prep school assesments support group

[prepschoolinsanity]

hi everyone

Name change obviously!

I'm starting a support group for all those going through pre prep assessments for their DCs.

My DD has just finished her final assessment. She had assessments for JAPS, Alleyns, Rosemead, Sydenham High and Oakfield.

I have absolutely no idea how she has done! Does anyone have a sense of how well their kid has done? if you think they were successful, why? I'm a bit lost to be honest?

Did anyone get any sense out their DD about what went on? the most I could get was they were read a story, did a jigsaw and played. Anyone get any more info?

My DD is very sporty, not so in to sitting reading so I think she doesn't have a hope in hell...

Anyone want to 'fess up to the madness? I actually took my DD (yes! aged 4! I know!) to a tutor primarily to see if she had a hope in hell as she is not the usual precocious well spoken intelligent child. I have to say, I was none the wiser.

Looking forward to your stories.

[chick01]

Alleyns have a small in take into reception, some of those places will go to siblings, then as they are mixed and they keep the ratio 50/50 they fill the few remaining places from new applicants. It helps if you are well-known or in the media. It is also easier to obtain a place, especially for a boy, into yr3 or into the senior school. Boys I know were offered places straight into Alleyns senior school but only placed on the waiting list at DC. The latter seemingly becoming the more popular school in the area for boys. However, DC only starts at 7yrs in Yr3.

[ingusha]

2stressed would you recommend your tutor? We're going to try for Alleyns only for my DS so far no one I know got in! So I am getting a bit desperate. ..

[ingusha]

Hi preschool insanity. I have to go through this next year and I am desperate to find the tutor with knowledge of Allayns requirements. Would you mind telling me who you've used. Thank you. I know it's mad to tutor a 3yo but ill kick my self if doent get in because I've failed to teach him something he needs to know. He is a bright child but doesn't concentrate for too long on anything non electronic and he doesn't like puzzles.

[Iggity]

Glad I have found this thread. We received a rejection letter today from the one prep school we applied for. There aren't many in my area. Feeling quite upset about it as we have a bright little boy but he is on waiting list. We didn't do any preparation with him as no idea what they were looking for. They give you no info on what the assessment involves but I think it was something to do with looking at letters and a 1:1 assessment with a teacher. I need to get over myself I know as we weren't even that keen on the school but I blame myself for not doing any preparation and maybe asking too many challenging questions at the session with the headteacher.......I maybe came across as anti-prep schools! Bugger! Annoyed with myself for feeling upset!

[mumteacher]

This thread is so old you can see the cobwebs ;)

There is a more recent thread 3+ 4+ 5+ set up with parents sharing more recent experiences of these assessments that might be more useful.

[wildcatpinkdolphin]

Hi EverybodysSnowyEyed , Can I ask how many assessment she did ?

[wildcatpinkdolphin]

Hi, Can I ask how many assessment she did ?

[Blossom8]

My DD has her 4+ on 1 October. I've just had a seminar at work regarding schools and they mentioned that for 4+ entry, the assessors are looking more for good behaviour such as doing what they are ask of. i.e. sit down and listening to a story instead of running around .....

[muminschool]

Thanks for this support group.
Just want to know if any DDs got through the 4+ assessment at "big schools" after going to state nurseries rather than private nurseries?? or is that just a silly question??

[EverybodysSnowyEyed]

My DS was rejected after every assessment. I was gutted (particularly after getting the one letter that patronisingly assured us they were sure he'd do ok in life - just not as well as if he had gone to their school!)

BUT he did get into a fabulous school where the HM chooses her boys through and informal meeting. She obviously knew what she was looking for and DS has thrived there. With hindsight, the other schools weren't right for him so it all turned out well

[Sazzle1969]

Hi all,
Really pleased to find this thread, my son has just been rejected from Brighton College Pre-prep today. I am gutted as we had our heart set on it for him. The letter says we are on the wait list but that could be at No1 or No 56 surely.

He was only there for an hour last Monday, at 2-3pm - his usual nap time. He is still only 3yrs, 4 at the end of May. They didn't let me know what they were looking for, nor did I get any feedback afterwards - just the No Thanks letter. He is a confident child, pretty articulate, can count to 20, knows his ABC, can sit and listen and depending on what mood he is in, is pretty good at sharing too - am at a loss to understand really.

Didn't think I would be as upset as I am tonight. Thought I was built of stronger stuff.

