SE London Secondary options overwhelming - US expats need guidance :)

Hi I hope you managed to get your son in the right school for him. As for St Dunstans you have to live it to experience it. I haven't heard anything negative from my daughter and she started in September 24. People will have their own opinion about a school, without actual proof of their own experience.

Our eldest is at St Dunstan’s. Is great school. Feel free to direct message me if you’d like.

also workshops at Imperial College for Kingsdale Maths Scholars

I have 2 maths nerds at Kingsdale, happy at school. Different years don’t mix- some really good teachers- trips- events- options- we choose Kingsdale over a local private school, too many days off in private schools, friends choose the private school for the SEN provision.

Exams for the independents are around Christmas. Colfes is another south east London option. It is hard to get much insight into the se London independents on mumsnet. Many more threads are about the schools in other parts of London or threads are quite old. We applied to St D and Colfes this last year, happy to answer any questions about process via message. Despite info at their open days in Sept/Oct/Nov it can all feel v opaque.

Open evenings you can book for Norwood School. They should be able to answer any scholarship questions:
https://www.thenorwoodschool.org/page/?title=Greenhouse&pid=49

For Kingsdale I think the scholarship application is around October.

Alleyns key dates:
https://www.thenorwoodschool.org/page/?title=Greenhouse&pid=49

Emanuel key dates:
https://www.thenorwoodschool.org/page/?title=Greenhouse&pid=49

The indies have September open mornings, but they can get booked up quickly - especially Emanuel.

I think Alleyns, St Dunstans and Emanuel make a good mix of selective and less selective options.
A lot of Oakfiekd kids go to Royal Russell, so you might want to look at that too, though its further away.

Feel free to PM me.

You really need to hurry up, you are missing deadlines as we speak!

Get online subscription on goodschoolsguide.co.uk.
11+ grammar are earlier than 11+ independent schools, see previous posts about deadlines.
For independent London school, join MN Year 7 + year of entry for information.
11+ independent : each school website will give you date and deadlines, types of exams. There are written Maths, English, VR and NVR. There are ISEB or CM online. Atom Learning online for ISEB.
Check out exam plus papers website, more school specific guidelines.

Will you be going for sport, music, drama or art scholarships?

Yes - your head of prep really should have been advising you on all of this!

My secondary was 700 in the whole school so I was a bit yikes when I saw the numbers, but it's never felt too big.

700 is a very small school. Most of London's comprehensives are around 2000-2500. Many of them are outstanding with fantastic results

There are upsides - huge numbers of subject options, masses of extra curricular and the possibility of fine tuning sets.

DD is clever but SEN - she was in top set maths but too fast paced for her. School tried out 3 different sets before they found the right combination that is the right level and pace.

My secondary was 700 in the whole school so I was a bit yikes when I saw the numbers, but it's never felt too big. Everything is on staggered times and teachers seem to know the kids really well. It is probably a school that suits confident kids, and it's definitely one to consider if you have a child with a particular skill set - they are exceptionally good at working with children who have outside commitments that need a degree of flexibility whether that is elite sports, or arts/music.

Oh I see, I missed the part where OP said she wanted co-ed.

435 per year is absolutely MASSIVE. All but the very smallest secondary schools keep their year groups separate btw. My child's local secondary currently has 240 per year.

Dulwich College is boys not co-ed.

Kingsdale is huge - but the year groups don't mix so actually feels much smaller... 435 in my DD's year.

Scholarships are Music and Sport. The scores at the assessment days are ranked and the top 15 or so are guaranteed a place, after that it increases your chance of getting in.

Charter Schools have a very good reputation.

I would go and look round all of them - I looked at 27 for DD in total, state and private. Loads that I liked on paper I hated in person. It was definitely the decider for me in how we ranked schools on the CAF.

No one has mentioned Dulwich College?

If you don't live within about 800/900km of Charter North (the one in Herne Hill, not the one in East Dulwich) you won't get a place.

If you can pay for private then I would do that above Kingsdale. It's an absolutely huge school and no great shakes tbh.

Thanks @LondonHOPDad . I knew they had scholarships but the details had escaped me!

Just to be clear @ghislaine for Kingsdale (State School OP, Lottery entry as stated) Maths scholarships can only be applied for once you already have a place in the school, so can't be used to help get into the school.

The only scholorships that can give you a better chance (not guaranteed) of getting into the school are for Sports and Music.

Once offered a place in the school the other scholarships available (effectively free extra lessons and some trips only for scholars) are for Maths and Art.

You know the 11+ is a couple of weeks away? Have you got your child a place to take it?

Tiffin is nowhere near SE, @MarchingFrogs . Common, you know that

It doesn't sound like you live in Sutton but if you do avoid Cheam High, dreadful school who only care about results and not the child.

There are excellent schools on SE London - state and private. If you’re looking at st Dunstans and Alleyns then you are probably close to the catchments for the Charter Schools, which are well regarded.

Go to open days - they will be held in the autumn term. Look at ‘progress 8 scores’ on the dept of Education website: these show you how much the pupils tend to improve over time at each school.

if you are thinking of sitting the private exams then start tutoring now. Most people will have been tutored since year 4 for these, even within the private system.

many people apply for alleyn’s, st dunstans and state, as the good state schools have the same if not better educational attainment as the pricates. (I fully realise that might not be the reason you’re going private though)