Private Primary - how to decide (Broomwood/Hornsby/Thomas's) Post Reply

[Poppy0750]

I am also a former parent of one of the schools you mention. Would you expect your child(ren) to stay until Y6 and to do the 11 plus/equivalent at that school?

If so, you should look carefully at the class sizes in Y5 and Y6 as this is an important factor in exam preparation. A large class (20+) does not replicate the learning dynamics of a small class (12-16) even with a TA.

Have you thought about some of the smaller schools? E.g Dolphin, the White House? That is where I would be looking if I were going private now. As well as class sizes look at leavers’ offers/destination schools.

But truly, if I were doing it again I would go with a good local state school and pay for additional tutoring (did anyway even though kids are all top quartile), music, sports clubs, etc. As one of my children (now at secondary school) said recently ‘Mummy, I really liked [X School] and enjoyed my time there, but in Reception you were paying £X thousand a year for me to do colouring in, which is a bit ridiculous. And even in the other years I would have been just as happy at a state school, and you could have saved all that money for secondary school.’ Wise words! Even more so now that many of the top schools are actively recruiting from the state sector.

Would you mind to tell the name of the school your child attended so we know which school is not worth paying?

[MumofFive]

Lots of very good advice from all on this thread and Schoolpost2022 in particular re a trust vs a business. We have a very positive experience with Dolphin School, whose status as a trust made it more attractive to us than other schools as did its small size, which we believe was a key factor in our child's success at the 11+, as well as its more reasonable fees. As you noted, Broomwood and Thomas's focus on moving children on to boarding schools rather than London day schools and so the schools attract a very different type of families and make for a particular kind of bubble. Dolphin parents are generally very involved. For the last two years Year 6 parents have gone camping all together with their children to mark their final year at the school together, which says a lot about the kind of community built around the school. More importantly, if you're aiming for a London day school, Dolphin is no less successful than the other local private schools and well represented in the most in-demand secondary schools south of the river (Dulwich, Alleyns, JAGS, Emanuel, Kings) with one or two ex-Dolphins in each year at these schools (bearing in mind that there are no more than 20 children in Y6/leaving Dolphin every year).

[Rsatterthwaite]

I have a friend who goes to Thomas' and they regard it very highly x 

[ccbeebee]

We've been in the strange circumstances of having attended both Broomwood and Thomas's. We are currently at a Thomas's now and will be leaving soon for a lot of reasons. I wouldn't say its cold- I would say it attracts certain parents, it offers a good product (because it is a business), and there isn't the homey feel some of the other schools offer. It is certainly busy (our child has done well with it, but she could be doing better in other areas we feel are more important than the curriculum has to offer or emphasises) and tries to offer lots in the way of everything.

I would choose Hornsby from these 3 for a variety of reasons- not the least being the money is actively reinvested in the school which provides fantastic facilities and teaching staff/resources. The learning specialist department is a real testament to the schools willingness to work with the children. And Mr. Rees is a real credit to the school, its ethos, and I think its leavers say A LOT about the school.

I wouldn't discount what others are saying in the thread about smaller schools being fantastic in the area as well. We are moving to a smaller local private school. I wouldn't over look what they have to offer. Parkgate & Dolphin are brilliant brilliant schools with very small, but personalized y5 & y6 classes. Consider it all if possible.

[SherrySmyth]

A lot of leaving Thomas's now, and there are reaons for this... stay away from it...

[NVHusband]

Some interesting comments here. I believe a number of prep schools around this area are owned by Private Equity.

I do not have strong view on private vs state education or even Trust vs For-profit. But I am uncomfortable with the private equity business model, especially in an area as important as education. They are masters of financial engineering.

The model is to focus on profit (ie. EBITDA) so they can increase their multiple and hence value of the business. They also love cash generating business, especially if it is inelastic to price.

They then saddle the acquired business (in this case a school) with debt. As a result, the interest on debt will increase significantly and will be paid by the parents via their school fees. Tax will be minimised so less money for public services

Obviously, they will highlight efficiencies like removing back office duplication. Also, if they acquire sufficient number of schools within a certain area, they are able to increase their price (ie. Fees) due to a lack of competition.

I don’t want to name the schools as I am sure the teachers work hard and have their pupils best interest at heart. But look at the owners and their business model to drive your selection.

We choose schools based on personal choice. However, if you are a parent at a school that is owned by Private Equity, can you defend your choice?

[SWtastic]

NVHusband is right - private equity ownership seems to be about sucking the assets dry and leaving a shell of what was there previously behind.  I'd steer clear too.

[SW11 Resident]

"A lot of leaving Thomas's now, and there are reaons for this... stay away from it..."

Please can you elaborate on these reasons? That would be most helpful...thanks!

[SW11 Resident]

A lot of leaving Thomas's now, and there are reaons for this... stay away from it...

Please can you elaborate on these reasons? That would be most helpful...thanks!

[SherrySmyth]

"A lot of leaving Thomas's now, and there are reaons for this... stay away from it..."

Please can you elaborate on these reasons? That would be most helpful...thanks!

The experienced  teachers all left, the school hires cheap public school teachers and inexperienced staff for senior roles who cannot perform their roles, the scholl literally collapses and the recent hired p$d$ teacher case is just an example of it...
 

[juliasiren]

Making decisions about your kid's education can be a real puzzle, huh? It's great that you've checked out Thomas's Clapham, Broomwood, and Hornsby House. Each school has its unique vibe. Sometimes, when I can't decide on something, I use a dice roller, but this one's a bit too important for that. Here's the deal: Broomwood's traditional and nurturing, Thomas's is more progressive and worldly, and Hornsby House probably has its own flavor. It's about what fits your son's personality and your family's values. I'd say reach out to parents at these schools, get their insights, and maybe visit one more time to get that gut feeling.