A+ A A-

Pay or Pray (or Consider a Third Way)

By Tom Charles
By Tom Charles 
 
In spring schools around London allocate places to primary and secondary age children. Anxious parents will call their council’s schools departments when their first choices haven’t come up. The anxiety is well-founded; a bad choice could mean misery for a child and a disruptive change of school later on.
Last year my daughter started primary school but not before a bout of parental stress. We named our six preferred schools on the application form and were offered places at none of them despite their close proximity to home. Thankfully we were subsequently offered a place at an excellent local school and couldn’t be happier with it. Some parents aren’t so fortunate and some are forced to put their children in to schools that are neither suitable nor local.
 
In North Kensington, there are ample primary schools but a paucity of secondary schools. The Aldridge Foundation has been gifted the North Kensington Academy in W11, which opens next year, but with very little enthusiasm in the area. The choice for parents often comes down to ‘pay or pray’; expensive private education or a religious school.
 
Not the most progressive situation, but there is an alternative in North Kensington for parents on an average to decent income and looking to avoid some of these pitfalls. The Lloyd Williamson School, positioned between Ladbroke Grove and Portobello Road and serving children aged between six months and 14 years, could be the answer. The building is unassuming and tucked away, but the results achieved inside are “Outstanding” according to Ofsted
 
I did some voluntary work at Lloyd Williamson’s summer school last year and found the school’s principals and staff to be refreshingly open and child (rather than bureaucracy) focused.
 
By Tom Charles 
I spoke with Lucy Williamson, the school’s Proprietor and Co-Principal recently and asked her what the advantages gained at the school were, aside from the excellent academic outcomes. It wasn’t difficult for her to bring them to mind: 
 
“There’s no need for nannies or inconvenient child care arrangements, we offer wrap around care by opening between 7:30am and 6:00pm every day at no extra cost. The most obvious benefit is the small class sizes; a maximum of nine in the reception class and 16 further up the school. This means each child receives more attention which in turn helps them to become happy, confident children, open to learning”.
 
But doesn’t the cost mean that Lloyd Williamson falls short of being an inclusive school reflecting its location in one of London’s most diverse and culturally rich areas? Not at all; six languages are taught at the school and home-cooked meals enhance the warmth and sense of community as children mingle across the year groups.
 
It’s hard to see a reason not to check out Lloyd Williamson. I’m no fan of private education and a firm believer that state schools should be funded properly, but I found a complete absence of snobbery and privilege at Lloyd Williamson; the benefits of private education without the downside of the child losing their connection to their community. 
 
On my recent visit a parent told me: “I think the school has an intimacy that I never thought possible. It’s so refreshing to hear teachers tell me things about my child's character that I just found out myself; they’re switched on and the school gives them the space to nurture each child as an individual thanks to the small class sizes”.
 
Of course, value for money is the major consideration after suitability. Lloyd Williamson is reasonably priced compared to other private schools and the children mainly head off to Secondary Schools like Frances Holland, Latymer, More House, Portland Place and St James’. My brief time at the school afforded me the chance to meet some of the parents; marketers, toy developers, authors and journalists greet each other in the morning rush. If these were Tories, they had me fooled. Parents leave their children in an atmosphere of safety, creativity and community.  
 
What do you want from a school? Lloyd Williamson may give you a new perspective.
http://www.lws.org.uk/ for contact details, a prospectus and newsletters.
 
Tom Charles is a freelance editor, proof reader and writer living in Notting Hill. He has written on Middle East politics and is Assistant Editor of the Journal of Palestinian Refugee Studies  
 
{module Facebook FanBox for articles}
 
{module Related articles} 
 

Comments   

#2 Tom 2013-08-15 16:24
Hi North Ken Parent,

No, I'm not a parent at the school. My child goes to a state school, I just think it's interesting to see what's on offer at other schools - it's shows what is possible when schools have enough money.
#1 North Ken Parent 2013-06-26 15:21
This isn't an article more of an advert! I hope they paid you to include it. BTW "Tom Charles" aren't you a parent at the school?

More News

Prev Next

Hits:15399

Two meetings, one voice

Two meeting…

You had to be there. North and south of the boro...

Read more

Hits:41199

New Site

New Site

We're back ;)   Read more: New Site...

Read more

Hits:16146

Corbyn Won Kensington Nomination

Corbyn Won …

On July 21st Jeremy Corbyn overwhelmingly won th...

