Private primary schools - anyone know what they are looking for when they do their assessments?

[WreckOfTheHesperus]

Have looked round a couple of schools for reception entry recently, and am a bit at the numbers applying for so few places, and the fact that they assess 3 year olds for the best part of a day...

Does anyone have any ideas of what they get them to do and what they're looking for?

I don't know - and, as someone whose DD is currently going through an assessment for entrance to a school in France, we have been somewhat surprised to observe that the school hasn't got a clue as to what it is doing!

But I'm sure English schools aren't quite so arrogant and ignorant.

Bonsoir, what is it the Frenchs school has done that has been so bad? Prepare me for the worst that might happen...

I don't think you need worry about it!

(1) The school asked for a speech therapist assessment of DD's ability to cope with bilingual education. I asked the school to give me the name of their most highly respected speech therapist in Paris for making an assessment of a bilingual child. I took DD out of school for a whole day to hike across Paris... speech therapist was totally charming but completely incompetent in English and assessed DD as if she were monolingual French... school looked at assessment and said "that's nothing special". We explained and school agreed that we need an English assessment and that the French one is meaningless but the deadline is next week. Grrr.

(2) I asked the school how they teach Anglophone children to read (school likes to think of itself as the best bilingual school in France). They didn't know and made mutterings about buying some books in England and some in the US. I prompted her to talk about phonics... NOTHING.

That kind of thing!

Blimey, you're right, I certainly won't be worrying about those things!

Do you have someone who can fit you in with an English assessment in such a short time frame?

I find it staggering to think that they can't tell you how they actually teach children to read...really would have thought that this was their bread and butter...?

Perhaps this is a case of a school resting on its laurels; do you have any good alternatives for your DD, if this one continues to look a bit iffy?

DD is in her final year of maternelle at a perfectly good school where I am very happy for her to continue until the end of primary - the problem really arises thereafter, and my feeling had been that we should grab a place at a school where she could stay until 18. But I am now having very serious doubts!

I have convinced an independent speech therapist to come and do an assessment of DD at my parents' home this Sunday. The SALT is on maternity leave (hence availability and willingness at short notice) and my mother and I will look after her baby while she is assessing DD! I spent all morning on the telephone yesterday locating an appropriate SALT.

You are absolutely right: this school is resting on its laurels. Very interesting to observe!

How about you?

I wouldn't worry about the assessment day - if your child is 3 it will largely be dependent on whether he/she is having a good day. It's a bit frustrating, however.

The criteria really varies from school to school. A good school will tell you what they are looking for, ime.

One of the schools mentioned sorting beads (?), another about being the child being asked to write its name...

I was not planning to make any concerted efforts to teach DD to read or write anything over the next year or so, as she is only 2, so I was hoping that someone would tell me that they mostly just ask the kids to play nicely, alone and with other children, and that their lovely natural qualities will just shine through...but I am probably being unrealistic in this competitive world.

The thought of anyone rejecting my DD for anything makes me feel very fierce, I have to say...

How old will your DD be when she does the assessments? And how long is it until she does them?

If she is 3 she will be easily able to recognise her name written down providing you have shown her (stick her name on her bedroom door, on her clothes, in her books etc) and that you have talked about names.

Sorting toys are a good way of buying some peace! As are puzzles.

And I am sure that she has lots of props for imaginative play anyway - cups and saucers and ballet tutus and dolls etc. Just make sure she does a lot of that.

Our school is basically looking for readiness to learn - the ability to sit and listen to a story, to take turns answering questions, to follow simple instructions. I know they are also asked to identify some pictures (ie shown a picture of a horse and asked what it is) and do a drawing, but apart from that nothing over the top. This is a reasonably academic school though not one of the hot houses, where I'm sure things may be different.

They also get a nursery report too (if available). Don't worry!

Agree with knowmyrights it is basically the ability to behave resonably, sit and listen to a story and answer (or even just pay attention if shy) when spoken to. Don't worry about it.

Wreck

DD went to two assessments, both at preps for highly academic schools.
The schools spoke to parents at open days and on the addmission daysto tell them what to expect
One did a morning of testing which involved children being asked to draw, paint, stack, listen to stories, answer questions about them etc etc.
The other school did a party day where they turned up in fancy dress and played themed games which called on certain abilities . So they made picture and played stuff and had no sense that they were being tested at all.

Both schools stressed that they did NOT want parents to try and teach the kids to write - that was not anything they were interested in, thatthey were looking for children who were interested, fairly attentive and able to express themselves. They said they did not want a class full of over confident performing children so they absoloutely expected shyness, non co-operation and usual three/four year old stuff.

DD loved both days but loved one school much more than the other. That was the one we sent her to.
Can you guess which one

Oh that's a good point pagwatch has made, my two ds had no idea AT ALL that they were being tested in any way - in fact they had a really fun time and so a very positive view of the school before they even started.

By the way one of my ds was offered a place without hesitation even though the school identified a bit of a speech problem and said his vocab. was poor for his age (despite normal hearing tests and the nursery saying he was normal) - this led to us getting a referral to an ENT consultant who said his tonsils and adenoids had to come out urgently plus grommets in his ears. Within a month his speech and vocab. had improved dramatically - so I think these schools can be amazing at picking up things in a short time!

Thanks knowmyrights and kneazle, that doesn't sound too daunting, but can't imagine how you actually choose between a bunch of 3/4 year olds in this way; must be nightmarishly tricky.

Pagwatch, think I can easily guess Good to hear that they expected them still to be children rather than infant prodigies. At the mo, DD would consistently tick the "able to express herself" box if it were judged on volume alone...

Bonsir, DD will be almost 4 when she does the assessments, I think. It's difficult to visualise our slightly bonkers 2 year old becoming someone that could be reasonably assessed for academic potential, but things will maybeno doubt change considerably over the next year or so...