Westminster Under 4+ assessment?

[bayesian]

How is Westminster Under's 4+ assessment different from other selective preps (like the Hall)?

I know it’s hard in the moment (I was there with my eldest child) but please don’t get too upset. For boys especially you have all the opportunities at 7+ - WUS, Kings, St Paul’s. And the prep for 7+ is so much more understandable and structured.
If you are set on a school like WUS at 7+ I would consider preps like Wetherby NH, Eaton House Belgravia and Falkner House - they are well set up for 7+ prep. Thomases Kensington is a wonderful school with great parents and academics but most children will be staying till 11 or 18 in the Thomases system which makes 7+ (or 11+) prep difficult physiologically - eg “why should I have three hours of tutoring when James or Katie are having fun on the weekend.”

@Londonmamma22 thank you very much for the advices, it is extremely kind of you.

@Londonmamma22 how did it go in the 2nd round?

We will find out in a week I guess. The drop off could have been organised better imo (lots of waiting and loitering) however otherwise it’s in line with other 4+ assessments in places like Falkner or Glendower.

@Londonmamma22 did you prep by yourself, use a mock, or tutor? We will go through it in a few years

We didn’t do any prep - but she is a second child and goes to a good nursery where they teach them things like writing their name, sitting nicely during story time and not hitting your friend on the head when you get upset.
I am horrified about the amount of tutoring happening at 4+ level these days. It wasn’t the case a few years ago when my eldest was doing it. The most ironic part is that tutored kids do no better at 4+ than non tutored judging by my sample (even those tutored by certain very well known northern London tutors). Send your child to a good nursery, provide loving non anxious home environment, ensure they are confident an happy at drop off clubs and events and you will be fine. If the child doesn’t get into the perfect school at 4+, start proper high quality tutoring in the second half of year 1 and you will get into best schools at 7+

I agree, I am horrified that people are paying millions to tutor a 3yo and it just doesn't feel right or effective, but it does make me nervous when it seems many are doing it. One thing I do find difficult to teach is phonics beyond single letter sounds and CVS words.

I think most good quality nurseries can do the phonics/ basic writing prep so I don’t bother beyond making my DD sign birthday cards and asking to recognise an occasional letter when reading to her.
Quite a few children from our nursery have been called to the second round and quite a few of children I know have not got a callback. The ones who have been called back are not the once who have been tutored to read at level 3 or write multiple words - they are confident, curios children who like to play and make new friends. Disclaimer: they all can write their names, recognise numbers 0-10 and do other “basic” activities they have been taught in nursery.

@deanstreet there aren't any 4+ assessments that ask for any phonics beyond CVC words.
Nurseries traditionally begin teaching phonics in the final year before Reception (the preschool class) the trouble with this is, the preschool class starts in the September and the assessments begin from October through to January. The majority of nurseries will focus on one letter sound per week. It isn't until Reception that phonics teaching begins in earnest with the phase 2 sounds.

This means that parents (and/or tutors) will need to pick up the pace to get the children ready for the assessments. I do blame the schools for including CVC words in their assessments. If it wasn't an element of the assessment, we all wouldn't need to get worked up about it. They should stick to the focus of looking for school readiness, independence, confidence, curiosity etc, that they all say they are striving for on their websites!

My child also made it to the second round, but I think we were woefully unprepared compared to discussions with other parents on the day. Other families were casually commenting on the drastic increase in the use of tutors and Kumon classes this year. We didn't go down the tutoring route or Kumon because we were told this wasn't necessary by staff at our nursery. However, we are now finding out that majority of children in my child's class did not pass the first round of Westminster and have not been securing offers from the more academically selective schools that completed assessments prior to xmas. We are also being told that staff have not had as much time to invest in prepping the children compared to previous years, Needless to say I'm now worried that we have been too naive and not helped our child prepare enough. A cautionary tale for anyone sending their child to a PE backed nursery that also owns local non selective pre-preps!

Please please do not stress. I have seen first hand and heard second hand stories of 3-4 children showing up to 10 kids assessment in the most selective schools in South West (at 4+) this assessment season. Its is easier to get into a good school in London now than in an ok school in Dubai or Abu Dhabi or Monaco. There will always be parents throwing hundreds of £££s on tutors - it doesn’t mean they are getting the results at this age. In my opinion a lot of them would have been better off focusing on drop off activities to avoid tears a wobbles at the assessment drop off.

How do parents teach sound blending and CVC words? I have no idea how to teach

Does anyone know if results come out today or Monday..? Good luck to everyone where WUS is the first choice!

Is it realistic to consider WUS if my family earns only 100k?

Have you made it to the second round? You do know that fees are about £35k+ per year?

Not really... sorry to be direct. But unless you literally have no other costs, it's not doable.

Depends on your situation - can grandparents help with fees, do you have a mortgage etc
There is also a a substantial bursary scheme in Westminster so might be worth speaking to them once you get an offer

A different question is whether you and/ or your children will feel comfortable in a school where a lot of families will have housekeepers, country homes, multiple expensive holiday per year etc etc

And then there is a question of a second child - will you feel comfortable sending them to a state school…

No scholarships or bursaries at the under school… only the great school