What do you do if you want an independent school but your dc doesn't pass the entrance exams?

[NotMostPeople]

We live in a grammar school area, my ds might just pass the 11 plus but even if he does I'm not sure a grammar would be the right place for him. Our dd is in a local grammar so I'm aware of how much pressure there is. If we decide the grammar isn't right for DS we'd prefer him to go to an independent school rather than the local high schools. The high school don't have a great reputation although I have to admit I haven't yet been to see them (I will do so).

I've had a look at the admissions criteria for the two local(ish) independent schools and both involve entrance exams including English. DS is terrible at English/literacy but brilliant at maths and science. I don't think he'd ever pass an English exam. So now I'm wondering what on earth I can do other than the high schools. How much emphasis is put on the entrance exams?

ASN that should obviously say!

A school can be non-selective and have entrance examinations.

One reason is because all the other schools do it and it gives kudos to them. A child at a prep school will be following the CE syllabus along with everyone else and so it is natural to sit for CE exams with everyone else. It would be awkward not to.

The results of assessments will help the senior school to get to know their new students, and understand how they all are relative to one another. They will undoubtably do baseline testing early in Y7 or Y9, but they will want a good idea where to place each pupil before these results can be digested.

Gunznroses: as the school will mark the CE papers of all the candidates who have it as their first choice school, they can use the results as they wish. There is no inherent pass/fail; it is entirely up to the marking school.

You can get a good idea how selective a school really is by looking at its results at 16 and 18. If it is in the top 100 you can assume it is meaningfully selective. The High Master at Manchester Grammar (who will not provide information to allow his school to be put in league tables) says that end results are largely an indicator of intake and a school is much more than that.

I would not want a dyslexic child in a fast paced selective school, either.

I think most indies would not have a major problem accepting dyslexic children (I seem to remember that the Good School's Guide gives specific advice for each school on this). You can gain marks on the English test for originality of thinking, structure, use of figurative language, etc. -- spelling, punctuation and grammar are only a proportion (and your DC should get extra time for dyslexia). The grammars are usually much earlier that the independent exams. I'd suggest sitting him for a school where they tell you the mark if your child doesn't pass (like Wilson's do). That gives you some idea about how your child will perform in the indie exams. If he is near the pass mark, he'd probably get in to an indie; if he passes the grammar, the chances are very good that he'll get in. But I agree with other posters. Dyslexia provision is often a lot better in state sector because they have higher volumes.

I think one thing to remember is that independent schools are businesses so can only afford to be selective if they are over subscribed. in Scotland many day schools are struggling and are quietly making teachers redundant. There is also a growing problem of parents in arrears with their fees.

In my experience the selection process for the non academic schools is more about how the prospective parents and child will fit with the school ethos ( discipline, compulsory Saturday sports etc).

Any school should be able to tailor what it offers to meet the needs of a particular child. The state sector may have easier ( and free) access to external supports.

Bletchly that's why I'm not convinced that the grammars would be right for him. Dd1 is at one and I was told that when they start maths setting next year (year9) she will be in the bottom set as her maths score isn't very high - she is assessed as a 7c/b now, which I think is pretty good. It demonstrated to me just how pushy they are and whilst this would be great for ds in maths it would undo all the work we've done trying to give him some confidence in English.

Asterisk you are right in saying that the grammar school exams are earlier than the indi's and here you get the results in October with the indi exams in February so plenty of time.

I have dd2 too and she should pass the grammar exams and would do well there but if she doesn't there's no way we can afford to send two children to independent schools so I have to cross my fingers.

Somewhere in the past I've seen the words "CRESTED approved/registered or something similar those indie schools with this have been deemed particularly suitable for dyslexics. They can be mainstream schools with dyslexic units where children go for extra help instead of attending some lessons often a modern foreign language.
I disagree about dyslexics in super selective fast moving schools my DS is dyslexic and requires extra time etc. but is managing exceedingly well in his super selective indie although the school has a reputation for being very dyslexic friendly.

www.crested.org.uk/ is the organisation HG was referring to. It does have a useful list of dyslexic friendly schools and shows the degree of support each school gives. Some schools decide not to join/be assessed for a variety of reasons including not wanting to be seen as a school for dyslexics. EG IME Windlesham House School has a superb dyslexic support department but it has decided not to be included (I don't know why) on the CReSTeD list.
I agree with HG that being dyslexic shouldn't preclude you from a superselective as her DS shows. However, one must remember that dyslexics are not all the same and different schools can fulfil different needs for individual dyslexics.