Year 6 private school places - South London area

[poppydopolous]

We shall be returning to UK in Summer 2010 and looking for a year 6 place for our ds. We know from colleagues it is impossible to get a place in a (good) state school from abroad as they refuse to consider your application until you are resident in the area. Seems that despite all the rhetoric on choice places are still allocated on the basis of distance from the school. We do not want to move to an area and then find we do not get a place at the school of our choice and have to bus the poor boy miles in the opposite direction. So - we are thinking about the private sector. Reading these pages I get the impression that London preps are only intersted in junior Einsteins. Now DS is not daft, but not in the genius category either. He is sporty and does speak French and German though in addition to English. What are our chances of getting a place at a South London prep eg Thomas', Dulwich College Prep, or similar. Are some easier to get into than others?

[LetsEscape]

A school that is going up to 13 (year8) would be more willing than a school that finishes at end of year 6, where they are unlikely to take a child at this stage as they will be in full swing of preparation for 11+ secondary school exams which take place in January of year6.
However, generally schools with an entrance at 13+ (e.g. St Pauls, Westminster, Kings)are the most academic and selective. You may find a school that has it's own attached secondary school more willing to accept a child at this stage and that would prevent a need to change schools again.

[mimsum]

how about considering one of the schools with 10+ entry? Whitgift and Trinity both take 10+ as well as 11+ and are both very sporty - the exams for 2010 entry are in January along with 11+

King's College in Wimbledon takes boys into the junior dept at 10 - not sure how many they take then but were certainly happy for ds to start then (we decided against in the end)

Alleyn's has its own junior dept and most go onto senior so also might be worth a go

Emanuel has a tiny y6 entry and is much less academic but if your ds is good at rugby, rowing or cricket might be worth a look

[singersgirl]

Lots of good state schools do have places in Y6, though, as there tends to be a drift out of London towards the end of primary school. The current Y6 at our OFSTED Outstanding state primary only has about 50 pupils against a roll of 60.

[LadyMuck]

I guess the more important question is what are your plans for Years 7,8 and 9? Once you know your plan for those years, then your options for Year 6 are more clear.

As Singersgirl has said, your colleagues may not be as knowledgeable about state school places for Year 6 as you might think. And the fact that some private schools do have a 10+ intake means that there are pupils leaving good schools in the state sector at the end of year 5. Equally when pupils pass junior entrance/11+ into a private school parents then sometimes the parents will look to move younger siblings to the attached prep school in order to improve the chances of the sibling following.

Whilst you can't apply yet, you can still phone the school to see if they have places.

[PortAndLemon]

There's Hurlingham in West London.

[PortAndLemon]

I didn't mean Hurlingham [d'oh], I meant Harrodian.

Hurlingham is a good school, mind you, but only draws pupils from Wandsworth and possibly the southern bits of Fulham because they are big on being part of the local community.

[karise]

How about somewhere with a grammar system like Bexley or Bromley?

[snorkle]

Not quite S London, but RGS High Wycombe (state grammar) probably would accept applications whereever in the world you lived as they have a small boarding section. Boarding pupils can then become day pupils.

[MollieO]

snorkle is that true about RGS? Everything I've read has said that boarding pupils can't transfer to day.

[snorkle]

a relative of mine did.

[snorkle]

but that was a while ago - perhaps the rules have changed. Definitely don't take anything for granted.

[daisysue2]

There are quite a few school in Surrey which do buses from Wimbledon who I know would have places in year 6.

[Singstar]

Have a look at Eltham College as well - its got a junior section as well as a senior school and its got a good reputation. St Olaves in New Eltham is a good private junior school which I think has a couple of places (in the current climate there are more spaces are becoming available. Look at St Dunstans in Catford as well (although not sure if this has junior school). I know that Eltham has great scholarship scheme too especially for sport.

[NKffffffffdfeeaefcX12803e8311d]

Whatever you do,avoid Hurlingham School in Putney!
It is a money making organisation!Originally set up by a property devoloper.
They make most of their profit from deposits.
Just down the Road,a little nursery called Tiggers pulls parents into their nursery claiming they can get your child into Hurlingham as "the husband" is a teacher there.
I had my chance to send my children to Hurlingham but pulled out last minute to send them to Roche School.And I am very very happy.They concentrate more on Education rather than the latest PC games and fashion.Hurlingham has a nice uniform and that is it...
I know parents pulled out their children from that school.

[deaddei]

There have been lots of head changes at Hurlingham in the last 5 years.

[merrymonsters]

Singersgirl is right. State schools often have places in yr 6. Our outstanding primary school usually has about 4-5 places in year 6. Families move out of London or move their children to private school and there are usually spaces.

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

Kingston grammar takes a 10+ intake too, then goes throught to 18

[Needmoresleep]

There should not be too nmuch of a problem getting a place in one of the 13+ preps. Ty Thomas (Clapham and Battersea) Eaton House, Newton Prep, Hill HOuse, Garden House (the latter two north of the river) and a number further south (Finton House, Hornsby House etc. The Good Schools Guide will have a map showing preps.

The mixed schools in particular thin out dramatically at the end of Year 6 and so schools are keen to maintain critical mass. There will be a contingent aiming for the very competitive schools, eg Westminster, St Pauls and KCS, but also others who may have struggled at 11+ and so are considering other options. A prep would not be a bad place to start as you should get a wide academic range and some small class sizes, especially if your DS has come from a different system. It is not unusual for boys to transfer in from the state sector at this point as well.

Alternatively there are a number of schools who start before 11 and go all the way through. (Dulwich is one.) Worth a phone round to see if anyone has an occasional place, but suspect you may get a more enthusiastic response from a Prep.

If you are looking to go Private for secondary anyway, you might as well start straight away. The 13+ Common Entrance syllabus is heavy on learning, and state schools come nowhere near covering it. (Different if you are aiming for 11+ where the exam is mainly VR and non-VR.

[MommyG]

When would a kid normally write entrance test for 10+? Is it beginning of Year 5?

[LIZS]

Whitgift Fodunation schools are usually early January but applications may have already closed. Prep schools will consider throughout the year if there is likely to be a space.

[LivinInThe80s]

I think you really need to decide on the area and then contact the schools directly to see if they have places available firstly. From my experience of state schools in central London, lots of children leave at 8 and 9 to go to prep school, leaving smaller classes in years 4-6 (4 children left DS1's class last July at the end of year 3)

[MommyG]

For 10+, do they sit in Jan of Yr 5 for getting into Yr6 in September?

[MrsVincentPrice]

It's all about your plans for secondary. I would second everybody else in saying that you have a good chance of getting a place at a good state secondary (and if it's only for one year then it doesn't have to be perfect, just not crap). DCs "outstanding" school is significantly oversubscribed at reception but several kids have left over the years that DD has been there (mostly because parents moved overseas) and although new ones keep joining each class is running at 28/29 AFAIK.

[LIZS]

mg yes Jan 2011 exams/interviews for Sept 2011 entry

[mebaasmum]

Hi What about Hill house in Knightbridge ???

Or State move to Richmond Where vitually all the state primaries are good but make sure you are in line for one of the better secodaries