When to confirm 13+ offer

[june23]

Hi All, hoping to get some light on this topic. DS is in Year 6 and we did grammar school tests. We have also applied for 13+entry in independent school which we are keen to go ahead with. But looking at it, have been getting a feeling that we should have gone for 11+ as it looks like we will need to prepare again in Year 8. Seems like a never ending process 😪 . Can someone pls throw some light as what do parents usually go for? Is it that we will need to begin the process again. Some schools like Sevenoaks have test in Yr 7. And place like KGS, there's no another chance as my DS didn't get through in pre test this year.

Were there no deferred 13+ ? If you need to do year 8 tests/CE you need to stay in a prep school.

I don't understand how you've been able to apply for 13+ when your DC is in Y6, did the school allow this? Are you planning to do y7 and 8 and then move to another school in y9?

It's better to find a school with a prep for y7 and 8 and then all the children move up to the senior school together in y9.

@TeenagersAngst I'm confused as to why you're confused. Loads of parents in prep schools will apply for some 11+ schools (grammar or indie or both) but will also apply to 13+ schools in case they don't get their 11+ choice (or just decide they want to stay on in prep for Year 7 and 8 after all). And lots of 13+ schools now do their pre-tests in Year 6.

OP how did your son do in the grammar tests? Is he likely to have an 11+ offer that you're happy with? Re 13+, it can be quite a marathon, because even with pre-tests they're not always unconditional offers, and even if they are, your DS will probably still have to do CE or scholarship exams. If you've got a grammar that you're happy with, can you just ditch the 13+ option? Or might there be 11+ indies which will put you on the waiting list?

I didn't know you could apply for 13+ in y6 (3 years ahead?) We're just doing entrance exams and the only option was 11+, even where this means entering the prep for two years and then moving to the senior school at y9 (all within the same school, if that makes sense). My bad!

OP, are you on the Kent side of London and considering schools on SW train line and into Kent like Tonbridge? If so I think geographically you are in quite a unique location with probably too many options. Which grammar's have you tried for as I guess they don't have a second stage to give you guidance? If you are wanting a school like Tonbridge do you have a prep in mind for the next 2 years or are you hoping for a grammar place for years 7-8? If you lived in somewhere like Surbiton it would be more clear cut as you can take the 13 plus option for Hampton etc but you get the offer in year 6. Also Tiffin is 2 stages so you get more guidance of where your dc sits in the cohort. ie if you pass to Tiffin second stage you should pass to interview stage at KGS etc.

OP, if I've understood your post correctly, your DS has sat some 11+ grammar school exams for Y7 entry and a 13+ pre-test for Y9 entry to an independent school, but you haven't applied for Y7 entry to any independent schools. It isn't clear from your pose whether your DS is currently at a state or private primary, but I'm assuming he is not at a prep that goes to Y8 (or you wouldn't be asking about prep for Y9 exams).

Some Y9 entry senior schools who pre-test in Y6 don't insist on further entrance exams (e.g. Common Entrance) in Y8 and rely on reports of continued good academic progress. However many do still make pre-test offers that are conditional on passing further exams in Y8. Children who are at prep schools are expected to sit Common Entrance; this is a 2-year syllabus across multiple suubjects, and is difficult though not impossible) to prepare for outside the prep school system. Some schools also make provision for different Y8 exams for candidates who are at state schools and therefore haven't studied the CE syllabus.

I'd suggest thinking about the following:

Does the independent school you've applied to for Y9 entry require candidates to sit CE in Y8? If so, do they have separate requirements for students coming from state schools? You may need to ask the school diredtly if this information isn't on their website or in admissions communications you've had from them already.

If the school requires CE in Y8 and has no alternative provision for state school candidates, if your DS wants to attend this independent senior school then he really should move to a prep school for Y7 and Y8 in order to prepare for CE.

If the independent school runs separate Y8 exams for state school candidates, in theory if your DS is offered a grammar school place he could start at the grammar school in Y7 and then move in Y9 - but would you (and he) really want to do that? What if he's happy and thriving at the grammar school and doesn't want to move?

There are senior schools that run their 13+ admissions process in Y7, but I'm not sure why that would be of any benefit to you - he still has to go to school somewhere in Y7 and prepare for exams.

It is a really confusing system, especially for boys where the 11+ vs 13+ pre-test vs 13+ direct is more of a dilemma because more boys' school offer a choice of entry points.