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Original poster

Assessments - private pre-prep

43 replies

camgirl · 05/12/2011 11:24

Can anyone enlighten me about what the assessment for a 3+ year old will involve? I assume it's just a bit of play to see how they are with the other children? Or is there anything more to it? Anything I can do to prepare him?

I'd be very grateful for insights from anyone who has been through it.

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andiem · 05/12/2011 11:27

DS did one last year and it consisted of:
Going off on own with teacher to paly with other kids
Listening to a story
Putting pictures in order of story
Playing
Don't worry too much I have a friend who teaches in a prep and she said they are just checking that they can mix and play with other kids
DS got in!

Original poster
camgirl · 05/12/2011 11:46

Thank you very much! That's exactly what his nursery told me! I suppose I just wanted to get a sense of what I should be doing to prepare him, but it doesn't sound like there is much, happily. Reading and playing we can do...

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gladders · 05/12/2011 13:14

depends which school?

they are all v different.

Original poster
camgirl · 05/12/2011 14:01

We are not in London, and it is a rather small but v academic pre prep ... Still, the nursery advised that it is mostly about social interaction, and they have sent children there in the past. Do you think there is more I should be doing? Has your experience been different?

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Original poster
camgirl · 05/12/2011 14:42

I meant to say, andiem, congratulations to your DS!

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Ilelo · 05/12/2011 14:50

My DD did 2 for 2 different schools.

One, academic but not pushy where they took the kids away and I have no clue what they did, because when I asked her she said they just played. She got in and I know others whose kids did not.

The other, extremely academic and I was in the room with her for the assessment.

  1. The lady had conversations with her initially (in a kind of questioning manner), e.g. "It's a sunny day today isn't it, I see something bright and yellow in the sky when I look up on sunny days, I wonder what it is called" etc. My darling child did not speak much. LOL.

  2. She was asked to match some pictures in pairs they had very subtle differences that even an adult might mismatch them, hmmm.

  3. Then she was shown a picture which they talked about which was taken away and she was asked what she saw in the picture and

  4. Finally she had to draw a picture of herself ... she did not get in but I know others whose kids did get in.

The 2 assessments were very different. A friend's DS went to another and theirs included playing in the school playground, climbing frames, walking on ropes etc. All playground equipment of course.

So like someone said already, it all depends on the school and what kind child they are looking for.

EdithWeston · 05/12/2011 14:55

They might also be choosing what parents they want. So park considerately, and be polite and pleasant to everyone (I'm sure you would anyhow!)

Original poster
camgirl · 05/12/2011 14:55

Ilelo, at our assessment they get taken away too! Was your daughter OK with that?

I see what you mean about how different they can be. The 'conversations' sound really odd, your daughter was probably thinking . .er.. if you don't know that's the sun perhaps it would be rude to tell you ..

I am getting a bit stressed about it all tbh although I wonder really if there is much I can do except deliver him there and hope he has a good time!

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Original poster
camgirl · 05/12/2011 14:57

EdithWeston Xmas Grin I can be presentable when I try .. atm yummy mummy report card reading 'more effort required' One reason why I am really keen on this school is that we can walk/scoot there. I am exhausted and stressed driving my lot around every day.

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MoreBeta · 05/12/2011 15:10

IME mainly it is about social integration.

Though, at a very academic Pre-Prep leading to a very academic school I know well they do informally assess how well they concentraten while listening to a story (as an indicator of how quickly they will take to formal lessons), how advanced their speech is (as an indicator of how well they will read and write) and how well they can match shapes and patterns, stack blocks and so on (as an indicator of cognitive, motor and mathematical skill).

If this is an academic Prep, don't believe them when they say this is just a chat and a play. They are looking for specific attributes. The Pre Prep I am talking about by age 5 assessment was full on assessment in rapid rotation with 6 teachers.

Ilelo · 05/12/2011 19:48

Camgirl Yes my DD was fine with going away with them though I must confess I was worried she might not be. A friend's DS didn't want to go and it took quite a bit of persuasion. The next assessment they went to, she gave him a small toy to hold on to and he was fine with being taken away. He got into that next school. (If that makes a difference)

I agree with MoreBeta if it's an academic school, I wouldn't assume it's all play. In addition to what MoreBeta's said, I'd say they might check their knowledge of shapes, colours, puzzles (maybe 4 piece puzzles etc), identify their own names etc. These are things friends' kids have done at different assessments.

Good luck.

soandsosmummy · 05/12/2011 20:04

DD did one at that age.

She joined the existing class for a while and did some painting, did a jigsaw and listened to a story. She also had to pick her name out on a card from a selection of other cards and was asked if she could tell them any nursery rhymes. that was all I could get her to tell me about so there may have been other things.

She got in.

I doubt any two schools do it the same way. You can't tutor for the things just let them enjoy life Smile

soandsosmummy · 05/12/2011 20:12

Actually dd did 2 (she got into both)

at the other which I stayed at she joined the class to ice fairy cakes, played with some toys for a bit and washed TV Confused Interestingly she hated that school and kept asking me in front of the teacher and other children to take her away. I never told her she was offered a place as she had hysteria about the idea of going back.

Guess which school we chose!

