar of the school’s core values - Head Heart Spirit - which encourage children
and adults to show empathy and humility towards one another. Wellbeing clubs, eight specialist Learning Development teachers, a school counsellor and school dog all play their part in supporting pupils’ happiness.
The children have a voice, whether representing their class on the School Council or suggesting changes. They were a key catalyst for the upcoming modernisation of the House system, which will involve the evolution of Houses named after pioneering men and women into a new group of names and emblems to offer wider inspiration and connection.
Always investing in education, this summer the school embarked on an ambitious project to double the capacity of the Main Hall and to refurbish existing classrooms and build six new ones on the first floor to create distinct spaces for science, modern foreign languages and the performing arts.
As a proudly inclusive school every boy and girl must feel they can be themselves and thrive, so they are ready to move on to their new schools with confidence and humility. Important too, is that the school’s spirit has an effect and is felt in the local community. An ambitious diversity and inclusion programme runs alongside outreach initiatives, which support local primary schools in Lambeth and Wandsworth. Partnerships with Spencer Hockey Club, AFC Wimbledon and Herne Hill Velodrome bring hockey, girls’ football and track cycling to the children. Gardening Club tends to the Urban Triangle Garden on Chestnut Grove, guided by the social enterprise, Beautify Balham. The children understand what it means to live in this vibrant city and all the opportunities that go with it.
Our Year 6 cohorts continue to step up to the challenge of the 11+ process, achieving a balance of work, rest and play as they secure their places for Year 7 at some of London’s top independent schools. It is the culmination of seven years of nurture and excellent schooling in which the children are encouraged to take risks, try new ways of overcoming challenges, and learn how to educate themselves.
HOW TO AVOID PARENTING POTHOLES
As your child starts school, you may feel daunted by the prospect of navigating life as a school parent. Enjoy it but tread lightly, says Charlotte Peterson
As the school uniform is donned for the first time, both you and your little one will experience a mixture of excitement and nerves as they embark on their next 14 years. You’re stepping out of your well-established pre-school safe space into another melting pot of families and all the fun, games and challenges that go with it.
The White House Preparatory School
School gate do’s and dont’s
Seasoned parents and teachers advise the quick hug/kiss/drop, especially during those early days as Little Johnny realises this is how it’s going to be for a while. But it’s
SCHOOL GATE
An important aspect of school life is the vibe at the school gate. Is yours a place of warmth and friendliness? For many families, especially if moving into the area, the school gate should be a place of information and welcoming inclusion. Although many parents drop off and dash to work there is still plenty that can be done.
We have an occasional coffee van organised by the PTA which is a wonderful place for a coffee and catch-up. Parents can also drop donations to our foodbank (Dons Local Action Group) as well as baby equipment and clothes for the Little Village charity for under-5s. The school gate - both before and after school - should mirror the values of the school and provide a friendly place for parents to meet and mingle. Chinese New Year, Halloween, Easter, Diwali and Christmas are just a handful of events that we celebrate at the gate. Make the most of yours!
Source: The Roche School
also a good place to meet other parents, a friendly spot to chat, head for a coffee or walk to the station together. Some of my best friendships have been forged waiting outside the classroom for those four-yearolds to emerge after another hard day at
the coalface. Just be yourself. Your children are all establishing new friendships, and this is an opportunity for you too. And don’t overthink it if your budding socialite befriends someone whose parents aren’t necessarily on the same page as you. Friendships ebb and flow and you don’t have to accept every playdate invitation if it’s all feeling too much.
PTA
There are those who will and those who never will. And there are plenty in between who bake or have regular clear-outs for jumble sales. Many full-time working parents simply don’t have time while others who work part-time or are at home full-time may be willing and able to get stuck in. Be prepared to listen, don’t dominate, be considerate of others’ suggestions and if you’ve offered to muck in at the cake sale or to help set up the fundraising party, don’t bail out at the last minute. Also, know your limits when drinking punch at the party - it’ll save your blushes next time you’re at that school gate.
Bake sale
The pure joy here is the myriad creations. The ones where the children have helped. The ones where the nanny with a Leith’s qualification has stepped in. The ones where
Broomwood Prep - Boys
Eaton House The Manor
Cultivating Curious Learners
Falcons School in Putney is a co-educational nursery and prep school for pupils aged 2-11, fostering critical, creative, and independent learning in a supportive environment with exceptional pastoral care.
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an exhausted parent has whipped something up at midnight. The ones who went to M&S and repackaged. The ones who went to M&S and didn’t repackage. All of it is worthy. All of it is going to raise the funds.
Party time
To share or not to share? That is the question. As our children so often tell us, sharing is caring, and by doing so, you double the joy and halve the costs. Don’t worry if there are some parties you could never stretch to – paintballing off the A3, an escape room experience or trip to Chessington. There is nothing lovelier than meeting in the park with a picnic, party games and pop-up goal or inviting friends over for a favourite movie. Just add popcorn and cake. As for party bags, there are those who go mad and then there are those who give a tube of Smarties and a book from a multi-pack bought at TK Maxx or Asda. Genius.
Sports day
Competitive parenting rarely gets to shine so brightly than at this much-anticipated event. The parents who lean into the racetrack, screaming at their children to run faster and punch the air when they win. The parents who come up with excuses when their child doesn’t win (bad tummy last night). The parents who pack their running shoes ready to bust a gut (or an ACL) going for gold. I’m reminded of a dad at a parent v child end of term footie match who had to be taken aside to be reminded that this was just a friendly match and perhaps he could stop kicking the
ball so hard at the goalie’s head - he was only eight after all.
Move to senior school
This is a tricky time. Tension is high, parents are fraught – usually much more so than the children. To tutor or not to tutor? How many schools to apply for? Share these worries with friends, not the entire group (see below). The same goes for when the results come in. Consider that not everyone will have received an offer from every school, that many will be on waiting lists, waiting for you to turn some down. Be kind during these testing times.
Eveline Day Schools
WhatsApp
It’s excellent for many things but try to rely on your own admin rather than asking the whole year group if anyone knows the details of the concert/outing/drop off/pick up, oh and do they need packed lunch? I appreciate it’s immediate, it’s friendly (mainly) and why busy parents ask the quick question. But how many times have we all seen the exhausted class rep step in to remind us that this was on email last week, or to calm an argument (not here, stand down) or a debate (not the right forum)?
Also, as the adults here, maybe don’t pander so much to the children and take to the airwaves to rant about how lunch was revolting/the cover teacher was awful/the trip was boring. Plus, a little self-awareness goes a long way. If your child is leaving the school, a forum where most of the families will be staying may not be the best place to vent about how glad you are you’re off.
There’s much to be said about the community it creates and the bonding nature of WhatsApp. I would be Scrooge to say it must be disbanded completely in this context. But one well-known local senior school has done just that, directing their parents to another app, Classlist which keeps strictly to school themes. Does it really mitigate the issues though? Surely some parents still go rogue.
So, it may seem like rough terrain out there but it’s easy to avoid parenting potholes if you keep your head while others around you are losing theirs. Just don’t lose touch with reality. You may be in a school bubble but it’s your real world for many years to come. Have fun making the most of it.
Dolphin School/Noah’s Ark Nursery
SCHOOL PROFILE
INDIVIDUAL LEARNING WITH PURPOSE
Thames Christian School is south-west London’s best kept secret
Founded 24 years ago, Thames is an established independent secondary school with a proven track record of excellence, both pastorally and academically. Situated adjacent to Clapham Junction station the school is housed in a bespoke, RIBA-award-winning building offering exceptional art, design, drama, science and food tech facilities.
What sets Thames apart is its genuine commitment to each and every pupil, helping them to understand their inherent value. Small classes, supported by a dedicated and longstanding teaching community, allow pupils to experience not only exceptional learning but also consistency within an environment designed to enable them to thrive.
Central to the school’s ethos is an atmosphere of trust underpinned by unwavering pastoral care which enables pupils to develop the responsibility and resilience which prepares for life beyond school.
We take pride in our pupils’ achievements. A wide range of subjects in the lower school is followed by an exceptionally
flexible choice of options at GCSE and A-level. This allows for pupils to continue with a broad range of subjects with the sciences, humanities, languages or arts or to specialise in one or two of these areas. We believe that subjects like maths and science should coexist harmoniously along with the creative disciplines thus fostering creative thinking - an essential skill in the age of AI and the demands of the modern workplace.
This broad curriculum is supplemented by a varied array of co-curricular clubs, societies, camps and overseas trips including the school’s award-winning trip to rural Tanzania, enabling pupils to develop life skills far beyond an academic curriculum.
Last September we opened our eagerly anticipated sixth form. A very intentional programme of personal development and life skills is offered alongside A-levels which ensures that sixth form students
leave exceptionally well prepared for life. Our sixth formers are encouraged to embrace independence and responsibility, planning their study timetables to utilise our specialist facilities including the sixth form study space, labs and art and STEM studios. Witnessing the growth and leadership development of our initial Year 12 cohort has been truly remarkable and we are incredibly proud of our students’ progress, not only academically, but how they have stepped into a leadership role within the school community.
We are dedicated to nurturing the gifts and talents of every pupil, seeing each one as unique and a story waiting to be told. No matter what stage a pupil joins us, we are committed to providing an enriching educational experience that prepares each child for a fulfilling and successful future – and equip them with the tools that will empower them to navigate their lives.
CONFIDENCE IN NUMBERS
Critical thinking, problem-solving and logical reasoning are all part of the Mathnasium journey, boosting confidence whilst having a whole lot of fun with numbers
Being confident in maths starts with feeling comfortable and at ease with it. Walk past the centres in Clapham or Wimbledon, or any of the 28 Mathnasiums across the UK for that matter, and witness happy children having fun.
Finalists in the National Tutors Association Awards for evaluating impact, Mathnasium has certainly made its mark since opening its doors on Northcote Road in 2019. Its proprietary curriculum provides a customised maths learning programme where maths simply makes sense.
Instructors work one-on-one with children to understand where they are at with their maths and how they are thinking. They then identify any problems and guide them through the right problem-solving processes.
Unlike many supplementary education providers, every child has a bespoke education plan based on their ability rather
than school age and this is where their potential is unlocked. “Our daughter has really struggled with maths in a traditional environment but at Mathnasium she has made incredible progress in the last month and now loves maths!” attests one mother.
The fundamentals of the Mathnasium curriculum are to make sure children are strong in the foundations of maths, building up their number sense first and then gradually working on more complex mathematics using mental, verbal, visual, tactile and written techniques. Once children have mastered critical thinking, their confidence grows exponentially empowering them to solve problems and make decisions logically.
Zoe Jagelman, Education Manager says, “Whilst we are proud of the impact our programme has on students’ maths outcomes, staff and parents delight in seeing the blossoming of children’s confidence as
they understand, master and love maths. We love hearing how this confidence spills over into other areas of learning and life.”
Mathnasium provides in-centre and online teaching to children from Year 1 all the way through to GCSEs. Many students come to prepare for 11+ entry exams into leading secondary schools, but others come because they are struggling or even because they love maths and want to be challenged further.
Each child is assessed on their first visit, a programme is devised for them, and parents are regularly updated on their progress. Assessments are free and there is no obligation to sign up.
Mathnasium’s objective is not to replace the education system but to supplement it, and as such it does a great deal of work with schools in the community to support their students. Equally, it provides pick-ups directly from schools to the Mathnasium centres to help working parents.
Mathnasium helps all children be confident with numbers - a life skill that will help them overcome obstacles and barriers throughout their lives - through their fun and vibrant centres, not only creating number proficiency but a lifelong love for maths.
COUNT ON ME
BTutoring is a big investment and an even bigger commitment, and most who do it never look back. But with both in-person and online options available, which is the better choice, asks Georgina Blaskey
efore we delve deep into the positives and negatives of inperson or online tutoring, it’s worth mentioning that both formats offer similar key benefits. Both types of tutoring give time and space to children who need tricky concepts explained, whose confidence can increase by consolidation, or who wish to expand on a subject and push their progress.
“Tuition is a great way for students to get the extra help they need to excel in school,” explains Sharon Holloway of Eveline Day School. “Individually tailored lessons can help with specific exam preparation, fill in knowledge gaps or provide essential prelearning for difficult topics.
“Tuition fosters a love of learning by providing students with opportunities to go
beyond the curriculum, working towards their interests and goals. Having a safe space to make mistakes and ask questions helps them gain confidence. Grades improve and so do motivation and resilience.
“Experienced tutors are a source of guidance in helping to navigate the complex secondary transfer and 11+ exam system, and can often offer advice on suitable schools. Tutoring is always individually tailored to your child’s needs and their learning style, offering ideas and learning strategies to take into the classroom. There’s no doubt that tuition in one subject always has a positive impact on all learning and progress across the curriculum.”
It’s a win-win, explains Julie Tyler, Camp Director at Camp Suisse: “Tutoring ignites minds, unlocking potential, paving paths to academic success, confidence, and lifelong
learning among students worldwide.”
There are still detractors however. Jo Sharrock, Head at Putney High School GDST, is one and explains: “We are a down to earth school and our 11+ initial entrance exams are designed to focus simply on English and Maths – familiar topics that children will already have been learning at school. Our Athena assessment explores how candidates think rather than what they know. It’s about original thinking and creativity. Therefore, tutoring is neither necessary nor helpful.”
Adam d’Souza, founder of Commons Education, thinks differently. “School entrance is about building a rapport with a child and their family, and understanding their strengths and weaknesses. A good tutor knows how far they can gently challenge a student without losing motivation.”
Trinity School
WHY TUTOR?
Tutoring a child should enhance a student’s ability and boost their confidence. A good tutor will identify a child’s weaknesses and take steps to strengthen them. This might be revising maths topics, completing old papers, how to answer a comprehension or ideas on creative writing.
If you think your child is falling behind at school, employing a tutor is a good idea so that they can identify where the problems are and work with your child before the situation worsens.
Tutors can also provide expert advice with school entrance exams; there are techniques that pupils need to be familiar with to be successful and a good tutor should know these.
Having a tutor also means having access to their expertise, so don’t be afraid to ask your tutor the hard questions about their own knowledge and if you’re not happy, look elsewhere. Tutors should be able to guide and support parents as much as they guide and support their pupils.
Source: Teatime Tutors
In-Person Tutoring: The Advantages
For many of us, the idea of encouraging a child to keep working beyond their school day is only effective when it’s one-to-one, side-by-side. “In-person tutoring provides a
better learning environment, helping children become more motivated and to stay better focused, making for a better overall learning experience,” explains Hannah Larsen from Mentor Education, who provide both online and in-person tutoring. “In-person for younger children is more successful too.”
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Many of the tutors we spoke to agreed that being physically present has distinct advantages, from picking up on mood and energy levels through body language to giving feedback and rewards straight away. Louise Young from Mathnasium, which offers both in-person and online tutoring, says: “In-
person tutoring gives students immediate feedback and support from our tutors in the centre. They build their confidence and independence in a safe environment. Motivation and reward are part of what we offer, so attending one of our centres gives children the instant boost of exchanging their star cards for items in the rewards cabinet at the end of their session.”
In-Person Tutoring: The Drawbacks
Depending on the tutor you engage, you may either have to travel to them or create a suitable workspace in your home, which can be challenging with a busy family life. When looking for a tutor, you’re also restricted to who is available in your area at the time, which may make finding the right match harder.
Online Tutoring: The Advantages
As Hannah explains, these days online tutoring is becoming more mainstream. “Before Covid we predominantly tutored in-person, but after the pandemic there was an online revolution which saw the popularity of online tutoring increase, especially for older students.” We are taking on the 11 Plus
ONLINE LEARNING
Reservations about online learning, particularly for primary-aged children, are a legacy of the hasty online provision they experienced during Covid. The swiftness with which schools had to adapt, coupled with the anxiety and isolation during the pandemic, meant that many parents have yet to witness online teaching at its best or on a one-to-one basis.
Allowing students access to the best tutors across the country, the oneto-one online lesson provides a truly bespoke space for learning, providing a range of multimedia techniques. The tutor and student share and interact on a range of platforms. They can annotate, draw, calculate collaboratively and in real-time. An infinite range of resources can be shared, stored and saved; each lesson creating a revision resource where appropriate. Productivity is naturally increased when a child has all eyes on them for the entire session and they learn to be accountable for their own effort and progress.
Source: Exceptional Academics
Contact us to see how we can help your child pass the 11 Plus.
Email hello@mentoreducation.co.uk or call us on 0208 883 2519 1-2-1
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THE IMPORTANCE OF FUN IN LEARNING
“My daughter loves it. Didn’t want to go at all but after the one-hour assessment she couldn’t wait to join. Her maths has improved greatly, even the school said so. My daughter actually enjoys maths and says it’s her favourite subject at school.” Mathnasium Parent, July 2024. What’s the secret to effective learning? In simple terms, it’s FUN! When students enjoy maths, they engage more deeply, retain concepts better, and develop a positive attitude towards problem-solving. Making maths fun transforms it from a daunting subject into an exciting adventure. This approach fosters a love for maths, empowering students to reach their full potential. By enjoying the learning process, children build a solid foundation for future success and lifelong skills. We’re serious about maths being fun and believe an engaging learning experience is the key to unlocking each child’s academic potential, helping them excel in all areas of life.
