Postby Moving2SW11 » Thu Feb 20, 2025 12:49 am
If you lived near Broomwood, Thomas’s Clapham would be your best one surely!
There is really no point to get into the debate of which school is “better” - because it is in the eyes of the beholder!
We love Thomas’s because children get to be themselves yet they are all very well mannered. No matter how shy or introverted your child is, there is something for him and by the time he finishes school, he would have become a confident and independent young person ready to take on senior school and life.
I would not agree that Thomas’s has “gone down hill” - if anything, the school is now better recognised academically than ever before and when you walk in, everyone’s busy but happy - what more can one ask for?
Size matters - you and your boy will not be restricted to the same friendship group for 7 years + as the school is big enough for him to be friends with lots of different people, thus reduce dependency on “besties”.
Whilst it might be true that boys and girls learn differently, it is also important to acknowledge that naturing tolerance of the opposite sex starts as a child. It is so important, in my view, that boys and girls co exist and are given the tools to regulate themselves - because that is the real world!
One thing worth pointing out is that Thomas’s also has SEN provisions but it doesn’t market itself by it. We have seen plenty of examples where the school goes out of their way to create the most nurturing environment for children of all abilities.
I would go with your gut feeling, talk to your current childcare provider to get a sense of what your sons like in a school environment, how he likes to learn and whether he plays with both girls and boys - these will all help you form the best opinion but of course, bear in mind that children change all the time! Whatever you decide, both schools will be a very good start for them.
Good luck!
