Preparation for 4+ (2020)

[mumtoone2016]

My daughter will be sitting for 4+ assessments for entry in 2020. While she has been going to a simple daycare nursery since the age of 6 months, I am looking at ways to start actually preparing her for the assessment. I am not location bound, currently renting in Reading, working in London - so easy to move around wherever is the best. In terms of future schools, we are looking at Habs, Guildford High, Wimbledon High, Putney High, Kensington Prep. It is a fairly long list, widespread in terms of location but I understand all of these turn out to be highly competitive places in terms of admission.

What is the best way to prepare her - should I send her to a Montessori or such nursery? If yes, did you have recommendations? Or should I look at keeping her in a daycare with added tutor - any recommendations for tutors please? As I said, I am happy to move - London, or commutable to London places.

Thanks!

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Firstly I should say the idea of tutoring a 3 year old for a school interview is quite depressing.

That said are you desperate for London? There are some lovely prep schools outside of London? They're often less competitive which is nice for younger children!

That said if you're committed to the London preps you need to find out what each school look for. Some look for school readiness (well behaved, happy to leave mum, can put on shoes, do up a zip etc). Some look for more academic (can she handle a pen? Do a bit of basic phonics). Most look for the ability to sit in a group and get along with the other kids etc.

HolesinTheSoles - thanks for your message. Totally get what you are saying around tutoring and we have debated this over the last 8-9 months at home multiple times. But I am very keen on the schools that I have mentioned above (that being said, my daughter may not be.. but very tough to find her likings at 2 years!, so we will have to leave it for now) and given these schools are so competitive, I have made peace with the fact that she would either have to be sent to a very different kind of nursery or be tutored.

Now looking to understand what works best from parents who have done it in the past themselves.

Sorry hope I didn't sound judgemental just putting the option of less competitive schools out there - if you think those schools are the best fit I can understand trying to help give your DD the chance to go.

I haven't done it personally (we moved out of London) but friends who did generally focused their efforts on particular areas depending on the school they went for. Obviously social skills etc can't be tutored for (a good nursery will obviously have helped). Fine/gross motor skills can be improved. Self care etc can be worked on (buttons, zips, putting coat on hook), recognising her name. Nobody I know actually tutored but they certainly worked on those areas in preparation.

So, you could send her to a nursery that specifically prepares for the 4+ (I'm assuming you're not tied to Reading)

e.g.

www.clownsnursery.co.uk/about/school-results/
cricketnursery.co.uk/exit-results/
www.broadhurstschool.com/about-us/destination-schools/

Or you could send her to a 'normal' nursery and to a tutor, though there are less of those around than for 7+

you could send her to a pre-prep that goes to 7, do your best yourself for 4 with the backup that the pre-prep will help for the 7+

There is a dip in the current Reception age birth rate at the moment, few private preps in SW London are full including Wimbledon High for this Septs Reception intake. Guildford High also isn't as hard to get into as it may seem for a Reception place. I think you are over thinking this!

So she's 2 now?! There's really nothing you need to do. Nearer the time you can work on scissor and pencil grip I guess. But relax. It's really far away and children change enormously month by month at 2/3 yrs. Shell be 50% older by then!

HolesintheSoles - no you weren't judgemental at all, I totally understood where you were coming from and didn't mind it! We are working with her on some of the areas you mentioned. What I am missing is the alphabets - I have never done phonics myself (English isn't my first language) and am finding it difficult to get around it. Her current nursery won't cover it before her assessments are due, hence the fear.

Pretendingtowork1 - thanks for your message. This is exactly what I was looking for, I will check these out.

Sunshine5050 - I really hope I am fretting for nothing, for it all sounds so difficult for a 3.5-3.75 years old!

Jellycat1 - I am trying to plan and hopefully get her into a place for around 8-10 months where she can get the best exposure. I am unable to spend enough time with her due to my work commitments, hence, the need to back it up with extra nursery/tutor setting.

I mean all this with kindness, but what makes you think your 2 year old is going to suit one of these schools? Some of these will ruthlessly "manage your child out" if they don't make the grade over the 14 years of school. That's probably still okay if a) you're in the area anyhow, or b) you haven't made a big deal in preparing and have kept it all low key. But you sound very invested already in schools you can't possibly know well all over the greater London area.

At 4, they are mostly testing social skills and fine motor skills - scissors, pens etc. No tutoring needed, these are just basic early years skills. Give your daughter the Argos catalogue and ask her to cut out her Christmas list to Santa. Make it fun!!

FanDabbyFloozy - thanks, as I said I don't know if it will suit her or not, but neither does any parent. Kids change, situations change and we just need to either make other choices at that time or adapt to the changes. I will have to take it as it comes. For now, I am atleast willing to try her with the schools that I like and then take it from there.

