To sit an exam at 18 months?

[Name90210]

Sorry if this double posts, the app seems glitchy today!

AIBU or is this really the case…?

I have spent a lot of time reading about the various exams for North London prep schools and we already feel “put off” by schools assessing at aged 3 for a spot at age 4. But that seems to be the norm so we shall accept that!

However, AIBU that a prep school nursery wants to assess my 18 month old for a spot when he turns 2? I feel it’s not right to judge an 18 month old, and he is still rather clingy and very shy in new environments given his age. So I feel uncomfortable that they’d be watching him play and assessing if he’s good enough. HE IS 18 MONTHS…..

AIBU that this is bizarre?

Guessing they don't want any kids with obvious SEN.
They want to invest in children who will succeed in pre prep and prep.

Yabu to call it an exam.

But at 18 months can you tell if a child will succeed in prep and pre prep?

If this doesn’t align with your values then don’t use the school.
I wouldn’t either, because I want my kid to go to a school that is representative of our common and clearly a school like this will screen for send to avoid

Presumably they know what they are looking for, and what they want to exclude.

Confidence, curiosity, verbal, dexterity.

I agree it's to screen out kids with Sen/ developmental delay. Grim.

My son just turned 18m and hides behind me in new environments until he’s comfortable. Whereas at home he’s bubbly and chatty! I guess the school is not for me if they just judge him on a “20 minute session to examine his preparedness for nursery!”

To flag the others in the area (who arguably are much more academic as they grow older in terms of results) do not screen at this age. They all just operate the usual way with waiting lists etc.

Would you want up send your son somewhere where they seem to be screening for children with SEN?

I didn’t realise it was for SEN. They never said that.

The whole point of selective schols (at any age) is they are unfair and elitist. That's what (some) people like about them.
If you engage with that system you run the risk of not "making the cut".

No they wouldn't I suppose. But at 18 months I'd be wondering what else could they possibly be looking for? If they are rejecting toddlers based on their developmental stage, they are going to presumably be rejecting those with additional needs.

No experience here but maybe they are screening you as much if not more than your child?

But at 18 months all children are just so different. In the space of 20 minutes how can you assess when so many still have separation anxiety/stranger danger etc?

I thought so but there’s two separate days. One for me to look around privately with the head (so where they could screen me I guess!) and then the assessment day itself.

It does kind of sound like they just don't want to accept any children who might be "difficult". Definitely a lot at that age!

I agree! It isn’t the school for me anyway because of this but I am am very very shocked. I don’t know any other school that does this (prep schools). Including some of the best in England! Bizarre.

It's to screen out obvious problems, sen in particular, that they won't want to deal with. The entire point of selective private schools is that they can screen people out who won't fit the school.

Avoid.
If they're already trying to screen out at that age then they won't be sensitive to any additional need identified after that.

But how much can you tell at 18m in a short assessment? None of the other top schools ask for this! So why them!

Well they wouldn't would they.

Yes I absolutely avoiding and not going!

My son is a lovely boy but at this age he still clings to me and doesn’t like strangers and new environments. So if they met him they’d “reject” him as he won’t go and play with them etc !

It’s probably just as much to screen out parents who might not fit with their ‘ethos’.

This would definitely put me off a school that did this.

This.

Its not an exam they just want to eyeball them which is fair enough for a hyper selective environment

They also want to eyeball/assess you as the parents.

And if you think its so awful you arent compelled to spend ££££ sending your child there to access elite educational opportunities 🤷🏻‍♀️
(I'm pro private btw)

It’s an assessment not an exam.

And if that’s their policy, and you don’t like it, it’s clearly not the right setting for your child and your family.

just move on?