Source: Mathnasium
Tash Rosin, who runs Teatime Tutors, used to live in London and only tutored in-person after school. When she moved out of London, many of her existing tutees stayed with her and took their sessions online, confident in virtual schooling due to their pandemic experience. “It’s much easier to tutor online; there is no travel involved, both for the tutor and the student, and both can be away from the home environment while still easily accessing each other.
“There is always an issue finding time as a tutor, whether online or in-person. Children have long days at school and a wealth of clubs or sports activities after school to choose from, which can make it challenging for parents to find a suitable time to fit in a tutoring session.”
Balancing the needs of the child with the demands of their day is eaiser to juggle when they’re simply dialling in to a session. “Tutoring happens after a long school day and what has taken place during the day has a massive impact on a child’s willingness to learn and work for another hour on top of school and clubs. Online tutoring can aid that as they can snack while working, they are in a safe and familiar environment, and they can do it in their pyjamas if they feel like it!”
Hannah agrees it’s certainly easier and more convenient for tutors and often preferrable
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for older students too. And for centres like Mathnasium, access to online tutoring gives those who don’t live near a centre the option to join and benefit from the same programme as those who can attend in-person.
Online Tutoring: The Drawbacks
Online tutoring can be much more intense than in-person and therefore can be more tiring for both the student and tutor. “The tutor is having to work much harder to keep a student motivated and listen out for any quiet mutterings in case they need help but don’t ask, or are upset but don’t tell you,” Tash
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explains. “Although I use a camera and try to pick up on nuances from children, it can be harder - it’s much easier to read a mood in-person. I rely on parents to be honest and to let me know if my student has had a bad day or is tired.”
Generally, online is more likely to be less efficient for younger pupils. “The only issue I have with online tutoring is not being able to assist children with their presentation immediately,” says Tash. “This requires parents scanning in work and emailing it to me so that I can keep an eye on handwriting and presentation skills.”
Winning Combination –A Bit of Both?
Some tutors may offer a combination of in-person sessions backed up with online
sessions, especially over the school holidays, and even some schools are now beginning to embrace this approach. At London Park School Mayfair and London Park School Sixth, there’s a new format called ‘Hybrid’. Spokesperson Ali Bucknall explains: “It offers students a mix of in-school and online teaching, with one day in school and four days online. It works well for students who, for whatever reason, may find attending school in-person on a regular basis hard.”
Ultimately both methods are effective; it’s a question of assessing your child’s needs, their extra-curricular commitments and your family life. One thing we’ve all learnt from the pandemic is how to function more effectively online, so what might at one point have seemed an unsatisfactory compromise is now an attractive proposition.
Mathnasium
Mentor Education
LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD
OA different approach to education should benefit and empower every mind and move away from the one-size-fits-all strategy for neurodiverse children. Gillian Upton reports
ne-in-seven people are neurodiverse and those figures are on the rise. The issue is that students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not less able but often receive a second-rate education.
The popular image of Albert Einstein on Facebook flags this up, alongside the quote, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
The common experience of SEND students in education - who often have
above average IQs - is one of suffering a system inappropriate to their needs and which fails to remove their barriers to success. The need to level the playing field for these youngsters is not in dispute.
“Embracing neurodiversity in youngsters fosters inclusivity, and celebrates unique
Fairley House School
minds, creating boundless potential for innovation and creativity in tomorrow’s leaders,” sums up Julie Tyler, Camp Director at Camp Suisse.
It’s no surprise that the correlation between special educational needs and mental health challenges is stark. According to a study by Hansard in 2022, 55% of children with SEN experience anxiety, compared to 34% of their peers without SEN.
“The journey of students with specific learning differences is fraught with unique challenges that traditional education systems often fail to address,” says Tamsin Bickley, Head of English and Teaching & Learning at Burlington House School, part of Cavendish Education.
“We know neurodiverse children think differently and so we see education differently. We recognise that life is going to present challenges - that there will be multiple instances where our young people will be asked to ‘climb trees.’ We equip our students for these challenges and build the resilience to face them”.
Success stories abound from the mainstream and private sector and it is often more testament to parents’ tenacity in the former than anything else. Measuring success needs context as achieving a 2 in a Maths GCSE could be a phenomenal success.
The first step is diagnosis and the earlier the intervention the better, followed by the choice of school. The previous government had mooted a compulsory dyslexia screening test in primary schools at age seven, to avoid years of failure, so it will be interesting to see if the new government follows through on it.
It’s important that parents flag up that their child has extra needs when they apply to school so they will be supported from Day One with the right resources in place for when they start. Some teachers believe parents don’t share this information, fearing that the knowledge will affect them negatively.
Isabelle Alexander, Head of Access, Inclusion and Mentoring (AIM) & SENCo at Alleyn’s has this advice: “For parents and educators, being proactive and supportive is key in effectively addressing differences. It’s essential to foster open communication and collaboration in developing tailored support plans for pupils.
“Embracing any difference not only enhances the educational experience for pupils but also promotes a culture of acceptance and inclusivity within schools.”
Burlington’s Bickley believes that there is an increasing need for schools where each child’s learning journey is determined and driven by a responsive approach to their individual needs.
Teaching styles are changing in mainstream education - as schools adapt to ensure those with autism, ADHD, dyspraxia, dyslexia or dyscalculia do not present a barrier to education - but Burlington House School’s experience suggests this approach isn’t widespread today. “Sadly, many of our learners come to us with anxiety, low self-esteem and trauma from a type of education that hasn’t met their needs. They can become socially isolated in a mainstream school,” says Burlington’s Bickley.
Inadequate teacher training for the range and complexity of needs, budget cuts, lack of resources and SEN teacher shortages have conspired together to make matters worse, delaying identification of needs and less early intervention. Add to this the fact that the number of pupils with an education, health and care plan (EHCP) and the number of pupils with SEN support have increased, and you have a perfect storm.
According to GOV.uk, over 1.5 million pupils in England have special educational
needs, an increase of 87,000 from 2022.
“It can mean that these schools are under pressure from their local authorities to offer places,” explains Vanessa Danz, Head of Specialist Education for the Cavendish Education family of schools. “This can often result in these schools having to meet the needs of a wider and more complex range of needs and so offer a less tailored and individualised approach.” Cavendish is one school that shares best practice and free training opportunities to mainstream schools.
Parents’ experience getting the right EHCP in place is also a minefield, often ending up in lengthy tribunals trying to prove that their child’s needs can’t be met in mainstream schools.
Specialist SEN schools can be part-time or full-time and while following the national curriculum, generally concentrate on more visual, more repetitive, slower, multi-sensory learning. It might also involve occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and life skills. In addition, there are a range
Abingdon House School Purley, part of Cavendish Education
of enrichment activities; Cavendish, for example, offers rock climbing, rowing, animation and gardening, among others. All well and good but demand outstrips supply across the private sector with waiting lists, so accessing the right support can be challenging.
The McLeod Centre for Learning is a tutorial centre covering all neurodiverse conditions, offering bespoke learning plans which allow children to remain in their prime school so they get the best of both worlds.
All their teachers are fully booked and pupils are waiting for slots. “Parents are even looking for Sunday lessons now,” says McLeod’s proprietor Jonathan Berry. A threehour morning school is charged at £70 per hour, for example which rises to £85 per hour for after school, weekend and holiday lessons.
At Fairley House, another specialist SEN school where pupils can stay full-time up to Year 11 and take their GCSEs, there are waiting lists for some year groups and expansion plans are afoot. The cohort at Fairley House is 70% EHCPs that are fullyor part-funded. Annual fees run to £38,730 per child.
At Burlington House School (formerly The Moat School and part of Cavendish
Education), there are also waiting lists. Annual fees for full-time education are £40,368 for prep and senior and £41,691 for sixth form.
The choice for parents is very much dependent on severity and finances. “If children don’t receive the right provision in their own school or the SEND requirements are over-subscribed, they can avoid missing key lessons and come to us two or three mornings a week, for example,” says Rob Jennings, a maths teaching specialist at McLeod and founder of The Dyscalculia Network.
“That way pupils can maintain their friendship groups and still engage in school activities.” Equally, their fear of failure and feeling bottom of the class disappears overnight as suddenly they can do maths. “That’s an immediate ‘wow’ and is brilliant for their self-esteem,” says Jennings. McLeod uses a lot of games to reinforce topics and notes that 60% of children with dyslexia have severe maths difficulties.
ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental conditions diagnosed in children. It tends to run in families and signs and symptoms include difficulty concentrating - daydreaming in class is
typical - acting impulsively and often restlessness. ADHD sufferers could also have sleep and anxiety disorders.
Inattentiveness and hyperactivity can be disruptive in class but very often at the core is not a lack of capability but lack of a challenge, and good teaching is what is needed.
Increasingly, children are being diagnosed with more than one condition, most commonly dyslexia with ADHD, and ADHD and dyscalculia. Industry observers believe this is due to increased understanding and better awareness of neurodiverse conditions.
“Pupils can feel so different from their peers and it creates a level of trauma,” says Heather Smith, SENDCo at Fairley House. “Here, nobody is afraid of putting their hand up and saying, ‘I don’t understand that.’”
Specialist SEND schools provide tailored support to foster academic, social and emotional growth. Small class sizes and “chunk” teaching is the work-around to fidgeting and a lack of focus.
“By implementing holistic and individualised approaches - such as integrated therapy and research-informed teaching methods - schools can empower students to overcome barriers and realise their potential,” says Burlington’s Bickley.
Burlington House School
“Such a teaching approach will build their confidence and resilience but also equip them with the skills necessary to navigate life’s challenges.”
Schools can help reduce negative behaviour and encourage academic engagement with time management, organisational training, daily report cards and a reward system.
If classroom or homework adjustments aren’t happening then parents shouldn’t hold back in chasing up the school.
At Newton Prep, the SEND department supports pupils in their learning needs without making them feel that they are in any way under-achieving. At Eveline Day School, teachers combine creative and flexible thinking with the right mix of differentiation, strategies and therapeutic interventions to give neurodivergent children every opportunity to fulfil their potential.
Stephen Hepher, Principal of Eaton Square Prep School, says greater demand has necessitated a constantly changing support structure for all of these pupils to enable them to flourish and points to a wider benefit: “The benefit of such developments has been incredibly positive, for those with neurodiversities and for the rest of the pupil and teaching body.”
Non-teaching strategies which parents can influence are diet, sleep and exercise. It is crucial to keep your child at a healthy weight
Thomas’s Battersea has a thriving Learning Enrichment department. “With a team that comprises literacy and maths specialists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and touch typing specialists, we are able to support children with a wide range of neurodiverse profiles,” says Emily Jenkin, Head of Upper School at Thomas’s Battersea. “We nurture and celebrate every child as an individual, championing strengths and removing barriers to learning.”
Non-teaching strategies which parents can influence are diet, sleep and exercise. “Sleep hygiene is one of the most important things,”
says Fairley’s Smith. “The effects of sleep deprivation can mimic ADHD symptoms in terms of focus and cognitive function.” And she adds, “Screen time is massive in affecting sleep and communication skills.” At Fairley everybody gives in their phone for the whole day.
Diet is also key, particularly if your child is on medication which can carry side effects of suppressed appetite, so it is crucial to keep your child at a healthy weight. Omega 3 sources such as oily fish and seafood help neurodevelopment and eye development which ultimately has a wide array of benefits, from planning, problem-solving and sustained attention to social, emotional and behavioural development.
Red meat, beans, shellfish, nuts and seeds, green vegetables and dark chocolate are rich in iron, zinc and magnesium, all minerals key for children with ADHD, plus summer
A BROKEN SYSTEM
sunlight is a great source of vitamin D to support optimal brain cell nourishment.
Exercise is another key area but that does not necessarily mean a gym membership, rather what is called ‘incidental movement’, so a walk to the shops or school or with the dog are all good enough.
Cavendish’s Danz adds: “Like all children, neurodiverse children respond well to having clear routines, structures and boundaries.”
Tutoring can help but it’s important not to overload your child. “Typically, neurodiverse children are really tired so it’s unrealistic to give them an extra hour at the end of the day,” cautions Fairley’s Smith.
There are no quick fixes but if confidence and self-esteem start to build as students feel recognised, seen and supported, and experience small successes in areas in which the student has historically struggled, then it’s a good start.
A major new independent report by Isos Partnership commissioned by The Local Government Association and County Councils Network, reveals that the current system for SEND children is not working for families, schools and councils alike.
The report, ‘Towards an effective and financially stable approach to SEND in England’ published in July, describes the system at breaking point.
Half a million more children and young people are now identified as having special educational needs, that in seven of the last ten years, more children with ECHPs have been placed in special schools compared to mainstream settings, and that higher rates of identification of SEND are not leading to better educational attainment.
Educational attainment among SEND children has not improved since the introduction of landmark reforms in 2014, despite councils projected to be spending £12 billion on these services by 2026, up from £4 billion a decade ago.
Councils have called on the new government to set out reform of SEND over the next 18 months.
The McLeod Centre for Learning
A LOCAL SCHOOL WITH A GLOBAL AGENDA
Whitgift School, a boys’ day and boarding school in South Croydon for ages 10 to 18, encourages its pupils to take a global outlook, taking its strong reputation in academics, sport and the arts beyond the classroom
Whitgift is a school with big ambitions for its 1,550 pupils. Driven by an approach to education that extends far beyond its school gates in south London, the aim is to create an environment where each student takes responsibility for his role as a global citizen through a range of initiatives, trips and expeditions, and charity events.
Inspired by the ethos of the IB (which is offered in the sixth form alongside A-levels), every boy in Years 6 and 7 is taught the unique Global Citizenship programme, built around the UN charter. Through the school’s curriculum, which remains intentionally broader for longer than most, pupils develop the skills of social and technological responsibility, collaboration and creativity, alongside resilience, self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Every boy in Year 7 will study three languages - one of which will be Japanese or Chinese - and by Year 8 they deliver an independent research project on an aspect of global citizenship.
Additionally for pupils joining at 11+, the Whitgift 7 programme is uniquely
designed to help with their transition into the new environment, ensuring they start their journeys as Whitgiftians with a strong grounding and exposure to so much that they may never have previously encountered. Free fencing and golf lessons and a free term of music lessons on an instrument of their choice make Year 7 an attractive entry point. The music and drama offering is phenomenal, with excellent productions and plenty of clubs in which pupils can discover new talents in the arts.
Cultural engagement is ignited through regular trips and events, and co-curricular societies of which there are over 100 to choose from. Through community partnerships, such as volunteering in local primary schools, pupils learn to give back to society, and visiting speakers and Old Whitgiftians help inspire young minds.
Most recently a partnership with a school in Hyderabad, India has been established
and that will be sure to bring an even greater international dimension and future opportunity for all pupils.
Sport is integral to the wellbeing of all Whitgiftians, with 1,300 of 1,550 pupils participating in Saturday sport at all ages and levels. Facilities are top class, with cricket nets, a shooting range, a driving range, hybrid sports pitch and variable depth pool in a purpose-built sports centre all on-site, and the school’s record at local and national level, particularly hockey, is outstanding. There is something here for everyone to get involved in, at every level.
After over 425 years of education the school’s ethos remains clear – to educate bright and talented young men, whatever their background, to become independent learners and thinkers, to achieve beyond what they believed they could and to leave ready to give back to the society in which they will be leaders.
FUTURE PERFECT
Decisions about which qualifications to pursue need careful consideration as there are so many opportunities at all stages of education, advises Malcolm Trotter
Sixth form is the time to choose the right academic path. A young person’s aspirations, interests and circumstances usually guide which qualifications to choose, but it’s important to talk about the big picture too. Further education is an investment of time, energy and money and you want to be sure that the future value is likely to exceed that contribution.
So, for sixth formers it is important to consider the potential benefits of taking the first steps towards gaining qualifications. Do the choices seem a good fit for their skills and interests, and will the qualifications be worth the investment?
Streatham & Clapham High School GDST
The benefits are many and enable you to:
• Show that you are committed and dedicated enough to complete a course
• Prepare individuals for citizenship and involvement in society
• Feel empowered
• Network with other professionals
• Enter certain careers and particularly highly skilled jobs
• Command a higher salary
• Demonstrate to potential employers that you have a certain level of ability within a certain field
• Expand or refresh your skillset or update your knowledge
• Progress to further study.
There is clear evidence that on average university graduates earn more than those without a first degree. The most recent official statistics show that in the UK, graduates earn £11,500 per year more than non-graduates. So for the majority, gaining a degree qualification can and does enhance career prospects,
which over time outweighs the considerable university fees and living costs.
But this positive average statistic masks the fact that many graduates (36%) are in lower-level jobs that do not require a degree (and therefore are lower paid), with many of them finding that they are not well-matched to the job vacancies or careers that they wish to follow after they graduate.
It is also estimated that one in eight higher level jobs held by younger people, considered as graduate positions, are actually held by non-graduates with recognised professional qualifications or compelling work experience and achievements. ‘Compelling’ because while some training and work experience can give you a range of professional skills that other employers will find attractive, often the training provided is focused on the specific needs of that particular organisation and may have limited application elsewhere.
