Assessment days - prep school (day)

WindyRoses · 2025-04-23T10:19:14+00:00

We've just been given the date for our first "stay and play" assessment day for Sep 26 entry - in June this year, when DD won't even be 3 yet. Gulp. Little bit concerned about her confidence at the moment, she's incredibly clingy at nursery each day when we try to leave, and reading up on the assessment day, she will be asked to participate in the current reception class, play, draw, join in etc, without DH and I there. At the moment I think she'd be a wailing mess, so I'm not sure how to approach this. The other schools we're registered with aren't doing their assessment days until late autumn 2025 or even January 2026, which as she's a late summer baby, just gives us those extra months to get her up to speed. Has anyone got any recent insight on prep school "taster days", aka, unofficial interviews? Does the current age of the child get taken into account?

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Rocknrollstar · 23/04/2025 11:42

I think the age of the child is taken into account but at GCs school, if they wouldn’t leave the parent and go off with the teacher that was the end of the assessment. They had so many applicants that was how they made the first cut.

Original poster

WindyRoses · 23/04/2025 12:49

Rocknrollstar · 23/04/2025 11:42

I think the age of the child is taken into account but at GCs school, if they wouldn’t leave the parent and go off with the teacher that was the end of the assessment. They had so many applicants that was how they made the first cut.

Yes, that's my worry. Ah well. What will be will be, they'll either accept the fact that she's still only (an older) 2 year old, or they won't

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NLseneca · 23/04/2025 14:10

that sound incredibly early for an assessment for sep 26. most are nov-jan.

Original poster

WindyRoses · 23/04/2025 14:26

I know, I was incredibly surprised (and a bit panicked!) at how early it is

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NameChangeZon · 23/04/2025 14:48

WindyRoses · 23/04/2025 14:26

I know, I was incredibly surprised (and a bit panicked!) at how early it is

Are you sure they have the right age? It seems crazily early.

Original poster

WindyRoses · 23/04/2025 15:08

Yes it's a bit odd isn't it. Definitely the right age, the email talks about Reception start in September 2026 (which is correct)

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redphonecase · 23/04/2025 15:09

Is this Highgate, NLC, UCS, Habs etc.

Original poster

WindyRoses · 23/04/2025 15:18

No, Oxfordshire

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kaela100 · 23/04/2025 15:18

My youngest daughter recently did an assessment for a private prep (entry at preschool) & she was potty trained, confident, using phonics, able to read, and talked with and interacted with the other children really well. All of the other children were like that. We didn't see any shy, clingy kids at the assessment day (though we did see them during school open days). So it's possible the school told the parents to wait.

Is there a possibility for you to go to an open day during a normal schoolday with your child & get some honest feedback? A lot of the preps will do this if you ask.

Original poster

WindyRoses · 23/04/2025 16:14

Yes, mine is potty trained, confident with her classmates at nursery and adults and talks well, but the initial drop off for the first 5 mins she is clingy and sad at the moment. It's a change from the running in without a backwards glance she was previously and we have no idea why.
However - reading?? at age 3??
Mine is at a private nursery and they do phonics and singing numbers etc, but she is still only 2 and I would not be expecting her to be able to read at 3? Should I be?

I didn't realise the pre - schools had assessments days too!, thought it was just for reception upwards

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NLseneca · 24/04/2025 09:14

No school expects them to read. I was told by a head of a very prominent selective school "they can know how to read but we won't know because we don't test for that"

kaela100 · 24/04/2025 18:51

WindyRoses · 23/04/2025 16:14

Yes, mine is potty trained, confident with her classmates at nursery and adults and talks well, but the initial drop off for the first 5 mins she is clingy and sad at the moment. It's a change from the running in without a backwards glance she was previously and we have no idea why.
However - reading?? at age 3??
Mine is at a private nursery and they do phonics and singing numbers etc, but she is still only 2 and I would not be expecting her to be able to read at 3? Should I be?

I didn't realise the pre - schools had assessments days too!, thought it was just for reception upwards

Depends on the schools but I was told by our local ones that there are often 2-3x the number of applicants vs places & and the kids who apply tend to be able to read so if a child doesn't it's unlikely they'll get in. They also really fasttrack reading / phonics in preschool with the aim of moving onto letter formationbguess it makes sense as it's an Indian area

Bunnycat101 · 25/04/2025 07:50

That feels early so like a few others I’d be wondering if something isn’t quite right- I don’t think you’d be unreasonable to call admissions and check why it is so early and how they’ll make it age appropriate for a 2 year old (although some schools are heavily dominated by autumn born (intakes).

