West London boy: 11+ or Common Entrance

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My son is in year 2 in a school which will prepare him for 13+. I am considering moving him to a school which is closer and prepares for 11+. It looks like there are a few west London secondary schools which are opening more places at 11+ and their reducing 13+ intake. Do you agree that there are more 11+ places ? How does each exam compare ?

The exam is usually the same, as most schools that take at 13 will pre-test at 11 anyway, e.g. If you sit KCS for 11 or 13 you sit the same exam in Year 6.

I teach at a 13+ school, but the children are throughly prepared for 11+ exams, then if they stay we deal with CE and scholarship stuff.

It is a really tricky one, as which ever course you decide on, you will knock out half the options. At least with girls everything funnels to 11 (unless you want to go to a former boys' boarding school).

Crudely 13+ traditionally offered more academic choices (westminster, paul's , kings) but if they don't work out there isn't much except wetherby and dulwich. 11+ on the other hand has more in the mid range but if the boy proves to be v academic one is left with only the trickiest entry points to W and St P

However , kings moving half their 13 plus places back to 11 perhaps could mean that if that was your top option (on the old stretch, realistic, banker) model, 11 might be more attractive than it used to be.

The whole things is a frightful bore, especially since schools stopped allowing boys to apply for 11+ and 13+ pre-tests at the same time, which used to allow a bit of hedging.

Some secondariss prefer kids to stay at their school of they go to 13. Some of the 13+ ones sit exams the same time as the 11+, so your child could be sitting both exams at the same time (not for the same school though as you need to choose which).

We went for 13+ because DS is a summer boy and current school goes to year 8. It's nice for him to be a big fish, then when he goes to secondary he still won't be the youngest.

I've read that statistically 11+ entry is harder due to the numbers competing for each place, but obvs that disregards a lot of other factors such as type of schools available.

Often there are fewer places at 11+. I think there were similar ratios of kids to places at DSs school at 11+ and 13+.

One issue I've heard is that a prep's head won't give advice or write reference letters for the 11+. They want 2 more years fees from you, so might not be so helpful.

Thanks all !
MichaelaPurple, you are right, aside from boarding + top london schools (some of which seem to be cutting 13+ numbers), there seems to be very few options at 13+. It is very tricky...

Indeed MN164, I am concerned that a school that goes up to Year 8 will not support a child looking to leave at 11+, even if that is his best option.

In your opinion, what west London schools (boys or co-ed) are on the rise ? There seem to be a lot of new school opening as well : Eaton Square, Fulham Senior...

Depends on the prep - Thomas's and Newton, for instance, support both exit points.

Thankfully there are new schools opening - they are definitely needed. Always tricky to assess new one though, although the fact that most of extensions of other groups helps a bit

We prefer the children at our school to stay on to 13, but if they want to leave at 11 we will of course support them.

And is it fair to say, as originalbiglymavis suggests, that there is more competition for each place in the 11+ ?