To enter and progress in a professional field (to a higher level), it is important to gain qualifications that employers recognise as being credible and relevant to the role you
wish to apply for, and designed and awarded by the relevant professional bodies, such as institutes or associations of professionals. If you are interested in a legal career for example, The National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP) is one example of a recognised organisation where you can gain qualifications. Its qualifications are designed, assessed and awarded by legally qualified and experienced professionals which all underline its credibility. They are also Ofqual recognised. This means that
Statistics show that in the UK, graduates earn £11,500 per year more than non-graduates
Woldingham School
BROAD HORIZONS
Trips abroad serve as invaluable catalysts for the personal development of young people. Exposure to new languages, traditions and customs fosters adaptability and broadens perspectives, nurturing empathy and understanding.
Navigating unfamiliar terrains and confronting challenges outside one’s comfort zone cultivates resilience and self-confidence. These experiences encourage young people to explore their passions and talents, fostering a deeper sense of self-awareness and purpose.
Moreover, international travel sparks curiosity and intellectual growth, igniting a thirst for knowledge and cultural appreciation.
Ultimately, the lessons learned and memories made during these experiences transcend borders, equipping young individuals with the skills and mindset to navigate an increasingly interconnected and diverse world with confidence and empathy.
Source: Camp Suisse
Ernest Bevin Academy
Varsity Scholars
A Passion for Life and Learning since 1741
those who gain NALP qualifications have demonstrated genuine, professional ability in their assessed coursework and any exams. You may find yourself asking, ‘Do we really want the additional stress of yet more exams?’ Numerous scientific studies highlight the impact of very real exam stress on mental health. Find out what support you will be able to call upon from the training provider and your circle of fellow students, friends and family.
These days, much professional development and learning towards further qualifications is assessed through a research thesis and continuous assessment projects (including workplace performance). It is now increasingly the case that your ability will be assessed using methods other than exams.
So, if you are looking ahead to the next step for the career you are considering, think about investing in your future by choosing a relevant and recognised qualification which will give you the boost you need.
Malcolm Trotter is a global education and training professional, with extensive experience in post-compulsory/tertiary teaching and learning, qualification development and awarding.
Thames Christian School
VOCATIONAL OPTIONS
Students who prefer more hands-on experience have an equally wide array of choices. For example, the recently introduced T-levels (Technical Levels), or BTEC (Business and Technology Education Council) diplomas and apprenticeships for students aged 16 and 18.
Some prepare students for work through work placements and some through work readiness programmes at school.
Similar to BTECs, T-levels are the new vocational qualifications introduced in 2021 to meet the demands of various industries that require a highly skilled and practical workforce such as engineering, science, health and social care, art, architecture, business and management, law, media, sport, I.T., Early Years education and more.
Still in their infancy, these will eventually replace BTECs as more courses are rolled out. The two qualifications are very similar, the main difference being that T-levels require industry placements whereas BTECs can be taught solely in schools or colleges. T-levels cannot be taken in conjunction with A-levels whereas BTECs can.
Unlike A-levels, T-levels and BTECs are more coursework-based which is an important consideration for students who don’t like exams.
The choices seem endless at 16, and many schools are very much focussed on preparing their students for the future of work and guiding them through the best qualifications to suit their abilities and aspirations. The main thing is that whatever they do, they enjoy it.
BREADTH OF SIXTH FORM OPTIONS
Are they going to be a student for whom the traditional three A-levels model will work well? Or might they benefit from the option of studying a broader curriculum such as the IB Diploma?
Keep your options open
It can be hard to know the answer to the above when your child starts senior school at 11+ or 13+. Consider some of the schools that offer the choice of A-levels or IB when they reach sixth form, rather than insisting on one or the other.
Consider careers of the future
The world of work is changing rapidly. Question a school’s approach to preparing students for jobs that may not yet exist. Do they foster employability and entrepreneurial skills? Or do they still have more of a traditional careers advice function?
Source: Ardingly College
CHOOSING THE BEST SIXTH FORM
Ensure the school aligns with your child’s specific needs and future aspirations
• Small classes and bespoke teaching
• Flexible curriculum - look for a school that caters for diverse learning styles and interests
• Holistic development - choose a school that has an intentional focus on the overall development of the student, including life skills like cookery, advanced IT skills and CV development
• Career and higher education guidance - opt for a school with robust UCAS and careers support, leadership development and health and wellness programme, preparing students for university or degree apprenticeships
• Avoid one-size-fits-all - find a school that offers a tailored educational experience
• Strong pastoral support - prioritise schools with strong pastoral care
Source: Thames Christian School
Look out for the annual Step-Up Expo which takes place each summer at Olympia, London. It aims to inspire teen choices with an exhibition of schools, colleges, universities and employers to make it easier to decide on GCSE options, 16+ school/college choices, subject and qualification choices, employment and training, 18+ education, apprenticeships, career options and gap year choices (stepupexpo.co.uk).
Thinking of university?
Mary Lonsdale, CEO of Varsity Scholars, offers this practical advice ,“Don’t leave it until September to think about what you are going to write on your personal statement. You need to have a rough draft already when you start Year 13.
“Don’t forget that applying to US universities is very different and you will likely need to demonstrate more community engagement and voluntary work. Elite UK universities are more interested in your intellectual curiosity and academic attainment.”
Elite UK universities are more interested in your intellectual curiosity and academic attainment
DLD College London
BROAD HORIZONS
Are you going into Year 13 and thinking of applying to Oxford or Cambridge University this Autumn? You will need to show your passion for your chosen subject front and central on your personal statement. A great way to do this is to include some super – curricular projects, studying beyond what has been taught to you on your A Level course, and showing your passion and aptitude for your subject.
The summer holidays are a great time to find areas of your subject you are particularly interested in and identify some projects you can research. Start with booklists, podcasts and YouTubers you like and delve deeper to find topics you would be happy to talk about at interview. Try to find proof points for your research, such as entering essay competitions, consider an EPQ and apply for related work experience. Consider projects relevant to your course that might pique the interest of professors reading your application.
Source: Varsity Scholars
Ernest Bevin Academy
IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT QUALIFICATIONS
Much has been written about the allrounder student, marrying qualifications with other attributes an employer is looking for in the increasingly competitive workplace.
As parents, we often find ourselves laserfocused on academic success, equating top grades and top schools with future prosperity. While these are not mutually exclusive to character (if anything, character aids academia), we cannot disregard the importance of character for lifelong success.
Character is not a fluffy ‘nice to have’; it transcends territories, technologies and time. Indeed, the World Economic Forum has identified skills such as initiative, problem-solving, creativity and flexibility (all core character traits) as part of the Top 10 skills of 2025.
Obviously, character cannot be taught and examined, but it can be built and its development tracked. Life is far easier to manage when we lean on character. But what is character? Put simply, character is made up of qualities spanning everything from persistence, patience and kindness to bravery, loyalty and creativity.
Character leads to an individual equipped with social intelligence, self-control and a sense of purpose. That is quite the shopping list of traits.
However, even small steps can help build character. For example, if your child is lacking self-esteem, frequently coming to you with phrases such as, “I don’t understand maths” or “I’m not good at sport,” simply introduce them to the power of adding ‘yet’ to the end of these statements. This increases the child’s sense of agency, effortlessly activating a growth mindset. Or perhaps your child is struggling with a specific situation: an exam, performance or sports match. You can see their young mind whirring through possible outcomes. Bring in the ‘if-then’ framework. This tried-and-tested behavioural strategy paves the way for productive (not paralysing) scenarioplanning. Examples include: “If I don’t get into the A-team, then I will aim to be captain of the B-team” and “If I don’t get into my first-choice school, then I will find another.” This can also motivate positive behaviour (“If I don’t practise, then I won’t improve”) and deter negative behaviour (“If I’m unkind to X, then others might not want to spend time with me”).
We have worked closely with The Oxford Character Project to develop
character-building programmes filled with these and many more evidencebacked activities for children – both at home and in school, including Wetherby, Pembridge Hall, Notting Hill Prep and Fulham Prep.
Annabel Coaker
Annabel Coaker leads on school partnerships with Oppidan Education. Previously an Admissions Director for a group of leading London independent schools, she specialises in the 4+/11+/13+ processes.
WRITING A PERSONAL STATEMENT
• Remember, you are the focus; don’t just write about the subject you’re applying for - explain why you are passionate about it, what you think about your chosen subject and why
• Bring your academic development to life; it can be useful to link your experiences into a journey to demonstrate your academic development. For example, a lecture might have inspired you to research and write an essay or to reach out to an academic in the field. Tell that story
• Demonstrate your passion; try to do as much independent work and extension in your subject as possible. Tell the admissions team how it has shaped your views and what you’re excited to learn more about at university.
Source: Trinity School
Emanuel School
Putney High School GDST
ALL THEY CAN BE
Set in the heart of south London, Alleyn’s School takes pride in its commitment to providing an excellent education that prepares students for the challenges of a rapidly changing world, while preserving a love of learning for learning’s sake
Founded in 1619 to provide the opportunities that a sound education can unlock, Alleyn’s remains dedicated to helping individuals achieve their fullest potential, a commitment which extends beyond personal growth to encompass community and the wider world.
As one of the country’s leading coeducational independent schools with a history of outstanding academic achievement and co-curricular success on the stage, pitch, page and screen, Alleyn’s recognises that wonderful results are a byproduct of an outstanding values-driven education. At the core are shared values of Respect, Opportunity, Courage, Curiosity, and Kindness. These principles, embedded across the school and from which staff and pupils draw power and purpose, shape
the character of every pupil, empowering them with the confidence and skills to be ‘All They Can Be.’
Pupils are encouraged to ‘find their thing’ whether in sport, the arts, pupil leadership or debate, driven by the belief that for children to thrive academically, they should be inspired in as creative and varied a way as possible. The Alleyn’s trips programme is central to that approach – taking children out of their everyday environment enables them to think differently about themselves, each other and their place in the world.
The Well, a purpose-built wellbeing space, sits at the heart of the mission to empower lifelong wellness by aiming to build resilient mental fitness and creating a space for pupils to enjoy their childhood.
They conceptualise ways in which they can protect their mental health, including retro arcade gaming, journaling, board games and podcasts.
Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to impact the wider community through the Alleyn’s partnership programme, Alleyn’s Together, with charity work or sharing the joy of learning through mentoring in the Alleyn’s Academy with over 340 pupils from local primary and secondary schools.
With a keen eye on the future, the school’s ambition is to instil a sense of entrepreneurship, philanthropy and community within each child, mirroring the values embodied by founder, Edward Alleyn. The curriculum reflects changing thinking and possibilities across the world.
The Alleyn’s Intelligence Quotient (AiQ) teaches young people to bring design and digital skills together to build ethical and inclusive solutions to real world dynamic problems, understanding that varied ways of thinking can come up with the right solution.
Alleyn’s has always been about the ‘All’, about the collective power of our community to shape and inspire individuals to be all they can be and to go out and shape the world.
SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
NEW FACES
A clutch of new Heads and senior staff are joining many of the schools popular with Nappy Valley children this month, as a new academic year gets underway
Susan Brooks
Susan Brooks is the new Head of LPS Clapham and was previously Head of Northwood Senior, where she established what was a new secondary school in 2019
Michael Hodge
Michael Hodge has moved from Prospect House in Putney to join Broomwood as Principal and Head of Broomwood Prep - Boys
Dr Adrian Rainbow
Dr Adrian Rainbow is the new Head of LPS Mayfair and LPS Sixth (previously Eaton Square Senior) and joined from Hampton Court House where he was Head
Ambreen Baig
Ambreen Baig is the Co-Director of Hybrid Schools for Dukes Education and was previously in charge of the day-to-day running of Portland Place Hybrid School
Jamie Whiteside
Jamie Whiteside is the Co-DIrector of Hybrid Schools for Dukes Education and was instrumental in the creation, smooth-running and success of Portland Place Hybrid School
Toby Seth
Toby Seth will join Whitgift as Head in September 2025, joining from Pocklington School Foundation. Andrew Halls leads this academic year
Sue Baillie
Woldingham School has welcomed Sue Baillie as Head, previously Head at Queen Margaret’s School for Girls, York
Nathan Mountford
Nathan Mountford is the new Head of LPS Sixth following ten years as a head of sixth form
Jonny Gilbert
Vania Adams is retiring after 14 years at the helm of The Roche School and is succeeded by Jonny Gilbert, the school’s deputy
Robert Milne
Robert Milne is the new Master of Dulwich College. He joins from Emanuel School and replaces Dr Joe Spence
James Kidd
James Kidd moves from Senior Vice Principal to Principal of DLD College London
Will
le Fleming
Will le Fleming is joining Thomas’s as founding Master of Thomas‘s College. He was formerly Head of The Abbey School in Reading
Liz McLaughlin
Liz McLaughlin, ex-Wetherby School, is the new Head of Putney High Junior School, joining in January 2025
Joe Knight
Joe Knight is the new Head at The White House Prep, having been Deputy Head of Broomwood.
Rupert Hawkins
Rupert Hawkins moves up from Senior Deputy Head to be Head of Thomas’s Battersea. He was previously at Northcote Lodge
THE VALUE ADD OF BOARDING
To stay relevant, boarding schools have had to move with the times. Flexi-boarding options, increased communication with parents and the appeal of zero commuting have made it a more attractive prospect for many families, but what do you really get for your money compared to a day school, asks Georgina Blaskey
According to the Independent Schools Council, there were 66,325 pupils boarding on the day of its last census in January 2023, an increase of 1,093 boarders compared with 2022. But with fees increasing year-on-year, not to mention the government’s plan to add VAT to private school fees, why is the trend for more, not less, families to choose boarding school?
Walhampton School
For Londoners, the chance to spend the week on a countryside campus is very appealing. Woldingham, a girls’ secondary school just half an hour on the train from Clapham Junction, has 700 acres for pupils to enjoy. “All our facilities are on-site,” explains Mrs Sue Baillie, Woldingham’s Head. “Our sports pitches are all within our 700 acres - the only time we have to travel for sport is for away fixtures.”
Similarly, Ardingly talks of its 240-acre
campus and facilities. “In the summer term, when the evenings are much lighter, it’s fantastic to see so many boarders outside making full use of our lovely grounds by choosing to play football or tennis with their friends in their free time after school,” explains Jo Hayter, Deputy Head (Pastoral). “Others make use of our music and drama facilities and there are a range of clubs and activities that both boarders and day pupils can take part in until 7pm each evening.”
It’s fantastic to see so many boarders outside making full use of our lovely grounds
Ardingly College
One of the advantages of staying in school beyond classroom hours is the opportunity to enjoy a full range of clubs and societies, from hobbies and interests to sport and personal development. At Whitgift, a boys’ secondary day and boarding school in south London, boarders have a significant number of clubs and societies on offer ranging from sport to music and drama.
“In addition, boarders have a number of social activities available to them which range from cooking, music appreciation, photography and theatre visits, as well as a
weekly trip which may be to museums and galleries but also to Canterbury, Oxford, Brighton or Thorpe Park!” explains Adrian Norris, Assistant Head (Pastoral and Boarding), Whitgift.
Personal development is another element that many schools we spoke to cited as a big advantage when considering the added value of boarding.
Alex Finch of Walhampton in the New Forest points to the benefit of helping prepare children to be more independent: “The camaraderie between the year groups is
wonderful as friendships are forged and new routines learnt. Boarding gives pupils the inner confidence and level-headed resilience they need to succeed in their next stage of life.”
Jo Hayter at Ardingly, adds: “I would say that boarding can offer significant academic, social and wellbeing benefits. Boarders develop independence and maturity, while also benefitting hugely from living alongside, and often building lifelong friendships with, students from different year groups and often different countries too.”
Vertical pastoral systems within houses
Walhampton School
are common across most boarding schools - the days of hierarchy have thankfully disappeared for the most part - and these give students the chance to learn from and teach each other skills and interests they may not have previously considered. After all, what’s more fun - hanging out with your parents or a group of other teens?
Your child’s academic performance may also benefit from more time at school, whether that’s through an extended programme of talks or lectures, or more access to teachers out of hours. At Whitgift, there are several programmes by which academic enrichment continues beyond the school day - this can include lectures, debates, clubs and societies.
Whitgift School
Woldingham School
“Equally the school operates many platforms whereby students can message and stay in contact with members of staff. There is a significant number of staff associated with boarding who are on duty any given evening,” says Whigift’s Norris.
Having that access to your teacher if they’re on duty that night is a perk, but don’t underestimate the peer power either. “Not only are their peers always on hand to discuss what they’ve just learnt in class or their homework, but they will also have older students in the boarding house that they can easily turn to for academic help too,” says Jo Hayter from Ardingly.
With friends on tap and plenty to keep them occupied, a welcome side effect seems to be reduced time on phones, screens and social media among boarders compared to their day school counterparts.
Hayter says: “I do think that boarders probably use their phones in the evening less than many day pupils do - mainly because they’re hanging out with their friends in the evenings and often are too busy playing football or socialising in their free time to use their phones, whereas day pupils tend to be more isolated from friends in the evenings, so are more likely to turn to their phones.”
While this is all very persuasive, what if you are a day pupil at a boarding school - do you become a kind of second-class citizen with a less enriching school experience? “A question I am often asked is what is the difference between a day school and a school like Woldingham which is both day and boarding?” says Woldingham’s Sue Baillie. “The simple answer is that we offer a lot more.
“Unlike a day school that closes after lessons at 4pm or clubs at 5pm, Woldingham is open 24 hours in term time. Day girls can come in early or stay late. In fact, we want all our students to take advantage of the fantastic range of extracurricular sport, clubs and societies or stay for supervised study.”
