Following recent press coverage on oversubscribed London nursery schools, I was kindly invited by the most oversubscribed nursery of them all, Broadhurst School in Hampstead, to come for a visit and meet Principal Miss Deirdre Berkery and Head Mistress Mrs Alison Fisher. The nursery is located on Greencroft Gardens, a mere 2 minute walk from […]
A visit to Broadhurst School in Hampstead Read More »
Friends, readers and clients often ask me if you really have to sign up to all the nurseries and private schools at birth. In recent years, this is becoming a very popular topic among education journalists as well (see here for my recent press coverage). In conversations with journalists, I always give them a very
How oversubscribed are London schools really? Read More »
Guest post by MaiHanh DeLorenzo, Metal Rocks Education Advisors (see further info and bio below) When Anke asked me to write about the 11+ exam, my first response was that it was like trying to write another Churchill biography, that is: What new is there left to say? But then, realising that new Churchill biographies come out
Insights into the 11+ exam Read More »
Are you applying for primary school places to start Reception in September 2016? At many oversubscribed London state primary schools, catchment areas have been shrinking in recent years, although there is some relief in select councils. In Richmond, the newly opened Thomson House free school and the expansion of Sheen Mount School have eased the pressure. Other
Starting Primary School in 2016: top London state school catchment areas Read More »
I know it’s very exciting if you receive your first offer of a school or nursery place after fretting about oversubscribed London schools for a couple of years, but today I really need to caution my readers about accepting offer letters if you haven’t done your research or read the terms and conditions closely. I wish
What you need to know before you accept a private school place Read More »
I was honoured to be quoted several times in a recent Financial Times article on the trend of wealthy expats hiring consultants to advise them on choosing the best nurseries and schools for their children. The article was more balanced than I expected, as you never know what angle journalists might take on such a
Financial Times article on London nursery consultants Read More »
The deadline to apply for state school places in Reception is looming on 15 January, so it is timely that the Department for Education published the 2014 SATS results, which form the basis for primary school league tables, just before the Christmas holidays. Here is a league table of London’s best performing state primary schools
London’s best state primary schools 2014 Read More »
Whenever you hear people talk about oversubscribed London schools and parents emailing registration forms from the labour ward, chances are they are referring to Wetherby Pre-Prep or its sister school, Pembridge Hall, on Pembridge Square in Notting Hill. While you might hear many stories about it, it is not easy to visit the school, since
Pembridge Hall School visit Read More »
Are you applying for primary school places to start Reception in September 2015? At many oversubscribed London state primary schools, catchment areas have been shrinking in recent years, although there is some relief in select councils. In Richmond, the newly opened Thomson House free school and a bulge class at Barnes Primary helped ease the
Starting Primary School in 2015: top London state school catchment areas Read More »
Westminster School publishes a list of its 13+ feeder schools, and as a leading boys’ day school in London, it will give parents a very good idea about the top prep schools in London. A large majority of boys (about 50-60 each year) come from the Westminster Under School and its 7+/8+ and 11+ intake (the
Leading feeder schools to Westminster School Read More »
Don’t you love it when you look at league tables for the “best London state primary schools” and all you can find is lots of voluntary aided Roman Catholic (RC) and Church of England (CofE) schools that you have no hope of ever getting into because of church attendance criteria? Thank God, some voluntary aided
London’s top community primary schools Read More »
this post was last updated October 2019 I receive a lot of emails from parents around the world relocating to London. Just in the last week, I have received emails from mums and dads in New York, Dubai, Portugal and Mumbai! The problems faced by internationals moving to London with children tend to be very
Relocating to London with children – how to find a school Read More »
Getting into a top nursery school should be easier than getting into a top prep school in theory because there are no assessments and admission is usually first come first served. So if you sign up as soon as your baby is born, you should be fine. But there are so many occasions when this
Getting into a top nursery school Read More »
Eton College is one of the most sought after boarding school choices for boys in the UK, and I have recently been asked several times to compile a list of London schools that best prepare for entry to Eton College. Do keep in mind that some boarding prep schools are generally considered the more traditional
Leading feeder schools to Eton College Read More »
