Moving Private Schools outside usual entry points - how do you do it?

[Greenpoppins]

Our son is currently at a Prep school in London and we are looking at moving to Kent. Can anyone give me advice on how you lined everything up? In London we would have been doing the 7+ but this doesn't seem popular outside of London, so I'm assuming we just have to take a place when they become available? Or move and homeschool?

I'm assuming we will have to either be lucky with the timings or will have to pay a term at both schools as we can't give notice in time. Did you get the school place, then rent and while you sold? It seems like it is going to be a bit of a logistical and expensive nightmare.

Just call the schools you are interested in - they will likely bite your hand off in the current situation! They might ask for copies of school reports etc but, as I say, I’m not sure finding a spare place will be that difficult

GreenPoppins, we moved from one prep school to another within London and it wasn't a problem. We have known lots of people do this, as VanCleefArpels says, phone the schools you are interested in and they'll let you know if there are spaces.

Phone the schools you are interested in. The majority ask for the children to complete some sort of assessment - unless it’s a school with competitive 7+ entry this is usually just a taster day at the school whilst being observed, although sometimes they pop in an informal maths and English test. It varies by school. They will also ask for references / reports from their current school including whether you have any unpaid fees.

Whether or not they will offer a place now based just on the current school report may be possible given you can’t actually meet face to face. It will all depend on the school.

It’s very straightforward though and I would imagine that unless you are talking about the highly oversubscribed London prep schools there won’t be a single prep school in the country that won’t have a place available. I know of several people who have had to give notice at their current school for financial reasons.

Timings can be a pain though in terms of having to pay double fees.

Preps are rarely oversubscribed outside the NW london bubble.

At my school, you’d phone up and say ‘we would like to start at your school’ and we’d say ‘When?’ He would be invited for a taster day but he’d be let in regardless. Most schools in my area (outside of London but not far out - commuter area) are the same in this respect. I’ve never heard of the 7+ except on mumsnet.

We're outside London and all my children's preps were oversubscribed. My son's year only had 5 leave from reception up to year 6!

But yes, many of them are not selective and require only a reference from a previous school and a taster day if you're applying from pre-prep.

It's easier though in terms of viewing the schools, usually the Registrar will show you around and then you can put your name down when you know about places.

Thanks everyone. I've started emailing schools and will do some phone calls later on.

If you are in an area where you find there tend to be places can you let me know? Let me know here or DM me!

Just bumping my own thread. If anyone has any suggestions on areas to look I'd hugely appreciate it. Have tried the Sevenoaks area with no luck.