To think this is unsettling for your child? (Private schools entry route)

[helipadded]

Hi, I've got a few things schools related to get off my chest today!

My child is at a private pre-prep that gives it's pupils a very good chance of gaining a place at a very sought after senior school that's nearby.

The 2 schools are not linked but the pre-prep does obviously feed a lot of children into this high achieving senior school.

I've noticed that higher up the school, a number of children arrive from other schools in year 2. They attend the school for a year, then go onto apply for places at the sought after secondary. With increased entry chances I would guess as their child is now applying from the recognised 'feeder' school.

Is this commonplace? Do you know of people who do this? I would worry about my child having to sit entrance interviews and exams whilst contending with starting at a new school and having to make new friends and settle in.

Interested to hear others thoughts on this.

A few of ds' friends transferred from state to private school in year 3 because the parents didn't see the point in paying for/couldn't afford the lower years but wanted them to get a good chance at the 11+, it seems to be quite common at his school.

DD's school have very few children transfer in, but hers very rarely has spaces as its a very popular school, but apparently they get a lot of calls from people wanting to join late to get into a better secondary school.

I think i would be worried about the extra pressure on them too so would never put my children through that, but yes it does seem to be commonplace

To be perfectly honest I think sought after prep schools take the brightest children they can get their hands on; not necessarily the children from the "feeder" pre-prep. DS has just left such a school at 18 - he went at the beginning of Y4 from a state primary. A contemporary of his from the pre-prep didn't get in at 7 - because he wasn't bright enough.

What concerns me is why a successful pre-prep has spaces in Y2 - the ones round here are completely oversubscribed.

They are still awfully young in Y2, and Y3, 4, 5 and 6 to be perfectly honest. they all develop at different stages and there are opportunities for them all. DD was certainly not at the forefront in Y6; she is at a naice little convent rather than a high performing high school. She has developed at her own pace and exponentially and is expected to do very well at GCSE next year and is looking to sit 6th form entrance exams for some exceptional schools; should she actually want to move. I think she will because she wants to complete with her brother but it is only possible because we pitched to her level at a certain stage and she moved from a good foundation.

In my experience and from what I've heard from friends, even with the over subscribed and very popular schools, if you have 2-3 children and keep on their backs, they will always end up finding places!

Don't agree helipadded. The most high performing schools base acceptance on performance and we now of families whose younger dc have not been accepted because they didn't pass the test. In fact the best pre-preps advise against application if they know the child in question is not bright enough to thrive.

hi op, guess we are jolly lucky to be where we are!

our 2 comp high schools are massive. 1000 plus pupils and both are Ofsted outstanding.

the local 'prep schools and private schools' are frankly crap.

would hate to live where you do with such narrow chances

could you move??

to add the kids from the grammars and private apply to our local schools as 6th forms as they are nationally recognised as best of the best...

thebody It's different for everyone - where we are the state schools are crap and the independents are amongst the highest performing the UK.

yes some school have more pupils years 3+ i am sure ds school does and the ratio of girls to boys seems quite a bit higher too i am not sure if that is because some of the boys go off to one of the best boys schools in the country that is close by and the school most parents seem to be aiming for their sons

Isn't it partly traditional? In days of yore, weren't children sent to board at age 8, so private schools traditionally have an 'entry stage' at around that point?

yes prep schools were from 7, that is why reception, years 1&2 are called pre prep

I'm sure it will do the children no harm to move at this stage. Might be quite good for their social skills to need to make new friends in a new environment. Plus the parents have saved themselves a few years of school fees but with the same end result as the kids who have been there all along.