Moving from state to independent sector

[handmedownqueen]

I live in an eleven plus area. Been thru it twice with my sons who did well and got into the grammar. Next up
is my yr 4 daughter who will be borderline on account of her summer birthday mild dyslexia and not being quite as able as her brothers
was wondering about opting her out of selection at 11 by transfering to a prep where she is almost certain to get a clear run thru to senior school.
Anyone done anything like this and offer me advice. Also the head of the prep said coming from the state sector there would be a lot of catching up to do. Is this true?

bumping for you

We have just done the opposite... moved from independent to state so that DS can take the 11 plus and go to a very good grammar. The standard and level of work seems pretty well matched.

Are you certain that she would get a clear run through to the senior school? Usually there is some degree of selection even for internal candidates.

In terms of catching up, it is hard to say. I don't think that the standard of work is necessarily harder in a prep school, but sometimes the approach can be quite different, esp the written work. I have a dc in Year 4 at a prep school and he is still working from Year 4 textbooks. This weekend's homework required him to plan and write a story about Guy Fawke's night using at least 5 paragraphs covering introduction, buildup, conflict, climax and conclusion. He then had to critique this with a parent. It may just be that in state schools they are doing this in class rather than for homework, but his state school friends don't seem to have to do the same length of independent writing at home. But every school varies. I assume that she would have to undergo some form of assessment at the prep school, and that will probably be a useful guide.

Transferring in an earlier year might have led to a greater need to catch up actually. The dcs school learn timestables quite early on, but I'm assuming that by Year 4 all pupils will have learned these. And there is often a considerable push on reading in the first years, but again by Year 4 most children are reading comfortably.

Anyway if the school is any good they will be able to support your dd in any form of catch up needed.