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Original poster

Prep school admission test for reception class

223 replies

Sue9 · 02/10/2008 04:35

Hello, my DS is to have an informal assessment in November, for a reception place in 2009.

Does anyone know what sort of tests they give to 3 year olds?

Since the prep school takes the vast majority of their students at reception, and most get the independent school places they want at 11+. I am assuming their testing at age 3 is accurately predicting future performance at 11+.

I just don?t know what tests they will give him on the day. I really would like to prepare him for it if possible.

Could someone please help?

OP posts:
jujumaman · 08/10/2008 16:46

chipmunks
sounds like you'll be taking the private route then? I went back to the state school yesterday and after being shown round by the inspirational headmistress have decided it's the one for us

rukmal · 08/10/2008 16:53

Can anyone help? My son is 4 and is in a pre-prep. I have registered him for entry to Kings College, Wimbledon and Colet Court, St Paul's for age 7. I would be so grateful if anyone could please let me know any tips on the entrance tests for these schools and do you know of any good tutors my son could use that would help him prepare for those tests?

AbbeyA · 08/10/2008 17:11

If you are paying for your DSs pre prep what are they spending the money on if they are not teaching him? If he works well at school, they are teaching him the things he needs to know and he is reasonably intelligent, he should be ready for the tests. They should be low key. If he has to do extra work and you are thinking of tutors before he reaches the age of 5 yrs then I would question whether he is suited to any of these schools. I have come to the conclusion that selection is fine, it is the parents that are the problem. (sorry rukmal, I am not getting just at you, you just happen to have asked the question). It has been a long thread and I would agree that selection has a place (although not before 13yrs IMO) BUT it should be a level playing field and children should not be taught to the test.

myredcardigan · 08/10/2008 17:28

To answer the OP, at my DCs school they went off for half hour with the head of infants.
Tasks were
-picking out which was his name.
-Choosing the letters to spell his name.
-Counting small groups of objects
-baby animals (kitten,lamb etc)
-knowledge of 2Dshapes.
-Knowledge of colours.
-Asked to draw his face.
-shown expressions and asked which were happy, sad etc.

  • observed using scissors
-pencil grip observed. -listened to story on carpet for 10mins. -He was also asked what he likes play with/at and if he does any sports like swimming or judo.

He was not tested on reading or writing or adding or anything like that. School is academically selective but say they are looking for potential at that age.

I know all this from another mum who was accidently given a copy of the 'checklist'and from little bits and pieces from DS although initially they apparently did 'nothing' according to him.

myredcardigan · 08/10/2008 17:29

Oh and a jigsaw puzzle too

AbbeyA · 08/10/2008 17:39

I think it is a great shame that you have said this redcardigan-poor little 3 yrs olds will now be having lessons on drawing faces, learning shapes etc. A parent should be doing all that anyway in a completely natural way, they shouldn't be doing it for a test!

jujumaman · 08/10/2008 17:52

Rukmal
The job of a pre prep is to prepare your child for these exams, as abbey who has spoken sense throughout this thread has said, if it doesn't then you're not getting your money's worth. Have you spoken to the teachers at the pre-prep about this?
And also agree with abbey that it was a bit naughty to publish that list rc, three year olds across the land will be being drilled relentlessly now.

chipmunkswhereareyou · 08/10/2008 17:53

Juju - we still haven't decided for sure....the private option is wonderful but all boys and a fair drive away. We're still very confused!!

jujumaman · 08/10/2008 18:10

chipmunks, your pain is my pain

Have you visited the state school and talked to some parents? As I said, that was the clincher for me (though dh is away and he may suddenly display new strong views, so still not a done deal.)

All boys and all private from 4 to 18 does sound a bit stifling, or at least that's what I think for the mirror image all girls situation.

