To think my DC is too clever for state secondary school?

[GeniusCreator]

DC is Yr7. Top of year according to what I’ve been told. Read the full series of Harry Potter books by 7 years old. Excels in STEM subjects. Spends ages at home researching science stuff like quantum field theory and nuclear fusion/fission and enjoys it! Designs his own websites and writes his own code for his own games. Primary school were always pretty amazed by him. Secondary school have picked up on him now and have said they’ve never seen anything like him.

He’s already mentioning being a bit bored in class. We live in what could be described as a deprived town and are not well off, no family to help out, so would never be able to get him into a private school. I did check with the private school in the next town but there are no scholarships available.

WIBU to try to crowdfund for private school fees?

He needs a much higher level curriculum than the state school one to continue stretching him. I honestly think he’s destined for amazing things.

<only slightly light hearted>

Of course there are also the 'Never did me any harm!' people too. Self-awareness is too often too hard-gained here as elsewhere

Ciwap So privately educated people are only self-aware if they blame their education for their shortcomings? Anyone who enjoyed their days at private school are wholly not self aware? Really?

Close up, as it were, these people, however clever they may be, are for the most part hugely unimpressive, intellectually, emotionally, psychologically

So everyone you’ve met who went to private school is a disaster. Presumably then you are also happy with generalisations such as “all the people I’ve known well who went to state school were chair throwing, hoody-wearing disruptive students?”

Maybe you can answer my earlier question: If state schools are so superior to private schools why are there so many people who want to abolish private education?

As soon as I could read (a process I don't recall as I was in reception) I chewed my way through books and by age seven would have easily coped with the level of language and number of words in the HP books.

@SlatsandFlaps you have to apply to individual schools to see if you qualify for a bursary. They each have their own process and a sliding scale of money off if you do qualify. Some even give 110% bursary to allow for costs such as uniform and a device, as having a specific laptop to use in lessons is becoming more common.

You'd have to research suitable schools and get in touch with their admissions team.

Not all children that age could read them it's true. But even if only 1 or 2 in each class of 30 can manage it, that adds up to quite a lot of children overall. Yes, they would be bright to be reading that (with understanding) at that age but it honestly wouldn't be exceptional.

I’m not preferring one child over another.

I’m saying their life would be easier for THEM if they had more of the social aptitude their sibling has.

it is not in the least that I prefer one or another.

@Joystir59 I could have read HP at 7 too. Sadly my child prodigy tendencies didn't really carry through, and I got decidedly normal GCSE and A Level results and now have a boring, mundane job instead of a glittering high flying career!

If he's that bright perhaps a full scholarship to a boarding school. A friend's son got one at Winchester, and I'm sure others offer it too. But be quick off the mark - bright in your school would be average in top private schools (where all the kids are exorcised to get 8s and 9s at gcse etc) and there's techniques for taking the entrance exams.

His IQ came out at 155. Not on a MENSA test granted as you have to send off for them but on an online test that his friends challenged him to do

you don’t “send off” for a Mensa test for a child. They are tested by somebody from Mensa.

in top private schools where all the kids are exorcised to get 8s and 9s at gcse etc

There is a world of difference between "stumbled through, because they thought it would please the adult in the room" and "devoured independently with full comprehension and immense enjoyment". I suspect a lot of those claimed to be reading HP at young ages on MN are the former.
There is also a difference between can and should. The first 3 HP books are fine for mid-primary kids, and reading them at 6 or 7 is not that uncommon (my kids did it, so also did a couple of their bright classmates. However from the 4th book on, there are some teenage/pubescent themes that would really be better left till much older. I do wonder about the judgement of people who let their kids read "all" the HP books at that age - it shows something of a lack of awareness.

I think at this age, if you can’t comfortably afford private school then you should look at extra curricular things- chess club, coding club, scouts, sports, tutor, local astronomy club etc etc. Just encourage interests and help develop social skills and other soft skills that will stand him in good stead.
I know lots of very intelligent people who have awful time management/social skills etc.

I have also found (myself included - joining Mensa at 12) that often labelling a child at a young age as extremely gifted puts too much pressure on them and they often crash and burn once that hit adulthood. I rebelled and went travelling for a few years and worked abroad. I then had kids before I developed a career. It’s only now in my 40s I am using my brain.

Just to point out that behaviour points for behaviour, work ethic etc do not mean he is the brightest etc. It is possible for children to earn these points regardless of which sets they are in because they know how to behave,have good ethic etc. In fact at the prize giving in our school those in lower sets received the highest number of points because they achieved their very best every single day. Of course they praise your child in his acheivemts, they do this for every child. There will be many children in the school who acheive as highly as him, he is now a small fish in a very big pond.

Children at private school are not more intelligent, smarter than other groups of children just they have more focus on them individually and they have been tutored to be able to pass the exams and those schools that have many applicants like a child that will fit in with the school ethos 🙄

better him being moved up a year private or state

@extrastrongmints There is a world of difference between "stumbled through, because they thought it would please the adult in the room" and "devoured independently with full comprehension and immense enjoyment"

He actually asked for the books after watching the the first two films one Christmas. He would have been 6 then. Got through them one by one in about around a week each. He later watched the rest of the films with DH and me knowing what was coming in each one as he’d read the books. Absolutely loved them all and wanted to be Harry for a bit, had costume, wand, bag, lunch box, did the HP studio tour etc. His class started reading the first one a few years later. I know he was the only one in his class who’d read them all as he teacher asked me about it.

