Views needed on private senior schools in South/South East

[Labro]

Hi,
Could use some help.
Looking for independent senior school for my ds for 13+ entry in September 2015.
Will consider most of South/South East
Generous bursary/scholarship package needed
Day school (don't mind boys or co-ed)
No saturday school
Strengths - science, english, art, music (plays 2 instruments currently grade 2) design & technology, history, geography and re, slightly weaker maths but still above average
Doesn't like rugby, plays reasonable football, strong at hockey.

Just been browsing Ewell Castles website - any personal views on their senior school?

The Charity Commission Website is very helpful and Lancing would appear to have a very generous bursary scheme. In 2012 98 pupils had means tested support, including 62 with scholarships and 42 with support of over 50%. Hurst appear to only attach bursaries to scholarships but of course you do need to phone the bursars to clarify as suggested. What are the admissions criteria for these schools? Your headmaster should help with this; if you can sort something out this year all the better. Although Reeds is not that academic it's becoming very popular and situated in a wealthy area with numerous prep schools within easy reach; I've since heard there was a long waiting list for 11+. Did your son practice for the VR/NVR elements? Level 7a for English at the beginning of Year 7 is very good - would there be anything in the Headmaster's report going against your son - they do have to be reasonably honest?!! Have you looked at The Good Schools Guide? I think you can sign up for a one month subscription online for about £10 - it does have some useful information.

Did your son sit SATs papers at his prep school in the summer? If yes, what was his percentage score (not the level) for maths? If school's own maths exam the percentage would be helpful too.

Hi Clavinova. They did something called PIM at the end of year 6 ( think it stands for progress in maths) which came out as 78% overall.

I haven't come across PIM - perhaps someone else can help with the score but it doesn't sound as if RGS was the right school to sit him for; in this year's KS2 SATs 78% was Level 4a - 79% being the lowest mark for Level 5 - they may not compare though.

PIM seems to be scored using standardised scores. (It's a GL Assessment thing.)

I would guess that 78% is a little above average, but not outstanding.

Well ok, that would fit in with the original post but I would be surprised if he had jumped to a Level 6 in Year 7 already; I think the prep school are being optimistic at best and you should forget schools such as RGS and Hampton. However, this kind of maths score wouldn't rule him out of schools such as Lancing, Hurst etc with a strong English score as I know DC at Epsom College with similar. I think you will just have to target 3 or 4 schools (without missing any more deadlines for testing), visit them yourself and speak to the bursars before paying your registration fees. I don't think suggesting private tutoring would help as if you're on a substantial bursary already, then I assume money is tight.
However, you can subscribe to something such as Bond11plus (Bond Online) for less than £6 per month which would help with maths/VR/NVR as they briefly explain the answers. There is also much 'free tutoring' to be viewed on YouTube; of course the prep school should help but the school holidays are long!!

'optimistic at best' with the maths level 6 - not the schools they've suggested now.

Thanks again everybody.
Going to look at King Edwards, Bedes and possibly Churchers.
Pat - why would I need an ed psych report as he doesn't have any SEN.

If he is underperforming - which would be suggested by him being forecast 80% plus CE but missing out on the pretests - then an Ed Psych could identify relative strengths and weaknesses as part of his learning profile and help him and school develop strategies towards achieving nearer his potential. Sending him to a school such as Bedes may do him a long term disservice if his academic potential is higher and is a lazy suggestion on the part of his head.