Are Independent school waiting lists moving at all...?

I have heard the rumours of ultra pressure but the one girl I know there is thriving and mother is delighted. They turned down LEH.

Do please elaborate about these grim reports you heard about the Tiffin Girls' school! It will help me feel better about dd1 not passing the entrance exam 👍 (PS Tried to PM you but it wouldn't let me. You can PM me though, if you prefer 😉)

Generally, when making such a big decision, never let what other people are doing influence you. Different people have different values, plus you never know how they fund the education of their children. They may have big inheritances for example, whilst you may have to make big sacrifices. It is not the same.There are other families who would never consider state no matter how good the option, but would not admit it. I've known families who have got caught up in the 11+ frenzy and ended up with a private school they couldn't afford it.

We originally thought state grammar (Tiffin in Kingston) and eldest child passed the test but we heard grim reports and instead sent her to a selective indie and didn't do the 11+ with younger DC.

mumtotwo that's just what I was saying though - that IME in a grammar area it's only the wealthy minority who never even consider state secondary and plan on private 5-18 right from the beginning. I agree there are others like you (and us) who think they might well go to grammar but in the end opt for independent instead (through failing 11+, being disillusioned with the grammar choices, or for whatever other reason).

I think even more pressure (if that could be possible) on grammar places next year, although I appreciate not every grammar is great.

Yes, we've given up an indie place to go to the grammar for Yr7 in September . It was an easy choice given the financial climate

But it’s not just the wealthy minority. It’s the not-so-wealthy disillusioned too. Most of the parents like us who’ve turned down grammar places, had not always intended on staying private. Some could afford it more than others, and some enlisted help from family, but it certainly wasn’t always the plan. I know every area is different, but our grammars are tired and cramped, and where they were once taken up completely by catchment qualifiers, are now being allocated miles outside catchment. That says a lot I think. The other top grammar our daughter qualified for and would have had a place based on score, just felt too academically focused and not much else. It’s a long time for a child to spend somewhere...and there’s far more to a school than getting good grades. I’m sure there’s a lot of people feel the same way, and would sacrifice a lot in that regard.

I think the pattern is often very different in grammar school areas. Instead of going private all through or going state primary and then saving up for private secondary, a lot of families here prioritise private prep and aim for state grammar. Of course there are still the wealthy minority who always intend to do private all through. And then there are the prep school parents who find themselves struggling to find the money for private secondary when their child doesn't get the hoped-for grammar place.

Yes of course, I’d say most of those families can easily afford it, and some we know have financial help from grandparents. We are in neither category, so will be continuing to make ends meet, however our dc’s scholarship award was a generous major academic award, so without that we’d have really struggled. A lot of scholarship awards nowadays are quite nominal, particularly if not an academic award; the ones we know of have been between 5 and 10% max.

I think it would depend whether you can easily afford it or if you are prepared to make sacrifices and ultimately what you value. Also, how many other children you have. A mother at my dc's primary just turned down one of the top schools in the country for the local grammar (her DC also got scholarships two other indies).

@Meredusoleil - Some do..some don’t. We started out intending to go prep then grammar, but had been fairly uninspired by what we’d seen and the outcome of a lot of the pupils, and the general overall school life experience that the independent choice would offer; so are sticking with private. Over 30 kids qualified this year at our prep, and only 13 are taking up grammar places they were offered. Mostly brighter kids taking up scholarships or more highly sought after independent school places. Quite a few qualified on appeal this year too..definitely more than in recent years, and some quite surprisingly too! But that’s another story...

Our local grammar provision has been very good. With the current situation, I can completely understand primary school parents looking to move to private now in order to make sure their children are getting the support they need to help with the 11+, then have nothing to pay for 7 years of secondary if they get into the grammar.

@Meredusoleil - we wondered that too. We know quite a few financially comfortable families who have always bemoaned not being able to afford independent, so had ‘no choice‘ but to send their kids to state, yet live in large houses, drive nice cars & take multiple holidays etc... and are now considering moving to private. Although many are like us, deliberating state versus independent options, knowing the latter is a considerable stretch. No magic pot has materialised, but we decided to drop our grammar place in the end. Partly compelled by a fear of what state provision has been like around here..generally not good!

It probably depends on the area. Around here (affluent grammar school area) there are lots of families who could afford to go private but don't because the state options are very good (if you can get into the schools you want). I'm guessing those are the sorts of parents who might now be reassessing their options.

I'm finding it hard to believe all these parents have suddenly discovered this pot of money they never had before at a time when people are on 80% pay and might have even lost/are going to lose their jobs 🤯

Most definitely is the case at our prep, and many other schools we know.

I would be interested in the basis of that. Defo not the case at our prep

According to this article there has been a urge of enrolment in indies from 'first time buyer' parents moving from state schools.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/07/12/private-schools-see-surge-interest-parents-look-structured-learning/

@Homelandisending - Private

Cakesisalwaystheanswer, obviously I can't answer for your area but, as I said, the school is taking another class this year after parental enquiry.

bakeachocolatecaketoday is that private or state ?

Just been told there are 3 new starters in y10 in our senior school, This does take the year group over by 3 pupils.... there are spaces at the school but not in the y10 group .

I will be interested to see how many borders come back to prep boarding in September