Has anyone managed to get into a top school after homeEd?

Here's some info about Radley funding 11plus at a prep school which is on offer for children at state schools.

www.radley.org.uk/userfiles/rcmvc/Images/Headers/02-Admissions/Funded-Places-Scholarships/Header-11-and-13-Funded-Places.jpg
I’m sure there must be other schools who don’t start till Year 9 that would offer these sorts of schemes.

I think that's wise plan. For girls you'll have a huge amount of choice for senior school including grammars in reading if you choose Goring. Some of the girls school have attached preps and you could always move them early if finances changed. SHSK, Headington and oxford High would be the place to start for bright girls. They have a much wider intake than the london schools and do just as well if not better.

It's all very doable. If you end up in a place where quite a few kids will be on the same flight path as yours it makes it easier. Oxfordshire is definitely one of those places. Living in London warps your view of what it's like to get a school place. I'd focus on finding a place for your eldest at a school you're happy with. That will put your younger child at the top of the list for a place. You might need to home Ed the younger one for a bit while you wait for a place but it sounds like you're willing to do that. Having to home ed all through primary is a huge undertaking and I'd only recommend it if you really want to home Ed not because you think you can't find a suitable primary. A solid village primary with a tutor to fill gaps before they become holes will work just fine.

Hit send too soon. Goring and Streatley both have primary schools that are well thought of and Goring has a train station. Goring/Streatley look like they popped out of a storybook. The train goes into reading and then on to london or when it finally opens you could transfer into crossrail. I know Goring has places last September. Goring also is on the joint bus route for Abingdon Senior and St Helens and St Katherines (private secondaries). Lots of kids from the village go to both those schools for secondary. If you have boys Abingdon has nearly a 50% intake from state at 11+.

It's not so hard outside london. Most schools will tell you and advertise their places in the local newsletter. The one school that sticks out for me is The Buckland Primary school. Absolutely gorgeous village and has bus service into oxford. The school performs well and has a lovely head. I know they had some places. A good chunk of their intake will go to private secondaries. There's a few others in that same area as well. If you want close to didcot for an easy london commute I'd look at the school in Harwell.

Here you just phone the school and ask.

Try the village schools around oxford. There are lots of excellent village state schools with places. A good whack of the kids go on to private secondary at 11.

But presumably OP can find out before she moves how long it’s likely to take to get into a local school? She’s happy to HE for years so a waiting list isn’t really a problem. People DO move while their children are in school. They do it quite a lot. It isn’t anything like the scrabble to get a place before Reception.

I realise that Covid-19 has scuppered your current plans, but multiple schools by Year 2, then a plan to home school for a few years followed by plan to send them to boarding prep school sounds a bit ... destabilising?

What careers are you in and where would you like to live? Funding 2 through a top tier private school while renting in London will be hard.
You say this term will have to be the last of private due to job losses - what happens if one or both of you lose jobs part way through the private secondary?

Be careful that you are not chasing something impossible.

It is difficult, believe me. She wants two places. Schools might have waiting lists. Other people move as well. Some parents don’t move because they really want a certain school and remain committed to it. Thee is thread after thread on MN where parents need to move to an area but cannot get a place at the schools they want. I could name 10 schools where they simply don’t have vacancies. If DC have a “statement” or are looked after or adopted, then they take priority as well. It could be a long wait.

It’s easier to get into a school when you are entering mid year, and OP can just homeschool till a place pops up. I don’t see why it should be so difficult?

You wouldn’t get into a small local school near me. Parents love them and they are always full. Larger town schools might not be. That doesn’t make them poor schools but the middle classes love the smaller rural schools. Especially the c of e ones who prioritise church goers. It’s a club you cannot break into just by turning up!

Move out of london, send them to a small local school, supplement with lots of help at home. They should be fine to get into secondary school. I wouldn’t homeschool them. I can’t see why that would help.

As an aside I have homeschooled two children through the end of primary and they both went on to highly selective schools without problem.

I did mean don’t over rely on the school to prep them for interview. Senior Schools just see a batch of children who have formulaic answers. It’s not an advantage.

OP, are you absolutely sure you want to home ed? You now have no income, so you'd struggle to move as no landlord would take you on. You then say your income will reduce significantly once you get another job. Meanwhile, you're reducing your career options if you don't return to work asap. You may well not be able to afford private school fees in four or five years time.
If I were you, I'd get my children into a local primary school asap to bring some stability into their lives, that gives you time to both look for work, then look for a home if you do indeed need to move.
Just out of interest, is there a reason why you only rent?

What differences are noticeable in six and seven year olds based on schooling? We’ve been through a whole range of education types over the last 10 years -small private primary, state primary in a very deprived area, home Ed, top independent secondary, state grammar. The children have friends in a range of comprehensive schools, private schools as well as some who are being home Ed at secondary level. I don’t notice huge differences between the children other than maybe accent, especially by the time they get to 15/16!

I think family background and parental support is the most significant factor. Most of the kids we know from supportive backgrounds will end up in similar careers and places in ten years time I’m sure.

I think the key thing is to do what works best for you in your own circumstances at this point in time, given your personality and those of your children.

I went to international school abroad which didn’t usually send kids to uk private schools but followed a UK curriculum. My sahm (had a masters degree but not top tier uni And no teaching experience) tutored me and I managed to get a scholarship to Secondary school. My brothers went to a top tier public school - and I helped them prepare for entrance (though they did go to prep School). i home ed - I reckon it’s fine if you are confident. Download past papers and have a look.

How old is he @StayinginSummer?

Following as my home schooling recently has shown me my youngest is pushing way ahead than he is allowed at school, and wandering where to go when schools re open. Continue home Ed or let him get bored for another few years? Worried he will get used to easy work and never be able to work at his natural ability.

Where are you thinking of moving too?

Able to talk about...