3+ 4+ 5+ 7+ support thread 2014

[mumteacher]

I started the below thread last year and have had so many people find it useful I thought it might be worth doing it again.

I have had a number of messages asking if I have any spaces in my classes. I'm really sorry but I have been at full capacity for some time now.

However, I do appreciate that this is a very stressful time of year for parents who have children sitting these private school assessments in January 2013. So, I'm hoping that by setting up this support group thread I can help by answering some questions you have about these assessments.

Hopefully this thread will also contain some useful insight from the experiences of parents who have already been through the process.

Loveroflife, yes you're absolutely correct. As with most of the more 'academic' private & prep. primary schools, there's no guarantee that your DC will automatically be fed through to the Senior School at 11. Most schools, including Habs. prepare and sit the pupils for the same entrance test. However, the goalposts are often set lower (expected pass mark) so that they have some advantage over peers sitting from other schools.
If the school notices that they may not 'cope' as well as their peers at secondary, the parents are usually called in at an earlier point (usually between Y4 and Y5) and given the heads-up in a kind manner.
Heartbreaking as this is, they won't be the only ones leaving. Some will be going to state school secondaries (selective / faith schools, mostly), others will be 'side stepping', etc.
If a parent is encouraged to 'consider other options' at secondary level, it'd be kinder and fairer to the child to take the hint (which you'd pretty much have to anyway). Some parents seek tuition to boost their child's ability to cope within the class and in the exam. However, whether this is in the child's best interest is sometimes debatable. Some children are better suited to smaller ponds and to schools where they aren't left (naturally and inevitably) comparing themselves to peers who are constantly swimming way ahead of them and with relative ease.

I think in most of these schools, the majority of parents are told in year 4 or 5 that they have a guaranteed senior school place and a few are called in to have a conversation about it. I agree it's no use keeping a child in that sort of school if they aren't right for it. But you won't be chucked out on the basis of the 11+ result with no warning.

Sorry to harp on about the 4+. I have heard that Habs and NLCS "confer" on who they have made offers to. ie so they dont offer to all the same girls. Is this true?

Have heard this as well. We have friends whose DDs were offered at NLCS but not Habs at the 4+. I would expect they would want to minimise the overlap and avoid the logistical headache offering the sane set of girls would cause.

Ellie i had spoken to a teacher on the day of round 1 assessment on the intake and they said that after doing both rounds and looking at the quality of children they will decide.

Missimperial- you and me are exactly in the same boat. No one seems to know what happens in Channing round 2. Keeping my fingures crossed. I spoke to channing and they said its again a group activity and no one-to-one.

Destiny06 and Miss Imperial - my daughter isnt sitting Channing but I have a few friends who are so I will try and find out and let you know. Wont be till tomorrow though. Best of luck.

Anyone still not heard from Habs? Would really appreciate any advice on channing 4+ , we have ours tomorrow and we were so unprepared for nlc. Don't want to put little one through that again

gemsept - only a handful of people have heard from habs. Most of us still haven't. As I said I still post when I hear from my friends what was in channing second round.

Thanks so much coldatchristmas

Hi all, I'm still waiting for habs. Tempted to call them....

missravda and other NLCS second rounders, I hope everything went well today. May I ask how did the 2nd round go? Was it one to one or group activity? How long was it for?
Thanks mumteacher for all your advice.

Here's a question: would any of you ask for feedback if you got rejected at your preferred school or would you just accept it and walk away?

Definitely ask for feedback most schools won't give it but on the off chance you should ask.

Girls get offers from combination of schools. The schools want the girls that fit in with their ethos and outlook. As a school you don't know what the parents first choice of school would be. They wouldn't risk losing a potential suitable candidate by not offering a place. Many of my girls last year held offers from Habs and Nlcs.

Hello,
I did - they were very quick to respond and said that they categorically do not provide feedback and that the reason why she was not called back was not something that she did wrong but a pure need to reduce the number of applicants and the need to scale down.
"it is unfortunate for you that you were one of these families"
She is now on a waiting list in case there is a space.
B*llshit or reality? What do you think mumteacher?

Sorry to bombard you...do you think we should have made it very clear on a separate note from the form that this was our absolute first choice?
I know other parents have and now I feel like such an idiot

ellie74- I have thought about asking for feedback but was wondering if I would just get a text book answer. I doubt that they would have any spaces become available but then again I have no clue. Still waiting to hear from habs. I got told today that if I had not heard back by now its not good news. However remaining positive.

Hi sdp123, which school did you not get offered a place by?

sdp123, my heart sank when I read your post - we are waiting on Habs too. May I ask your source please?

Somesweetperson1234, it went ok today at nlcs but you never know. They had 6 girls in and about the same number of teachers, did skipping, hopping, jumping. Then they were split into 1:1 with the teachers and did some casual talking. I couldn't bribe enough my daughter to tell me what about. She mentioned guessing games. Good luck, it was very gentle. All the girls came out very happy.

ellie 74- NLCS turned us down.

MJizz- a friend who applied a few years back and her daughter got in. Maybe the process is different this year.

Glad it went well Missravda. Fingers crossed.

sorry sdp123 - it sucks doesn't it?

Channing and NLCS don't give feedback

SHHS will phone you with feedback if you want

Habs will write to you once the whole process is over if you let the admissions secretary know that you would like feedback - it's a fairly detailed letter and invites you to apply again at the next opportunity, be that 5+ or 7+

Hi, my daughter sat for Habs too and we are still waiting. I do not think that if you have not heard then it is bad news it is just a long process! Good luck