Alleyn's vs St Dunstan's

[Ecoprincesa]

Hi ED :)

Does anyone have any experience of sending their child(ren) to Alleyn's or St Dunstan's? DS has received offers from both to start Reception, but due to COVID we haven't been able to tour St Dunstan's at all... We want a nurturing and happy environment, with great opportunities for him to achieve his personal best. We also hope our younger daughter will be able to attend the same school. Rankings aren't as important as teachers actually helping each child to achieve their individual best.

Hope we can get some ideas from people with real experience of these schools :)

Thanks!

[Cora]

I've heard really good things about St Dustan's through friends who have 2/3 kids there.

[Sonners]

We have friends with children at Alleyns who are very happy.

Alleyns is regarded as an excellent school, but as it is very hard to get into you could end up with your children at different schools which was one of the reasons we didn?t apply there in the end. I also wanted a school where classmates would be within a smaller distance than Alleyns tends to be.

We had an offer at St Dunstan?s for reception (but chose Sydenham High). I liked the head and teachers we met at St Dunstan?s and the grounds are amazing. Downsides were commuting down the south circular (especially as we had a nanny with a younger one in a buggy to negotiate on the bus) and the buildings at Prep seemed a bit tired but I believe they?ve updated some of the classrooms since we visited.

Don?t underestimate logistics depending where you live/work/younger child is at nursery. One big plus for St Dunstan?s for us was that they had a nursery year which Alleyns/Sydenham don?t have and getting the kids in the same place a year earlier would have been great!

Feel free to PM me if you wanted to discuss further!

[AnamaTwins]

definetelly Alleyns

[Trish123]

Depends on what sort of environment you want your child to grow in. Alleyns is an excellent school but It is not for everyone. Can you perhaps arrange a visit and see both schools? which one you and your child will feel more comfortable?

[jimbo1964]

AnamaTwins Wrote:

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> definetelly Alleyns

They teach spelling good.

[jimbo1964]

AnamaTwins Wrote:

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> definetelly Alleyns

They teach spelling good.

[jimbo1964]

St Dunstan's is very good. Great ethos. Forward-thinking and a lovely Head. Worth a visit.

[jimbo1964]

St Dunstan's is very good. Great ethos. Forward-thinking and a lovely Head. Worth a visit.

[Townleygreen]

my three kids went to Alleyn's, two at 11+ and the third from reception onwards.

They loved the school, did well, made lovely friends some of which they still see after uni. It is academic, but the atmosphere is relaxed and it isn't a hothouse.

[Tom.matso]

I would say Alleyns, but I know St Dunstans has a very good reputation too.