Independent school assesment - feedback upon not getting in

[Higgledepigglede]

My son has just had an assessment to move school (Year 4) to a local independent and was refused a place. We were rather surprised as his primary tell us he is bright, either reaching expected or exceeding standards. He is mildly dyslexic, but this appears to affect his spelling and writing a bit.

We were thinking of moving him as the cuts have taken their toll. After 7 teachers this year (failure to recruit), his class his having a huge wobble learning wise and socially.

We've tried contacting the independent school where he had his assessment for feedback, but they don't seem to answer the phone or emails. Is it normal? After paying £100, and being hugely responsive pre-assessment, it feels rather dismissive. It'd help us to know why they felt he was the wrong fit when we know they had space, so we can ensure we find a school that's right.

Thank you for any thoughts you may have.

No, that's not normal at all.

It's appalling, actually. No feedback at all? How did they let you know he wouldn't be offered a place? Was it by letter?

What did the assessment entail? Was it a day in the school or just an exam?

However, by the sounds of it, you may have dodged a bullet!

Friends in a similar situation got some feedback after not getting through the assessment. Basically the feedback was he did OK in the written tests but they felt his personality wasn't a good fit.

Was this school a particular favourite or are there others you're looking at. Very frustrating. I would bear in mind if it's an oversubscribed school they may have a large intake from other preps (who may be working ahead of your son's school) or highly tutored kids.

My bet would be they don’t do special needs. Schools often say they will but they run a mile in practice. Try another school?

Year 4 is probably not a typical entry point so they may be able to pick and choose, if a place is even available. Did he just sit exams or spend the day there? It could well be that his additional needs were more evident on paper especially if he is not used to sitting tests. Tbh take it as a sign they are not willing to work with him and therefore that school is not well suited to him . They may not usually give feedback but even a neutral response would be polite.

The school has at least four places for entry next term (mid year 4), and only one other child was sitting the assessment for this year. The children spent a day in the school, plus sat a literacy and maths paper, as well as an informal interview.

We have no idea if our son did badly in the papers, his personality was deemed a poor fit, or what happened. Just got a letter (by email and post) saying they felt he wasn't the right fit. They won't answer phone calls or emails since.

While I agree we may have missed a bullet, it would be useful to know what the issue was. He has lost a lot of self esteem at his primary and is now asking to leave. This is very sad as it is a gorgeous school, just suffering terribly in the budget cuts as many SE London schools are. We want to find somewhere that'll nurture him, support mild dyslexia, as well as help him catch up following a very shaky 6 months with inconsistent teachers. This seems to be a near impossible ask in our area. Only two independent schools have places, others are full with long wait lists, all claim to support dyslexia, but I'm not sure they really do....

Am feeling extremely frustrated. While I can find options outside London they'd require weekly boarding. He's only 8, so that does not appeal at all. Tutoring may be another option, but we have struggled to find a decent tutor - they too have wait list of years?!

Seems all independent schools are so oversubscribed, or have so concerned about their league tables they'd rather have empty places rather than a mildly dyslexic child. He's always been popular and deemed bright / intelligent, so I find it hard to think he's socially a misfit.

Any thoughts on other schools would be much appreciated.

I hear you on school cuts! There is also a recruitment crisis but 7 teachers in a year is excessive.
It's awful that they won't give feedback at all. I'd also consider this a missed bullet.

4 spaces available in one year would send alarm bells tbh. If you can afford fees could you supplement the state school with dyslexia tutoring?

They will likely support special needs like dyslexia if those needs become apparent after intake. Very few selective schools take special needs even if mild. They really should give you a bit more feedback but they might not. Most independents do send a simple letter when rejecting at main intake points like 7+.

Get a good tutor who can advise on which indies might be a good fit for him. Widen your search. Lots of people do a big commute for the right school. To be honest we left london because we didn't want to push our son into the crazy selective private schools and the state schools weren't an option we were happy with either. He's now in a fabulous all through school to 18 and we still only have a 45 min train ride into London.

Have a look at Bruern Abbey

I would think there may be a big gap between private and state so meeting/exceeding may be very different.
Even if there are spaces i guess if he falls below the average of the class. As there is no testing in state between y2 and 6.

I second JulianDickGeorgeAndTimmy -
have a look at Bruern Abbey

In our admissions policy we make it clear we do not have to justify a reason to not admit a pupil.

We typically would though.

When did you ring? Who did you ring? Perhaps the registrar has been off sick? I had one member of staff only manage one day last week and had a nasty vomiting bug the rest of the time, she certainly wasn’t checking emails!

It might just be that he is so far behind his peers at the independent school that the school wouldn’t be able to see how to get him up to speed within their setting. Remember at that age there is unlikely to be a TA in the class in a Prep school.

Where do you live? That makes a huge difference to what schools we can recommend to you.

We’re in SE London.

SE London independent school with 4 spaces in mid Y4 sounds rather odd?

Most independent schools have Y5 as a more typical entry point - although you may be rather late applying it's still worth phoning round letting them know that you're interested? Colfes/Eltham/St Dunstans/St Olaves prep?

It may well be the dyslexia, but they will never say that openly. It is probably safer for them just not to give feedback than risk offence or a lawsuit (yes, I have heard of this happening). I agree with those saying you may have dodged a bullet though.

Have you looked at other state schools?

OP, whereabouts in SE London are you? PM me if you like - DD's school has a dyslexia centre.

What does SE London mean?

South east London

Having 4 spaces in yr4 is not especially odd. Lots of prep schools around here add 2 places to each class for entry into Year 4.

But this is not for Sept Y4, it's for next term. 4 spaces in the middle of year 4 is very odd - implies that kids are leaving?

Spaces in yr 4 is not odd at the prep schools in my area. Parents move away (three in my son’s class - 2x New York, 1x Frankfurt) and then other younger siblings move at yr 3 or 4 to join older siblings as they join another school at yr 7 (eg move from prep only to an all through school like Alleyns or Dulwich).

My sons school has vacancies but doesn’t always fill them all because they are quite picky. That’s not to say your son didn’t deserve a spot or that he wouldn’t have been able to catch up - I’m sorry you’re going through that. Would suggest chasing again for feedback and lining up a tutor to address weaknesses. You may need two tutors - one for English specialist dyslexia support and one for maths as prep school may be up to two years ahead of state syllabus.

Can you make a GDPR subject access request for all data held about your son?

My son only narrowly gained a place because all though he did really well in tests he was so withdrawn and unsociable on the trial day that I had to persuade them he'd settle, and he really has settled well.

It's not necessarily down to the tests.

However, I had a formal feedback, a phone conversation and a discussion about his entry, I'd be expecting something similar for you you, it sounds v poor.

I wouldn’t say it was odd to have spaces. We just lost 3 in year 4. One to NY, one to an all through school and one to state as sibling had moved to outstanding state secondary so they didn’t see the need to keep paying fees if child was going to go state at 11 anyway. Places have been filled and had 10 boys sitting for the 3 places. I’m sure more than 3 were suitable but they could pick and choose