Booking place at secondary school

[Butkin]

DD is in reception at an independent school.

We put her down for this school when she was 3 and were lucky to get in because it was heavily oversubscribed - even to siblings - by the time she started reception last September.

This has got us thinking about her next school which we'd send her to when she is 11 (if this is an option although most schools in take is 13). At what age should we think about doing visits, putting her name down etc.?

We don't want to be end up like the parents who missed out on her current school for the sake of a little effort.

[RTKangaMummy]

whereabout isn country are you?

put her name down for more than one but you will probably have to pay £50 for each one

is there a school attached to yours ?

she will have to do exams to get in some it will depend how bright she ends up

[RTKangaMummy]

at ds and DH school they come round about 8 years 1st time round at open day

then come again when older

[Butkin]

Thanks RTKM - we're in Suffolk. I thought around 8 years old would be fine. Then I started to imagine all these efficient parents going round when they are 6 booking up the spaces! However I expect that prep schools aren't so oversubscribed because I guess they have more classes and therefore more pupils.

We nailed the pre-prep thing quite well but have no clue about where she is going to go yet.

[RTKangaMummy]

how many choices of school are there around you?

I mean is there only 1 or loads of them?

[LIZS]

Most secondary schools around here ask you to register for the exam between a year or up to 3 years in advance. Depends on the school tbh , some just look at common entrance others set their own 11+ or 13+. The more high profile public schools may require names to be put down much sooner, especially if you want to have choice of House ! ds is just 10 and we're starting to do the rounds of Open Days for 13+ entry, although 11+ is not yet out of the question for these particular ones.

[Butkin]

Thanks LIZS.

RTKM - not much choice really unless we consider Cambridge which is a logistical hassle on a daily basis although we've not found out possible bus services yet (train is not an option from near our village).

We're hoping not to have to board (see other thread) and therefore are limiting ourselves to places less than 45 minutes away which means not very many schools at all!

I think we'll start to watch out for Open Days and just go when convenient over the next year or two.

[RTKangaMummy]

are you near WS? cos we know Head?

[Butkin]

RTKM - sorry being thick where is WS? Our nearest is Culford.