London Schools year 5 / High CAT Score (mean 135)

[ThatNoisyZebra]

We just moved to London in January from the Netherlands, where our kids were in International School. We got both places at Fulham Prep as it's around the corner from our house, but we started to think about moving them to more academically challenging schools to stretch them, hopefully. We missed the 11+ due to timing, but our daughter has just received several offers from consortium schools this week out of the standard process; her CAT was okay, nothing exceptional, but she passed the 11+ test when she sat it this week.

Our DS (age nine and year 4) did the CAT test just after arriving in Jan and had never done a test before (we had no idea what this was), and his scores were high:
Verbal:141
Quantitative:124
NV: 136
Spacial:140
Mean:135

He has always been a good all-round student but not exceptional, and we didn't realise how good these scores were until we started applying for 11+ for my DD. As such, I think we should leverage these scores and try to get him into a top prep school to give him a better chance of getting into a top senior school at 11.

Any ideas or advice around year 5 admissions, such as whether we should try to move him using these scores and where, would be appreciated.

This London schooling system is pretty insane, so any general tips would be super helpful.

Thanks in advance!

These are (very) good scores and your son is a bright spark who would do well in an academic school. However, you'll probably find that academically selective schools do not care at all about CAT tests and only care about their own admissions tests - it's a numbers game for them: many have 10 applicants for every place so they use their own test to whittle down and disregard external tests.
If he's happy where he is in Y4, you'd only be moving him for 2 years. An alternative route would be to keep him where he is but do some 11+ prep/tutoring outside school. You could also consider all-through schools (eg latymer upper, st paul's, alleyns) which will be hard to get into but would mean he'd move to senior with most of his classmates.
The 11+ tests for state (Grammar) schools are held in September/October of year 6. The tests for private schools are generally held in Dec/Jan of year 6. If he's bilingual or has English as a second language, you'll probably need to push English and make it as far as possible his sole/main language for the next year - often the 11+ English texts are deliberately taken from older books with slightly old-fashioned English or unusual vocabulary. The quantitative score of 124 is still a good score but his lowest so you can't entirely take your eye of maths either.
FWIW playing a less common orchestral instrument can make you stand out, e.g. bassoon, oboe, viola, double bass. and possibly fill a gap in a school orchestra. but if starting from scratch from Y4 it'd be hard to get to a decent level in time.

These are really good CAT scores and he's obviously naturally very clever.

At his age I'd be inclined to keep him where he is as its so local and close to you. Great to stay local and potentially near new friends he's making? I don't know Fulham Prep though so maybe you just don't like this school?

If you feel his school isn't going to prepare him for the 11+ then perhaps start with a 11+ tutor. You have time as he's in Year 4, assuming you mean 11+ private school exams? 11+ Grammar exams are usually September of Year 5.

It can seem like an insane London school bubble, but in my experience, clever primary school children don't need to go to a top prep to get into the top secondary schools.

@Lebr, thank you. That information is really helpful. He is just a really good boy and well-rounded in that he is pretty good at sports and also plays the drums, but he's never stood out in any specific capacity, so these results were a bit of a surprise. We knew he was bright but these results seem very high to your point.

We are looking to develop him into a really good person and have never been focused on academic excellence. However, we do want to make sure we maximise his potential without too much pressure. Hence, we're considering putting him somewhere where they can do this from now on vs. waiting until the 11+— with the added benefit of a priority place at the senior school.

Due to location, we are thinking of St Pauls Junior and Latymer Junior but have no idea if they even consider children outside of the normal admissions process, let's see. They may not, so we will just have to wait for the 11+. For context, we are an English-speaking family, so he may just need to catch up with the UK curriculum for English and maths.

Thanks again for your insight.

@saywh4tnow Thanks for your comment.

We don't dislike Fulham Prep, but both of my kids have said multiple times that there are disruptive kids in class, and nothing is done about it. Their previous school in the Netherlands wasn't especially strict or academically strong, but the culture was great, the teachers maintained a great learning environment, and the children were super happy.

To add a bit more colour, we will most probably remain living in the Fulham/Parsons Green/Earls Court area, so some of the normal target schools are too far away. Our DD will probably go to St James or Queens Gate, so logistics for two drop-offs/pick-ups are a consideration.

What age is DD? Would she be going to Year 7 or are you moving her at different year?
Also, year 4 DS start to prep for 11+ and get tutors if you don’t have time. The wording in Maths 11+, verbal reasoning etc is very specific. Check Atom learning.
Most SW parents apply to a range of schools since it is competitive and different schools have different exams styles. Check good school guides for list of schools.
There are super selective London secondary schools and selective schools which have very bright kids so the fit is very important. Sport, music, language etc all very different.
DS have 2 years, and the Headteacher and teachers to write references for secondary schools etc so that can be accomplished in current place. The top prep schools, the kids get tutoring too and disruptive kids can be found in them as well.
Logistics, secondary schools they travel by themselves on public transport or car pool or bike etc.

DD is 11 and going into year 7. She has an offer from St James and is seeing Queens Gate, Knightsbridge and More House this week.

any insights on these schools would also be super helpful.

Knightsbridge is coed and the others are all girls and small forms. She will be joining schools with junior schools so making friends would need to be proactive due to some friendships groups from age 4 years old.
Check London pre prep website and Good school guide website for data that may help you.

Don't worry about logistics- almost all y7 travel independently to secondary schools. Unusual to be dropped off and picked up unless early morning sports etc.

If you want to move your son I would only try all through schools. No point in moving him to another Prep. Fulham Prep will help him into the right school for him.

You could ring St Paul's, Kings and Latymer Prep. They will know by now if anyone has handed in their notice for next year so there may be spaces- unlikely but possible- all schools have a lot of international parents and places do some up. He would still have to do their own entrance tests though, they won't rely on CAT scores.