4+ assessments 2023

[Agirlcanhope2023]

Thought I’d set up a thread for those of us sitting our DS/DD for the 4+ in 2023 (for September 2024 start date). Anyone had any assessment day(s) yet?

@Labradoodlie - I personally think most people would prep their little one before. Not in a harsh way but a fun enjoyable way. These assessments are quite tough and unless there's some sort of "prep" before hand, I don't think you can expect a 3/4 year old to confidently go to a stranger and play with them for an hour or so in different challenging games. I've done lots of confident building work with my son, yes lots of tracing of his names, fun puzzles and just getting him comfortable. I personally think these are just useful skills that the kids will eventually learn but for the sake of the assessment will need to be learned asap.

Also I don't know about you, but I'm honestly getting put off by some schools that make it a stressful environment during the assessment phase. Because if they do that at the start, I imagine it will be much more pressurised when they join. I know of some schools that have a stay and play session beforehand to get the kids comfortable with the school before the assessment, which I absolutely love.

Someone please tell me this is a joke, right? They have 4+ assessments now? I'm sorry, but that is just hideous and making me extremely angry at the world.

Why are we segregating bloody 4 year olds on a test that will be unreliable? They vary so much at that age that a child could fail the test, have a sudden development leap after the tests and end up "top" of the year group a few months later.

And if a child was particularly talented or struggling at that age, segregating from peers at different points to them isn't helpful at all!

The only conclusion I can draw is that schools doing this are either doing it to look and feel pretentious to parents so they pay more money, or weed out the ones they think will be too much hassle to pump exam results out of. Both of those would make me actively avoid sending my child there.

Can someone please explain the point of these to me? Surely I'm missing something because this is barbaric. Has our society really started separating 4 year olds into those worth and not worth our time? Labelling as successful or failures based on an inaccurate test at (and I can't stress this enough) 4 YEARS OLD?!

Where has the common sense and humanity gone? My mind is blown. As a teacher, I can't disregard these schools enough. It sickens me.

Sorry for strong views, but this is really getting my blood boiling!

@drmumoftwo That sounds a sensible approach. All the nursery parents are being very blasé, but I suspect it’s bullshit!

@YellowSubmarine994
I completely understand where you're coming from. I work in CAMHS so a child's mental health is paramount to me. My husband and I went to private schools and therefore we naturally looked into private schools for our kids. However after seeing the assessments, we decided to also apply to state schools.
I do think that a being a child in this day and age is very very tough! We're thinking about it in terms of short term pain for hopefully long term gain of getting better teaching and pastoral support. I'm hoping that if he gets into a good school which provides support, care and that he really enjoys, he will grow up to be a happy confident polite boy! I do wish they didn't have the assessments, and the Highgate and Habs one have put me off a lot, but I think for the number of spaces they can offer for the huge number of applications they receive, they do need some sort of way to choose, I guess!

@Labradoodlie I don't know anyone who isn't "preparing" their child for the assessments! I was actually asking another mum if they know any fun stay and play toddler sessions. I know they used to run one in Hampstead, but I can't find any anymore. Not interested in a tutoring service but more playing with kids they don't know in an environment they're not familiar with!

Can I give some unsolicited advice? Feel free to do as you please with it, including ignoring it.

The teaching in private schools is quite often fundamentally crap a lot of the time. Please don't think I'm bashing all private schools (there are some great ones) but there are a lot that just get good results because they've only taken the kids that would get the results regardless of where they were. My other concern is, if they are only taking kids who pass the stupid test, what happens if the kid later struggles a lot and looks like they're not going to deliver the exam results the school want? I've heard too many accounts of kids coming out of private and back into state because in private schools the SEN support was next to nothing, the teachers ignored the struggling ones and treasured the precious academic ones instead etc.

The point I'm trying to make is don't make the assumption of private schools mean better teaching. It's often the opposite. The biggest predictor of results is actually parental income, not type of school. Private schools will naturally get lots of high income families so will get better results, but those kids would have done well anywhere in reality. People I've known who've been to private school often say pastoral support was crap and it was more of an exam factory.

Take with a pinch of salt, but just something to bear in mind if helpful.