My friends who do school runs are advising me to avoid it as long as possible, saying they're hell on earth. . Coincidentally I've had to talk to a few private school heads in connection with work this week and bored them with the dilemma and they've advised to go state, saying most are perfectly fine at this age and the credit crunch means you'll deffo be able to find a private place anyway should you decide to bail out. But it's such a bloomin' personal decision.

myredcardigan · 08/10/2008 18:22

Abbey, why a great shame?
So it's ok for you to post your opinion on this thread but not ok for me to answer the OPs question?

MrsMattie · 08/10/2008 18:23

Looking for potential at the age of 3? FFS.

pagwatch · 08/10/2008 18:26

@ Mrs Mattie
I have spotted you and i at the opposite end of a couple of these lately and thought I should just mention that I disagree with you totally but I think you are luverly

myredcardigan · 08/10/2008 18:27

Why can'tI answer the OPs question?????
She asked for an idea of what they do,I have given her that.
If you don't like it or disagree with it,fine. But I am allowed to answer the question on the thread. It's not just a forum to express shock and disgust.

MrsMattie · 08/10/2008 18:28
  • thankyou!l@pagwatch.

I need to stay away from these threads! I'm not sure they're good for my blood pressure. But I just can't resist opening my big gob. [smile

I don't hold anyone's opinion against them, either, you'll be glad to know . OK, maybe Xenia...

Ah, even she's OK, really lol

singersgirl · 08/10/2008 18:37

People who hope to get their sons into Colet Court or KCS will say that the tests are anything but low key. I know one little boy who told me that he was 'dead meat' if he didn't get in to one of them and his dad was going to throw his toys away.

Several children I know who have done the pre-prep route were tutored from Y1 to get into those schools (including that boy), as well as massively prepped by the school. They are bright, not extraordinary, kids who have been taught to the test. I think most 7 year olds who hadn't been prepped extensively would not get in. These schools know what people will do to get places and set their bar accordingly.

myredcardigan · 08/10/2008 18:38

Rubbish, I had a good idea what would be asked of him beforehand and did no preparation with him whatsoever other than to read to him regularly and encourage an interest in the world around him.

What would be the point of getting him through the interview if he couldn't cope with the work when he got there?

MN archives are full of similar lists I would imagine, as is the internet.

pagwatch · 08/10/2008 18:43

that must be that particular school and those particular parents.
My Ds1 has sat entrance exams for one school at 7 and for two at 11. He has never had any coaching whatsoever and we had no idea what the tests would be until he turned up.( otherthan a general note from the school that they would get papers on english and maths and an informal interview)
My personal view has been always that it is frankly stupid to coach a child for a test because ifthey need that kind of support to scrape through the testing then it is clearly not the school for them.
I would never want my child to be at a school where they would always be struggling to keep up - why would anyone do that?
When DS1 has tried schools we have always just said do your best and tell us if you like the school and the staff and the other boys.
He has never been under any pressure about it.

squeaver · 08/10/2008 18:51

As always seems to happen, I have an example of North London pre-prep madness related to this!

One ex-teacher of girls pre-prep round here decided to set herself up in business tutoring little girls going for their assessment at 3. Obviously got a load of business from certain parents. Let's call her Mabel.

School got wind of it. Girls arrive for their assessment, get taken into a room away from the parents. Headmistress asks "Now put up your hand if you know Mabel?". Cue a forest of little arms. All those girls immediately marked down before they'd even started.

My experience is this: don't prepare them; let them be themselves; turn it into an exciting adventure so they have fun. That's when they're at their best after all.

If they get a place congratulate yourself on having a child-genius. If not, mutter "fuck 'em" under your breath and MOVE ON.

Oh and redicardigan's list pretty much covers it btw.

AbbeyA · 08/10/2008 19:05

I am overcome juju to have someone agrees with me!
I don't think that you can have read the entire thread redcardigan or you would know exactly why I think it is a bad thing to answer the question of OP.
At 3 yrs all you should say is that they are going out to play and will do some fun things. I am pleasantly surprised to find that schools take the DC apart and don't let the pushy concerned parent anywhere near their DC doing the tests. A parent should be talking to their DC, playing games, doing jigsaws and drawing etc, as a matter of course. After your little list I imagine OP and others will be making sure that their DC can draw a face by showing them what to do, making them cut out even if they don't want to etc. At 3 yrs old DCs should be free to experiment. Intelligence will shine through, if I was a Head I would be very impressed with the DC, discussed much earlier, who when asked if he could build a tower of bricks said, 'Yes' but when asked if he would build a tower said 'No'. He sounded very sensible!

