Are there non-selective private senior schools?

[PrettyBelle]

Hello! DS will be sitting 11+ exams next year and there are not that many senior boys' schools around us (Shalford). RGS will be the first choice, there is also Duke of Kent, Reeds and Royal School (the last two are quite far away already). Is there going to be tough competition for places in all these schools? DS is bright and hard-working but he is in state school now and you never know. What other options would he have otherwise? (except for the state secondary, obviously).

crikey - wish they'd put this up on their admissions pages. So St J's currently state that 'The closing date for applications is 1 November, when a pupil is in Year 6.' and that -
c. Registered pupils are invited to attend a pre-assessment session at the end of January, when a pupil is in Year 6'

But are you saying that in reality registration is effectively closed long before that? as only the first say 500 names on the list get to pretest. Are parents registering in year 3??

I spoke to them in November (he is in Y6) and they said my DS could apply late if we wanted to. I don't think it's possible to make blanket statements about such and such a school being 'closed'.

I know many on here are very keen on selective schools whether private or state; I'm not. DS attended a non selective senior school from year 9 to year 11. He was never held back academically & in fact was pushed to achieve his absolute best & he's now much more confident in his abilities. DS left last year with excellent GCSE grades & now attends a more local state sixth form college.

Also OP I'd suggest looking at local prep schools as it may benefit your son to be top of the school for a couple of years rather than bottom of a larger senior school. Some preps don't have n entrance exam, some do. DS took an exam for one school & gained a place whereas the other prep school was a simple interview with the HT.The advantage with a prep schoolis its hugely helpful academically as it prepares pupils for the common entrance exams for senior schools. As DS was also down for another selective senior school, the two year CE syllabus & exam practice his school offered became invaluable. With that wonderful gift of hindsight, we would make the same choice again to go for a prep at age 11.

Lastly, don't rule out the local state option. Local gossip can be extremely unhelpful & the truth may have been distorted. Visit the local school/s & see what it has on offer. in the long run it could save you a small fortune!

Thanks everyone SO MUCH for your helpful advice and insights into the senior school situation!

Mutteroo, your post was very reassuring since it seems as though DS would have to attend a school quite far away from our town, if things don't go to plan with RGS. That's not ideal since both me and hubby commute to London for work and DD will be at a different school, so two school runs. And therefore I would much rather send him for years 7 and 8 to Lanesborough or Cranmore - I liked the latter a lot and now wish I'd sent DS there in Year 4 but decided to save on school fees.

I guess I just have to make sure that I put his name down for 13+ assessment in time.

We are in catchment for supposedly really good state secondary schools but knowing DS I am concerned that he will get lost there and his learning would not be so effective as in a private school. Couldn't argue re the small fortune though! - hence up at 3 am earning money in advance. :)

Not sure if you are still looking around for schools but thought I would mention King Edwards in Witley again since my son has been there since 1st Form (year 7) and is now doing his GCSE's. We have been very happy there and it's not an exam factory but gets good results. Co-ed, entrance in years 7 and 9 so there is a choice, fantastic facilities, plenty of sport, no saturday school, good balance of boarders to day pupils, direct trains from Guildford to Witley so can walk easily from station to school. Excellent seperate junior school houses for years 7 and 8. Confused by homebythesea's comments on bullying since my son has not been subject to any and any issues that I know about are not tolerated and dealt with as in any other school!! Worth a visit to the Open days - next one 27th April
Any questions, happy to try and help.

If you want to consider St Johns Leatherhead 13+ then you need to register very soon as they pre-test in Year6 and close the registrations well before then, open days very limited too. Box Hill less selective, as is Ewell Castle.