If would actually really put me off the school if they were expecting 2 year olds to be assessed by joining a reception class as it would make me question how nurturing and supportive the environment would be as well as understanding of small children. One of my children cried every morning going into reception for at least 8/10 weeks when she started and can still be wobbly with going in in y1. She is exceeding in everything and is extremely capable and confident once she’s in school so in my mind assessing a young child for clinginess at transitions is a really dumb measure as it has no bearing on ability. .

Original poster

WindyRoses · 25/04/2025 09:10

Bunnycat101 · 25/04/2025 07:50

That feels early so like a few others I’d be wondering if something isn’t quite right- I don’t think you’d be unreasonable to call admissions and check why it is so early and how they’ll make it age appropriate for a 2 year old (although some schools are heavily dominated by autumn born (intakes).

If would actually really put me off the school if they were expecting 2 year olds to be assessed by joining a reception class as it would make me question how nurturing and supportive the environment would be as well as understanding of small children. One of my children cried every morning going into reception for at least 8/10 weeks when she started and can still be wobbly with going in in y1. She is exceeding in everything and is extremely capable and confident once she’s in school so in my mind assessing a young child for clinginess at transitions is a really dumb measure as it has no bearing on ability. .

Thanks, that's actually a really good idea, will contact them and see what their thought process is

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Original poster

WindyRoses · 25/04/2025 11:39

Well, I've spoken to the school, and they assure me it's all correct, they're very much geared up to the fact that some of the summer born entry will be young during the assessment day. Didn't really explain why it was so much earlier than the others (shrugs) but it will be a good starting point I guess for us to go through this procedure ourselves also.

Now then. Got 6 weeks to teach DD how to read and speak fluent French......

;)

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PlanetOtter · 25/04/2025 12:08

That’s nuts. I was on your other thread about dates too and this school sounds super weird.

Assessing kids at 3 is bad enough, but I don’t believe anyone can meaningfully tell anything about kids at 2.

FWIW, the Dulwich schools don’t seem to care about reading for reception entry. More about can they listen/ follow instructions/ seem interested and engaged.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 25/04/2025 12:15

WindyRoses · 25/04/2025 11:39

Well, I've spoken to the school, and they assure me it's all correct, they're very much geared up to the fact that some of the summer born entry will be young during the assessment day. Didn't really explain why it was so much earlier than the others (shrugs) but it will be a good starting point I guess for us to go through this procedure ourselves also.

Now then. Got 6 weeks to teach DD how to read and speak fluent French......

;)

My daughter is summer born and did her assessment when she was 2. I think she'd only just turned 3 when actually starting nursery in a private prep.

Parents were there for quite a while and within sight of their children for at least 30-40 mins. Kids were gradually drawn into play and other activities. We were then steered in the direction of a next door room for some tea and coffee.

We later had a private meeting with the Head with our daughter. She had a huge vintage dolls house in her office and my take on it was she was assessing whether DD was destructive and couldn't settle. DD was enchanted and happily explored the house without thankfully breaking anything.

It's worth bearing in mind the school is also "selling" to you. We were given very clear instructions that it was the schools job to teach them to read and it is easier if they don't have to undo parental teaching.

Realistically they are looking for children who are engaged and interested in what's going on around them. Kids who can settle and listen for short bursts of time, and kids who aren't going to thump their neighbour.

Statistically I would say there are fewer summer born children in my experience in private school. It remains an option for you to start her a year later subject to their agreement. Pros and cons to that. My experience is they catch up but you will be comparing their progress often negatively right up to at least year 3. For secondary school, it also means they are developmentally a little less mature so Yr 7 can be a shock and for sport particularly for boys, may be smaller and less able. But I am grossly generalising. There will be a million people who will give examples of top athletes born in July / August.

Original poster

WindyRoses · 25/04/2025 12:22

Thanks @TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams that's a really helpful insight 👍🏽

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Hotwheelz · 25/04/2025 12:28

kaela100 · 24/04/2025 18:51

Depends on the schools but I was told by our local ones that there are often 2-3x the number of applicants vs places & and the kids who apply tend to be able to read so if a child doesn't it's unlikely they'll get in. They also really fasttrack reading / phonics in preschool with the aim of moving onto letter formationbguess it makes sense as it's an Indian area

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I’m curious as to where you’re based and what you mean by “makes sense as it’s an Indian area”? Is there a focus on reading/writing at a younger age from parents from this background? Asking as er are moving to a similar area and I’m quite surprised by how competitive the schools seem to be!