Assessment for Reception and Year 3 private school

[Tiptoes123]

Hi all, I wonder if anyone could tell me what kind of assessments my children would go through at either entry into Reception Year or Year 3 in a selective private school?

I have DD and DS and considering looking at the private route but I don't have any previous experience of private assessments. Both seem to be bright and very able compared to their friends. Is there a website I could look at? The school sites seem to just say for Reception year they will have informal sessions with the teachers - what does this involve? How do you assess a 3 year old? Same question for Year 3 entry.

General area is Surrey Guildford / Woking areas.

Thanks!

I’m south west London/Surrey and here in our prep and Pre-prep there are a wide variety of entrance requirements. Most schools at reception will just invite the child in for a ‘play’ with other children in a class and will be observed. Possibly some 1 2 1 time with the teacher to see if they have a basic understanding of certain concepts. Year 3 is very different. Most schools ask kids to come in and do a half day assessment which will include and English and maths paper , 10 mins of reading to a teacher and an informal interview with the head.

Don’t be put off by this though. It’s not as daunting as it sounds . Also if you get 1 child in at reception , the sibling policy works in reverse so you will get preference for a year 3 child

It really depends on the school. There are some very selective schools in Guildford and some other which are also very good which aren't as selective. Do you want them to go to the same school? There are quite a few single sex schools so if you're looking at those, you'll want something ideally which isn't a crazy school run.

You need to talk to the specific schools you are thinking about, as they will have different approaches. As a child entering y3 from a state school we were offered a pre assessment for example. This was a 1 on 1 session after which you were told if your child was likely to be of the correct level.

Entry for reception which expect the child to be able to write their first name and do some basic counting at least. They often have to do some colouring and a drawing. My grand daughter’s school has devised a test that they can’t be coached for - the children move rouNd the hall visiting different tables each with two teachers watching they do. She was asked to draw a butterfly and make some food from playdo. They were interested in what she had to say about the activities.

Personally we went for a prep school which didn’t have an exam for a 3/4 year old. Probably not helpful

My school is selective into both of those year groups. Year 3 is a Maths, reading and general assessment of what they are like as a child. Reception is about interactions. Basically to rule out those that we feel won't thrive in an academically selective school. They don't need to have any prior knowledge, as we know that children who have been in a nursery may have been taught things that a child at home many not have been.

At the moment, given pupil numbers I wouldn't worry too much about any assessment.

If your kid is bright and you talk to them about things (so they have good verbal skills and can recognise the letters of their name etc), they should get into the right school for them at reception. At 7 plus it is different because a lot of prepping goes on, and you need to make the decision as to whether to go down that road or whether to leave it to fate. Danger of prepping is that it creates an unfair expectation on a small child and they may have to experience "failure". Danger of not prepping is that they won't be prepared. We went for option b and DC got into the right school by the skin of their teeth. By year 5 they were excelling compared to those who were prepped but not as able, but still behind those who were able and prepped. I would personally think about doing some Bond books with your older one, getting them to write a short piece in 30 minutes, gently practising some maths, etc.