This month Education Advisers are celebrating the outstanding academic achievements of some of London’s top prep schools. 15 schools have been presented with certificates and awards to mark their position in our Top London Preps league table.

Education Advisers is well known for publishing the most accurate, comprehensive and user-friendly league tables of senior independent schools (see www.best-schools.co.uk/leaguetables). These are based on the percentage of students achieving top grades in external exams, be it A Levels, the IB or GCSE/IGCSE.

So how do we select our top preps?

For a long time, the government and national press have attempted to rank prep schools based on SATS results at the end of Year 6. However, these tables are virtually meaningless when the majority of private prep schools don’t enter pupils for SATS. Now even many state schools are boycotting the tests.

Our top prep tables are based on the destinations of their pupils at 11+ or 13+. After all, this is what parents are ultimately interested in and the whole purpose of a “prep” school is to prepare children for the next stage in their education. This does not mean that the schools that send a high percentage of pupils to top senior schools are ‘better’ than other schools in providing an outstanding all-round education, but it does mean that they can be considered to be particularly successful academically. We believe that this is something to be celebrated.

How can I get my child into a top prep school?

Entry to a highly successful school at any stage is likely to be competitive, and there will be many more applicants than there are places available. However, the criteria for admission vary widely from school to school. Some select according to how early you register your child, others select by random ballot and others – especially for entry at 7+ - have an academic selection process with formal entrance tests.

How do I choose the right prep school for my child?

Apart from looking at the school’s leaver destinations, here are the top 5 factors to consider when choosing a prep school:

  1. Location – this is an important consideration for families with young children. You don’t want to be driving across London in the rush hour every day to take your child to school! Also think about the advantages of your children attending a school near your home for play dates, after school activities and the local parent community
  1. Facilities – generally, city centre preps don’t have much green space for children to run around in, although most make excellent use of local parks. The further you are prepared to move outside London, generally the better the school’s sports and outdoor facilities will be. Inside, look for lots of children’s art work on display, well-equipped science labs and bright, comfortable and stimulating classrooms.
  1. Before and after-school care – for busy working parents it is really convenient if a school has a breakfast club so that you can drop your child off on the way to work, and after school supervision and clubs. That way you know that your child will be happy, safe and cared for when you can’t be around.
  1. Teaching quality – it’s the teachers that will define your child’s experience of school. Check the ISI reports, look at the rate of staff turnover and if possible speak to other parents.
  1. The general ‘ethos’ of the school – probably the most important factor and the most difficult to define. Best judged by meeting the headteacher and seeing if he or she shares your own values.

For a FREE consultation with one of our expert advisers, just call 01622 813870, and we will be pleased to discuss the best strategy for YOUR child’s education. Alternatively, complete and Enquiry Form and we will be in touch.