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Yr2 Private School Assessment tomorrow - Help!

16 replies

KTk9 · 14/09/2011 14:37

My dd is currently at a state school, however, we are looking to move her to an Independent one, (it was going to be Yr3 (Prep), but things have changed).

Tomorow she has an assesment morning and I have no idea what this will entail. Will they do any 'formal' tests, what will they be looking for?

I haven't told her too much about it, just that I have seen a really good school that I think she will like and why don't we go and have a look and see a bit more (I won't tell her it is tomorrow until when I pick her up from school today). I haven't mentioned it to school yet either (oops), as if she isn't accepted, I didn't want to rock the boat! - Goodness knows what excuse I make to school in the morning!.

I know its late notice, but should I be 'going over' anything with her tonight?!!!!

Thanks

Kate

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Thereyougo · 14/09/2011 17:09

Each school is different

But in my experience

There will be a maths test, a reading test, a comprehension test.

She'll be observed how she interacts with other children, and manners etc with adults.

She may be interviewed by the HM and asked things like: what would you like to be when you are older, why is that, if you had a £1m what would you spend it on.

Not a lot you can do tonight other than just remind her, to remember to share, be kind and helpful, and don't forget to say please and thank you.

MollieO · 14/09/2011 18:21

You should tell your current school as the pre-prep will need a report from the current school HM.

EdithWeston · 14/09/2011 18:28

Don't try to do anything tonight - last minute prep won't help now and will only add pressure or, worst case, confuse.

Early night, favourite story and tell her the purpose of the day is for her to find out if she likes the school.

Tell the destination school that you have not yet informed your current head, and ask to be told before they ask for a reference (so you can prepare the ground).

alicatte · 14/09/2011 18:31

It will be very child friendly - don't worry. If I were you I wouldn't stress her out - in my experience it wouldn't work anyway. Read with her and do all the usual things you do - I am sure she says please and thank you so just make it seem like a 'big adventure'. To be honest it is better that the school should see her real level so they can honestly help her and you. Sometimes, when a child has been 'primed' to impress it all turns sour when they find that the environment is too academic or too 'sporty' when they start the school - it is sad to see a child unhappy.

KTk9 · 14/09/2011 21:07

Thank you everyone! I took your advice and haven't done anthing out of the ordinary tonight, just our usual reading etc., although she did a bit of writing, which we don't always do, which I thought would remind her of capitals etc.

We had a chat about the visit, keeping it relaxed, that it was a chance for her to have a look and see if she would like it, I also said that they may ask her to do a little reading or writing and she was pefectly happy with that - she thinks she is brilliant anyway (I am not so sure - hence the move earlier!!).

Good questions Thereyougo!. She actually wants to be a vet - don't most little girls? That hasn't changed since she was four years old!!! I did ask her the million £ question in the bath tonight and she said - go to Disney! When I suggested she might give some to those who maybe weren't so fortunate as herself, she said she would have to think about it, as maybe they weren't telling the truth!!!!

Edithweston - I have told the school already that her current school don't know and they were fine with that - I have her report and all her school books from last year, which I am going to take with me - no reason to hide anything.

Luckily she is a very polite and kind little girl, always likes to be 'fair', so I think her social skills will be OK, I will just remind her when she goes in.

She is in fact excited, which surprised me, Daddy told her they have longer school holidays in the summer, which sort of 'sold' it to her!

I am actually terrified, but we shall see what tomorrow brings!

Send us good vibes tomorrow!!!

Thanks again.

Kate

OP posts:
2stressed · 14/09/2011 22:37

May the sun shine on your parade Tom. (Good luck)

EdithWeston · 15/09/2011 17:03

How was it? [nosy emoticon]

Hulababy · 15/09/2011 17:27

How did it go?

whenIgetto3 · 15/09/2011 18:47

hope it all went well, when my DS had his last year (yr 2) he loved it and out performed anything he had done at his state school, now 2 weeks in and he cannot get enough of school. Hope your outcome is as happy as ours has been

Thereyougo · 15/09/2011 21:34

How'd you get on?

When my dd was asked the £1m question, she responded 'i'd pay for poor unfortunate children to go to Disney Word, and if they would like to a flight to the moon. I'm not sure how much that would cost, but if there was a £1 left over, please may I use it to buy a packet of sweets.'

KTk9 · 16/09/2011 23:18

It went well thanks, I was emotionally drained yesterday, so didn't get on the boards.

I felt horrid leaving her, she looked so lost and when the phone rang from them mid morning, I was expecting to go and pick her up, however, it was to say she was enjoying herself and could she stay for lunch and the afternoon!!!

