What might my daughter (age 4) and me be asked at interview for private school - reception entrance

[stressed2007]

At the risk of being pilloried (sp?) as per a few earlier questions I had regarding entrance requirements my daughter has managed to get 2 second stage interviews at 2 very good London private schools for the reception class. On the basis I was clueless about the playgroup assessment stage (the first stage) I am delighted.

We are going back for 2 45 minute interviews (one at each school). I have no information about what this will entail and was wondering if anyone had been through this process and could suggest:

1. What my daughter might be asked to do or asked about?

1. What I might be asked about?

I am also to have the opportunity to ask anything I would like. This seems very much like a job interview when one is supposed to use the questions to "shine". I have read the schools prospectus and both schools are excellent. I really don't have much further to ask. I would be over the moon if she was offered a place and I just don't want to mess it up for her.

I look forward to any constructive thoughts. Thanks very much.

I think you can tell a lot from visiting. We looked at 3 state schools and 2 private schools. One school was clear favourite on paper but our visit was a real eye-opener and in terms of placing we put it bottom. Despite knowing several parents with children there. No one could be more surprised than me at how things turned out. You know your dc and you will know by gut instinct which is the right environment for them. The head of our pre-visit fav failed to engage at all with ds and none of the teachers spoke to us. I had gone along thinking that it was a done deal so was very shocked at how much I hated it.

Reading school prospectuses only gives you an idea of their marketing!

We went for our interview for DD's private school without DD. Although it said in the brochure that she needed to be interviewed the fact that she had attended their pre-school counted in her favour.

However I still remember having to read to my prospective Headmistress at age 4 to get into my own Pre-Prep!

Oh and stressed, when talking to selective schools, it really is worth asking them what happens to children who aren't subsequently able to keep up academically. Because I think Frogs' post early on got a bit lost:

"Oh, and fwiw the non-selective prep-schools are regularly approached for places at 6+ and 7+ by parents of children who were 'selected' for the pushier schools at 4+ and are now being quietly elbowed out when they turn out to not be quite as academic as the 4+ assessments indicated."

One of the sadder school experiences for me was seeing the little ones getting counselled out in Yr 1 or 2

Well done to your DD for getting to the next stage.

For me practical questions would be top of my list. If the school is top of the league table how do they keep everyone at the same level. Is there extra help if required? What happens to those who lag behind. If a lot of these little ones have been tutored to get in will you have to keep on topping up for the next x years to keep up.

Are all the extra activities free or do they have to be paid for?

If you work, before and after school clubs or a bus service might be important to you.

As has been said you are the interviewer you need to make sure which one (if any) is the right one for your DD.

I would personally steer well clear of a school that is selective at age 4 - what the hell can they assess at that age?

And I would RUN AWAY SCREAMING from any school that interviews parents to see if they are "worthy" (presumably to see if they are willing to put a 4 year old under massive academic pressure).

Really, find a caring, friendly non-selective pre-prep to ease your DD happily into school life. Selection is a nonsense before age 7 (and even then may be best avoided of your DC is not clearly academic).

As background, my DD went to one of the most selective girls preps at age 7, but only because she needed a highly challenging environment or she gets bored. And there was NO meeting with parents as part of the assessment, only a day of lessons and an informal chat with the head. My DS has just started at age 7 at a similar prep and the selection process was similarly non-stressful for him. At age 4 they went to a local non-selective pre-prep which they loved.

If I had put them under the amount of pressure that this school is proposing at age 4 I think they could have been burnt-out nervous wrecks by now.

Claig - if you are around I have tried to message you. Thanks

"How much do your parents earn?"

hi stressed2007, sorry I am not on CAT. If you want I could create a brand new temporary email address for you, which I could later delete?

Not sure my daughter would know that! ha ha

claig I was just womdergn what your association was with SAHS and if you had children at this or other selective schools -you seem v knowledgeable?

Are you on CAT as you can cat me if you don't want to answer such questins on here. If not if you say you will accept post on your profile I can then CAT you. Thanks very much

stressed2007,
It is very nice to be thought of as knowledgeable, there are many on here that don't think so

I have a son at a state primary in Essex and we are hoping that he will get into a grammar school. He will be taking the 11+ later this year. I haven't got any knowledge of SAHS, apart from the website. I have no real knowledge of selective schools. The nearest thing to that is that I did go to a private school abroad when I was 16.

But from what I read on the SAHS website it did look truly outstanding.

How did your daughter's test go?

*no real knowledge of public schools

Are you lot for real? Japanese, Mandarin, Russian... blimey. What do they start with first - the 6000 Chinese characters, 2000 Japanese characters or 33 Russian letters?

IAmTheEasterBunny,
it sounds absolutely fantastic doesn't it?
I sincerely hope they start all of them simultaneously

Stressed, my dd is currently at SAHS. If you have any questions about the school please ask.

follygirl