Approaching anti-private head at state primary for reference

[owhatashambles]

I’m a governor at a state primary with a very anti-private school head. Having seen the data that other parents don’t access and knowing what’s coming in terms of funding cuts for the school, I’m thinking of getting DD apply for selective indies next year. She is broadly happy but not at all stretched and I fear leaving it till secondary will be too late. We live in a terrible spot for state secondaries. I’d prefer to change her in year 5 thus avoiding all the Sats nonsense but not sure selective day schools take kids then. The school I’m thinking of for her wants references from the head. How on earth do I go about doing that when the head won’t even mention the fact there are grammar schools out there let alone private schools?

Don't worry about it. She's your child and if you believe it's in her best interests then that's completely up to you.

Your head might not like it but he is not her parent and he will have been in education long enough to understand that most parents will do whatever they have to in order to secure the best chances for their own child.

Don't worry about what he thinks.

Most private schools we looked at only wanted a heads reference if coming from another private school. If coming from state then the last school report was fine. Ask them for clarity as to what they expect.

Local private schools will know (if only by reputation sometimes) heads of other local schools. This head won't be singling out your DD for lack of reference, or short, discourteous one and the applicant school will know that all references from school X are like that.

Ask, but don't worry about upshot. Assessments for an ad hoc place in year 5 may nit be fpthe same as for the general entry points anyhow. And it's not a bid time to move. If a school has a vacancy, I'd expect them to fill it when there is still that much time until secondary transfer process. I would't leave it any later to join a prep.

Thank you for all your replies.
Newt what sort of assessments do they do for year 5 that are different from yet 3 entry? We are looking at one of the Dulwich schools (don’t want to put myself). In an ideal world we would wait till secondary but I am slightly spooked by the idea it will be too late by then (given how it is increasingly competitive each year). Am also pondering the impact of Brexit on the other hand - fall in demand? A Jeremy Corbyn govt would also possibly lead to loss of charitable status and imposition of corp tax and then we really couldn’t afford it - esp for 2 DCs!

Speak to the registrars at schools you will be applying to. They know that some Heads will allow their political views to show through in their references. Apparently at one London Primary a teaching assistant was deputed to write such references. Senior schools will probably be relaxed about it, or you might suggest someone else (sports coach, brownies leader, etc) who could provide a second reference.

We had a similar problem with a Prep Head who had quite a downer on our DD and disagreed with our choice of secondary schools. (He did not "believe" in dyslexia.) In the end a compromise was reached whereby the Deputy Head wrote the reference, plus where she could, DD applied for sports scholarships which required additional references.

For the main entry points, there wil, be a set proacudre and all applicants with go through exam/assessment.

For an ad hoc place, there may or may not be an exam (depends on the number of vacancies and number they have interested) and there may well be a taster day - depends which school and which year group. Alleyns for example have a main entry point at 9+, DC run a mini entrance round for a small number of joiners (4-10 places? depends on number in the school) for years 4 and 5 together - exam and activity day, JAPS is ad hoc other than 4+ and 7+.

Brexit might increase pressure on day school places in London, as it did during the credit crunch, when parents who might otherwise have gone for boarding schools chose the (slightly cheaper) option of day school instead.

Loss of charitable status would mean an increase of about £200 per pupil per term on the fees, and given the sheer bloody expense of London schools in the first place I think that will make no difference.

But post-Brexit a British government could decide that whatever successor tax to VAT could apply to education fees (currently exempt at EU level). This could be a major increase in fees - but I think it is still a few years away, and may well start at a low rate (but I wouldn't bet against it growing)

Parents don't normally get involved with references at all - the private school will approach your child's current school without you seeing or hearing anything unless there is a problem. Perhaps you might want to send a brief note to your head out of courtesy, but only if you have a reasonably close relationship with them as a governor - otherwise I wouldn't bother. As for a Jeremy Corbyn govt .... nothing to stop the Dulwich schools reducing the number of full bursaries they give out and awarding more scholarships and bursaries to middle-income families.

It would be polite to send an email to the Primary Head to say you are considering another school and that they will be seeking a reference.....it wouldn't be great if the first the Head knew about you considering elsewhere was a request for reference from the other school.

As a governor, depending on how well you know the Head, it might be polite to have a conversation about it too - it doesn't matter if you find it a little awkward - if you knew a Boss well and were applying for another job, it would be a courtesy to let them know and briefly talk it through - this isn't asking permission, just telling them. The Head will be impnterested to know why you're doing this - any email or conversation can be worded to show you aren't letting them know so you can debate it, but to let them know and give reasons.

And it's worth mentioning positives about the current school. Even if mentioning funding cuts as being a worry, be clear your DC has been happy and that in many ways, it's regrettable. Being positive is important.

Don't be worried about this. the Head is a professional. Every day, they deal with parents making choices which might not be those they would make, and they deal with it. Just be honest and clear....not apologetic or grovelly, but friendly, clear and show appreciation for what the school has done for your child and for them writing a reference.

And if you plan to continue as governor, make that clear too.

Might be worth just mentioning to the new private school about your current schools head has objections towards private school and have doubts about him providing a reference ?

Our primary Head didn’t provide a reference when asked. I did, out of courtesy, mention the application and it was for the end of y6 to go to an independent boarding school. So she didn’t write one. When asked, I sent DDs last report. She did all the entry tests and interview and got a place without the head’s support. The head objected to independent schools and boarding - so a double whammy!

The Head also was supposed to allow Dd to sit scholarship exams at the primary school for entry into another school. Apparently they were sat on the wrong days and DD was given scraps of paper to write on. I had written to the head about it and the school secretary said they would organise it. The second school gave her a place based on their assessment day where she created a favourable impression. If I had known the head would do this, we wouldn’t have agreed to any external exams. The Head also put Dd in a very difficult position. She knew she hadn’t taken the exams. She wouldn’t speak to me about how the exams had gone on the days she was supposed to sit them. Dd covered up that she had not sat them. I just got “it was all ok Mum” when I asked. DD was 10.

Your problems cannot be worse then this comedy of errors and deceit.

In the face of cuts and mounting workload, is it in the job description of teachers paid by state schools to take on the extra work of writing a reference not required within the state system?

To look at it from the Head’s possible pov?

If the head teacher is not willing to write a reference for your child , Could you approach a head of department or your childs form tutor ?

As a pp said, I'd explain to the head of the independent school that the head of your dd's present school is anti private education and so would not be prepared to give a reference.

My DD’s Private School doesn’t ask for references from their previous school so not all do

Most Heads I have met would write a reference. It’s hardly a lot of work. Where I am a governor, a child took entrance exams for a very prestigious girls school and we, as governors, agreed to her taking the day off to organise everything for the child. It is about caring for individuals. The child in this case got the scholarship and a bursary.

Why should a child’s chances be blunted by a Head with political convictions that outweigh doing the right thing?

Bubbles, as I suggested up-thread there will be some heads who are deeply committed to the state sector, and will not see writing a reference as part of their role, nor indeed that the failure to do so would ‘blunt’ a child’s chances.

Private schools know this, which is why it would be worth speaking to the Registrar to see if there is a way round.