rejected from private school -

[amirah97]

HI, I need some advice, my son was offered a bursary for year 7 and 8 at a reputable prep school, recently he sat a 13+ exam at a school recommended by the current school he attends and didn't do as well and was not offered a place. Doesn't the current school have duty of care towards my son, who is devastated. I will be hearing from the Head soon, what can I expect from him, what questions should I ask too. Please advise, my son is devastated.

Does his current school stop at y8? Did you only take the exam for one school?

Of course the school does not have a duty of care in this case! A suggestion to take an exam doesn't mean that your son was guaranteed to pass it. Many schools will recommend more than one school

• schools you might get into if you're lucky through to safe bet.

I understand why your son is disappointed about failing the exam but that's the selective system that you've signed up to

OP if I am understanding you correctly - you moved your DS to the prep school at year 7 to complete year 7 and 8 on a bursary. He has now sat the 13+ for his chosen school and not been offered a place. Some thoughts:

• the prep school should have given you a steer on whether he was going to pass, how far off a pass was he and how did other pupils do?
• any school would recommend you ensure you have more than 1 option. If you don't have a second option you need to move fast now and find one.
• the problem with moving to a prep at year 7 for 2 years is that you have now missed out on the year 7 intake to state schools and it could prove very difficult to get a place at a good school.

Did you get a full bursary? If so it is very difficult to get that at year 9 onwards, only if they really really want your child.

Lastly, I'm sure you understand that you cannot blame the school for your son failing, they may not have prepared him fully but I'm afraid to say you should have been all over this - never leave it to the school regardless of what you paying.

OP maybe get this moved to the Secondary School thread as there are lots of posts about private school applications and posters who know lots about it.
I agree with a poster above about treating it like a university application, with first choice, hopeful, and dead cert etc. It's a risk of taking a year 7-8 place on a bursary when you then need a bursary at year 9 to carry on the independent route, so I'd have hope that was something you considered when you took the place. Year 9 is not "normal" year to enter state secondary, so you'll need to apply to the local authority to find you a place.
I hope it all works out for your son.

"I don't think it's a huge leap to assume that if the child was in prep on a bursary/assisted place the parent has little/no experience of applying to independent schools at 13+"

• A great many parents have no experience of the independent school system, regardless of bursaries. But they learn. Even if the school hasn't been massively helpful, there is a wealth of information all over the internet - even on mumsnet!

I think the issue is, the OP has given very limited information and has not returned to clarify, so we are all making assumptions and guesses (yes, myself included). I guess we just see if the OP returns or not.

I had assumed the OP’s child has just taken a pre-test for a 13+ school - in the normal way.

I!d be surprised if her son was taking his first and only entrance exam when he’s already actually 13. That would be weird (and generally only happens where parents apply at the last moment for a scholarship place - having not had the benefit of prep school guidance).

There are still some schools which test for 13+ entry, especially if the child missed an opportunity to pretest in year 6 or for deferred entry (which might apply to op if previously in state system). It is naive to only sit one at that point though as places are limited. I responded to your other post but your head may be able to negotiate a late application to a less selective school. Otherwise you would submit an in year application to state schools for September. Is he due to sit CE next term? What "duty of care" do you otherwise expect?

If it’s the same OP I believe her ds applied, sat, and was rejected from 8 highly selective independents.

She is disabled and was going to move to wherever her ds got a place, but he didn’t. She didn’t apply for a state school because she had all her eggs in the 100% scholarship basket. To be fair her ds achieved this at the pre-prep so didn’t know that secondary would be harder.
She was advised on her other thread to contact her LA and get her son a place at a state school ASAP.

I’m guessing from the tone of the OP that she has not.

Doesn't the current school have duty of care towards my son, who is devastated

You mean it is his current schools fault he failed?

Maybe he didn't try hard enough. Maybe it was too hard for him

If he is at a good school he will get in somewhere

Ahh @isaw I thought it could’ve been her too.

If it’s the same OP I believe her ds applied, sat, and was rejected from 8 highly selective independents.She is disabled and was going to move to wherever her ds got a place, but he didn’t. She didn’t apply for a state school because she had all her eggs in the 100% scholarship basket. To be fair her ds achieved this at the pre-prep so didn’t know that secondary would be harder.She was advised on her other thread to contact her LA and get her son a place at a state school ASAP.I’m guessing from the tone of the OP that she has not.

Goodness me, that’s a risk!

What do you Actually think the current school has done wrong?

Maybe he didn't try hard enough. Maybe it was too hard for him

No, these suppositions are much too superficial. It’s highly unlikely that the OP’s son didn’t try his best. And, if they applied to the right schools the entrance exams shouldn’t have been beyond him - not getting in would be a combination of other children doing better in the exams and the boy not being considered a perfect fit with schools during interviews.

It’s a mess. Children applying to independent senior schools from a prep generally do get in somewhere. (To the extent that it really isn’t considered necessary to apply for state schools simultaneously.) Clearly this boy has been very unlucky. Independent schools are usually keen to offer bursaries to parents who need them, if the child is a good fit. Scholarships are much more hit and miss - definitely not something to rely on.

@Isawthathaggis I think that poster's son was younger, though, wasn't he? He'd done the 11+ at 8 schools.
Sounds like a similar sad situation, though.