DLD College London, a day and boarding co-ed secondary school in central London agrees: “We work hard to ensure there is no difference between our day and boarding students’ experience at DLD,” says Principal, James Kidd. “Regular weekend trips are organised by our boarding team and day students are always welcome to join their friends on these fun-filled days.”
It’s a persuasive argument – more access to teachers, round-the-clock sports activities, enrichment programmes, less phone time, zero commuting and friends
on tap. As Jo Hayter concludes: “Boarding still has an important role to play in modern society. It builds character, forges bonds and friendships between children of different nationalities and cultures, while providing valuable structure for teenagers to help them develop their independence and take agency over their lives.”
With friends on tap and plenty to keep them occupied, a welcome side effect seems to be reduced time on phones, screens and social media among boarders
CONSIDERATIONS WHEN RELOCATING
The rise of flexible working has led to families pushing the commuter belt further as the need to be in London everyday diminishes. Areas such as the New Forest are seeing an increase in families relocating from London as stations like Brockenhurst, Sway and Southampton Airport become more popular with part-time commuters. Schools are seeing families seeking expansive grounds, horse riding, onsite Forest School and flexi-boarding, in addition to removing the pressure of the 11+.
Be inquisitive. Find out if other families have followed a similar path - where they live, what they do at weekends (plenty of sailing and watersports!) and how they find the train journey. Think about whether you still want to be able to walk to a shop and the train station. Walhampton provides a buddy family to help both parents and children settle in. Typically, they never look back.
Source: Walhampton School
DLD College London
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DAY GUIDE
OPEN DAYS
RULES OF THE GAME
‘Tis the season of open days. Go prepared if you hope to whittle down your choices to find the right school for your child, says Gillian Upton
hoosing which school your child should go to is a daunting task, but this autumn you have a chance to narrow down the list of potential places as schools fling open their doors for their annual beauty parade.
The Roche School
OPEN DAY GUIDE
OPEN DAYS
“We believe visits are the best opportunity to get a ‘feel’ for our school, to speak to staff and students and ask what they love about it,” sums up Rhion Leadbitter, Admissions Manager at Trinity School.
But before you sign up for multiple open days, narrow down your list by checking out each school’s website, their publications, sign up to online open events and talks, ask neighbours and friends for recommendations and follow the numerous school posts on NappyValleyNet.
Sarah Gillam, Head at Eveline Day School, says: “Virtual open mornings are frequently available on a school’s website. You can gain an overview of the layout of the school, the grounds and usually a glimpse of some of the activities taking place. The very nature of the virtual open morning means that you see the school at its best; everything has been choreographed, with the grounds, children and staff groomed to perfection.”
Virtual open mornings can only take you
so far. Ditto whittling down schools from league tables advises Laura Hooper, Director of Marketing and Admissions at Sydenham High School GDST. She says: “League tables do not tell the whole story so try and look beyond the statistics.”
Ultimately there really is no substitute for attending an open day, when you can get a real feel for what the school has to offer. Make sure it aligns with your values, educational goals and the overall suitability for your child. “There is often a ‘make or break factor’ garnered through a school visit which will swing your decision one way or another,” notes Vania Georgeson of Exceptional Academics.
Advises Dr Nick Black, Director of Admissions, Libraries and Archives at Dulwich College: “Do your research first; then make a list of the questions you want to ask. Visit on a school day and see the school in action. Can you see your child comfortably there?”
The quality of the teaching and the feel and heart of the school is ultimately most important
Trinity’s Leadbitter believes a weekday visit “on a smaller tour can give a more rounded view. It’s a great way of seeing the school in action on a working day and gives families the opportunity to tour our facilities and departments while also asking questions about admissions more broadly.”
However, not all schools can run an open day during school time, often for logistical and health and safety reasons, so be prepared for evenings and Saturday morning visits. It may not be possible to access all areas on a weekday visit as the school has to balance showing off the school and respecting the impact on pupils and lessons. Be advised that there is usually more of an opportunity to wander around the school during a Saturday open morning.
“We can’t do school-time open days logistically and disrupt the school day so we set up classrooms so they can see teaching in action on an evening and Saturday morning open day,” explains Claire Edis, Principal of Bolingbroke Academy.
Bolingbroke’s Year 7s and 8s show off their school, Year 9s share the talk with the Principal and sixth formers are on hand to show the results of the whole school journey.
It’s important to walk around and ask questions, listen to the headteacher’s talk and discover all about school life, its academic prowess, sporting choices, facilities, logistics, pastoral care, the diversity of the school’s staff and pupils, and extra-curricular options. Moreover, discover what the entry requirements are and what chances your child has of getting in, what percentage of pupils are offered a place, what you’ll have to pay if it’s an independent school and if there are payment plans or bursaries. It’s a long list!
“Go with an open mind and don’t be afraid to ask key questions if you think something hasn’t been covered in the talk,” says Jonny Gilbert, Head at The Roche School. “Parents
Whitgift School
can be wowed by new facilities but try to get the opportunity to see what is happening in the classroom. The quality of the teaching and the feel and heart of the school is ultimately the most important thing.”
Most schools agree that parents turn up at open days having done their homework and are ready with searching questions, but fundamentally they must narrow down the type of school - single sex or co-ed, boarding or day, private or state.
The key is to visit only those schools that meet your criteria. If a school doesn’t cater for your child’s passion for a particular subject or sport, or the logistics of travelling there make it untenable, there is no reason to waste your time on a visit.
Demand is always high for open days so book early to ensure a place. Some schools will limit visits only to those children joining the following year, so don’t be over-zealous if your child is a few years off applying.
The better open days reflect a normal school day, but some will be highly orchestrated with strict and tight timetables, while others are run on a more relaxed schedule where you are free to wander around unfettered and soak up the atmosphere. The style of open day will tell you a lot about how the school is run.
A strict and tightly run open day may suggest a more structured and disciplined environment, while a more relaxed and freeflowing event could indicate a more flexible and student-centred approach.
Where and who you can access during your time there will also speak volumes about the school. Red flags are no-go areas around the school, not being able to talk directly to pupils, and the headteacher scurrying off after a presentation and not sticking around to answer one-to-one questions.
The head, senior staff, subject-specific teachers, key form tutors and pupil ambassadors should all be available.
“To truly understand a school, we recommend speaking directly to the students and asking them challenging questions to gain genuine insights into the school’s environment,” advises Stephen Holsgrove, Head at Thames Christian School.
“I will always stay and answer questions after the talk,” says Bolingbroke’s Edis. “The head has to invest the time and respect the fact that parents are spending their time to come to the school for what is a very important decision on their child’s education.”
Students should also be on show and available to talk. Many schools will use students to take parents around the school
which is a good way to decide if this is how you would like your child to turn out. These first-hand impressions will bring to life the ethos of a school that often a brochure or website cannot.
Another key person to chat to is a member of the admissions team as they are best placed to give you the key information on entry requirements and your chances of being offered a place.
If the open day hasn’t made your mind up, request an individual visit or a smaller group session as the school is then more able to tailor tours to visitors’ particular areas of interest, be that boarding, drama, sport or specific academic subjects.
Ultimately, the best school is the one that is right for your child so it will be different for every parent. “You know your child best - trust your instinct about whether he or she will be happy there,” says Sydenham’s Hooper. “Ask yourself, will she thrive, grow and leave feeling happy and confident about her future?”
Eveline’s Head Sarah Gillam adds, “Remember, what fits one child or family might not be suitable for another - each parent’s expectations are unique.”
Read on for our list of open day dates for your diary.
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
What goes on outside the classroom is just as important as what happens inside.
So, it is vital that when considering a potential school for their child, parents remember to look at the entire breadth of holistic learning on offer. We know that a full, rich and balanced education is crucial in developing well-rounded, highspirited, enthusiastic individuals.
Extra-curricular clubs present an excellent opportunity for students to embrace their passions, build new friendships and develop skills for the future. Parents should be confident that the school they ultimately choose will be able to support and encourage their child’s varied interests.
It is usually simple to ascertain what extra-curricular options a school offers; they will often be highlighted on a school’s website, social media and during open days.
Source: James Allen’s Girls’ School
Thames Christian School
College
Questions to ask pupils:
• What are you most proud of about your school?
• Does the school celebrate achievements?
• How does the school prepare you for exams?
• Do you think the school offers a stimulating and challenging learning environment?
• Are you enjoying your time at school?
Questions to ask teachers:
• What do you look for in a child?
• What are the chances of being offered a place?
• What is the school’s academic curriculum and how is it tailored to individual student needs?
• What characterises a child from this school?
• How involved are parents?
• How well-rounded is the curriculum?
• How do you promote student wellbeing and engagement?
• What are the extra-curricular options? Are there clubs, societies and enrichment programmes?
• Is there a waiting list? What percentage of pupils are offered a place?
WANDSWORTH & MERTON PRIVATE PRIMARY SCHOOLS (UP TO 11/13)
62/63 Broomwood Pre-Prep, PrepBoys & Prep - Girls
9th October – Pre-Prep, 11th October – Prep – Boys and Prep – Girls. Or by appointment for a personal tour.
65 Dolphin School
Complete the form online: dolphinschool. org.uk/joining-us/arrange-a-visit/
66 Eaton House The Manor
Email Head of Admissions, Miss Sam Feilding to attend Open Mornings on a number of Wednesdays during term time: sfeilding@eatonhouseschools.com
68 Finton House
Book a place at fintonhouse.openapply.com
70 Hornsby House 10th October, 9am. Group tours on Thursday mornings.
78 Putney High Junior School GDST 12th, 14th & 15th October.
Dulwich
79 The Eveline Day School School tours throughout the year. Call 020 8673 3188.
80 The Roche School 21st September, 18th October, 20th November, 17th January, 26th February, 9.15am.
81 & 82 Thomas’s Battersea & Thomas’s Clapham
Contact the admissions departments: battersea@thomas-s.co.uk and clapham@thomas-s.co.uk
84 Wandsworth Prep 13th September, 9am.
85 Wimbledon High School Juniors 14th September.
OTHER PRIVATE PRIMARY SCHOOLS POPULAR WITH CHILDREN LIVING IN NAPPY VALLEY
Ardingly College Prep School - 27th September.
James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS) Pre-Prep 4+ & Prep 7+; 5th October, 9am.
Sydenham High Prep School GDST 21st September, 6th November, 12th March, 9am.
Walhampton School
Contact Registrar, Vicky Candy to book onto a Friday tour: 01590 613300, registrar@walhampton.com
WANDSWORTH STATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS
88 Bolingbroke Academy 12th October, 9.30am-12pm (for Year 7 and Year 12 entry); 17th October, 5.15pm (for Year 7 entry with Principal’s talks 5.15pm, 5.45pm and 6.30pm)
90 Chestnut Grove Academy 19th September & 10th October, 9am.
91 Ernest Bevin Academy 25th September, 5.30pm, 27th September & 4th October, 9am.
92 Graveney School Email: info@graveney.wandsworth.sch.uk
WANDSWORTH & MERTON PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS
100 Emanuel School 14th September & 3rd October (Year 6 & 7 open events are sold out; join the waitlist). Sixth Form - 24th September, 5pm.
101 Hall School Wimbledon
Individual tours with the headmaster. Contact admissions@hsw.co.uk
103 King’s College School (KCS) Junior School – call 020 8255 5335; 11+ open evening - 25th September, Sixth Form - 19th September & 3rd October.
104 London Park School Clapham 15th & 16th October, 9.15am. Head’s coffee, talk and tours most Fridays for all years of entry, 9.15am. Book on website.
105 Putney High School GDST 11+ Open Morning – 10th & 11th October; 11+ Open Day – 12th October (talks at 9am, 10.15am and 11.15am, plus Q&A session at 1pm).
THINKING BEYOND ACADEMICS
With the increased competition for schools at 11, both independent and maintained, it is easy to forget that children won’t necessarily peak at the end of primary school. Boys and girls are specialising at younger and younger ages in music and sport, when evidence suggests that trying their hand at a variety of activities develops a greater number of transferrable skills that serve them better as they enter their teens.
Encourage your children to give all the co-curricular areas of school a try, keeping the door open across sport, music, art and drama, and even if they’re not top team material or don’t make the selective choir by Year 6, they will have the confidence to give it a go at secondary school. It’s not just about achievement in these areas but creating shared memories and experiences as well as providing a fantastic way to make friends quickly, so important as they navigate the challenging teenage years.
Source: Hornsby House School
Streatham & Clapham Prep School GDST
106 Thames Christian School 17th & 24th September, 2nd October, 10.30am; 21st September - 10am & 11.30am; Sixth Form – 17th September, 7pm.
107 Thomas’s - Putney Vale
Contact the admissions department to book: putneyvale@thomas-s.co.uk
108 Wimbledon High School GDST
28th September, 9am to 12pm; Sixth Form - 19th September, 5.30pm.
LAMBETH STATE PRIMARY SCHOOLS
115a & 115b Henry Cavendish
Primary School
Call 020 8673 3376 to book a tour.
126 Telferscot Primary School
Contact the school office to arrange a tour: office@telferscot.co.uk
LAMBETH PRIVATE SCHOOLS (UP TO 11/13)
127 Streatham & Clapham Prep School GDST 21st September.
128 The White House Prep School
Email: admissions@whitehouseschool.com
LAMBETH PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS
135 DLD College London
Book a tour: www.dldcollege.co.uk/ admissions/uk-admissions/arrange-a-visit/
136 Streatham & Clapham High School GDST Email: senior@schs.gdst.net
OTHER PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS & THROUGH-SCHOOLS POPULAR WITH CHILDREN LIVING IN NAPPY VALLEY
Alleyn’s School 11+ Open Afternoon, 18th September; 11+ & 16+ Open Morning, 28th September; Taster Afternoon, 27th September.
Ardingly College
Lower School (Years 7 & 8), 20th September; Senior School (Year 7 to Sixth Form), 5th October; Sixth Form Open Evening, 25th September.
Cranleigh School
12th October & 14th June; Welcome mornings - 7th December, 1st & 8th March; Sixth Form welcome mornings - 21st September & 21st June.
Dulwich College
Year 7 entry (12+), 12th & 20th September and 10th October, 10.30am; Year 9 entry (13+), 11th & 24th September, 2.15pm; Year 12 entry (16+), email upperschooladmissions@dulwich.org.uk
Eaton Square Senior School
Call admissions 020 7491 7393 or email office.senior@eatonsquareschools.com
Hybrid@LPS
Head’s coffee, 2nd October & 20th November, 9.15am.
James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS) 11+ entry only 18th & 26th September, 10th October 10.30am; 11+ and 16+ entry 5th October, 9am-1pm.
LPS Clapham
October 15th & 16th, 9.15 & 11am; Friday coffee mornings at 9.15am at Audley Place on September 13th, 20th & 27th, and November 15th & 29th.
Finton House School
LPS Mayfair
10th October, 9.15am. Bi-weekly Head’s coffee, talk and tour on alternate Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9.15am. Bookings via website.
LPS Sixth
3rd October, 5.30pm. Bespoke tours on request.
Sydenham High School GDST
Whole school - 21st September, 9am1pm; Senior school - 26th September, 7th November, 20th March, 24th April, 9.30-11am.
Trinity School
5th October.
Whitgift School
28th September.
Woldingham School
21st September, 10th May, 29th January & 11th March.
MAKING THE MOST OF AN OPEN EVENT
The best way to gain real insight into a school is to visit in person. Usually, you will hear from the headteacher about the vision and values of the school, and you can ask questions about areas of focus for the short and long term. You can interact with pupils and staff, observe activities and see the facilities. If creativity is important to your child, then you can see the art studios and talk to the childrensimilarly with the sporting facilities.
Talking to the pupils about their likes or dislikes will give you a real sense of the ethos of the school. Ask about the staff, relationships within the school, the curriculum, the homework and how they feel they are doing.
Open days are often on a Saturday or after school, and this is a wonderful opportunity for the school to showcase various arranged activities such as sport, dance or art. If it is possible to visit during school hours though, you will see the school in action, gaining a true understanding of the day-to-day dynamics.
Source: Eveline Day School
Sydenham High Prep School GDST
Hornsby House School
PRESSURE POINTS
Private school fees are rising and changes in government policy will see them rise again. Dina Shoukry looks at what schools are doing to ease the burden on parents through a range of financial assistance on offer
An uptick in school fees since 2021 and the new government’s proposed 20% VAT policy could make independent schools increasingly out of reach for middle income parents. It’s no wonder that many are thinking hard about how to find the money, but it’s not all doom and gloom as schools are doing all they can to keep costs down and continue to offer financial assistance to ease the burden.
The latest annual census from the Independent Schools Council (ISC) shows average fees for private day schools rose by 8% for the 2023-24 academic year compared with the year before. The average day school fees are now £18,060 - £22,000 per annum in London, while boarding school fees increased by 9% to an average of almost £42,500 per annum. Fees were frozen at many schools during the pandemic but increased by 5.6% in the academic year 2022-23. Combined with the
2023-24 increase - and the government’s 20% VAT on fees expected to come into effect in January 2025 - the average fee could shoot up by more than a third since the academic year 2021-22.
In June 2024, Labour’s then Shadow Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, told the Observer, “Independent schools have raised fees above inflation for well over a decade and do not have to pass Labour’s proposed change on to parents.”