Original poster
camgirl · 05/12/2011 20:14

That's really helpful, thank you. It's interesting to know the sorts of things they might be looking for MoreBeta It is a very academic school, but I hope not rigidly so. The 'what's the yellow thing in the sky' sort of questions would make me wonder if that was the right setting!

Ilelo he's pretty good at being left at nursery - but maybe I'll have a small, favoured toy in my bag just in case!

soandsosmummy your DD told you a lot! As you say, you can't tutor for these things but I sometimes feel other parents are very clued up about what's expected and so I want to make sure I give DS the best chance by at least having some understanding of what's expected in similar assessments.

He is an August baby too, so so much younger, although they do say they see them in small groups born around the same time.

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Original poster
camgirl · 05/12/2011 20:16

sosansosmummy I do think that they know what's right for them! Mine hate being bored.

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gladders · 05/12/2011 20:27

camgirl - think the main thing to take from all these posts is really how varied these interviews are.

IMO there is no real way you can prepare.

Best of luck to your dc

Xenia · 05/12/2011 20:55

They do vary. My girls were trying for schools at that age. The oldest got in to Haberdashers. It was pretty much what you describe above. She was and still is very outgoing and talkative but not naughty.

I imagine most people wouldn't want in their clsas a child who clearly as ADD or os thumping the other chidlren.

Also it's hard to assess them if they say not a word and cry all the time. Her sister who didn't get in although passed the original assessment (but not the later one to one interview) is much quieter. They did show her books (and she was our only early reader and at 4 they couldn't find a book she couldn't read ni the reading scheme but that wasn't enough. It didn't matter. She got into North London Colleagiate at 7. i still think it was the triplets. Triplet girls got 3 places that year and may be were it not for them she might. It hgasn't mattered at all but it seems very important at the time, particularly if siblings are spilt between two schools in the top 10. SO her older sister who couldn't really read until she was 6 got in and the younger one who was reading at 3 didn't even though she had a sibling there.

I think they sometimes look at things like can they walk in a straight lijne,. Can they catch a ball.

onceinawhile · 05/12/2011 21:15

Xenia re: "SO her older sister who couldn't really read until she was 6 got in and the younger one who was reading at 3 didn't even though she had a sibling there", I had the exact same experience with my two of my children (different school from yours though).

My fist got in and couldn't read until 6. My second didn't get in and at 4 was a fluent reader and I would say extremely bright child, bordering on gifted. I think it was because he was quiet and a little upset at being dragged away from me, even though he was normally a pretty confident child on the day the whole thing felt very upsetting.

OP they vary hugely, mine described above the children were taken away so I have no idea what they did!

onceinawhile · 05/12/2011 21:15

PS I didn't end up sending the children as I didn't want children in different schools!

Original poster
camgirl · 05/12/2011 21:22

gabster I agree - but it is useful to hear the range of experiences as I am feeling quite anxious about it (DS happily oblivious at this point!)

xenia and onceinawhile I do think that sometimes the outgoing children seem to 'shine' more in these things than the 'quietly gifted.' My DS can be quiet, shy and a little overwhelmed in new and strange situations.

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soandsosmummy · 06/12/2011 10:16

Don't worry just take him along. I know one of the teachers at DD's school and she told me that when doing the assessments they keep in mind that htey want a mixture of personalities in the class and try to achieve a balance when offering places. I'm not surprised, I can't imagine having to teach 18 children who never shut up have personalities like DD

Xenia · 06/12/2011 10:26

Yes, but she still does. I am sure she is only on £60k in her first job after qualifying because she is the life and soul of most places (loud even, too loud probably) and cried almost literally many nights as a baby and still in her 20s finds it hard to sleep. They are similar in IQ and their A levels etc are virtually the same. Both schools had a school coach from where we live so it didn't really matter they were at different ones and they would say they both loved their own schools in the end.

Also they are over 20 so I'm not sure you can set much store by my advice although I do have children sitting for schools at the moment at an older age.

Soime schools do want a mixture. You dont' want 20 noisy loud bright children always. You might want bright quiet ones. In some ways if siblings don't get in it illustrates the sound ethics of the school - that entry is on merit and some siblings have an sibling who is much less clever and it wouldn't be fair on anyone if they got in.

There is also luck in it. looking at my 3 older ones who have graduated and all their friends and all the job applications etc it is not just brains, exams, personality but also some luck too.

PollyParanoia · 06/12/2011 16:03

Xenia, weren't you a bit irked that your clearly intelligent daughter was rejected by her sister's school? I always understood that even the most academic schools let in siblings in at 3 unless there's a really obvious reason why not. Seems unnecessarily cruel esp since selecting at 3 must be an inexact science.

Original poster
camgirl · 06/12/2011 20:53

Ours doesn't have a siblings policy. I do know one mum who was irked that one of her daughters was advised to look elsewhere after pre prep and sent them both elsewhere.

soandsosmummy and Xenia thank you so much for the wise words and perspective. It is so reassuring and helpful to hear the experiences of those who have been through it. I think I have calmed down a bit

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wahwah1270 · 06/12/2011 21:21

Watching with interest as dd has 3 of these assessments next month Inc one where they only take 9 of each sex Sad she's happy confident and intelligent at her nursery but hates new situations.

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