[blackwattle]

Hi blahblahmum,

PM me if you want further information - I can point you in the right direction.

[blahblahmum]

hi there,
my daughter is applying to a very oversubscribed girls school for entry in sep 2013. the assessment is not till jan 2013 but im already worrying about it as i've heard it's very academic. really glad to find this thread and wondered if i could get some advice.
2stressed: what did the tutor do that you couldn't do yourself to prepare your daughter? i am asking this as i am willing to employ one if necessary but i'd like to know what i would be getting for my money! and where do u find such a tutor?
we are applying to notting hill and ealing, does anyone have any information on what they do in their assessments?
appreciate any advice anyone has to offer!

[chizoking]

Feel for you sometimesinthefall. My 4 yr old son is due to go for an assessment next week and I can't seem to get the butterflies in my stomach to settle because my son is soooo unpredictable. He can count to 30, can identify his name in his nursery but at home he can't (don't know why!!!), he is generally well behaved and is nicknamed 'gentle giant' at his present nursery because despite being the biggest he is very gentle with his mates. However his speech can be quite incoherent and this sometimes makes him upset as he struggles to get words out. This is really worrying me because his elder brother (6yrs) is also due to be assessed by the same school in Feb and we are pretty confident that he will do well.
Does anyone have any experience of one sibling being rejected and another one offered a place?

[2stressed]

ps no "i cant believe you had a 4yr old tutored" remarks please - you dont get anywhere without hard work and if the other 70 girls who appiled were coached we wouldnt stand a chance and would not have got this!

[2stressed]

sorry to hear that.

We had our DD tutored because we went through the same thing at the 4+ and didnt want to repeat the same mistakes at the Habs 5+. And thatnks to this amazing tutor we got through to round 2!! not in the bag yet I know but nearly there!

figures crossed.

[Summersoon]

Indeed Edith. I haven't quite used to the idea that it is 2012 yet. So January 2011 looks quite recent to me. Ahem.

[EdithWeston]

You might also want to note that this is a revived thread - all but the last 4 posts is nearly a year old. Which I suppose goes to show that the pressures of London continue unabated.

[Summersoon]

@ shellye - this is London for you!

@ prepschoolinsanity and others: I am a little confused - are we talking about 4+ or 7+ entry on this thread? Or both? Because these are two very different kettles of fish. CLSG, as far as I am aware, starts at 7+ and not before.

I agree with soandsomummy that moving on to the senior is not automatic in many schools. CLSG definitely let people know - not sure when, probably in Year 5, possibly as early as Year 4 - if they don't think a girl is suitable.

[soandsosmummy]

Prepschoolinsanity - are you sure they automatically go to senior school from prep? DD's prep has an attached senior school but they still have to do the entrance exam to get in its not automatic

[Michaelahpurple]

The whole thing is a nightmare! I saw the crowds of little people waiting outside DS2's school earlier this week awaiting their turn. About 300 children apply for a 21 child class, but generally half the places have already gone to sibs (in DS2's class there are 13 sibs, such that there were probably only 2 boys' places actually on offer). These issues distort the results.
Observations:

• apply to lots
  
• generally the streets (in our case) of Chelsea aren't full of feral receptioneers so for most people it sorts out in the end
  
• remember it is generally much easier to get in on an occasional place in year 1 or 2 as people move so much and schools have to fill places, so what happens now is not necessarily the end of the road if you find you still pine after a particular school.
  

good luck all

[wahwah1270]

Bitterly disappointed and quite astounded here - we heard from Sydenham yesterday and it was a very ott no - they cite my dd was not numerate and little language - she's a summer birthday and everything at nursery has always pointed to her being both highly numerate and her language seems great for someone her age - a feeling that has been confirmed by proffesionals even recently. So I'm left thinking well we clearly wont have got Alleyns if Sydenham were that rude and we will have to resign ourselves to local RC primary :(

[zzlondongirlzz]

hi, nothing for us! DD was waitlisted for both schools we tried for. Its a shame not to have a firm offer as it would make life easier and mean we could relax about it all but we no doubt didn't apply to enough schools. The little feedback we got was very positive on our DD's performance at the assessments and (they may have been fobbing us off of course) said that application numbers were higher than ever?! We are not gutted but it has made us very nervous that we are now at the mercy of the London state primary school places bun fight.....just heard on the grapevine that our local C of E school received 140 applications for 15 reception places.....

[mumteacher]

Hi just wondering how you all are the other-side of these assessments?