All schools rejected at 11+. What now?

If Fulham has now offered her a place I think it's a no brainer to send her there. It's a good school and will offer an easy entry into the system and living in the UK - and give you all time to figure out the next best move. She shouldnt be put off by the interview. Maybe you can ask if it's possible to have a follow up zoom with an admissions staff member and a current student so she can ask some questions and feel more comfortable.

If you weren't looking at boarding why Brighton, which also happens one of most selective schools in the country! You are more likely to be lucky with a smaller, more provincial school. A gdst outside London for example or a prep school going to 13+. What r u specifically looking for for your dd?

Have you looked at the costs of housing, and the price of commuting in SE England by train OR bus or car. Time and expense.

You may find it impossible to commute into London by car.

You might want to have a look Surrey-way and consider commuting into London. There are some fab prep schools up to 13 and senior schools around Guildford/Godalming area. For instance, Aldro has started accepting girls and feeds into Charterhouse (also now going coed). Plenty of other good private options around there as well.

Oh and just to add - I had no tutoring and I came straight from a state school, not a prep school.

Things like this:
The prep schools in London literally spend years preparing the children for the 11+ exams.

Just mean they are selecting more by money than by ability. Which is going to lead inevitably to the sort of horrendous scandal that happened during COVID.

I've sent my kids to the local state school (a huge, very diverse, co-ed London comprehensive) and I am confident that it's giving them a better start in life. Although not the 'right sort' of contacts, I'm sure.

I went to NLCS on a full scholarship many years ago. Back then it was extremely academically competitive, but the families were mainly solid middle-class London, mostly professionals (rather than business people), not astonishingly rich. Lots of 1st/2nd gen immigrants from Jewish or Indian or Chinese backgrounds.

It seems now it's just become a massive international money-making franchise. It's really sad. I haven't been back to any reunions etc., there's one coming up in a couple of years for me, but it doesn't feel like the same school anymore.

The fees back then were high but manageable for e.g. a family with one parent working in a reasonably well paid professional job. Now they are astronomical. It seems to have come so far from its original intentions.

Some kids are just not ready for the 11+ process in London. It is super competitive. Having been through the process 3 times I would recommend that you don't panic. I think you need to have a clearer idea of where your daughter missed out on places. The exams are quite specific - did your daughter receive appropriate help in how to answer the questions? It might be different from how you approach similar exams in Singapore. Did she undertake enough revision? The prep schools in London literally spend years preparing the children for the 11+ exams. Are there other issues - one of my children has mild ADHD so exams like the ISEB are tricky as it relies on getting the first few questions correct to unlock the difficult questions which gain the greatest marks. There is a lot of movement in London schools and you don't need to necessarily wait until the 13+. Some schools have spaces come available each year e.g. JAGS. There are some lovely schools just outside London with 13+ spaces - Caterham, Ardingly.

Not sure about WL from Cambridge vs Fulham firm offer deadlines. This aspect is important since other London based children may also be looking at Fulham and those from abroad.

I wouldn't move to London and send a DC daily to The Leys - it's too far and will mean her having to get up and leave the house really early and the station really isn't that close - particularly when it's cold or raining.

If you want to move to London, do that and find a school in London. Personally, if that was my preference, I'd just put a line through any other options. London is full of schools - there will be one that you like that accepts her.

You need to drill down a bit on boarding statistics in mixed day/boarding schools. It is likely the figure is skewed by more termly boarders in later years(often due to an overseas intake at year 10 and 12), with relatively fewer in lower years, and by flexi/weekly.

Oh I see, I wouldn’t choose to locate to Cambridge simply because it’s the only school that took DD at 11 (if indeed it does). Cambridge is beautiful but very very small. London is a much better option for an international family.

@TizerorFizz , good points. Friends from HK, Thailand, Singapore found the London secondary schools and Year 6 to be way ahead in their reading in Classics, Modern classics, plays and poems. Worth asking from school their reading lists before Sept so your DC can select and start now.

This is really unpleasant.

@lirik , day students in a boarding school should be fine. The issue is whether those day kids known each other from prep or primary schools, sport teams etc and already friendship groups established. The parents in secondary, Y7 don’t really get as involved and in earlier years and kids figure out who to hang out and activities.

@lirik
My DDs attended mixed boarding and day. With plenty of day it’s not an issue. However day pupils tended to be flaky over coming into school for extra activities such as house competitions. So I would ensure dd takes part and does more than the bare minimum so she gets a wide circle of friends.

One thought occurred to me. At my DDs school, girls from Singapore were in the year below their “correct” year. Is this worth discussing with any school? It’s not always a good move but we had friends from South Africa who moved here and had similar issues. DS was older but it might be something you could think about with schools that have rejected her. Or look at a prep for 2 years. That gives you space and time for 13 plus.

Is there any way you could visit?

That’s good!

All I would say is that some employers are stepping up requirements to be in the office post pandemic, but you will know best about your own employer!

@lirik

Nothing against Leys - I’m sure it’s a good school - simply that for an 11 year old changing country/culture I’d want to play it safe and keep options open.

British boarding schools have much improved their pastoral care over time, but they are in general fundamentally institutional nonetheless. And they’re not for everyone - some students thrive and some are miserable.

So it strikes me as optimal to take some more time at a prep to acclimatise and make some local friends, then make a decision at 13 that’s more informed. DD might decide boarding school is just the thing for her, in which she can still choose Leys or another; or she might prefer a London day school.

Great news for Fulham. Taking it means they can prep for 13+ and their school really knows the process and types of kids suitable for which school. The additional benefit it goes beyond 13+, so your child can stay on. Therefore 13+ is less stress of needing to find a place at all cost. The UK system is 11+, 13+ and Sixth form where A levels are in their preferred and strongest subjects.

Fulham easy to get to the City. This time could allow your kid to get use to being in London. This is very different to Singapore and the UK education system in London.