If you could only afford five out of the seven years at private senior school, which would you choose?

[BettyBedlam]

It is going to be very uncomfortable to afford all seven years at senior school for our family privately, but we can do five. I'm not sure what universities assess on initially or when you apply - do they look mostly at GCSE results, or AS level results?

So, would you:

a) send to single sex ex-grammar state school from 11-13 (friends are going there - this is a plus as DC1 is sensitive) but then take out at 13+ to a school where most of the intake at that age is likely to be boarding (we will be day) and stay for 6th form. The private school has good pastoral care.

b) send to private school from 11-16 and possibly have to remove for A levels. A lot of local privately educated A level students move to the ex-grammar for A levels. It is mixed at that stage.

Happygardening It is only this entrance that is mainly boarding, not 11+. He's just got a (not hugely financially lucrative) scholarship at 11+ from a school that did not prepare him, so hopefully would be OK at 13.

Heswall - I like your thinking! [re robbing bank]

It's not uncommon for prestigious schools to offer scholarships/bursaries to talented children in the state sector, and they cover 2 years at prep school. So the scenario of moving both at 11 and 13 isn't uncharted ground and has been shown to work effectively.

The note of caution is that if those 2 years aren't at a prep, the onus is on you to ensure that your DC also covers the ground needed for entrance exams. Is the eventual destination school CE, or does it have it's own exam? The latter may be easier to approach from a non-prep.

It is CE Edith. We are OK for tutors locally so that shouldn't be a problem.

I saw the ex bit Betty. Even so, it takes very, very significant differences in the average best eight GCSEs to make any difference to the decisions of university tutors.

Yes, some universities set more store by AS results and some go more by GCSEs.

I'd forget this.

Where would your DS be happiest and where would he be likely to do best?

from 11 onwards. Definitely. The skills laid down by my dd1's private senior school in yrs 7 and 8 are proving indispensable and I can see her personality changing in front of my eyes (in a good way - motivated and self disciplined). But all my children are very sporty so private school was crucial for us.

b) 11-16. If he goes at 13 his exam options may be more limited. We are having to choose ds' (Year9) options on basis of one term at this school so haven't really got a handle yet on the staff or what might work well longer term. There were already subjects he could n't really do this year because of the subjects he had/hadn't studied or not enjoyed at previosu school and had to hit the ground running in others. He may get a scholarship or bursray for 6th form or your fortunes may change.

11 to 16.

Local 6th form college/school for A Levels/Bacc.

At 16 they can travel further opening up more localish options.

I did 11-16 at an independent school

Then went to a very good state school for sixth form

I actually got better a level results than at gcse

But I'd go for 11-16 at independent

Who knows you might be able to afford the last 2 years

Yellowstone Where would your DS be happiest and where would he be likely to do best? - Well, that's the big question and if I knew that for certain, I'd be very happy indeed.

You can't know it Betty but a hunch about those things is far more important than worrying about the politics of university entry at this early stage.

I would say, give your child a good foundation for A levels by giving them the private education up to age 16. Any good school will get your child through A levels with good results.
A good education is more important the younger you are. If you don't get the good basis, what is there to build on?

11- end of year 11.

most private schools have an intake at 13 so he wouldn't be the only new boy and how hard would it be for him at 16 if he had to leave and go to what may or may not be a less good school away from his mates? What if in the time he has spent at the private school he develops a talent for Latin or ancient history which he can only continue there? I would say do 13-18 but be clear with him at the outset what the plan is and DON'T if you can help it, make too much of why the school he will be at for two years is not as good - talk about it being a good all round school but the private more suitable for exam years or something.

I'd try for the 13+. My ds is in year 8 of a great prep school and will be moving onto a 11-18 private senior school. The school take a significant number of students in at year 9 as there are a few preps round here. If the private school you are interested in does the same then he wont be on his own starting in year 9.

I did 11-16 at private school and A levels at local sixth form college (by choice) and this worked brilliantly for me and was a great lead in to Uni life. My results certainly weren't affected and I got offers from every Uni that I applied to. My brother chose to stay at (private) school to do his A levels and then didn't settle well at Uni or as an adult in general he came home every weekend and never really enjoyed it which was a shame.

Fyiw we don't have prep schools in my area so I can't comment on moving schools at 13 as that would be very unusual here.