Why the new emphasis on 4+- WUS / Alleyns / etc

[MomFromSE]

It seems like schools are increasingly focusing on 4+ being their main point of entry rather than the 7+. Westminster Under School is apparently moving to include a 4+ entry which really surprised me and Alleyns main entry point is now reception having previously been most at 7. Given its always been seen as harder to assess academic potential at 4, I'm surprised schools are doing this. Any thoughts?

7 plus is the most stressful exam ever, you have to get the child to prepare, they find it stressful, you end up unfeasibly stressed and ruin your relationship with your child by bribing them, and coercing them, it doesn't actually separate the sheep from the goats. 4 plus you can't actually prep them too much so it is a bit more fair. 11 plus the child knows themselves better and can make judgements about where they would like to go and they can prep themselves a it more.

@MomFromSE : I cannot find anything about 4+ entry at WUS. Could you please point me to the source? Looks like nothing for September 2023 unfortunately.
Re. Alleyn's I know first hand as I have relatives whose children go there.
I suspect those children who are not academic enough will be "managed out".
But those who suit academically will avoid stress of 11+ exams.
One of the children from the relatives' family is 10 and does not need to do 11+. I envie them a bit. We live too fa from Alleyn's.
@SuperGinger : I was lead to believe 11+ is more stressful. Not every child can sit 7+ and they are too young to get very stressed.

Money- the longer you are at the school the more money they get!

DS started at 4+, and I’m under no illusions that it’s a business as well as a school.

Yes money, if you have the space one of quickest ways to increase income is to increase enrolment numbers. Also with the increase in 2 working parents private schools have found a demand for a dc to start at a school and stay there, the 7plus is too much parental involvement etc, ie the parents have to be quite involved in the dc's education to bother with it. If you look at an area like Twickenham 7plus entry to private preps has almost stopped, only LEH juniors that starts at 7 keeps the movement going. A school like Newland House prep that use to have a large 7plus entry now takes dc from age 3 and you only get a nursery place if you commit to Reception place etc.

I thought money at first too but it also seems like parental preference

Agree, it is money. It's a shame because there are two great pre preps near Alleyns which might now close since the schools are moving to reception entry, and it makes the school as a whole much bigger and less pleasant, but they want the extra three years income.
We never did the 4+, but watching friends and relatives it's actually pretty possible to prep for if you know what you're supposed to train them to do. Which is a measure of parental engagement at least, I suppose.

@Lily7050 I know Alleyns very well and they don't manage kids out. A friends child who got in at 4 and has severe dyslexia and the school couldn't have been more supportive. Entry to the senior school is automatic at Alleyns so there isn't a weeding out process.

@SuperGinger its on the review for the school on the Good Schools Guide. WUS is reportedly looking for premises to expand into now that the strategic decision to expand has been made. It may be years yet before they take their first reception pupils.

@prista Alleyns still has a 7+ but its much reduced in size. The expansion isn't that dramatic as they already had reception, year 1 and year 2 so were just increasing from 1 form to 2 form. A one form entry was probably too small before honestly given the class sizes are also small for more friendship choice etc. Across all 3 year groups they added about 50 pupils to the entire school, which isn't really noticeable given the total school size.

OP you appear to have answered your own question...!

Its not just Alleyns though and I really don't understand why its a broader trend. Alleyns and WUS are proper charities with endowments. The increased revenue can't be distributed to anyone. Its not like Dukes-- no one owns these schools and benefits from increased fee revenue. It all gets plowed back into the educational provision.

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They're probably just responding to demand. The head of our prep is always being pestered to considering taking pre prep aged boys by current / prospective parents wanting to get younger siblings in. I asked him myself!

@MomFromSE : If WUS wants to stay above selective grammar schools in A-level/GCSE rankings they will have to "manage out" poor performing boys.
Schools that are charities have high chance to face VAT and be forced to increase fees if Labour wins next elections. I guess they are preparing for this as some of current parents may not be able to afford 20% fees rise at once.

Overall I think it is a good thing to avoid 7+ or even 11+ exams as the children are quite young still and exams are too much stress.

WUS pupils even now don't have automatic transfer to the senior school so you can take it for granted those not up to scratch will be managed out.

I think it's about securing bums on seats. There is a similar move away from 13+ entry, with schools either introducing Y7&8 or making their Y9 place offers to pupils in Y6. They don't want to wait to offer at 13+ and have wavering families think another school's Y6 firm offer is a bird in the hand.

I think every Independent has to think about either the quality of bums on seats or just the existence of any bums in the current climate. They are all thinking about an impeding Labour government and being able to keep their numbers up if the fees have to rise.

Getting them in as early as possible then trying to retain is one strategy.

I think that's right in Dulwich for sure. What schools does WUS compete with though that start at 4+? I guess they are making the first move and it will be interesting to see if SPJ and KCS follow.

It's interesting how many schools for similar reasons (parental demand, widening pool of applicants) are going co-ed.

My daughter is 4 years old, she’ll start reception in Sept 2023. We have an offer for many independent schools apart from Allyen’s. We hadn’t really prepare her with tutor etc, wonder if this is the reason why? Do you really need to be well prepared at the 4+ assessment? Also we leave a bit far from Dulwich. Could it because of that? Do you know the criteria? Just wonder whether we should try again at 7+ and what we need to do to get a place there? Any comments welcome!

I don't think there are tutors for the 4+. I certainly didn't use one and I don't know anyone in my DD's class who did. A high quality preschool is all the preparation a child needs. People are accepted from all over London including as far as Greenwich so admission isn't based on where you live. While most people move closer once accepted there are a number of families who live a reasonable distance from Dulwich.

There usually well over 200 applicants for about 35 places so its likely just the sheer number of people applying why your child didn't get a place this time.

There are plenty of families I know personally whose children didn't get in at 4 who did get in at 7 or 11. It's definitely worth applying again if you want to.

It will be income. All schools are squeezed or at more risk due to inflation and potential VAT on fees. Lots are looking how they can increase income. Filling more places generates a lot of money quickly.

They do have to balance it with results but if you look at schools like the GDST all throughs, many of them manage it. The big top up is 11+ so they can alter the cohort then with selection.

We are west London and I imagine alleyns and WUS will do similar to Bute House prep in Hammersmith - have one or two small 4+ classes, expand the cohort to 3 big classes at 7+.

Alleyn's has had 4+ for a long time @JollyKanga It's just expanded this year to two form intake rather than one. At 7+ Alleyns still keep only two forms but with larger class sizes than in the infants. So it goes from an average class size of circa 17 in each form to about 22 (so 10 additional pupils in total). Everyone has a guaranteed spot in the secondary school.