Ardingly College
To date, independent schools have benefitted from an 80% reduction in business rates and do not have to charge VAT on fees. Although it now seems certain that the government will bring in the VAT, it is unclear exactly how much of the impact can be absorbed by the schools who themselves have had to contend with rising costs.
Under the new tax status, fees will become VAT-eligible, but schools will be able to reclaim the VAT they are charged when purchasing goods and servicessomething they can’t do currently. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) estimates that a deduction means that private schools will face a 15% rather than a 20% increase in costs and they may be able to cut costs elsewhere to reduce what is passed on to parents. In other words, VAT will have to be charged on fees, but schools may be able to cut their outgoings and therefore reduce their fees, resulting in a smaller overall increase for parents after the VAT is added.
However, uncertainty is unsettling and the ISC’s latest census indicates that new pupil registration has dropped by 2.7% since last year as the spectre of VAT looms large in parents’ minds. On the upside ISC’s figures showed that the proportion of children
educated in independent schools across the UK dropped by only 1% from 7% to 6% over the past decade, indicating that parents are still willing to make the sacrifice to pay for a private school education.
Parents send their children to private schools “because of the huge value we offer,” says Suzie Longstaff, Principal at London Park Schools (LPS). “We are ambitiously
smaller, and we offer a huge breadth in our co-curricular through to our sport, music and drama, which really adds value to children’s lives. All children are different and thrive in different settings, and independent schools offer something different for them.”
The government claims the tax will generate between £1.3 and £1.5 billion (net) in extra revenue per year and pay for
Apply for a free or subsidised place
Over 200 pupils at Dulwich receive a bursary. Find out more by scanning the QR code
Bursaries of up to 100% of fees are available
“I knew it was right for him when we visited the school. Something just felt right, like he belonged there.”
Parent
Hornsby House School
6,500 much needed secondary teachers and mental health provision in state schools as well as supporting new nurseries. However, Julie Robinson, CEO of the ISC explains that the VAT is unfair as it’s actually a tax on parents and not on schools. “I think the stereotype is of super-wealthy families buying privilege and academic results when the reality is that the majority of parents are paying school fees out of taxed income, and they are dual income families. So quite a lot of the time, one of their parental incomes is for school fees.”
“It’s so difficult for parents to plan at the moment, as there are many unknowns in terms of the detail of the legislation and the timing,” says Ben Figgis, Head of Ardingly.
“We have non-fee income from international schools and holiday lettings, so we’ve been able to tell parents that we will only pass on half the expected charge and in a phased way, while absorbing the rest. But the vast majority of independent schools in this country aren’t in such a fortunate position and may not be able to absorb much, if any, of the extra 20%.”
Baines Cutler, consultants for the private schools’ sector, warns that a VAT-on-fees would force most schools to review (and possibly reduce) the levels of means-tested fee assistance they are able to provide through transformational bursaries to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Social mobility would therefore be reduced and the diverse social and ethnic mix at independent schools would be eroded. However, the latest figures from the ISC census show that to date fee assistance remains a priority. In fact, big transformational bursaries of 100% of fees are on the rise.
“Rather than providing scholarships, schools are now means-testing the support they give,” explains the ISC’s Robinson. “Over a third of children in independent schools receive some kind of fees reduction. Fee assistance this year is at a record high of £1.4 billion, that’s 10% more than last year and the average means-tested bursary is now worth nearly £13,000 a year.”
Parents are advised to visit the London Fee Assistance Consortium (LFAC) website which lists over 30 member schools offering free and subsidised places to children with the potential to excel. Among the member schools are Alleyn’s, Emanuel, Godolphin and Latymer, KCS, Knightsbridge School, Newton Prep, Putney High School GDST and St Paul’s.
Jane Lunnon, Head at Alleyn’s School says, “At the heart of our community is the steadfast belief that financial circumstances should never stand in the way of opportunity.”
This year’s bursary provision at Alleyn’s has meant recipients received average means-tested funding of over 90% of the fees and 110 students received transformational bursaries. In the last ten years the number of bursary recipients has almost doubled, rising from 58 in 2013-2014 to 110 this year. “We aim to continue this growth in a sustainable way,” continues Lunnon. Scholarships are also on offer both at 11+ and 16+ that can be up to £5,000 per year and are not means-tested.
Moreover, “Diversity is one of our greatest strengths,” explains Jason Peck, Director of Finance at James Allen’s Girls’ School. “At JAGS, it is vital that the student population reflects the social, cultural and economic diversity of the south London neighbourhood in which we are nestled.”
Broomwood Prep - Girls
Currently, around 17% of students at JAGS senior school receive the transformational bursary provision. The majority of these financially assisted pupils are supported with more than 85% of fees (and more than half receive 100% fee assistance), as well as the costs of uniform, travel, school trips, activities and lunches. JAGS currently spends around £3 million each year on its bursary provision. Additionally, the senior school offers nonmeans-tested Academic, Art, Music and Sports scholarships which are mostly in the region of £1,000.
Funding for bursaries in many schools does not come from fee income but rather from donations, investments, private trusts and various fundraising efforts. For Alleyn’s, JAGS, Whitgift and Dulwich College, which has one of the most generous bursary schemes, contributions also come from the Dulwich Estate and at JAGS from the on-site sports centre and café. But bursaries and scholarships are not preserved for secondary schools alone - The White House Prep currently supports 20% of its students through its bursary scheme.
Schools are also actively looking at payment plans. “We understand that it may be difficult for some families to pay our fees in one installment,” says JAGS’ Peck.
“Parents can opt to pay fees and extras in monthly repayments through our School Fee Plan.” Eaton House The Manor is another school which offers easier payment terms, specifically a monthly direct debit as does Finton House School. The White House Prep also provides a 5% credit for siblings at the school concurrently.
Schools say they are mindful of the pressures on parents, but they also have to fund teacher pay rises and the increased cost of fuel and food as well as until recently, contend with rampant inflation, while offering top-notch facilities and education. Arguably it will be easier for the larger, wealthier schools to weather the storm as they will be able to reclaim VAT on building works, non-fee income from international offshoots and also other revenue streams such as private rentals. However, the smaller schools who have managed to keep their costs and their fees down may have the most to lose.
It is with this in mind, that The White House Prep, a family-owned school in Lambeth has taken it upon itself to lead a coalition of small schools asking the government to exempt schools of around 250 pupils and less from the tax, or to bring in a sliding scale of tax dependent on a school’s size and profits.
Vice Principal, Grace McCahery has ruled out job cuts or cuts to bursaries at her school, but she explains that many other schools - especially those outside of London - are having to look at such options and even face closure. “We benefit from being one of the very few family-run schools in Nappy Valley and as such are soughtafter by parents, however others are not as fortunate.” McCahery sees it as her duty not only to support the families at the school but all small schools. “We see the value and unique contribution that all these schools make and want to support them. Isn’t that what we teach our children?”
Under the new tax status, parents of children with special needs and disabilities (SEND) will be exempt from the VAT but only if they have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) which is nigh on impossible to obtain. “I don’t think SEND has been properly addressed and that really is an area where some of the smaller schools are really supporting their families,” says McCahery. She says keeping class sizes small is a priority for The White House, but many parents expect class sizes in private schools to grow and teacher ratios to be streamlined which means fewer specialist teachers. Ardingly’s Figgis agrees, “I worry that
RESULTS
many schools will have to narrow the curriculum and it will be particularly hard on students with special needs, as well as those in areas where the state schools are already overstretched and oversubscribed.”
Indeed, this year’s ISC census found that independent schools currently support over 100,000 pupils with special needs who do not have an EHCP and that SEND provision has increased since last year.
The ISC’s Robinson explains, “We know a lot of parents choose to pay fees because the provision they need for their child is there. The independent sector provides capacity and specialism across education as a whole that’s just so valuable. And you want parents to be able to choose the right school for them as a family; it might be a faith school, for instance, or perhaps they want smaller classes because their child has a sensitivity.”
In light of rising fees, remote schools may increasingly become a viable alternative to the traditional bricks and mortar option, “delivering the same rigorous academic standards and personalised attention but at a more accessible price point,” says Melissa McBride, CEO at the online Sophia High School. “We are ready to meet this growing need, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive academically, socially
The White House Preparatory School
and personally, without the burden of exorbitant school fees.”
Sophia High School caters for students from Key Stage 1 to A-levels, offering a wide range of subjects, including innovative options like E-sports. Small class sizes of just six students ensure individualised attention and support for each child’s unique needs and learning style. With fees ranging from £9,009 a year for junior school up to £12,750 a year for senior school, it’s clear to see how this may increasingly become a viable option for parents.
Similarly, the new Hybrid@LPS school in Mayfair - a senior school launched this September - enables students to learn remotely for four days and in school once a week. The termly fee is £5,000 as opposed to upwards of £8,000, the average for London senior schools.
The ‘state ‘til eight’ or even until the 11+ is a popular way to ease the financial burden for those who see the full schooling run as being a stretch too far. Some families are remortgaging their homes and increasingly grandparents are also stumping up the cash - a 2023 survey by wealth managers, Killik & Co found 18% of parents with children attending a fee-paying school had received help from grandparents. Alternatively, many finance companies can advise parents on investing their money wisely in anticipation of school fees.
Private schools know they have to add value for their families and their communities, and all have done a tremendous amount of work since Labour’s
plan was first announced in 2017 to understand their families’ financial aptitude, as well as their own costs and funding structures in order to continue to add value whilst not becoming financially prohibitive.
While the proposed tax has created tension for parents and schools alike in the private sector, the ISC’s Robinson reassures us that, “independent schools are adaptable and they’re going to do the very best they can by their parents, their community, their staff, and especially the pupils to ensure they’re giving the best possible education.”
Parents thinking about a private education or those already in private schools should not be discouraged. There are many options available and first and foremost, they should always speak to the school’s bursar to understand their options.
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Dulwich College
Whitgift School
FIND YOUR LOCAL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
State and private schools in Nappy Valley
KEY: Primary schools Secondary schools
Turn to the school listings on page 112 to find the details of each school by the number reference
DID YOU KNOW… WANDSWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL HAS 92 PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND 30 SECONDARY SCHOOLS. SOME 27% OF WANDSWORTH’S SCHOOLS ARE PRIVATE SCHOOLS. THIRTY STATE SCHOOLS IN WANDSWORTH FOLLOW THE LOCAL AUTHORITY’S ADMISSIONS CRITERIA, WHILE 52 SET THEIR OWN.
Source: Admissionsday.co.uk
57 The Alton
58 Tooting Primary
59 Trinity St Mary’s (CE)
60 West Hill 61 Westbridge Academy
WANDSWORTH & MERTON PRIVATE SCHOOLS (UP TO 11/13)
62 Broomwood Pre-Prep
63 Broomwood Prep - Boys 64 Broomwood
101 Hall School Wimbledon
Ibstock Place School
King’s College School 104 LPS Clapham 105 Putney High School 106 Thames Christian School 107 Thomas’s Putney Vale
School
Parkgate House School 77 Prospect House School 78 Putney High School 79 The Eveline Day School 80 The Roche School
Thomas’s Battersea 82 Thomas’s Clapham
Ursuline Prep School
Wandsworth Preparatory School
Wimbledon High Juniors
Bonneville
Clapham Manor
Corpus Christi
Glenbrook
Granton
Heathbrook
115a Henry Cavendish, Balham site
115b Henry Cavendish, Streatham site
116 Iqra (Muslim) 117 Kings Avenue 118 Lark Hall Primary
Macaulay (CE)
120 Richard Atkins
121 St Bede’s (Catholic)
122 St Bernadette’s (Catholic)
123 St Leonard’s (CE)
124 St Mary’s (Catholic)
125 Sudbourne 126 Telferscot
SCHOOLS (UP TO 11/13)
Streatham & Clapham Prep School
The White House Prep School LAMBETH STATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS 129 Bishop Thomas Grant School
Dunraven
Harris Academy Clapham 132 La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls’ School
The Elms Academy
Trinity Academy LAMBETH
Nappy Valley Schools Directory
KEY FOR STATE SCHOOLS
A Academy school
C Community school
F Foundation school
V Voluntary aided school (C of E, Catholic, Muslim)
Clubs: Pre- & post-school care available, plus a range of school clubs
Leavers’ destinations: Ashcroft Technology College, Wallington Grammar, Burntwood, London Oratory, Ernest Bevin, Graveney, Lady Margaret’s, Ricards Lodge, Fulham Boys, St Cecilia’s, Southfields Academy
5 Anglo Portuguese School of London (APSoL)
Opened in September 2020 with a cohort of Reception children. England’s first school to provide a bilingual curriculum in English and in Portuguese
Clubs: Pre- & post-school care plus a range of school clubs
Leavers’ destinations: Burntwood, Ernest Bevin, St Cecilia’s, Emanuel, Whitgift, Streatham & Clapham High School, Dulwich College, Wallington Grammar, Lady Margaret’s, Alleyn’s School
Clubs: Pre- & post-school care plus a range of school clubs
Leavers’ destinations: Bolingbroke Academy, Graveney, Saint Cecilia’s C of E School, Burntwood, Streatham & Clapham High School, Emanuel, Alleyn’s, Dulwich College
9 Belleville Wix Academy C
English and bilingual school which shares its site with Ecole de Wix French primary, an annexe of the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle in South Kensington. 14 places per year group available in each bilingual class via Wandsworth and 14 available via the Lycée.
