Help with finding 13+ bursary

[Labro]

Hi,
I'm currently trying to sort out registration for my ds for 13+ admission to Senior school. He's at a prep school, identified as being gifted & talented and predicted 5a/6 for SATS. He's in year 6 and receiving a large bursary.
So far, I've registered with Lancing & Reeds, but wanted to know about any academically selective schools in Surrey, West Sussex, Berkshire, Hampshire areas (anywhere within travelling distance from Guildford. Day schools and ones most importantly who don't close their registration for 2015 now! Preferably without Saturday school (ex would have a
fit!)

Epsom (although list may be closed and has Saturday school)

Left it a bit late!

RGS Guildford might still be open for 11+ (and I can't understand why you don't mention them as it is). They also have 12+ admission, but it's slightly more competitive I believe.

Reeds not really selective.

Hampton has buses from around Guildford.

Wellington open till next year or thereabouts.

Reigate Grammar?

RGS the blindingly obvious choice, contact them ASAP.

Are you looking only at day schools? Lancing has a large boarding contingency and I'm pretty sure there would be Saturday school all day if he was in in a team/match.
Are you hoping for a scholarship and then topping it up with a bursary or just a large bursary; the latter is much harder to find in the current climate. Have you spoken to your head what and where does he suggest?

I didn't look at RGS initially as DS has had some bad experiences with boys bullyimg him, plus they seemed very sporty. Added to that they do that odd system where they test at 11+ and then defer the place (seems odd to me to test a child in January 2013 for entry in September 2015! Epsom has closed their list, as has St Johns. Looking for a bursary primarily and possibly scholarship as his current school haven't confirmed whether hes scholarship or not and until a few weeks ago had left me very much out in the cold whilst focusing on the fee payers! Applied to St Georges but ex husband refused to sign the forms and they wouldn't process the application, which was when his headmaster mentioned that Reeds could be a good option. I'm not opposed to Saturday school, though ex would likely to spit his dummy out. I don't really understand the independent system and ds only started at current school at the beginning of year 5 as I was finding he was already way beyond yr 6 work.

Could you please explain what you mean about boys bullying him?

I don't think RGS is sporty. All independent schools offer sport, and RGS is pretty much baseline, you really only get more sporty than them. The more academic schools like RGS will tend to do less sport, whereas the less academic ones, like Reeds will have more sporty types, and hence do more sport.

The 11+ system is in fact quite common among 13+ schools, they do more of an IQ test at 11, and then follow up with the Common Entrance at 13+ to do the full spectrum of subjects, but essentially if you passed at 11+ for a given school you are 95%+ likely to pass the Common Entrance for that school. And in any case you can apply at 12+ for RGS.

If your son is beyond Y6 at Y5, then he should be looking at one of the top selective schools, there are some lists here:

rankings.ft.com/secondary-schools/secondary-schools-2012

RGS is the top choice in your area, at #15 on that list.

Hampton #21.

City of London Freemen's School #45 (don't know much about this)

Brighton College has buses from areas south of Guildford

www.brightoncollege.org.uk/media/20160/bus_routes.pdf

Reigate Grammar.

Another list here:

www.telegraph.co.uk/education/leaguetables/9551003/GCSE-results-2012-Independent-school-results-table.html

There are more choices a bit further out of reach, e.g., St Albans, Haberdashers Askes, Merchant Taylors, Sevenoaks, Caterham, Whitgift, etc.

He's currently Yr 6, predicted level 5a/6 in SATS. The bullying was mainly a problem in the state system and slightly at this school. Boys being too 'physical' and threatening then attempting to beat him up when he said he hates rugby, he's a thinker and loves dt, science, english, history etc.
The biggest problem we have is schools refusing to accept my signature only.
Will also have another look at Brighton & the others. Have looked at Reigate, though slightly put off by the fact they teach mixed ability setting.

Again I'm confused why bullying in his state primary/current prep is putting you off RGS?

If you want a more cerebral school, you will need to look at schools towards the top of the rankings, and RGS is the top of the heap in your area of search.

Obviously they do play rugby, but then Reeds is also a rugby school, but with less of the cerebral aspect.