I have been afraid of scissors till now, will slowly start bringing it into our weekends as it seems such an important skill (whether for her development or the school assessment)

I don't think you need to worry too much. My dd is going to sit her 4+ later this year. The school said the test is about social skills, following instructions and some numerical knowledge.
She couldn't grab a pen properly or use scissor at all back in July. But things change so fast for kids. Now she is like a pro.
We are not in London and she goes to a normal nursery. All the things needed for 4+ has already been covered in their daily activities. No need for tutor imo.

amy1008 - thanks, that's comforting to know and good luck with the assessments! :)

There are some good youtube videos on phonics. I would go for jolly phonics for a young child. Each of the sounds has a different action - it works much better for a very young child. Resources such as these, fridge magnets or this book are great. I wouldn't push it too much though as many schools are looking for more basic skills than pre taught phonics. Often the assessment just involves a morning similar to a normal nursery activity. All the kids come in put their coat on the hook, sit in a circle for a story, maybe sort some shapes or thread some beads, put coat and wellies on play outside etc. All play together in the sandpit etc.

Thanks CripsSandwiches - these look good. Will get them.

mumtoone2016, I do want to say that the West London schools have "feeder" nurseries e.g. Pippa Popins feeds to Ken Prep. So, you would see at least 3-4 girls from these nurseries going to Ken Prep each year (whether or not they say so formally). If you do want the journey to be easier for you and your DD, you should look at local nurseries. Otherwise, it is possible but not as easy. This is based on first hand experience (we have DS who went to Pippa Popins and we say many girls going to Ken Prep from there). also to add, I do not have experience on North London schools you mentioned.

In terms of preparation, READ READ READ to your daughter. When DS moved on from Pippa Popins, he was ORT level 9 in reading Biff, Chip, Kipper. One girl who went to Ken Prep was ORT level 10 / 11. Other girls were not that advanced but still made it to Ken Prep.

Sorry Skal do you mean your DS was reading Year 2 books on his own when he left Kindergarten? or is this for 7+? (sorry if I am a bit confused)

They're not really interested in what kids can do so tutoring would be pretty pointless. All they are looking for are children that are well socialised with good communication skills and a degree of precociousness. A lot of kids will come in reading and doing basic arithmetic but many won't. They're not expected to. Just work on communication and hope for the best.

Stilllookingfor, I am not sure if ORT level 9 is year 2 by any means in these private schools but possibly late Reception / early year 1. But yes, DS and couple of other kids were a year ahead and as I understand and have seen, it was all child-led learning rather than tutoring.

I agree with the advice to read to your child. I also really rate the Jelly & Bean Reading scheme if you want to teach your child to read.

Also develop your child’s number sense with small blocks/an abacus/Montessori materials. And take your child to the playground to use the apparatus.

Thanks for the clarification skal. But sure you don't mean that they have to be reading at that level at the time they take the 4+ exam, do you? (because if so, we would be so far behind!!)

Stilllookingfor

No DC definitely don't need to be reading fluently for 4+. They don't tend to look for those kind of skills as they're largely determined by home much the school or parents have pushed phonics and it's not generally advised to push reading too young (most kids will naturally click with reading at some point between 4-6 years old and the large differences in reception even out). They're looking for social skills, curiosity, school readiness etc. Obviously there'll still be a big developmental difference between summer born and autumn born children at this age and they usually account for this.

Thanks FullOfJellyBeans that was a relief to read! I think we have a child at home who is curious, active, coordinated, smart and who can grasp details but also with a very short attention span, controlling and emotional. So although we love books, sessions are not "perfect" and it all depends on how randomly willing my child is to sit still and pay attention vs the temptation to play with toys and running around. She seems to be doing better at nursery though, so I have the "play up the parents" factor to account for too - al lot of the parents on this forum do not seem to have the same challenges.

My DS did the 4+ a coupe of years ago, he was approaching 4 years old at the time. This was for a selective North London boys school that goes up to 18 (the idea was to get him in early to avoid having to do the 7+ or 11+). At this point he wasn't really doing much that would be considered academically advanced. I also didn't have a chance to prepare him in any way, I just told him he's going for a play at another school to see if he likes it and show them what he's interested in. At this stage he was able to read basic early reader books by phonetically sounding out words and blending. He could write his full name and count/sort quantities of up to 20. But that was all. The rest was really down to his confidence and being able to engage in conversation with the School staff. He's naturally a chatterbox and has quite an advanced vocabulary so that helped and he's quite inquisitive about new places. He also loves puzzles and stories, and luckily for him they had these activities at the assessment and he was happy to answer questions about the story they read to him. I think at the 4+ they look at social and physical development more than anything, a child's ability to listen and follow instruction, confidence etc. DS got a place and I think it was just down to luck of the draw. I don't think he wowed them with his academic ability, but rather his social skills and confidence.

There really isn't much you can do to prepare children for this assessment but a nursery that is part of a Pre prep would be a good idea at this stage as they tend to have more structure and introduce formal lessons, i.e. French, yoga, PE, Music etc. I think this helps massively, and being around older children (the Pre reception and reception classes) makes the nursery children feel grown up and understand the general school structure (if that makes sense). When they go fo the assessment they will have a better idea of what to expect as there will be some familiarity. If my DS were to go into the assessment straight out of a regular nursery, he might have been a bit lost, I don't know.

Agree with other op, the jelly and bean books were great for early reading.