Leavers’ destinations: Harris Academy Battersea, Burntwood, Bolingbroke Academy, Chelsea Academy, Hurlingham Academy, Ark Putney Academy, Saint John Bosco College
Clubs: Pre- & post-school care plus a range of school clubs
Leavers’ destinations: St John Bosco College, Richmond Park Academy, Wimbledon College, Ashcroft Technology Academy, St Cecilia’s, Ursuline High School, Holy Cross School, Gumley House RC Convent School, Christ’s C of E School Richmond
42 St Anne’s C of E Primary School V
Main focus on excellent academic progress and achievement
Clubs: Post-school care plus a range of school clubs
Leavers’ destinations: Ursuline High School, St Philomena’s High School for Girls, Wimbledon College, Graveney plus a selection of the Sutton grammar schools
45 St Faith’s C of E Primary School V
Belief in success coming from a safe, nurturing and purposeful learning environment
Clubs: Pre- & post-school care plus a range of school clubs
Leavers’ destinations: Ashcroft Technology Academy, St Cecilia’s, Burntwood, Ricards Lodge, Graveney plus private schools such as Emanuel and Putney High
54 Smallwood Primary School C
Celebrating all achievement, developing confidence, self-belief and sense of worth
Clubs: Pre-school care and a range of school clubs
Leavers’ destinations: Ark Putney Academy, Ashcroft Academy, Richmond Park Academy
Camp Suisse
58 Tooting Primary A
Provides a first-class education for all Franciscan Road, SW17 8HE
T: 020 3700 0790
E: admin@tootingprimary.org tootingprimary.org.uk
Head: Ms J Wilson
Pupils: 63
Ages: 4-11
Clubs: Pre- & post-school care plus a range of school clubs
59 Trinity St Mary’s C of E Primary School V
Friendly, family-oriented church school. Creative curriculum. In top 1% of schools for academic achievement nationally and top in Borough of Wandsworth. Rated good by Ofsted
Clubs: Pre- & post-school care plus a range of school clubs
WANDSWORTH & MERTON PRIVATE SCHOOLS (UP TO AGES 11/13)
62 Broomwood Pre-Prep
Co-educational pre-preparatory school for ages 3-7: the first stage of Broomwood’s prep experience offering children aged 3-13 an excellent all-round education that is academically ambitious, with superb pastoral support. Wrap around care options available
Pre-School, Reception & Year 1: The Old Vicarage, 192 Ramsden Road, SW12 8RQ
Years 2&3: 50 Nightingale Lane, SW12 8TE
T: 020 8682 8830
E: admissions@broomwood.com broomwood.com
Head: Mrs Caron Mackay
Pupils: 230
Ages: 3-7, co-ed
Clubs: Broad and varied range available
Term fees: Little Broomwood 3-4 years old: £3,215 for 5 mornings ranging to £5,625 for 5 full days. Broomwood Pre-Prep 4-7 years old: £7,072
Leavers’ destinations: Automatic entry to second stage of Broomwood: boys to Broomwood Prep – Boys; girls to Broomwood Prep – Girls
63 Broomwood Prep - Boys
Boys’ preparatory school for ages 7-13: the second stage of the Broomwood experience offering children aged 3-13 an excellent allround education that is academically ambitious, with superb pastoral care. Boys collaborate with Broomwood Girls for a variety of co-curricular activities. Automatic entry from Broomwood Pre-Prep; others by assessment
26 Bolingbroke Grove, SW11 6EL
T: 020 8682 8830
E: admissions@broomwood.com broomwood.com
Group Principal & Head: Mr Michael Hodge
Pupils: 217
Ages: 7-13
Clubs: Broad and varied
Term fees: £8,110 (Years 3-4), £8,680 (Years 5-8)
Leavers’ destinations: At 11 & 13 to a mix of London day schools eg Dulwich College, Whitgift, Emanuel, Royal Russell, Trinity, St Paul’s, and boarding eg Bradfield, Marlborough, Harrow, Tonbridge, Wellington, Charterhouse, Eton, Cranleigh, Radley, Winchester. 19 scholarships in 2024 to competitive senior schools 11/13+
64 Broomwood Prep - Girls
Girls’ preparatory school for ages 7-13: the second stage of the Broomwood experience offering children aged 3-13 an excellent all-round education that is academically ambitious, with superb pastoral care. Girls collaborate with Broomwood Boys for a wide range of co-curricular activities. Automatic entry from Broomwood Pre -Prep; others by assessment
68-74 Nightingale Lane, SW12 8NR
T: 020 8682 8830
E: admissions@broomwood.com broomwood.com
Head: Mrs Louisa McCafferty
Pupils: 217
Ages: 7-13
Clubs: Broad and varied
Term fees: £8,110 (Years 3-4), £8,680 (Years 5-8)
Leavers’ destinations: At 11 & 13 to a mix of London day schools eg. JAGS, Emanuel, SCHS, Francis Holland, Alleyn’s; and boarding eg. Benenden, Bradfield, Woldingham, Cranleigh, Wellington, Marlborough. 23 scholarships in 2024 to competitive senior schools 11/13+
65 Dolphin School (incorporating Noah’s Ark Nursery Schools)
Dolphin aims to nurture children’s potential in academic and creative work and sport and develop character according to a Christian understanding of what it means to be human
Clubs: Early Bird, After-School Care, range of school clubs and music
Term fees: Noah’s Ark £2,646
Dolphin £5,190 - £5,690
Leavers’ destinations: Alleyn’s, Dulwich College, Emanuel, Francis Holland, Ibstock Place, JAGS, Kew House, Royal Russell, Streatham & Clapham High School, Thames Christian School, Trinity, Whitgift, Woldingham
66 Eaton House The Manor
A group of nurturing, academic single-sex schools based on one Clapham Common site, celebrating 30 years of success since its foundation with 42 scholarships and awards across the schools in 2024. We embody traditional values with a modern perspective and a gold standard of wellbeing. We provide a safe and inspiring learning environment that enables every child to flourish academically, culturally, and socially. We are ambitious for every child and take an individual approach to support academic growth, and the whole child’s development. Our diverse body of pupils, parents and staff shares a sense of warmth and belonging as part of a welcoming community
Term fees: Pre-Prep £7,300, Prep £8,760, Girls (Reception - Year 3) £7,300, Girls (Year 4-6) £8,525, Nursery £3,605 (5 mornings, varies with session)
Leavers’ destinations: Boys: Eton, Westminster, St Paul’s, Dulwich College, King’s College School, Tonbridge, Harrow, Radley, Charterhouse, Whitgift, Winchester College, City of London
Girls: James Allen’s Girls’ School, St Paul’s Girls’ School, Wycombe Abbey, Woldingham, Benenden, St Mary’s Ascot, Streatham & Clapham High School, Alleyn’s, Putney High School, Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Francis Holland, St Swithun’s
67 Falcons School (incorporating Peregrines Nursery School)
An independent co-ed school with a reputation for academic excellence, creativity and lifelong learning 11 Woodborough Road, SW15 6PY
Clubs: Before school care from 8:00am (7:30am for Nursery) and after school care until 6:00pm. We also offer a range of extra-curricular clubs and a homework club every day
Term fees: Nursery £3,210 - £5,210, Reception £5,400, Years 1-6 £6,270
Fees are inclusive of learning resources, term-time day trips, and food provided on site, including lunch and after school snacks. We take part in the Universal 15 hours free childcare for Early Years scheme provided by Wandsworth Council
An inclusive co-ed prep school that offers a broad and inspiring education, embracing outdoor learning and technology, which is based on the belief that kindness, resilience and self-belief are the foundations of success 171 Trinity Road, SW17 7HL
Clubs: Pre-school care from 8.00am and post-school care until 6.00pm plus wide range of clubs at all ages until 6.00pm
Term fees: Reception - Year 2 £6,600, Years 3-6 £6,855
Leavers’ destinations: Alleyn’s, Dulwich College, Emanuel, Epsom College, Ibstock Place, James Allen’s Girls’ School, King’s College School, More House Farnham, Royal Russell, Streatham & Clapham, Trinity, Whitgift, Woldingham and Wimbledon High
69 Hall School Wimbledon Junior School
Aims to provide an inclusive education based on practical learning and a passion for knowledge. By developing pupils’ imagination, they grow into well-rounded pupils ready for the next stage
17 The Downs, SW20 8HF
T: 020 8879 9200
E: admissions@hsw.co.uk hsw.co.uk
Head: Mr A Hammond
Pupils: 50
Ages: 9-11
Clubs: until 6.00pm plus wide range of school clubs plus the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme
Term fees: Years 5-6 £6,360
Leavers’ destinations: Junior School feeds into the Senior School
70 Hornsby House School
A warm, nurturing and inclusive co-ed prep school situated between Wandsworth Common and Balham with a focus on traditional values and strong 11+ outcomes
Hearnville Road, SW12 8RS
T: 020 8673 7573
E: school@hornsbyhouse.org.uk hornsbyhouse.org.uk
Head: Mr E Rees
Pupils: 440
Ages: 4-11
Clubs: Wraparound care from 7.30am to 6pm plus an extensive range of clubs. Term fees: Lower School £6,460, Upper School £6,935
Leavers’ destinations: Alleyn’s, Dulwich College, James Allen’s Girls’ School, Whitgift, Streatham & Clapham High School, Emanuel, Epsom College, Royal Russell, Woldingham, Graveney, Trinity, Wimbledon High and King’s College School
71 Hurlingham School
Experienced, dedicated and enthusiastic staff provide opportunities which strongly promote creativity and independence of thought, essential attributes for the 21st century
Clubs: Post-school care and a range of school clubs
Term fees: Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 £6,970, Years 3-6 £7,210
Leavers’ destinations: Alleyn’s, Dulwich College, Emanuel, Epsom College, Godolphin and Latymer, Ibstock Place, Kingston Grammar, King’s College School, Lady Eleanor Holles, Latymer Upper, Putney High, Queen’s Gate, St Paul’s Girls’, Surbiton High, Whitgift and Wimbledon High
72 Ibstock Place School
Lots of extracurricular activities aim to produce happy, well-rounded, socially responsible, honest, resilient young people with determination, ambition and selfconfidence
Term fees: Kindergarten/Prep 1 £6,990, Prep 2-Prep 6: £7,190
Leavers’ destinations: Ibstock Place secondary school. A few leave at 11+ and 13+ but the vast majority stay; however, no automatic entry
73 L’Ecole de Battersea
English-French preparatory school, opened in 2005. A strong emphasis on its French/ English bilingual context, aiming for all pupils to be immersed in both cultures and becoming fluent in both tongues
Leavers’ destinations: Automatic right of entry to the AEFE French schools network. Some pupils go onto English schools and are tutored in CM2 to achieve the required standard
74 Merlin School
Aims to encourage a sense of excitement about learning that nurtures children and ensures individual attention in order to reach full potential
4 Carlton Drive, SW15 2BZ
T: 020 8788 2769
E: secretary@merlinschool.net merlinschool.net
Principal: Kate Prest
Head: Violet McConville
Pupils: 200+
Ages: 5-8
Clubs: A variety on a Monday only.
Term fees: £5,960
75 Newton Preparatory School
Bright children, exceptional opportunities and a commitment to children enjoying their precious childhood years, which doesn’t stop them achieving a sweep
Eaton House The Manor
of scholarships to senior schools across the board. Aims to inspire independent learning, encourage diversity and academic commitment and create considerate citizens of a wider world
149 Battersea Park Road, SW8 4BX T: 020 7720 4091/1207
E: registrar@newtonprep.co.uk or hmpa@newtonprep.co.uk newtonprepschool.co.uk
Head: Mrs A Fleming. Deputy Head Lower School: Mrs Wendy Smith
Pupils: 620+
Ages: 3 (Nursery), 4-13
Gender: Boys and girls
Clubs: 100+: combination of external activities and FREE staff-run clubs
Term fees: Nursery £4,065, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 £7,500, Years 3-6 £8,575
Leavers’ destinations: Alleyns, Brighton College, City of London, Dulwich, Emanuel, Eton, Francis Holland, Godolphin & Latymer, Harrow, JAGS, King’s College School, Latymer Upper, Putney High, St Paul’s, Tonbridge, Wellington, Westminster, Wycombe Abbey
76 Parkgate House School
Opened 1987 to provide a warm, welcoming and nurturing atmosphere with strong educational ethos
80 Clapham Common North Side, SW4 9SD T: 020 7350 2452
Aims to create an atmosphere where children feel valued and secure in an educational experience that is both challenging and fun
75 Putney Hill, SW15 3NT
T: 020 8780 0456
E: info@prospecths.org.uk or registrar@prospecths.org.uk prospecths.org.uk
Head: Mr Michael Hodge
Pupils: 315
Ages: 3-11
Clubs: A range of school clubs
Term fees: Nursery £3,595 - £7,190, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 £7,195, Years 3-6 £7,895
Leavers’ destinations: Benenden, Colet Court, Emanuel, Harrodian, King’s School Canterbury, Putney High, St Paul’s Girls’ School, Tiffin, Westminster Under, Wimbledon High
78 Putney High School GDST
“The quality of the pupils’ academic and other achievements is excellent. Pupils
love to learn and to challenge themselves intellectually, physically and creatively,” concluded ISI report 2023
35 Putney Hill, SW15 6BH
T: 020 8788 4886
E: admissions@put.gdst.net putneyhigh.gdst.net
Acting Head: Mr Andrew Miller
From January 2025 Ms Liz McLaughlin
Pupils: Junior School – 320
Ages: 4-11
Gender: Girls
Clubs: Art, Music, Coding, Drama, Fencing, Judo, Football and Gymnastics. Individual music lessons are also available for all orchestral and band instruments
Term fees: £6,865
Leavers’ destinations: The vast majority of girls go on to Putney High Senior School
79 The Eveline Day School
A warm and welcoming co-educational and non-selective family-run school, featuring smaller class sizes and a rich, creative and stimulating curriculum. Open 51 weeks a year from 7:30am-6:30 pm, The Eveline Day School is ideal for working parents who desire both an excellent education and highquality wrap-around pastoral care
Clubs: Pre- and post-school care clubs and prep-club, including compulsory strings orchestra for KS2
Term Fees: £6,310
Leavers’ destinations: Alleyn’s, JAGS, Streatham & Clapham High School, Wimbledon High, Dulwich College, King’s College School, Whitgift, Trinity, Royal Russell, Wilson’s, Wallington, Thames Christian School, Woldingham, Ibstock Place, The Hall School, Graveney, Marymount International, Dunraven and Ursuline High School
80 The Roche School
Family-owned nursery and primary school providing academic, sporting and artistic challenge in a warm, diverse environment. Pupils achieve excellent outcomes and achieved 16 scholarships in the 11+ in 2024 11 Frogmore, SW18 1HW
Opened in 1977, it aims to embed kindness and understanding in which pupils’ strengths are identified and supported 28-40 Battersea High Street, SW11 3JB
T: 020 7978 0640
E: battersea@thomas-s.co.uk thomas-s.co.uk
Head: Mr Rupert Hawkins
Pupils: 600 Ages: 4-13
Clubs: Pre & Post-School plus a range of school clubs
Term fees: Reception-Year 2 £8,209, Years 3-8 £9,281
Leavers’ destinations: Charterhouse, Brighton College, Latymer Upper, St Paul’s School, Godolphin & Latymer, Francis Holland, Sloane Square, Westminster, Dulwich College, Wellington College, James Allen’s Girls School and Thomas’s Putney Vale
82 Thomas’s Clapham
Ethos of kindness and understanding in which pupils’ strengths are supported Broomwood Road, SW11 6JZ
T: 020 7326 9300
E: clapham@thomas-s.co.uk thomas-s.co.uk
Head: Mr Nathan Boller
Pupils: 655
Ages: 4-13
Clubs: Pre & Post-School plus a range of school clubs
Term fees: Reception-Year 2
£7,679, Year 3-8
£8,675
Leavers’ destinations: A range at 11+ and 13+ incl. Alleyn’s, Bradfield, Brighton, Charterhouse, City of London, Dulwich, Emanuel, Epsom, Eton, JAGS, KCS, Marlborough, Putney High, Radley, St Mary’s Ascot, Teddies, Thomas’s Putney Vale, Wellington, Westminster, Wimbledon High, Woldingham
83 Ursuline Prep School
A non-selective independent catholic prep school for girls aged 3-11 (and boys up to age 4 and co-ed nursery)
18 The Downs, SW20 8HR
T: 020 8947 0859
E: office@wups.co.uk ursuline-prep.merton.sch.uk
Head: Caroline Molina
Pupils: 250
Ages: 3-11
Term fees: £4,660
Leavers’ destinations: Emanuel, Kingston Grammar, The Laurels School, Lady Eleanor
Holles, Putney High School, Sutton High School, Ursuline High School, Ibstock Place, Royal Russell, Streatham & Clapham High School, Wimbledon High School, Woldingham
84 Wandsworth Preparatory School
Believes that education should not simply be about exam results, reading, writing or arithmetic but also spark learning by developing the courage to take risks, the confidence to ask questions and the desire to know not just ‘what’ but ‘how’ and ‘why’ The Old Library, Allfarthing Lane, SW18 2PQ
T: 020 8870 4133
E: office@wandsworthprep.com wandsworthprep.com
Head: Mrs Laura Nike
Pupils: 90
Ages: 4-11
Clubs: Free wraparound care pre and postschool and a vast range of school clubs
Term fees:
£5,850
Leavers’ destinations: Alleyn’s, City of London Boys’ and Girls’, St Paul’s Boys’ and Girls’, Dulwich College, Emanuel, Ibstock Place, JAGS, Kew House, Ewell Castle, Reeds, Whitgift, St John’s, Trinity, Kneller, Royal Russell, Sylvia Young Theatre School, Old Palace, Thames Christian School, Hall School Wimbledon, Lady Eleanor Holles School, The Laurels School, More House
85 Wimbledon High Juniors
Running an innovative curriculum, harnessing and embracing a cross-curricular approach to learning, with a strong pastoral focus to nurture success and happiness. Main entry point into Reception through 4+ admissions process
Clubs: A wide variety of music, drama, sport, language, multi-skills and many more Term fees: £6,449
Leavers’ destinations: The vast majority of Juniors transfer to Senior school, sitting the same 11+ assessments as external candidates
OTHER JUNIOR SCHOOLS POPULAR WITH CHILDREN LIVING IN NAPPY VALLEY
Alleyn’s Junior School
A warm and caring community providing co-educational excellence within an academically selective setting in which pupils flourish. Takes pride in its holistic approach to wellbeing. Judged excellent in an ISI report, which concluded, “The quality of the pupils’ academic and other achievements is excellent.” Automatic entry to Alleyn’s Senior School
Townley Road, SE22 8SU
T: 020 8557 1519
E: juniorregistration@alleyns.org.uk
Head: Simon Severino Ages: 4 – 11
Pupils: 298
Term fees: £7,950 for all years
Leavers’ destinations: Alleyn’s Senior School
Cameron Vale School
A boutique prep school in the heart of Chelsea
4 The Vale, SW3 6AH
T: 020 7352 4040
E: info@cameronhouseschool.org
Head: Alison Melrose
Ages: 4-11
Gender: Co-ed
Term fees: Reception-Year 2 £8,435, Years 3-6 £8,700
Leavers’ destinations: King’s College School, Godolphin and Latymer, Francis Holland, City of London, Latymer Upper, Queen’s College, The Harrodian, Dulwich College, Woldingham
Dulwich College Junior School
An academically selective day school for boys from Year 3 to Year 6. Our ethos is one of kindness, doing the ‘right’ thing, inclusivity and striving for excellence. It is underpinned by inspiring teaching, Free Learning and the co-curricular life beyond the classroom
Leavers’ destinations: Girls to More House School, Putney High School, Queen’s Gate School, Latymer Upper School, JAGS, Francis Holland, Alleyn’s School and Cheltenham Ladies’ College. Boys to Dulwich College, Wetherby Senior School, Westminster School, St Paul’s, Emanuel, The London Oratory, Eton, Stowe, Harrow and Bradfield College
James Allen’s Girls’ Junior School
Offering an outstanding and nurturing education whilst fostering the values of kindness, commitment and generosity. An environment of happiness, fun and warmth in which girls are motivated to work to the best of their abilities and to learn through play.