If you compare the extra-curricular activities for instance:

RGS:
www.rgs-guildford.co.uk/page_viewer.asp?page=Club+Times&pid=818

Reeds:
www.reeds.surrey.sch.uk/userfiles/PDFs/Autumn_Activities_Options_2012.pdf

you'll see RGS runs chess 5 days a week instead of one. How much more geeky do you want?

The other clubs look a bit more geeky, and less sporty, too.

I'm very much learning as I go along so many thanks for the help. I think it was more the fact that the bullying put him off from considering an all boy environment, rather than RGS itself, which meant I was looking for co-ed. Now, its worth considering, I'll have a proper look at their registration and examination details today, they didn't seem to give information on the 12+ testing when I looked, do they still have to be registered by the end of this week!

Reigate Grammar do stream after first year and the new head may well make further changes. Apparently he already has options-wise for current 1st & 2nd years.

Registered for 11+ test for deferred entry at 13+ at RGS (gulp) says all over their info that there is no past papers etc, bit worried as hes only been in a prep school since year 5! They said 12+ testing doesn't really happen any more

Which is a sort of lie! We have a child in yr 7 about to do the 12+ entry to RGS, he failed the English last time around (unexpectedly).

Don't worry if he doesn't get in, lots don't, they are over subscribed and many perfectly capable children are turned away each year.

Thanks, not worried at all, if he doesn't get in then theres plenty of other options, including good state schools.

OP we too were on a substantial bursary at one of the countries top boarding preps most of the parents were frankly absolutely loaded never once were we treated like 2nd class citizens by any staff at the schools. Meetings about the next school were given the same priority as those who were on the Sunday Times rich list. Most preps give bursaries to very bright children not only for altruistic reasons, they are also hoping that they will go onto big name senior schools preferably of course with a scholarship its also all part of their general marketing. The head at my DS's old prep was always aware that we would need a substantial bursary into a senior school (boarding and we don't have £33000 that we don't know what to spend it on) and advised us accordingly and in fact at our 1st choice of school put in a "good word" for us. Your prep has taken your DS knowing your going to need a bursary again so should be very proactive in ensuring that you apply to the right schools.
There is lots of advise on MN about applying for bursaries you can search it and I have often written about my experiences. Large bursaries unattached to scholarships are not so easy to find so do speak honestly and openly to the bursar before going to far down the admissions process and make an appointment ASAP to discuss with your head where you should look at and if he is scholarship material, I know nothing about SATS levels because we've never been in state ed.so don't know if your DS's are good or not.
You write about your DSs experience of bullying "Boys being too 'physical' and threatening then attempting to beat him up when he said he hates rugby, he's a thinker and loves dt, science, english, history etc. not liking." This is going to be a bit of a problem most independent schools whether they be day or boarding coed or single sex usually do more sport than in the state sector (its one of there selling points for many parents) most make a term of rugby compulsory especially in the first couple of years and there are many bright thinking boys who are also mad on rugby too. In fact I only know of one that doesn't and its boarding (although there maybe others out there) but at senior school where there are basically more children there will be others like your DS who don't like rugby so hopefully he wont feel so alone.

Many thanks,
We're getting there. I think I caused my own problems by making initial decisions without asking for that important appointment, which was through my own ignorance rather than the school. By the time he's year 8 I think he'll understand rugby better (was a shock going from minor playing of tag rugby for 10 minutes a fortnight to full on contact rugby 4 times a week!) Need to get over my own nerves round headteachers and realise that these are actually friendly and want the best for ds

Winchester doesn't do rugby and isn't overly sporty (according to happygardening who knows lots about that school). It does have an 18 hole golf course which appears to be the main reason ds wants to go there!

As for moving from tag to contact, all the boys pretty much find the same. Some boys I know who loved tag absolutely hated contact as they didn't like tackling or being tackling.

Sorry, ignore my previous post. I've just re-read your OP and seen you are only considering day schools.

Just considering Brighton College for my son who is a late developer.
Strong in maths but average in English. What is the competition like.
We are looking for him to sit the pretest at 13plus.

Thank you

Why don't you start your own thread, you will get more response then.

As moid suggests, I'd start a new thread.
But, Brighton is very competitive with bursaries only being about 1/3 of a years fees.