She had some assessments, quite informally, a bit of maths, writing, comprehension and reading. Her reading was excellent, other things OK, average to just below - which the head qualified as saying, you have to remember that these children have received a lot of homework and are generally high achievers - so she didn't do too badly. What the teacher did say was how amusing, confident and fun she was, a joy to be with. She also apparently said 'thankyou' to the teacher for having her!!

We have been offered a place, to start as soon as we wish, Monday if we want!!

DD said she liked it - although I wasn't too convinced. When we came out she said she enjoyed her day, but still liked her own school, she did say last night, could she go to that new school tomorrow as they were going to see the new sports hall and had to take trainers in!!!

Tonight she came home and said she has made her decision, she is going to stay at her own school, thank you very much!

For us, now we know we have a place, we need to make a firm decision, I have felt physically sick all day, in my heart whilst I think it is the best thing, it is going to change our lifestyle a lot, the school is a good half an hour away - current one is 5 minutes. I know we can put a good 'spin' on her going and change her mind, but I feel her pain in losing her friends etc. and upsetting her whole little world for a time! I can't get the look of bewilderment on her face when I left her, out of my head.

I spoke to her head today and she said she would understand our decision - there have been some issues with the teaching standard in the last two years - which she apologised for, and said these had been addressed and the class were almost where they should be and would be at the end of Year 2. She also said she didn't want to lose her as a pupil, or us as parents, but there would be no doubt she would 'thrive' in that type of environment. (The new school head said exactly that too and she was just the sort of girl that they want at their school).

Thing is, do we wait and see if things improve, risking that she falls further behind or pull her out now? We would probably be taking her out at Yr3 anyway.

It is so difficult, my head is spinning thinking about it all.

WhenIgetto3, was your ds happy to make the move?, or did he need persuading? I think it may be easier to do it at the end of term, but that is a number of weeks away, so really we need to do it sooner. We are thinking about Monday 26th, so she has a last week next week (its her birthday that week too).

Thereyougo - Your'e dd is very considerate, I am afraid mine is much more mercenary!!!!

What is wonderful is knowing that she went into that situation, tried her hardest and was kind and polite, I can't tell you how proud I am of her, it makes be tearful to just think of it!!!

Thank you for all your help, we did have a little chat on the way to go over what she may be asked, funny though, she rose to the occasion and seemed to realise it was important to try hard and make a good impression. Bless her.

Realised I have given far too much info!!!! Sorry about that, I think you can see my confusion. [confusion].

OP posts:
whenIgetto3 · 17/09/2011 16:10

Glad she enjoyed it, my DS was sad to leave his state school, although it was his second in a year and we were amazed as to how well he had settled. We had made the decision to send him before he got into the second state school at the point where we were HE him (old state school had had issues and we had taken him out due to various bullying/safety issues) only they didn't have space for him till yr 3 started. I had planned to HE him for the rest of the year but then got the offer of a place at a lovely little village school and took it, he loved it and although he didn't want to move really he is loving the new school so much it was worth it. We did tell him he could still see his old friends and he has but he now has lots of new friends and is loving the challenging environment and the sports.

If you think she will be happy and thrive in the environment then I would go for it.

Good luck :)

KTk9 · 12/12/2011 22:31

I just thought I would update.....

DD has been at her new school since the third week of September and is absolutely thriving, she loves everything about it and has made some lovely new friends.

She actually made the decision to go there herself in the end, over the weekend after her visit. She had been to school for two days and the just came out with it that she would prefer to go to the new school, so we ran with that and kept the spin going about holidays, pool etc. etc.

I actually have a different child, she is motivated and happy as are her parents.

Thank you all for your help and advice, it was the hardest decision we ever had to make, but definately the right one.

Thanks again.

OP posts:
debs227 · 13/12/2011 20:08

That is lovely to hear, we too have thought about moving our DD and it is the sheer terror of the 'what if' that is holding us back.

dobby2001 · 14/12/2011 00:22

I moved my DD from state to private last easter and it was the best thig we could have done. She too is thriving and her intrest in school work and school life has shot up as she is enjoying her time there. Nowadays i get details of what she did, not who was disrupting class! We had a slight wobble after the summer break as she had met up with several of her old school friends but that passed within a week Grin

Principality · 14/12/2011 09:30

Just to concur with what others have said. We moved DS from his old state to new independent in September.(YR3) It has been the best thing for him. I feel like I have a different child. He is motivated, (this was the BIGGEST hurdle for him and then main reason we moved him), he is enjoying school and trying new things that he would have never been able, nor wanted, to try at his old school. He is a lot more confident. He found the first few weeks a bit bewildering and a bit of a struggle socially and with the routine, but now he loves it. We now eat a lot of beans on toast, but i am thrilled with the school.

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