Read more

Hits:15926

Hats-off to Micky P: Portobello Live 3rd/4th May

Hats-off to…

Reflecting on the Portobello Live Festival - by ...

Read more

Hits:20132

Portobello community stands up against plans to turn iconic area into bland shopping centre

Portobello

Hundreds of protestors, including children and p...

Read more

Hits:17363

Leon Löwentraut at the The Muse Gallery

Leon Löwent…

Never too early to become a full fledged artist ...

Read more

More News 2

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
Prev Next

Hits:18667

Greferendum: an anthology

Greferendum…

Thinking of Greece. ...

Read more

Hits:15375

Pink Cigar video release

Pink Cigar …

 Local down’n’dirty rock’n’roll outfit Pink Ciga...

Read more

Hits:22589

Gaz’s Rockin Blues 35th Anniversary Spectacular

Gaz’s Rocki…

Gaz’s Rockin Blues 35th Anniversary Spectacular ...

Read more

Hits:16574

Interactive Video Art at The Dissenters Gallery Catacombs

Interactive…

On Saturday 4 July, 11-5pm, a chance to see the ...

Read more

Hits:17452

"Exposed" a Solo Show by Louis-Nicholas Darbon

"Expos…

 Coming up Thursday- June 4th -  at the Graffik ...

Read more

Hits:16568

Mock The Opera Protest @ Holland Park

Mock The Op…

A protest is taking place tomorrow at the Hollan...

Read more

Hits:17245

Where next for Labour?

Where next …

 Labour’s defeat in the UK general election on M...

Read more

Hits:17104

Artists For Nepal – local benefit gig for Nepal

Artists For…

 Thursday May 21st at the Elgin with music, film...

Read more

Hits:16656

RED ALERT by Maximilian Wiedemann

RED ALERT b…

West Bank last exhibition at the current buildin...

Read more

PEOPLE & PLACES

Prev Next

Hits:20962

Ostuni Queen's Park by M. Kuehn

Ostuni Que…

Having recently savoured the delights of the ver...

Read more

Hits:15926

Hats-off to Micky P: Portobello Live 3rd/4th May

Hats-off t…

Reflecting on the Portobello Live Festival - by ...

Read more

Hits:17665

Canal Deli food review

Canal Deli…

Canal deli - lovely people - scrumptious food or...

Read more

Hits:18435

Why hipster incursions into the KPH might not be a bad thing.

Why hipste…

I visited the KPH on Ladbroke Grove last evening...

Read more

Hits:16989

Source Mag Christmas treats IV

Source Mag…

Fine Bone China Tableware Upcycled Vintage Ceram...

Read more

Hits:15828

Source Mag Christmas treats III

Source Mag…

One of the kind hats, flowers, decorative hand c...

Read more

Hits:15301

Source Mag Christmas treats II

Source Mag…

Have you ever thought of offering a family docum...

Read more

Hits:15227

Source Mag Christmas treats I

Source Mag…

Coalition Colouring Book by Tom Pride. ...

Read more

Hits:15412

Want to get involved with online radio?

Want to ge…

K2K Radio wants to hear from you! ...

Read more

Hits:17738

Reflection on breaking barricades

Reflection…

From protesting with Anonymous to connecting wit...

Read more

Local Events Calendar

<<  <  December 2024  >  >>
 Mo  Tu  We  Th  Fr  Sa  Su 
      
     

Upcoming Events

Fb

writers pic2

We're looking for writers! Join in! (scroll down the article)

Rants

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7

I don't do …

I don't do rants. But,

...it's a rant! ...

Read more

Last Night …

Last Night I Dreamt...

"I could see the body of Kim Kardashian..." ...

Read more

Portobello …

Portobello drinkers 'harassed' by children

  From our sports correspondent Dave 'the ...

Read more

Everyone’s …

Everyone’s a F*****g DJ

by Kensal Scream  At long last! Another salvo f...

Read more

Lap dogs …

Lap dogs & devil dogs - the final solution

By Kensal Scream Time for another rant by the K...

Read more

Trains and …

Trains and  lycra pants

 By Kensal Scream That Really Grinds my Gears i...

Read more

An e-mail f…

An e-mail from Billy Connolly?

We can not be sure that  it’s his but it co...

Read more

Your Experience

Popular

Error: No articles to display

review and preview

Login or Sign Up