Pre-Prep 2 Dulwich Village SE21 7AL Prep 144 East Dulwich Grove SE22 8TE
T: 020 8693 0374
E: prep@jags.org.uk
Head: Victoria Goodson Ages: 4-11
Gender: Girls
Pupils: 300
Term fees: Pre-Prep £7,141, Prep £7,191
Leavers’ destinations: James Allen’s Girls’ Senior School
Eaton Square Schools
Latymer Prep
Latymer Prep School is an academically selective independent prep school. Prep pupils automatically transition to the Upper School in Year 7. Pupils, parents and teachers work together to create a learning environment which is intellectually exciting, academically engaging and imaginatively stimulating. The curriculum ranges across 16 subject areas – including cookery, mandarin, design, science, art, history, philosophy and literature. The prep aims to nurture intellectual curiosity and confidence
T: 020 7993 0061
E: registrar@latymerprep.org
Principal: Andrea Rutterford
Ages: 7-11
Gender: Co-ed
Term fees: £7,862
Leavers’ destinations: Latymer Upper School
Oakwood School
Independent education with a Catholic ethos. A Sunday Times Top 100 Preparatory School, part of the PACT Educational Trust
Crystal Palace SE19 1RS
T: 020 8668 8080
E: admissions@oakwoodschool.org.uk
Head: Mrs Linda Sanders
Pupils: 160
Ages: 4-11
Gender: Co-ed
Term fees: Reception-Year 2 £3,852, Years 3-6 £4,173
Leavers’ destinations: Cardinal Vaughan, Caterham School, Coloma, Croydon High, JAGS, London Oratory, Nonsuch, Old Palace, The Cedars, The Laurels, Trinity, Wallington High for Girls, Whitgift, Wilson’s, Woldingham
Parsons Green Prep School
Rated Excellent in all areas in their 2022 ISI inspection. The teachers deliver an exciting and contemporary curriculum in a unique setting, with an abundance of inside and outside space in which to learn and play. New Reception classroom and STEAM room in 2022 and moving towards becoming a major STEAM school. ‘Those who are searching for somewhere to nurture and inspire happy, confident children – look no further.’ (Good Schools Guide)
Clubs: Chess, coding, Young Engineers Lego Club, Chelsea Foundation football etc
Term fees: £7,720 - £8,320
Leavers’ destinations: King’s College School, St Paul’s Girls’, Godolphin and Latymer, City of London Boys, Fulham Boys, Putney High, Wimbledon High, Ibstock Place, Lady Margaret’s, The Harrodian and many others
Royal Russell Junior School
Independent co-educational school in Croydon, Surrey, set in 110 acres of stunning private parkland, creating a wonderful learning environment for our girls and boys. Academic excellence is nurtured through our broad curriculum and co-curricular programme. Seamless transfer to our Senior School at Year 7
Clubs: Breakfast club, broad range of after school clubs and activities
Term fees: Nursery £2,828 - £4,711, Reception-Year 2 £4,711, Years 3-4 £5,771, Year 5-6 £6,005
Leavers’ destinations: Pupils transfer to Royal Russell Senior School
Sydenham High Prep School GDST
An independent girls’ day prep where joyful learning flourishes and children acquire knowledge and skills alongside confidence and pride in their own intellectual abilities as the young minds of the future. ‘Giraffe girls’ develop the habits, skillset, mindset and the wellness to be successful wherever life may take them
15 Westwood Hill, SE26 6BL
T: 020 8557 7070
E: prep@syd.gdst.net
sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net
Head: Ms Antonia Geldeard, Head of Prep: Mrs Gillian Panton
Ages: 4-11
Gender: Girls
Term fees: £5,595
Walhampton School
A day and boarding Prep school on the edge of the New Forest. Offering flexi, weekly and full boarding, our ‘Walhampton Express’ train service to Waterloo enables weekly boarders from London to be accompanied to and from school. Walhampton gives children space, support and encouragement to explore their passions. Our 100 acre estate includes a Forest School, riding stables and kayaking lakes. Sailing is easily accessible at Lymington. Walhampton has implemented the PSB and this framework nurtures curiosity and global thinking fit for a 21st century education. We are education’s radical traditionalists
School Lane, Lymington, SO41 5ZG
T: 01590 613300
E: registrar@walhampton.com
Head: Mr Jonny Timms
Ages: 2-13
Gender: Co-ed
Term fees: Reception-Year 2
£5,865, Years 4-8
Leavers’ destinations: Bryanston, Canford, Dauntsey’s, Eton, King Edward VI Southampton, Marlborough, Radley, Sherborne, Wellington, Winchester
WANDSWORTH STATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS
86 Ark Putney Academy A
Ensures outstanding progress through a well-designed curriculum, a broad range of enrichment and extension programmes and excellent pastoral care
Rated “Good” in 2022, EBA is a community school which offers a broad curriculum, including Computer Science from Year 7. Boasts fantastic sports facilities along with a wide range of extracurricular activities. Ofsted remarked, “Leaders have created an environment in which pupils are cared for and supported to do well”
Clubs: A wide range of school clubs, including Combined Cadet Forces
Leavers’ destinations: Vast majority going to University, including the Russell Group
92
Graveney School A
Ofsted remarked in March 2015 on the pupils’ “positive attitude to learning”, their outstanding results and how the school develops the whole person
Welham Road, SW17 9BU
T: 020 8682 7000
E: info@graveney.wandsworth.sch.uk graveney.org
Head: Cynthia Rickman
Pupils: 1,949
Ages: 11-18
Clubs: A range of school clubs
Leavers’ destinations: Oxford, Cambridge & Russell Group universities
93 Harris Academy Battersea A
Part of the Harris Federation, the motto is “head, heart and heroism” in order to promote curiosity, endeavour, skills and knowledge ready for an ever-changing world
Outstanding teaching within a caring and supportive Christian environment. “The distinctiveness and effectiveness of Saint Cecilia’s as a Church of England school are outstanding” SIAM report, November 2016 Sutherland Grove, SW18 5JR
T: 020 8780 1244
E: admissions@saintcecilias.london
E: info@saintcecilias.london saintcecilias.london
Head: Mrs Renata Joseph Pupils: 950
Ages: 11-18
Clubs: A range of school clubs
Leavers’ destinations: Oxbridge, Durham, Exeter, Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham, Royal Academy of Music, LSE and universities abroad
Rated good by Ofsted. Excellent A-level results. Achievement-focused in all areas of its broad curriculum, allowing students to achieve their potential in academic subjects and applied-learning disciplines
Clubs: A range of clubs, societies and afterschool booster sessions
Leavers’ destinations: Oxbridge and Russell group universities, apprenticeships in banking, IT and telecommunications, work-related training, further education and employment
97 South Thames College
Offers a wide range of courses, including BTECS, HNDs, apprenticeships and leisure courses
Wandsworth High Street, SW18 2PP
T: 020 8918 7777
E: info@south-thames.ac.uk south-thames.ac.uk
Head: Peter Mayhew-Smith
Pupils: 20,000+
Ages: 16+
Leavers’ destinations: Russell Group universities & London-based universities
98 St Francis Xavier Catholic Sixth Form College
Offers 50 courses; one out of three students achieved grades A* – B in 2014 Malwood Road, SW12 8EN
T: 020 8772 6000
E: enquiries@sfx.ac.uk
sfx.ac.uk
Head: Graham Thompson
Pupils: 1,400
Ages: 16+
Leavers’ destinations: Around 15% go to Russell Group universities
WANDSWORTH & MERTON PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS
99
Al-Risalah
A faith school that aims to equip students with life skills in order to be role-model citizens and ambassadors for Islam as well as good Muslims
An inspiring educational experience where boys and girls are guided towards their varied aspirations by motivated staff. The
Hornsby House School
school is rooted in the local community with an ethos that promotes kindness and mutual respect. The Good Schools Guide says, “Emanuel is clearly on the up, and there is a tangible buzz about the place”
Battersea Rise, SW11 1HS
T: 020 8870 4171
E: admissions@emanuel.org.uk emanuel.org.uk
Head: Mr R Milne
Pupils: 1,000+
Ages: 10-18
Clubs: A range of school clubs, including rowing and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme
Term fees: £8,263
Leavers’ destinations: Russell Group universities, Oxbridge, music/art/ drama colleges and conservatoires, and universities overseas
101 Hall School Wimbledon
Aims to provide an all-round education through a balanced curriculum, in which art, music, sport and drama play a valuable role alongside core academic subjects. Believes that learning should be a pleasure. Pupils also benefit from high-quality pastoral care. HSW opened a Sixth Form in September 2022 17 The Downs, SW20 8HF
T: 020 8879 9200
E: admissions@hsw.co.uk hsw.co.uk
Head: Mr A Hammond
Pupils: 125
Ages: 11-18
Clubs: A range of school clubs plus the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards scheme
Term fees: £7,160 - £7,360
Leavers’ destinations: HSW Sixth Form
102 Ibstock Place School
Aims to produce happy well-rounded children with lots of extracurricular activities to become socially responsible, honest and resilient with determination, ambition and self-confidence
Clubs: A range of school clubs plus the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards Scheme
Term fees: £8,935
Leavers’ destinations: Oxbridge, Bristol, Durham, Exeter, Nottingham, Imperial College, King’s College London, LSE, St Andrew’s
103 King’s College School (KCS)
King’s College School offers outstanding academic and pastoral provision for boys aged 7-18 and for girls aged 16-18. Set opposite the beautiful Wimbledon Common,
it combines convenient access with a peaceful environment and strong sense of community Southside, Wimbledon Common SW19 4TT T: 020 8255 5300
Term fees: Junior £7,940 - £8,470, Senior £8,545 - £9,360
104 LPS Clapham
A deliberately smaller secondary school offering a dynamic, forward-facing education within a kind and supportive community. Strong emphasis on experiential and integrated cross-curricular learning to build ‘modern life skills’. Plenty of collaboration with sibling school LPS Mayfair provides bigger opportunities in sport, trips etc. with students from both schools moving on to LPS Sixth in Belgravia. Entry by combination of digital data, school reference and experiential ‘D’ Day’. Two form entry in Year 7 with additional form in Year 9
Ages: 11-16 (Clapham)16-18 Sixth Form (Belgravia) Co-ed Pupils: Two form entry in Y7 (40 places); Additional entry in Y9 (c.20 places).
Fees: £8,288; (Sixth Form - £9,820)
Curriculum: Broad-based - all the main key GCSE subjects plus options for additional subjects. Emphasis on a modern, integrated, and experiential education within a smaller, pastorally-excellent setting
105 Putney High School GDST
Academically high-achieving, rounded and responsible, Putney is as down-to earth as it is dynamic. An ethos of ‘modern scholarship’ makes learning challenging, fun and relevant. Lessons are inspiring, with so much on offer from debating to design thinking
35 Putney Hill, SW15 6BH
T: 020 8788 4886
E: admissions@put.gdst.net putneyhigh.gdst.net
Head: Ms Jo Sharrock
Pupils: 1,060 (including junior school)
Ages: 11-18
Gender: Girls
Term fees: £8,297
Leavers’ destinations: Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, UCL, Imperial, USA, Russell Group, music conservatoires, art colleges
106 Thames Christian School
The school aims for pupils to understand their innate value, both as an individual and as a member of the community, so that they become well rounded and compassionate young people, who embrace good character, personal responsibility and academic excellence. “The quality of the pupils’ academic and other achievements is excellent” and “The quality of the pupils’ personal development is excellent.”
Academic, art, drama, music and sports scholarships available into Year 7, Year 9 and Year 12. Limited bursaries available
Clubs: A wide range of sports, academic clubs, competitions, and overseas trips that enhance the curriculum, build skills and equip for life as an adult
107 Thomas’s Putney Vale
A co-ed middle day School for Years 9, 10 and 11
Stroud Crescent, London SW15 3EQ
T: 020 7978 0902
E: College@thomas-s.co.uk
Head: Ms Therese Andrews
Pupils: 120
Ages: 13-16
Clubs: Pre and post school clubs
Term fees: £9,416
Thomas’s Putney Vale’s students will transfer to Thomas’s College in 2025
108 Wimbledon High School GDST
A beacon school of the Girls’ Day School
Trust. Keen to provoke intellectual curiosity and help students equip themselves for the challenges of 21st-century life
Mansel Road, SW19 4AB
T: 020 8971 0900
E: info@wim.gdst.net wimbledonhigh.gdst.net
Head: Ms Fionnuala Kennedy
Pupils: 700
Ages: 11-18
Clubs: Some 140 clubs a week
Term fees: £8,297
Academic, Sports & Music Scholarships for Year 7; For Sixth Form: Academic, Sports, Music, Drama, Art Scholarships. Meanstested bursaries available
Leavers’ destinations: UK-wide destinations and beyond: USA and Canada
Rated outstanding by Ofsted Mandrell Road, Brixton SW2 5EF
T: 020 7274 7631
E: shardy@sudbourne.lambeth.sch.uk sudbourne.com
Head: Holly Kingshott Pupils: 350 Ages: 3-11
126 Telferscot Primary School C
Rated outstanding by Ofsted Telferscot Road, SW12 OHW
T: 020 8673 7362
E: office@telferscot.co.uk telferscot.co.ukk
Head: Mr David Cooper
Pupils: 455 including nursery Ages: 3-11
Leavers’ destinations: Burntwood, Chestnut Grove, Dunraven, Graveney, Harris Academy Clapham, Kingsdale Foundation School, La Retraite, Lambeth Academy, Putney Academy, The Norwood School plus the private sector
LAMBETH PRIVATE SCHOOLS (UP TO AGES 11/13)
127 Streatham & Clapham Prep School GDST
Unrivalled in empowering our girls to discover, nurture and project their unique identities and character in a vibrant family environment. An academically inclusive school where targeted interventions ensure girls of a range of abilities, including gifted and able, excel beyond expectations
Wavertree Road, SW2 3SR
T: 020 8674 6912
E: prepadmissions@schs.gdst.net
Head: Ms Cathy Ellott
Head of Prep: Mrs Helen Loach
Pupils: 230
Ages: 3-11
Gender: Girls
Clubs: Over 30 clubs at no charge Term fees: £5,850 (inclusive of nonresidential trips and extras). Nursery fulltime places, £4,456 minus EYFS funding. Part time places available.
Wrap-around care: 7.30 am to 5.55 pm.
128 The White House Prep School
With a strong family ethos, the school allows children to fulfil their potential through a vibrant and broad curriculum that stimulates, challenges and excites. Excellent pastoral support. Rated outstanding by Ofsted and excellent by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Children leave the school happy and confident with a love of learning
Clubs: Wrap-around care from 8am-6pm. A range of before, during and after school clubs including Sports, Engineering, Science, Gymnastics, Quiz and Flower arranging plus
14 weeks of holiday camps on offer
Term fees: Reception - Year 2 £6,100, Years 3-6 £6,615
Leavers’ destinations: Dulwich College, Alleyn’s, Benenden, JAGS, Emanuel, Brighton College, Francis Holland
LAMBETH STATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS
129 Bishop Thomas Grant
School V A
Rated outstanding by Ofsted. A specialist maths and computing school
Belltrees Grove, SW16 2HY
T: 020 8769 3294
E: info@btg-secondary.lambeth.sch.uk
Head: Ms Bernadette Boyle
Pupils: 180 Year 7 intake
Ages: 11-18
130 Dunraven Secondary School
An all-through school aiming to offer an exciting and enriching learning experience for all its students. Rated outstanding by Ofsted 94/98 Leigham Court Road, SW16 2QB
T: 020 8696 5600
E: info@dunraven.org.uk dunraven.org.uk
Head: Mr G Maidment
Ages: 11-18
Clubs: A range of school clubs
131 Harris Academy, Clapham
Opened in 2020. A co-educational secondary school in a state-of-the-art building
Part of the successful and well-established Harris Federation
Clarence Avenue, London SW4
T: 020 8253 7777
E: info@harrisclapham.org.uk
Principal: Ms D Gostling
Ages: 11-16
Sixth Form: Affiliated to the Harris Clapham Sixth Form opening in September 2021
132 La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls’ School V
Rated outstanding by Ofsted. Specialises in science. Achieves very high exam results
Clubs: A range including Capoeira, steel pans and fencing
LAMBETH PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS
135 DLD College London
A distinctive, multi-award-winning boarding and day school, described by the Good Schools Guide as “one of the most unique and exciting schools in Britain” and recommended by Tatler as “pioneering a modern alternative to traditional boarding schools” Innovative Year 9 curriculum now available
199 Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7FX
LPS Clapham
T: 020 7935 8411
E: dld-admissions@dld.org
Head: James Kidd (Principal)
Ages: 13-19
Gender: Co-ed
Term fees: £9,567 for GCSE, A-levels/BTEC Leavers’ destinations: Oxbridge, Russell Group and US universities, Arts Institutions
136 Streatham & Clapham
High School GDST
SCHS is academically ambitious with a commitment to empowering girls through a richly holistic and forward-looking education. Culturally and socially diverse, we encourage girls to know and be themselves so that they are confident, committed, reflective and engaged. Our core values of kindness, respect, integrity, and compassion run as a vein through all we do.
