Advice needed - transferring from state secondary school to private secondary school

[southlondondad]

Hi my ds is starting secondary school this September. We had planned to send him to an independent school however when we looked at our finances we found it would be difficult this year due to other (soon to end) financial commitments.

However next year we should be in a significantly better financial position. I would like to know if it is possible to transfer from a state school to an independent school in year 8? Has anyone had any experience of this or know anyone who has done this? Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks in advance.

It might be possible if the school you like has an ad hoc place. You'd have to enquire at the individual school.

Many have year 9 as a standard entry point (especially traditional boys schools), so even if you can't find a year 8 place, there's a good chance then but? The normal 13+ assessment is the Common Entrance exam.

Thanks Meditrina, so to be clear if switching in year 9 he would have to take the 13+ assessment to get in?

That is very often the case. Here's a link to information about the Common Entrance exam.

Have you talked to the school you want to move him to eventually? Children do move between schools outside of the normal entry points and a lot of schools will have your child sit a substitute exam and look at previous school reports if it is not close to a main entry point. If you are serious about moving him in year 8 it might be worth talking now - they could for example ask him to sit a late entrance test in the spring term so they know his ability relative to the other children who will be joining in year 7. If he did well you could ask for him to be put down for year 9 entrance but ask if he could move in year 8 if they have an ad hoc vacancy.

Many schools now have their own 13+ assessment, those relying on CE results only will more than likely have already closed their lists for next year entry, as they tend to pretest in Year 6/7. Some will also intake at 12+/Year 8. you need ot go through the websites of likely schools and speak to the Admissions Secretary about their admission procedures and arrange to visit.

every school will have a different admissions policy - phone the school you are interested in and go from there - it may be that you have to wait a year and do the common entrance for a Y9 place or they may take you in year 8 if there is a space and they have their own assessment procedure for pupils coming in at non standard times

check wiht the school.
Many have an intake at 13 and a formal procedure to deal with it...registration, 12+ exam in year seven, common entrance in year eight, interview etc

If it's a school with an intake at eleven, you will be applying for a spare place if one has come up (and it does...there are people moving abroad all the time for example). Tey will probably have their own entrance test for such pupils.

Many thanks for all the responses