North London selective schools - entry at 11 from state primary

[Roastchicken]

I hope some mnetters may be able to shed light on my dilemma. I'd ideally like the DCs to go to go to a good academic secondary school. Both DH and I went to state grammar schools in other countries and did really well, and we'd like to have the same option for our children, assuming they're academically inclined. As we're in North London, that may well mean private. For primary school, I'd ideally like to do state as (i) can walk to school and have very local friends (ii) the prep school I looked at felt too rarified whereas the local state had a lovely atmosphere and just felt more 'normal'(iii) the costs!

However, very few kids go private from our local primary, which has average SATs and a 'satisfactory' Ofsted, despite having a lovely atmosphere. I'm a bit concerned that if we go local, it'll then be extremely difficult to get into a really good school later on. Has anyone any experience of this? I'm happy to hire tutors at a later stage, but would this be sufficient to compensate? The alternative is to move to the catchment for a state school which does send a large proportion private/grammar, but we really like where we live now.

My two big sons (now 16 and 12) both went to a state primary and then on to a highly selective Independent school. We didn't tutor or coach for the entrace exams.

Personally, I didn't think it was necessary to pay at primary stage.

Where are you in North London?

I've done this a few years ago for dd1 (state grammar Y8) and face doing it all again for ds in a year or two. Oh joy.

I don't want to go into details on a public forum as it would make me too identifiable, and a lot of it is gossip gleaned from other people's experiences. But do CAT me if you want to discuss specifics.

move to prep school at an odd time later on in their primary career?

My neighbours got their DS1 into a very good (private) school from a good state primary at 11. But it was a bit stressful, their DS2 is bright but not inclined to knuckle down and work, and his intake at the primary had bad luck with teacher sickness/supply teachers etc, so he moved to a prep school aged 9 at the start of the summer term. With their DS3, on the basis that life was too short to have 3 boys at 3 schools. This is south London, but I cannot see that it would be so much difference up north!

You keep the state school advantages, for a bit. Your children have the disadvantage of settling into a new school mid-year.

It sounds from your post as if your children are young; if you leave it for a while you could be more confident that the prep school you choose is the right one for the child.

Yes, the DCs are young. We need to apply for primary next year, and I wouldn't really like to move them after they start school, unless absolutely necessary. We're on the Camden/Islington borders.

Roastchicken, sounds as if you're very near us. State schools will not tutor your child for entrance exams, but there's no reason why your child shouldn't do as well in a primary school as in a prep school, as long as you keep your eye on what's going on. And all those advantages you mention are very real.

Like I said, do CAT me if you want to talk offboard.

One of the reasons we went private for primary was because I was absolutely sure I wanted an independent secondary school. Our local state primary is actually very good but IMO the difference at 11 is still there. I didn't want to be one of the parents around here frantically tutoring from Y4 and clambering for the places at 11.

Roastchicken, I don't know whether you have boys or girls but watch out for alot of boys public schools having entry at 13+. This can be a problem but some prep schools will take them in yr7 to prepare for common entrance.

I know a couple of kids who got into independent secondaries with no tutoring. I think some schools take this into account and know that these kids simply haven't covered the same material but they see the potential.

We originally were going to keep both children in state primaries until year six--whereupon they'd take the 11 plus entrance exams into their selective private schools.

We changed our minds with our son, who went to the intended senior school's prep school in Year six to do the common entrance curriculum (which he'll take in year eight). Our view was that we were busy enough with children's activities without factoring in extra practice of papers and/or tutoring.

We'll probably do the same with our daughter, who'll (hopefully) go to the junior dept. of her intended senior private school. I don't want her to be the only child in the class who ISN'T going to the local comprehensive.

The one advantage with sending them to a prep school is that they will automatically do all the preparation necessary for 11plus and independent entrance exams. State primaries do no preparation for either. If you go the state route, you'll therefore need to tutor them from mid Yr 5. It does put alot of extra strain on an already full week for you and the child. However, a number of my friends have been successful in gaining independent school places for thier children coming from state primaries.

Regarding the 11 plus, be aware that it is highly competitive so check out the statistics on gaining a place in your local grammer school. I live in NE London, and in reality, you are looking at a 95% pass mark to get a grammer school place here.

We've been through this twice recently with both dcs getting into North London independents from pretty average (but lovely) state primaries. Very happy to give you more info if you CAT me.