@YellowSubmarine994
Thank you for your thoughts. I do agree with you. I really do! we have been going back and forth with regards to this. I went to 7 private schools growing up (eek- I moved a lot), and didn't receive good pastoral support for maybe 3 of them. I do think whichever school you choose, it is a risk! As a mother, of course we just want our child to be happy and have the best education.
I would say however, if you're paying so much, there is an expectation and a pressure that you can place on the school, to do better and give the extra support that your child needs if and when they need it. Anyways, I do think I am not sticking to the purpose of his group! Haha. Feel free to message me further if you'd like though!
My son has an assessment in 1.5 weeks and I will let you all know how it goes!

Fingers crossed for you and your son!

@YellowSubmarine994 thank you!

@YellowSubmarine994 it's been going on for years. It's madness in NW London at this time of year.

Hi all. Any idea when the first round results are communicated to parents for Highgate and SHHS? Only asking as I need to confirm work travel plans for January and not sure how long I can delay my confirmation! Many thanks! :)

Hello! I also did the assessment last year and would advise that prep is fun but I do believe some prep is required. It’s very dependent on what your nursery is doing in their hours. Some nurseries do all the prep, some are more like playgroups so what you do at home is really based on what they are doing at nursery.

My child across the assessments was asked things like, what she wants for lunch and why she likes it so much, asked to throw a bean bag into a hoop. Draw, obviously not perfectly but conceptually. Put a puzzle together, identify basic numbers , and I believe yes, attempting to write her name. They also observed her in a group. I think what got her in to our preferred school was her comprehension, her ability to understand , her want to give things a go. She is not the brightest in her year and sits in the middle from what I can see. But she listens to instruction and has a ‘can-do’ attitude. I would advise comprehension, a few basic twinkl sheets and lots of talking about everything from farm animals to seasons and different materials. Things you are probably already doing :)

Play games like dobble, build things with Lego or stickle bricks and enjoy seeing your child grow :)

Good luck!

My daughter is in private school, yes because we are in a small group that can afford it, but it was the best option against all the terrible state schools in our area. She has had amazing support, her teachers are kind and caring and she is enjoying her time there. In the end , their happiness is all that matters.

I know a few kids at our nursery have got their results for SHHS

Thanks @London4Plus I thought SHHS first round was till 15th so results were expected after ?

Yes I was wondering the same! They still have tomorrow left. Have they sent out rejections or acceptances or a mix?

SHHS website mentions parents will be notified early December

I see your point YellowSubnarine, but only a small fraction of children in this country do 4+ test, many parents who do 4+ try to put their kids in all through schools at 4+ to avoid 7+ or the most dreadful and feared 11+ (which IS quite tough as A LOT OF academic prep is required and children are aware if they fail).
4+ is not a test per se it's a play-based assessment of certain skills (mostly social/intellectual maturity/teachability rather than "taught academics) and its not stressful at all as minimum academic prep is required. Some kids love going to these assessments, one of my 3 DCs loved these assessments and always asked for more and another one was the complete opposite: shy and hated being left on their own.

Schools are looking for certain types and if a child fails they can always re-sit at 7+ and 11+ or even 16+, I dont see any issues with the concept of doing 4+ (and essentially avoiding 11+)

@YellowSubmarine994 private school is a choice for those who can afford to make the decision to educate their children in a less ‘government led’ curriculum environment. 4+ is not ‘new’ they haven’t just started to test four year olds. I’m 40 and did 4+

do I remember? No! Am I happy I went to a private school and my family could afford the fees (just about may I add)? Yes I am.

its fine for you to voice your views and also be against the system but that’s why we also have state schools. This thread is about supporting each other through assessments if the choice has been made not to chastise those who make that choice.

A parent mentioned they had heard back, sorry dont know anyway to verify. My DD is having hers today.

We’ve just had a date confirmed for JAGS. Anyone else doing the South London circuit?

My DD had first round assessment of Highgate last Wednesday, didn't get feedback yet but received an email said the outcome will be sent by Monday November 20.anybody already get the result?

Noo , not yet. I think they will send results no sooner then Monday. How did you do ?) We had an assessment early November and a lot of children were crying , not sure if they managed to assess them :(