Question for people who have used state primary and independent secondary school.

[beatie]

I'm most likely to go along this route. I'm keen for my children to go to a state school for the Primary level (since we have a local one which is decent enough) but likely to use an Independent Secondary school, as DH teaches in one and gets reduced fees.

I'm aware that most private primaries include langauge lessons and most state primaries don't. With regard to children who enter a private school in Year 7, how do they cope with being behind in langauges?

[marialuisa]

Most private secondaries "set" children for languages so the absolute beginners would start off in a class together and then be moved around as they caught up. Also kids are more likely to take GCSEs early at private schools so the more able sets will do maths, French, German etc. in Y10 and then do AO papers in Y11.

In my top set there were a few people who hadn't done languages before secondary but who were able and ended up in the top set.

[Chloe55]

I think they will be fine, the subject surely has to be taught from a basic level for those children that won't have gone to private primary schools and kids at that age pick up languages fairly quickly anyway.

[cocopops]

Beatie- l've wondered about this too.

What about getting a private french tutor or at least getting some french videos for kids and letting them watch them?

[tamum]

Not much help for you beatie, but cocopops- state primaries here teach languages in P6 and P7. They do either French or German.

[SueW]

Senior school inked to DD's primary teaches Spanish to all from Y7, even though the primary teaches French from (I think) Reception.

AFAIK in other schools though it is as marialuisa says.

[RTKangaMummy]

We are in your situation

DS will be going -- hopefully if he passes exam to DH independant senior school next sept

The local PRIVATE primaries do french BUT he is at state primary and is doing 1 lesson a week in french

indep primaries cram them for entrance to 11+ too cos that is their job to get the places

but all the children even out several years down the line

[beatie]

Do they make allowances for state educated pupils taking the Senior School Independent Senior School entrance exams? I'm sure they do at DH's school. I don't think langauges are part of the assessment though.

[grassland]

My ds's school puts all those who are new in Year 7 and haven't done French before in a separate 'set'. They move them along pretty fast but they seem to be doing OK and other parents who've had children in the same position say they do catch up by the end of Year 7. (Children who've been in the junior school begin French in Year 4.) It hasn't been a problem and wouldn't be something I'd worry about. French isn't part of the entrance tests at 11 (it is at 13).

[RTKangaMummy]

beatie they do realise how much cramming the children have been given for the exam

DS's school have given nothing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Apart from 2 after school groups of 45 minutes.

Also the indep ones have done further along the syllabus like covering maths topics that state schools haven't done yet

[RTKangaMummy]

The 11+ assessment is MATHS ENGLISH AND VERBAL REAASONING

no lang until 13+ {although DH school don't do CE}

[tallulah]

My DD went from state primary to independent secondary and had no problems. IIRC she got an A for her French GCSEs.

[RTKangaMummy]

Excellent

[snailspace]

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[SueW]

I think Nottingham High School has a good explanation of the exams. Plus it gives away a sample maths paper.

[Orinoco]

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[SueW]

So did I!

[SueW]

Also transferred from state primary to independent secondary. Worst thing was first essay given for homework during my first week there which had me in tears as I'd never written as essay before, only stories.....

[dramaqueen72]

my two big kids have just done this, from state primary to private secondary....neither have found it any trouble at all, infact the private school has done all it can to welcome them in. there were children from quite a variety of schools and they all seem to have settled in fine. tbh when you start secondary school, be it private or not, theres a whole heap of new lessons to experience anyhow. most of the class hadnt done french before. and one year on ds is now in top set, and first year there dd is in middle set already.

[alibubbles]

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[alibubbles]

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