ScummyMummy · 08/10/2008 19:08

That is awful, singersgirl.

They test whether your kid is compliant, whether it is wearing startrite shoes and whether it will look right in those funny smock things that only private school nurseries and receptions use.

My motto for any 3 year olds who are reading is:

Choose Insurrection
Not Selection

AbbeyA · 08/10/2008 19:12

Brilliant squeaver! I had already decided that if I was a Head I would talk to the DCs, and anyone who had been tutored or been drilled by their parents wouldn't get a place.
Singersgirls's story of the dad throwing toys away if his DS failed is unbelievably sad. I can't imagine who would want to put their DCs through all the misery! I wouldn't even consider some of the schools mentioned.

AbbeyA · 08/10/2008 19:33

I don't actually agree with Xenia's ideas on selection because I don't see why a 5yr old with an IQ of 120 can't be in a class with a 5yr old with an average IQ score. However I much prefer her method to the alternative of tutoring and drilling. If I understand it properly she is leaving it to her DCs ability and the school's ability to discover it. If you have a class of DCs of high IQ it is unfair to put an average DC there merely because they have been drilled. They have to cope once they get there. I think every parent should have an attitude like pagwatch. If your DC doesn't get a place then they weren't suited-find a school that does suit them.

Judy1234 · 08/10/2008 19:57

Yes, we necer drilled them and the aim was get them in at 4 or 5 so they didn't have stress of exams at 7, 11 or 13. Didn't work out that way for all five but it is a reasonable plan, that they get in if they're clever at 4 or 5 and then don't have the pressure as they are too young to know what is what.

We did find someone to give daughter 2 some practice papers before she tried for a school at 7 where she got in simply because i wanted her to have some practice and the school she was then at in Kensington prepared girls for entrance tests at 11 and 13 not 7. But all that was was an hour a week with a teacher and then we did practise timetables and there she is tonight age 21 very keen on what she's just started studying and I don't see any evidence of problems caused by her being in a selective girl's school, no problems at university and no problems now and loads of benefits.

My ex husband has taught for years in both sectors and seen so many parents and all the issues on the thread. He would say that you can spot the tutored ones, the over tutored ones (a bit of practise of exam papers which my mother a teacher did with my brother so he passed a 7+ exam a year early wasn't the same as over tutoring). The over tutored ones are scared if they fail. They hgave a dullness about them, they don't shine, they just work to a test. They don't have innovative ideas and spark when you speak to them. If they are too thick to be there you hope that will be clear at the interview anyway. If they get in and then struggle it's not in their interests.

myredcardigan · 08/10/2008 20:09

Abbey, I already said that we didn't do any prep with him. As far as he knew a nice lady wanted to chat to him and ask him all about what he liked and didn't like. He was fine with that. AT NO POINT did he have any idea that he was being assessed.
I was not in with him and yes,I have read the entire thread.

As I said in my earlier post, what would be the point of prepping him for the assessment just for him to get in and be unable to cope with the work once he got there? That would be a recipe for disaster not only academically but also emotionally. Believe it or not, my children's emotional wellbeing matters more to me that any other part of their 'education'.

Quattrocento · 08/10/2008 20:12

Abbey, you've posted at length on this thread, and I still don't get your point.

Not one parent on this thread has drilled their children for entry at 3. Not one. Nor has anyone on this thread supported the drilling of three year olds.

In fact, I cannot imagine that its possible to drill a 3 year old. I couldn't persuade mine to stop sucking his thumb. I certainly don't know any parents who did drill their 3 year olds.

So pontificating about parents who drill their children is just not relevant. It's only happening in your imagination.