Will Private Secondaries take children from good state school????

[tildaandarchiesmummy]

I am hoping to send my 3 children to our outstanding local church school. 100% of pupils get level 4's in all subjects and 50% get level fives on average over the 3 subjects. We are hoping that they would go to a state primary and then hopefully get into a private secondary without problem. I have heard that private schools prioritise children from other private schools is this true?

Most require an entrance exam and that's what the children are judged on.

However feeder preps may do more preparation to ensure children pass the entrance exams but there are no guarantees.

For example, the prep mine are at - makes it pretty clear from yr4 if they're unlikely to get into the snr school so you can make alternative plans.

There are far more DC in private school at secondary level than at primary...ergo, many DC must transfer from state to private.

I would say however, that it would be more feasible to do so at 11 than 13.

There are a variety of private schools some prioritise (choose) pupils on academic talent or musical talent or sporting talent or the fact that the individual child will fit into their school and others are first come first served. IMO few if any prioritise and select children merely due to the fact that they went to another private school as it wouldn't be in their best interest.

"I am hoping to send my 3 children to our outstanding local church school. 100% of pupils get level 4's in all subjects and 50% get level fives on average over the 3 subjects."

This is of no significance. They are interested in the child applying, not the school they've been to.

Yes, so long as you pay and they're able to pass the entrance exam.

They'll take children from good state schools, bad state schools and no school at all, provided the child fulfils their entry requirements (which might include competitive exam).

Are you in a hotspot (like London)?

Where did you get this idea from?

My guess is that it's an over-interpretation of the efforts a prep head will go to in order to find a secondary place for a pupil, both during the normal round and also (or indeed particularly) in the post-offer sorting out.

Other candidates won't have this source of advice available, so might not know which schools might be the best fit for the particular strengths/weaknesses of their DC or at the right academic level. But that won't stop a good candidate securing a place wherever they've been educated to date.

I suppose as well that a head of a good prep will have a rapport with the heads of many secondaries and if a child has a bad exam day, might pick up the phone and discuss the situation, perhaps vouch for the child's abilities.

Yes, my DD went from a state primary to a private secondary. The only criteria they had was a place on the waiting list and the entrance exam.

However, a friend of mine warned me that children in private primary schools do far more examinations than in state schools. So can do better in the entrance exam as they just have more experience of tests. I ended up getting about 6 sessions of private tutoring leading up to the entrance exam - just to give my DD some practice at examination technique.

Find out what sort of entrance exam it is - my DD did one based on the SATS - so what she was currently learning at school was pretty much the same. The state grammar uses the 11+ exam which is different.

I'm glad I did, as she has proved to be good at school and homework, but rubbish at exams - this didn't show up at her state primary as they did'nt do much testing.

Yes we are in London, well aware of the 11+ and would tutor the kids for at least two years previously so they are prepared. I mentioned the school because i thought the good sats results would show that the children have good teachers and are well taught so they won't be behind???

I was asking because one of my friends whose daughter was offered a place at the excellent grammer Henrietta Barnet didn't get into the less selective secondaries, and when she phoned up to ask why, they said that they had so many applications from the other girls days school trust schools that they have to prioritise them. Have you heard of anything like this happening before?

If they are all GDST schools there might be a specific arrangement within that Trust, with guaranteed transfer from junior departments to seniors provided basic qualifying score is reached (sorry, don't know much about all girls schools; happy to be learn if that's all wrong).

It most definitely is not something that applies across the board.

No problem here, several friends DCs dis all or some of state primary and went to secondary. Non I know bothered with tutors. One got two scholarship offers. Ok she is brilliant at everything except not bossing my DD2 about, To be fair DD2 is also also pretty sharp.

Some selective independents even have special entrance for state primary children. (DS got a place at Colet Court having been at state primary.)

Some senior schools will prioritise children from their associated prep schools, but usually schools will look for suitable candidates from any primary school.

I know a selective boys school which prefers kids from one state school to its own linked prep. But that is rare.

As an educational psychologist you will no doubt be aware that high sats results are not always proof of good teachers and children being well taught.
Quite apart from the idea that selective private schools will give a monkey about which state primary your child went to - they'll judge on exam results, head's report and interview.

If the child passes the exam/assessment with a good score and interviews well, then it doesn't matter where they were educated before.

I think there may be a difference if it comes to near near misses and waiting lists, for that us when prep Heads should be hitting the phones to negotiate, bump children up waiting lists and find out which schools might still have places; any or all of which might be influenced by existing relationships between schools and the Head's reputation for sound and reliable assessment of pupils (good but had an off day, or try a different school, or whatever). Those not at prep schools will not have this experience or networking to draw on, and so may find it harder at this point.

If your looking at entry at 13+ and a high CE mark is required then the languages can be a problem many schools will waive Latin but lots will expect French children in many prep schools will have been learning French 4-5 lessons a week since yr 3 and not just conversational French verbs etc.

Private schools will take anyone with money. It doesn't matter what their background is.

Thank you for your comments. The school that i am hoping the children will go to has a long lasting relationship with one of the Co-educational private schools, meaning they will take at least five children a year. So i am hoping that my children wil get this opportunity. PollyParanoia, yes i am aware that the sats results don't always reveal the true picture, but through my work i have been able to spend time working with the children at this school and not only is the teaching very good and the school been rated outstanding by ofsted but they also have an excellent SEN department. This is particularly important because it is likely that one or more of my children will have dyslexia as both my husband and i have it, so it's important the school has the experience and resources if my children require it.

It won/t matter one jot that your children have been to a state primaryl. What will matter is that they pass the entrance exam and that you are there with your deposit and neverending chequebook!!

Well the cimate is not good for private schools, they are not quite so picky these days. If a parent has the money, there will be many a good indie waiting to take it.

Well that was our experience.

Thank you for the reassuring comments laughinggas. I would really like the children to go to a state school first as i want them to be aware that people aren't all rich and there is nothing wrong with having less money than others. This has reassured more that they can go to the local church primary and still get into a good private secondary when the extra support and smaller classes really matters (e.g. during GCSE's/A-levels etc.).

Apparently this has been the highest year on record for applications to London and South East private schools. Due to this the schools can be very selective. Even those deemed less academic are seemingly over subscribed, so consequently they can be more picky about who they take. Children at Prep schools are better prepared for exams etc, but are not any brighter than their peers at state schools. I have 3 DC who left state primary in year 6 to go on to independent secondary schools. All 3 were tutored. Interestingly one of my DC was considered super bright at his state school, only to discover he is very average set against the prep school boys who have already been doing secondary level work for 2 years.

That is interesting chicky, where did you read this data on it being the highest year on record for applications?

Are you sure you are not talking scholarships and bursary applications, as I could certainly understand that?

All schools will talk the waiting list talk, I was just interested in whether this was concrete information.