Accept offer at 4+ or save and wait?

[Waffletoast94]

If you were lucky enough to get an offer of a place at 4+ would you take it and stretch financially or wait until 7+ or even 11+ when places more limited?

If you did accept a 4+ place and stretched would you stand any chance of getting a bursary later?

We're considering Ducks, DPL, Alleyns.

It depends on the child, but if you know you want a certain school for secondary, why wait until last minute for prep? Not saying it is not possible, as our eldest got into a top secondary school and we only began prep end of May year 5...not by choice though. We did not realise we would take the private route until last minute. We always thought she would go to a different school. Anyway, it all worked out and she did well in the 11+ And she is doing well in her school now. But for our second dc we knew we wanted private so began the prep earlier just because why wait. Most people start year 4 or start of year 5 depending on what school they are aiming for and dc capability.

If its a stretch now, I would save the money into a pot for secondary. Fees rise every year. Third year in and fees already rose 5k

Misguided? You have no idea of what is outside of what I know or understand. As for kids "liking or thriving for challenges "my ds is a doctor and my ds is in her last year of a PhD in Chemical Engineering both through state schools and went to the much admired RG unis. Hard work at times encouraging them, suppose I'll be accused of bragging now and that was not my initial intention but what do I know ?

And I should have said they both loved singing "the wheels on the bus"at 4 years old at their state primary plus "twitchy wah" when they came back from holiday. Exams at 4, 5 nah.

Private school can offer both at the same time from day one, singing "the wheels on the bus" AND solving Maths puzzles. By virtue of the small class sizes it's obvious more ground can be covered.

Personally, however, if I had a bright child, I'd wait until 11+ , having had exam tuition from year 4.

You said yourself you didn’t know 4+ existed - so yes, this is categorically outside the circle of things you can competently talk about. So instead of gatecrashing a thread, either just move on or take the time to properly educate yourself and construct a non-reductive argument.

Well done to your kids going to ‘RG’ unis, I guess.