As a member of HMC and GSA, we look for excellence everywhere with stretch not strain. We are a school which is a family not a factory, where friendships flourish and kindness matters
42 Abbotswood Road, SW16 1AW
T: 020 8677 8400
E: senior@schs.gdst.net schs.gdst.net
Head: Ms Cathy Ellott
Pupils: 860
Ages: 3-18
Gender: Girls
Clubs: A range of clubs including Scholars’ Society, Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards, Combined Cadet Force
Term fees: £7,527 (inclusive of nonresidential trips and extras). A range of scholarships and bursaries are available
Leavers’ destinations: Cambridge, Oxford, Bath, Birmingham, Bristol, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Reading, St. Andrew’s, UEA, University of London (UCL, Kings, Royal Holloway, SOAS, Queen Mary) Warwick, York
OTHER SCHOOLS & THROUGH-SCHOOLS POPULAR WITH CHILDREN LIVING IN NAPPY VALLEY
Alleyn’s School
Co-educational excellence for boys and girls in a caring community. Judged excellent in an ISI report concluding “Pupils demonstrate exceptional knowlege, skills and understanding for their age across all areas of learning”
Townley Road, Dulwich SE22 8SU
T: 020 8557 1500
E: registrar@alleyns.org.uk
Head: Mrs Jane Lunnon
Ages: 11-18
Term fees: £8,665
Leavers’ destinations: Oxbridge, Russell Group Universities, US and European Universities, Conservatoires and Art Foundation Courses
Ardingly College
A forward-looking school located in 240 acres of glorious West Sussex countryside, offering flexi and weekly boarding, with good transport links from Clapham Junction. In a recent ISI Inspection, the first UK boarding school to be awarded a ‘significant strength’ for boarding, the highest accolade now available. At Ardingly every student is known and valued as an individual. With around 850 students in the Senior School, we are large enough to offer a breadth of opportunities (with over 130 enrichment options) yet small enough to ensure everyone is supported College Road, Ardingly, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 6SQ
T: 01444 893320
E: registration@ardingly.com
Head: Ben Figgis
Prep Head: Laura Lamont
Ages: 3-18
Gender: Co-ed
Term fees: Year 7: £7,229 (day), £8,768 (flexi), £9,230 (weekly) Year 9: £8,995 (day), £12,716 (flexi), £13,150 (weekly)
Leavers’ destinations: 80% Russell Group universities, 5% Oxbridge, with the remainder going to leading overseas universities
Atelier 21 Future School
Enables high levels of self-directed learning, fosters innovation, curiosity and creativity. The UK’s first Reggio Emilia inspired, enquiry-based learning, Future School for 5-16 years. We deliver the IB as a world-leading exam system which fits our approach to learning. This ensures pupils build skills and the broad range of knowledge and interests needed to compete and thrive in the modern world Pease Pottage, RH11 9RZ
T: 01293 265417
E: admissions@atelier21schools.co.uk
Head: Hayley Peacock
Pupils: 100+
Ages: 5-16
Clubs: A range of school clubs, including horse riding, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme
Term fees: Reception £3,348, Years 1-2
£3,966, Years 3-4
£4,687, Years 5-6
£5,408, Years 7-8 £ 6,335, Years 9-11
£7,056
Leavers’ destinations: Collyer’s College, Horsham. Other neighbouring colleges
Cranleigh
A modern co-ed day and boarding school set in a 280 acre campus in the Surrey Hills, Cranleigh develops pupils into global citizens, excelling in academics, sports and co-curricular activities alike. A school large enough to afford a wide-range of opportunities and experiences to all pupils, but small enough for each pupil to be known and celebrated
Cranleigh, Horseshoe Lane, Surrey, GU6 8QQ
T: 01483 276377
E: admissions@cranleigh.org cranleigh.org
Head: Mrs Samantha Price
Pupils: 696
Gender: Co-ed
Ages: 13–18
Term Fees: Prep School: Day Years 3-4
£6,370, Years 5-8 £8,265, Boarding Years 5-8 £9,980. Senior School: Day £13,265, Boarding £16,265
Leavers’ destinations: 99 per cent of pupils go on to higher education, with around 80 per cent getting into their first-choice university, including Oxbridge, Bristol, Durham, LSE and UCL
Dulwich College
An academically-selective independent school with an ethos of equity, excellence and service; diverse in our social mix, breadth of talents, character and backgrounds. Dulwich has a distinguished tradition of inspired teaching and genuine scholarship
Dulwich Common, SE21 7LD
T: 020 8693 3601
E: enquiries@dulwich.org.uk dulwich.org.uk
Head: Dr Joseph Spence (Master)
Ages: 11-18
Gender: Boys
Term fees: £8,807 (Day), £17,236 (Weekly Boarders), £18,385 (Full Boarders)
Leavers’ destinations: Leavers’ destinations: Russell Group universities, Oxbridge, Holland, Hong Kong, Canada and USA
Fulham School
An independent co-ed through school that holds innovation, creativity, academic rigour and pastoral care at the forefront of its ethos
Pre-Prep School: 47A Fulham High Street, London, SW6 3JJ
Mathnasium
Prep and Senior School: 200 Greyhound Road, London, W14 9SD
Senior and Sixth Form School: 1-3 Chesilton Road, London, SW6 5AA
T: 020 7386 2460
E: admissions@fulham.school fulham.school
Head: Mrs Rebecca Tear
Ages: 3-18
Gender: Boys and girls
Clubs: Before school breakfast club from 7.30am and after school care until 5:45pm available daily. We also offer a wide range of extracurricular lunch time and after school clubs, which vary from term to term
Term fees: Nursery £7,040, Pre-Prep £7,040, Prep £7,817, Senior £8,243 Fees inclusive of learning resources and term-time day trips. Lunch is included in the Nursery fees, and is additional for PrePrep, Prep and Senior. We take part in the Universal 15 hours free childcare for Early Years scheme provided by Hammersmith and Fulham Local Authority
Leavers’ destinations: Brighton College, Bradfield, Charterhouse, Cranleigh, City of London- boys and girls, Downe House, Dulwich College, Emanuel, Eton, Francis Holland, Harrodian, Ibstock Place, Kew House, Kingston Grammar School, Lady Margarets, Latymer Upper, Marlborough College, Notting Hill & Ealing, Putney High, Queensgate, Radley, South Hampstead High School, St George’s Ascot, St James’, St Pauls School, Westminster School, Whitgift, Wimbledon High School
Harrodian School
Harrodian is a friendly educational community which encourages pupils’ individuality and excellent academic results
Lonsdale Road, SW13 9QN
T: 020 8748 6117
E: admin@harrodian.com harrodian.com
Head: James Hooke
Ages: 4-18
Pupils: 282
Term fees: Pre-Prep £6,500, Prep £7,460, Seniors £8,625, Sixth Form £9,990
JAGS aims to help all pupils fulfill their potential by stimulating their intellectual curiosity, enthusiasm and imagination
144 East Dulwich Grove, London SE22 8TE
T: 020 8693 1181
E: admissions@jags.org.uk. jags.org.uk
Head: Mrs Alex Hutchinson
Ages: 11-18
Gender: Girls
Term fees: £8,181
Leavers’ destinations: Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Imperial College London, Bristol, UCL, Warwick, York, Durham, Kings College London, Manchester and USA
Latymer Upper School
Academically selective Independent School. Pupils joining the prep go ‘all through’ to the Upper School. Latymer is academically excellent and the School prides itself on its ‘rounded and grounded’ ethos. Modern and forward-thinking, combining the highest academic achievement with excellence in the arts and sport
T: 020 8148 4519
E: admissions@latymer-upper.org
Head: Susan Wijeratna
Ages: 11-18
Gender: Co-ed
Term fees: £8,633
Leavers’ destinations: Oxbridge, Ivy League, Russell Group, leading music and art schools
Hybrid@LPS
Hybrid is a natural extension of LPS’s forward thinking stance. Designed to help families for whom regular school attendance may be difficult, it offers four days teaching on-line with one day a week in school, centred around practical subjects such as sport, science, art and drama. The flexible curriculum and independent study sessions give students breathing space and provides them with a strong and supportive community – both on and offline. All lessons are live
Online four days a week + one day at LPS Mayfair / LPS Sixth
LPS Group Principal: Mrs Suzie Longstaff Directors of Hybrid: Ms Ambreen Baig & Mr Jamie Whiteside
Head: Dr Adrian Rainbow
Ages: 11-18 Co-ed. Around 20 places per year group.
Term fees: £5,000
Curriculum: Flexible curriculum. Four days online: four sessions of live teaching plus two study periods a day. One day in-school
LPS Mayfair
(Formerly Eaton Square Senior School)
A deliberately smaller secondary school offering a vibrant, forward-facing education within a kind and supportive community right in the heart of Mayfair opposite leafy Green Park. Strong emphasis on experiential learning and making the most of all that London has to offer; ‘London is our playground’. Plenty of collaboration with sibling school LPS Clapham provides bigger opportunities in sport, trips etc. with students from both schools moving on to LPS Sixth in Belgravia. Entry by combination of digital data, school reference and experiential ‘D’ Day’. Two form entry in Year 7 with additional entry in Year 9
Ages: 11-16 (Mayfair) 16-18 Sixth Form (Belgravia) Co-ed Pupils: Two form entry in Y7 (c.40 places); Additional entry in Y9.
Term fees: (Mayfair) £9,820
Curriculum: Broad-based - all the main key GCSE subjects plus options for additional subjects. Emphasis on a modern experiential education within a smaller, pastorally excellent setting
LPS Sixth
(Formerly Eaton Square Sixth Form Centre)
More structured than a sixth form college; less formal than a school, LPS Sixth offers a perfect bridge between school and university. Students attend during school hours and have opportunities for independent study as well as support outside lessons. Preparation for range of Universities – both in UK and abroad – as well as broader life and employment skills. Students take 3-4 A Levels from a broad range within small tutorial groups plus EPQ in Y12. Students have their own common room and can visit the local gym. Automatic entry from LPS Clapham and LPS Mayfair if A Levels are right for the student, as well as a mix of other schools. Entrance by interview with Head of Sixth Form plus reference from previous school
Curriculum: Broad mix of A Levels on offer plus strong preparation for life beyond school – e.g. Model UN, Critical Thinking –plus sport/gym, trips as well as making use of broader Dukes Education opportunities – InvestIn; Mediportal; Lawyer portal; A List; Oxbridge Academics etc.
Mayfield
Leading independent Catholic boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18. The Independent Schools Inspectorate rated the quality of education as excellent
Independent fifth and sixth form college with non-selective intake, offering A-level, GCSE and specialised retake and revision courses. Set up by ex-Cambridge graduates
Mander Portman Woodward
90-92 Queen’s Gate, SW7 5AB
T: 020 7835 1355
E: london@mpw.ac.uk
Principal: Dr Sally Powell
Ages: 16-18
Gender: Mixed
Term fees: £12,210
Leavers’ destinations: Manchester, Exeter, King’s College London, Bristol, UCL, Warwick, SOAS, Bournemouth, Goldsmiths, Imperial, Loughborough, St Andrews, Glasgow
Royal High School Bath GDST
Independent day and boarding school where every girl makes her mark. Offers both the A Level and IB pathways. Excellent facilities, flexible boarding options, an extensive cocurricular timetable, Steinway Music School and state of the art recording studio. Exceptional pastoral care with a focus on wellbeing
Lansdown Road, Bath, BA1 5SZ
T: 01225 313 877
E: royalhigh@rhsb.gdst.net
Acting Head: Hadrian Briggs
Ages: 11-18
Gender: Girls
Term fees: Years 7-9 £5,639, Years 10-11
£5,746, Years 12-13
£5,886
Leavers’ destinations: Bath, Bristol, Birmingham, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Exeter, Imperial College, London, King’s College London, Nottingham, Oxford, Queen Mary University of London, Royal Holloway, Sheffield, St Andrews, Warwick
Royal Russell School
Independent co-educational HMC day and boarding school in Croydon, Surrey, set in 110 acres of stunning private parkland with extensive modern facilities for science, sport, music and drama. Excellent public transport links - Less than 30 minutes from many SW London prep schools
Coombe Lane, CR9 5BX
T: 020 8657 4433
E: admissions@royalrussell.co.uk
Head: Mr Chris Hutchinson
Ages: 3-18
Gender: Co-ed
Term fees: £7,971, Boarding £15,756
Leavers’ destinations: Bath, Cambridge, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Imperial College London, Leeds, Loughborough, Manchester, UCL, Westminster, Warwick, York
Sutton High School GDST
Independent day school for girls. Students do better because they feel better. Balances top examination results with exceptional pastoral care and maintains an unrelenting focus on good mental health
55 Cheam Road, SM1 2AX
T: 020 8642 0594
E: office@sut.gdst.net
suttonhigh.gdst.net
Head: Beth Dawson
Ages: 3-18
Gender: Girls
Term fees: Years 7-13
£7,279
Leavers’ destinations: Bath, Bristol, Cambridge, Exeter, Imperial College London, King’s College London, Nottingham, Oxford, Queen Mary University of London, Royal Academy of Music, Sheffield, York
Sydenham High School GDST
An independent girls’ day school inspiring the future generations of creators, independent thinkers and trailblazers. Opening eyes and hearts by educating the whole person: to balance mind, body and soul. The diversity of academic and enrichment opportunities enables every girl to forge her own path, be her best and excel
Leavers’ destinations: Oxbridge and Russell Group universities, Art Foundation courses, Degree Apprenticeship
The Cedars School
Independent education with a Catholic ethos, part of the PACT Educational Trust. A character-based education with a rigorous academic curriculum and an outstanding personalised tutorial system
Independent education with a Catholic ethos, part of the PACT Educational Trust. A character-based approach strives to develop qualities of greatness to achieve academic potential and also help in every other aspect of life
A co-ed senior day & weekly/flexi boarding school whose focus is on curriculum breadth and academic excellence
Queen’s Rd, Richmond Hill, London TW10 6JP
T: 020 7978 0902
E: College@thomas-s.co.uk
Head: Mr Will le Fleming
Pupils: 630
Ages: 11-18
Term fees: Day, Weekly (Mon-Fri) and Flexi-Boarding
Clubs: Pre and post school clubs
Thomas’s College will open in September 2025 for students in Year 7, 9 and 12 with some ‘occasional places’ in Year 10
Trinity School
A Sunday Times top 25 Independent School for boys aged 10-18 with coeducational Sixth Form. Shortlisted for Senior School of the Year at TES Independent School Awards 2019 Shirley Park, Croydon CR9 7AT
An exciting and innovative new co-ed senior school opening in September 2025. Located in Olympia, Wetherby Arts School will deliver the academic excellence which Wetherby is famous for, combined with a strong focus on the arts
Emberton House, Olympia, London, W14 8UX
E: enquiries@alphaplusgroup.co.uk
www.wetherbyarts.co.uk
Head: To be confirmed
Pupils: 450
Ages: 11-18
Gender: Co-ed
Term fees: To be in line with Wetherby School
Wetherby Senior School
An independent day school for boys, aged 11-18, in Marylebone, London, that has built a strong reputation as a vibrant, caring and successful community. A rigorous academic curriculum is complemented by extensive co-curricular activities, guidance on applying to universities in the UK and overseas, a rich careers programme, and strong pastoral support. Pupils are encouraged and supported to realise their potential, which is reflected in the places that alumni hold at top universities in the UK, continental Europe and North America
T: 020 7535 3530
E: registrar@wetherbysenior.co.uk
Head: Joe Silvester
Pupils: 415
Ages: 11-18
Gender: Boys
Term fees: £9,695
Clubs: Alongside timetabled games lessons for each year, there is a variety of cocurricular activities with options in music, drama, art, sport and more. Clubs include boxercise, board games, cookery, coding, Young Enterprise and yoga
Independent day and boarding school for boys aged 10-18 years. Whitgift is located in a serene parkland site and has exceptional academic standards, a comprehensive pastoral support structure centred around the tutor, and a broad and vibrant co-curricular programme - all complemented by outstanding on-site facilities. Whitgift7 is the school’s unique programme that all Year 7 students follow ensuring they have the fullest experience possible as they begin their journey through the school
Haling Park, South Croydon CR2 6YT T: 020 8633 9935
E: admissions@whitgift.co.uk whitgift.co.uk
Head: Mr Andrew Halls (Interim) / Mr Toby Seth from September 2025
Pupils: 1,550
Ages: 10-18
Gender: Boys
Term fees: Day pupils £8,685, Weekly boarding £14,370, Full Boarding £17,040 Leavers’ destinations: Bath, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Harvard, King’s College London, Leeds, Loughborough, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Stanford, UCL, Warwick and York
Woldingham School
A leading day and boarding school for girls aged 11-18, set in hundreds of acres of beautiful Surrey countryside, Woldingham is an inspiring place for students to become confident, compassionate and courageous young women. It’s a place where students learn to ‘write your own story’ through excellent teaching, boundless opportunities and first-rate pastoral care. Despite Woldingham’s rural and peaceful location, it’s remarkably easy to get to. Clapham Junction is just 25 minutes away by train
Marden Park, Woldingham, Surrey CR3 7YA T: 01883 654206
E: registrar@woldinghamschool.co.uk
Head: Mrs Sue Baillie
Ages: 11-18
Gender: Girls
Term fees: Day - £8,350-£9,860, Weekly boarding - £12,970-£14,700, Full boarding£14,765-£16,685
Specialist day school for children with dyslexia and dyspraxia
30 Causton Street, SWIP 4AU
T: 020 7976 5456
E: ps@fairleyhouse.org.uk fairleyhouse.org.uk
Beyond Autism Schools
Run independent special schools for children and young people with autism and related communication disorders aged 4-19. Teaching is based on the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and Verbal Behaviour (VB)
Head of Park House School (R-Yr 8) Mr K Bird
Park House School: 48 North Side Wandsworth Common, SW18 2SL
We teach the logic behind the numbers and promote critical thinking and problem-solving; your child’s confidence and mathematical ability will grow in a fun and friendly environment, transforming their experience and, quite literally, changing their lives through maths.
First we assess your child’s current level of mathematical ability, then we create a programme for them which is delivered by our specialist tutors. We complement what’s taught in school, enabling your child to catch up and jump ahead to increasingly complex mathematical challenges, developing lifelong critical thinking skills and confidence in maths. That’s why our students perform exceedingly well in exams such as the 11+ & GCSE.
Whatever your objective, whether it’s to help your child catch-up, stay ahead of the class, or prepare for a specific exam, contact your local Mathnasium Learning Centre to find out how we can help.
