Template for a Head's reports for independent schools 11+?

[farewelltoarms]

Hello for various complicated reasons my dc's school doesn't have a head at the moment.

We are possibly going to put eldest in for independent school 11+ but I'm worried that their admissions section all say they put a lot of weight on the head's report. Seems to rather favour those coming from prep schools. Or at the very least, schools with a head…

Does anyone know where I could find a template or an example of a head's report? I want to supply the primary school with as much information as possible in order that they can cobble something together.

My DS's Head's report consisted of a copy of his end of year report from the previous July a really supportive and helpful school. He got offers of two places based on it though.

Thanks for this Seeline, it's reassuring.

I wonder if they overstate the importance of a head's report. Maybe sats levels and attendance levels are all that's really relevant. Bet they get sick of all that 'he's an asset to the school', 'she's grade 3 piano' stuff.

Ours was at 10+ but I doubt that it makes much difference. I think probably the interview is the most important element. the report just shows that they are reasonably well behaved and reasonably intelligent. Most of my DSs 'achievement' were outside of his primary school - they would not have had a clue that he was working for his grade 3 piano (I Know - he was a bit behind )

Wouldn't the simplest thing be for the senior person in the present school to phone the senior school and clarify exactly what information they would want to see in the report? (I agree it won't be anything complicated.)

But I'd say it would be best if you stay quite far away from this part of the process....

you don't normally get involved in this part of the process. Ask current school to contact potential new school if they need help with what is needed or vice versa - presumably even without a head there is a deputy or a senior teacher.
References vary from the most recent report to a full blown reference, but parents don't get to see them.

Yes maybe you're right Zero. But there isn't really a senior person to do this (complicated but lots of temporary staff) and frankly they've got more important things to do at the moment. It's more that I wanted to know what outside interests were usually listed so I could at least supply them. Not trying to dictate it, but to make it easier.

Yikes to the interview being most important! Child not particularly articulate...

OK. (You're worrying me now OP.) Surely your child has a class teacher? Or are they part of a disintegrating HE group?

I would have said that your child's future is at least as important as anything else they're dealing with. I'm sure it would be fine for you to hand a note to the relevant person with your list attached - just to be helpful.

Do you know that the senior school will be interviewing? Is the school selective? Does your child want to go? (Sorry, not helpful...Just wondering how much of a disadvantage lack of articulacy might prove to be.)

Yes v selective schools (London) and will interview if he does well enough in the exams.

Yes he does have a class teacher! And there are senior staff, they just don't know him and things are quite difficult for the school at the moment because of the absence of a head. Also I'm not convinced that writing reports for private secondaries is ever their priority (the ones for social services are more pressing). Can't say I blame them.

He's not very articulate, but he is very sweet. So that's alright then...

All a bit moot at the moment as I haven't registered him.

erm….. you haven't registered him? But you're worrying about the current schools report? I would worry more about registering him first!!! Especially if they are very selective schools…..

Some schools have closed their lists, and the rest will close by end of November, so you may as well register and have a go.

You can tell the admissions staff of your potential destination school/s what the current difficulties surrounding a reference are. They will have encountered this before (because of temporary disarray in a school or a notorious unco-operative head, or an overseas applicant etc) and should be able to work around it.

This is the template supplied by the organisation which prepares the Common Entrance Exams (at 13+). Will give you an idea.

That's exactly what I was after FlyingFortress. Thank you very much.

None of the schools we're looking at close their lists until the end of November and it makes no difference when before that date you send in your form. They don't close the lists or anything but examine as many as register. I think there's a myth that selective schools reward early enrolment - they just want the cleverest/readiest/best prepared kids and making it all about putting their names down at birth wouldn't give them the widest pond to fish in.

Having said that, I might as well bite the bullet and pay up my money and get him down, whether we do the exams or not. The cost involved is negligible in relation to the fees (gulp).

St Paul's and Westminster Under School will have both closed their lists I believe, so it all depends on what you mean by v selective schools. But good luck.

We did consider one of those two and my hand hovered over the mouse for the application form last month but didn't think it was for him, ultimately.

So, no, not that selective (but not far off!)