As for me not being able to read, hilarious that poster (can’t be bothered to scroll back) obviously hasn’t got the reading comprehension themselves to understand that I said quite clearly that I struggled to read the books out loud, not actually read them, as his part of bedtime story as he wanted to carry on with them. They’re not read aloud books really and there was a lot to read on each page.

I didn't reach glittering academic heights either, I got a degree, and have always read extensively, and have done some creative writing, but certainly was never usually clever or gifted.

Just no OP.

There are people seriously struggling in this world and you want other people to pay for your DC to go to private school as he's "too smart for state school"

No. You should be ashamed of yourself.

@BeachMustHave

Ignore the Title of this one about Elon's father...it's just click bait...It shows Elon's true genius...he, of all people could choose to be uppity with his great intellectual ability and wealth but he shows vulnerability and his desire to improve the World.

@Theo1756 that would be Penny singing "Soft Kitty" now

Kids in private schools may not all be more intelligent, but the entrance exams ensure they are just below 11+ standard, which is a hard exam to take, so many are academic and well-read.

In private schools, the conversation will revolve at break- time around more intellectual subjects, by and by. I used to come back from Tonbridge to London at 4pm, every day, and I eavesdropped the excited chatter of the uniformed elite talking about transference of particles, when an object is dropped and on the ground for two seconds, etc. And the parents will have intellectual discussions at the dinner table and take an interest in building models, travel, history, etc.

I know it's not the whole picture, and I personally prefer the mix of inclusive education, but I feel that being that brainy, as OP's kid might be, is almost like a special need, and it's almost cruel to expect him to dumb down and tone down his flights of fancy to fit in with a culture which is like a river fed into by some streams of very unacademic influences, as well as bright kids too. But sometimes very brainy people are different, and their social skills are different and geeky because of their enormous brains. He might be teased.
For a rounded just bright kid, I'd say state is fine, but not for a genius. I just don't think the system can create the number of opportunities he needs....not with new-style GCSEs, funding cuts, pressures etc. ....This worst case scenario could happen, only OP can be in a place to predict and judge what is best. I think, by the way, that posters on Mumsnet are very competitive. I see it in these threads and ones about what it's like to be very attractive.

Op o have not read the thread but scholarship?

they are tutored to take the 11+ many prep school children are taking the 11+ early

the tutoring for schools where the competition is high will be weekly text exams in prep schools plus many will have home tutors. They are taught how best to pass a test (if you can’t answer move on to the next question)

it’s not down to intelligence it’s down to the extra work put in to these children

I really dislike this idea that private school children are smarter/better read or more intelligent it’s not the case it’s that these children are privileged abs that privilege impacts how they are educated (smaller classes, extra support on tap is needed)

I wouldn't push the year change thing: I don't think it will increase his chance of getting into a top university (although also won't necessarily prevent it, although I'd be more on the fence if he was older in his year).

I would look into the full-ride scholarships at the big independent schools that others have suggested to see if they're attainable and would work for him and you as a family.

Anything but the most high flying schools state or independent will struggle to stretch a really top end student. You may find a great and dedicated teacher, or a well resourced school, or a group of children at the same level, but from experience I'd say many grammars (say) would struggle to stretch what you're describing.

Theoretical Physics is part of the maths faculty at Cambridge. Where ever he goes to school, think ahead to ensure you will will have access to good further maths teaching. (Could be tutoring / external / online if the school doesn't offer it.)

Look for things to keep him engaged and stretched in the meantime: junior mensa has been suggested, as has chess (if that's his thing and you have a good club for juniors locally). Look for access to county(?) level gifted and talented initiatives. I'd also suggest at nrich (.maths.org) and the RI Maths Masterclasses -- will need a teacher nomination, and the UK Maths Challenge / UK Maths Trust. There are plenty of good books out there too: The Pleasures of Counting (expensive, so borrow?) may be somewhere to start, although it's aimed at slightly older children.

He will be fine, honestly op, especially as he is good socially.

Lots of kids are bored at school for lots of reasons.

I have one dc who is looking forward for year 10 because he's hoping the work gets harder and another who is bored because everything is still an unfathomable mystery in year 3.

The eldest goes to an under performing comp. The main thing school has taught him is how to throw a punch in self-defence. The rest he seems to teach himself at weekends

I give no weight to IQ tests. Some people can be exceptional in one area and weaker in another, which will affect the score. It also depends what type of IQ test and whether it plays to your strengths. Some are more language oriented and others more maths oriented. I've done both types. Intelligence does not always reflect in the ability to perform in the school system either. I support multiple intelligences and value all of them. I also support people with an IQ of 1000 choosing to take on a trade or art rather than more academic path if that is what makes them happy.

Has he been assessed for autism? The earlier the diagnosis the better, especially seeing you have another dc with SEN.

Private school doesn’t necessarily teach a ‘higher curriculum’. They have more extra curricular activities like science clubs etc.
which your can easily do with your DC. Hackathons, maths Olympiad… etc.