How do private schools choose their students?

[lyonheart]

I'm not talking about the likes of Eton etc, but how does a relatively over subscribed local independent school choose it's pupils, especially one claiming to be 'non selective'? Do they choose a wide range of abilities or do they just accept those that do best on the entrance test? Do any other factors affect who is chosen and if they get a group of people all getting the same in a entrance paper, how do they choose who gets in and who doesn't?

How are they non-selective if they have an entrance test?

Non-selective schools usually have a "taster day" rather than a test. I guess it's whether they like the look of your child - sociability, manner etc - and that you don't come over as a potential parent-from-Hell

I assume you are talking about secondary entry though many preps have entrance exams too.

Some do an interview as well which presumably helps them differentiate if they have a number of pupils with the same scores. Also I believe most will ask for a report from the previous school which will give them further insight.

Different schools want different things. For example one school may lay a lot of emphasis on a child's extra curricular activities and others may look purely at their academic achievements.

I know of school locally that has number of scholarships for applicants who perform POORLY on the entry papers but are judged for other reasons to be in need of the support and facilities the school can offer. I know of a girl with severe dyslexia who got one of those scholarships

I really don't think any two schools are the same

Some have them for setting but I don't know if they just use that as an excuse IYSWIM for being selective. That's not a great way of putting it I know but I don't see how else they would choose. I also mean schools that don't do common entrance etc.

lyon all the uppers I know do Common Entrance, even the non-selective ones, it's just that you might only need 55% to get in, rather than 70% at a selective.

At Prep, it is usually a taster day for the child concerned.

Out of London particularly in middle class rural areas with good state schools many small independent schools are struggling to fill their vacancies. This may be contrary to what their websites/person in charge of admissions says. We have one of these in the next village their results/facilities are no where near as good as our comp. Basically if you can afford it you can have a place.

As someone whose DS2 is about to try for two schools claiming to be "non-selective" but still having a 3-hr entrance exam and interview, that's music to my ears Happygardening! I think that they are still oversubscribed, but since they're used as a back-up for the more selective schools, they have to offer a lot more places IYSWIM.

I've always been sceptical about these schools' emphasis on the interview because really, how much can you really tell about a child and whether they would fit in/be a credit to the school in a 10-minute interview? (especially if they're shy).

Many schools like to steer towards certain types. All the big name schools do, but I think even the smaller ones do to an extent.

eg Sporty/musical/sociable/quirky etc etc.

I know one outstanding-rated state school in London which has children sit a test specifically to ensure it can demonstrate that it has children across ALL ability ages (eg it makes sure that it is not skewed towards the top end academically). I imagine that might be done in non-selective indies too (no idea though)

1. Can the parents pay the fees
2. Does your face fit
3. Can the parents pay the fees
4. Do the parents faces fit
5. Can the parents pay the fees
6. Are the kids going to make us look good in the league tables and if not will the parents pay the fees right up till we persuade them to leave the term before GCSEs (not as rare as the schools let on)

I'm a bit at a school claiming to be non-selective, yet having a pre-admission exam.

All schools are looking for much the same at interview/taster day: a friendly child who is interested in life, who they think will be nice to have in the classroom and who fits the mood/ethos/USP of the school.

If you can pay the fees and there are no special needs you can always find a school to take your child.

Many non selective private schools will not take a child with complex SN, so they have an entrance exam. They may be happy to take a child with dyslexia or mild aspergers, but they will not be fully inclusive. Maybe not a nice thing to say, but true.

some have specified (lowish) pass rate for exam and then give places based on registration date on waiting list - so don't necessarily take the children who did best in the exam. So exam is hurdle rather than a first pass the post competition

Some very exam oriented selective schools also use criteria such as socialisation and behaviour at taster days to make sure a child is suited to the school.

Truth is if a school has place availabe - it will want to fill it.

my old school was technically selective
they selected parents who paid the fees and did not ask too many questions
one girl truanted virtually the whole of 6th form - the head actually did an assembly announcement when she came in one day
all of us bunked classes for weeks at a time - the retake crammers had a field day
parents were NEVER told : my predicted grades and reports were a lie to keep the coffers full

It depends on the selection policy of the school. A selective school most likely selects on the performance in the entrance examination, with perhaps a waiting list.

A non-selective school will be first-come first-served, most likely.

DD's previous school was non selective and had a form filled in by previous school. They deliberately took a range of abilities - banded with a certain percentage in each band, including SN of various sorts. There was an optional exam for those applying for a scholarship.

A lot of non-selective schools will have assessment days. This is not to reject pupils, but to 'get to know them' ahead of entry. It also keeps the school on the local radar.

A taster day will just be shadowing a particular pupil or class, and they are very much for the child to choose the school rather than the other way around. There won't be any testing in, for example, verbal and non-verbal reasoning.

chatting to the HT at DD's fairly mixed ability school, I asked how she managed to get such fab results (on par with some of the super selectives) and she said she was looking for bright, as in perky, girls with super-interested parents.

She also was looking for girls who wanted to throw themselves into school life and all the extra things on offer.
So a type I suppose, as opposed to simply offering places to the brightest.

It seems to work like a dream. Happy girls, like busy little bees, who all seem to do rather nicely thank you at the end. Job done, as they say.

Complete opposite to DS's secondary school which takes its admissions process very seriously. Exams, interviews, letters from current HT, housemaster and tutor, and reports going back at least two years.

No wonder they do so well. The boys are vetted to within an inch...

"I've always been sceptical about these schools' emphasis on the interview because really, how much can you really tell about a child and whether they would fit in/be a credit to the school in a 10-minute interview? (especially if they're shy)."
I too am sceptical about a 10 minute interview I know people will say that they?re experienced interviewers and thus can quickly make a decision about a child but I think the interview is probably just window dressing. Most schools especially the highly selective are only looking at the school report and the test results.

I agree with wordfactory, I understood that my dd's school would be looking for interested, enthusiastic children with a healthy balance of academic achievement and outside interests, whether they be musical or sporty. Our school is very keen on sporting accomplishments and there does seem to be an abundance of tall, strong children, which I believe could also be a factor when they are choosing pupils.

They also look to see how serious you would be about taking up a place. They want to offer places that get taken up... with no backing out. If you reveal that you have a scattering of applications across the wider local area you are less likely to be taken seriously. You need to make it seem like THIS school is absolutely your first choice.

Yes indeed.

DD's admissions took two days. A couple of exams, but lots of lessons where I'm assuming the girls were watched closely to see who did what.

DS took just one day with far more emphasis on the exam. And the interviews by all accounts were just another oral examination as one was a poetry comprehension and one was in a second language.

My DD has just done her day of exams for her indi school. I was reasonably confident that she will be offered a place until, when she was telling me what they ahd asked at the interview, she said they had asked her what hobbies she had. Her reply? Nothing! Aggggghhh! She isnt one of those children with a club every night but she could have said Guides, i play the guitar, i collect dragons, i go to swimming club..... Lets hope her spark came through in other ways! Letters to parents go out next friday.

Ours is non selective first come first served. SEN, disability etc not a factor, any child can come.

But only two year groups are full, the rest have vacancies whenever.

we-take-any-child.com has become the motto of many independent schools nowadays!