Do Heads know entrance exam results in advance of parents ?

[nodumbblonde]

Another parent mentioned to me that her DS' head had know his (independent school) entrance exam result a week before she had been informed. Anyone know if this is standard practice?

[MrsMot]

Schools do usually know the results earlier.
In the same way 11+ results are known by schools ahead of the letters going out.

[LIZS]

I don't know about a week but I know staff find out at least the day the letter is expected and heads maybe a few days before. If there is an issue ie. a child underperforms what the head's reference suggests , there may be a conversation before offers are made.

[AintNobodyHereButUsKittens]

When I had a chat with DD's (state) primary head after we recieved an offer from her private secondary, the head mentioned that she had been told as much when they contacted her to get a referral.

[AintNobodyHereButUsKittens]

...reference not referral.

[nodumbblonde]

Mmm, thought they might get a day or two of notice but a week sounds a little extreme! Will be watching our HM very closely next week!

[TalkinPeace]

How would they not?
They get the test results,
they check them, they moderate them, they remark any outliers, they review the outcomes, then they decide to make their offers.


Universities get the A level results two days before students after all

[TamerB]

It never occurred to me that Heads wouldn't get them first.

[tess73]

Really? Even when the schools aren't connected?
We are expecting 10+ results this Friday. Will my dd's primary school HT know she is in or not before the letter arrives?
She was asked for a reference before the exam was sat. I don't see why she would be informed, we're not a link or feeder prep.

[TamerB]

Does it matter either way tess?

[tess73]

Well yes it is interesting if she is told first. I can't imagine why she would be. It is also the OP!?

[TamerB]

If there is no connection I can't see why she would be told first.

[aghteens]

From experience I know that some schools inform the head a little earlier as a matter of courtesy. But I have also seen some that didn't.

[LadyMuck]

It will depend on the relationship between the senior school and the junior school. Some senior schools will get applicants from over 150 different schools, so will probably only make contact with preps or schools sending over a certain number of pupils.

In my experience our prep head was contacted by the senior schools once the exams were marked, but before interviews, essentially to discuss whether the exam results were a true reflection of ability. Some senior heads have since made contact with the prep and indicated whether places/scholarships will be offered, but for others (where the prep isn't necessarily a significant feeder), I suspect there may be no further contact. Certainly we're always surveyed and asked about offers by the prep, indicating that they're not always given full details by the senior schools.

[reddidi]

I think some people are interpreting this question as "do the heads of senior schools know the results of examinations for entrance to their schools before candidates parents do?"; this answer to this is of course yes.

I think the question you are asking is "do the heads of junior schools know the results of examinations for entry of their pupils to (connected or unconnected) senior schools before candidates parents do?"; the answer to this is probably "sometimes yes".

[Fugacity]

For Common Entrance, the prep school head knows the results two days before they are given to students. This gives them time to negotiate or phone around alternative schools should the worst come to the worst. Students generally tell the parents.

As for an exam that has nothing to do with the prep school, the junior school head will not be informed at all.

[TamerB]

I think the answer is that you will never know for sure, which is why I asked if it mattered either way.

[Crowler]

I think they know in advance.

[KingscoteStaff]

For the March 3rd state school offers, primary heads know on the 1st. Very useful for teachers to spot those children who are going to be v. disappointed - we can put pastoral measures in place so they are supported.