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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Secondary schooling

32 replies

lyn1965 · 01/10/2013 06:40

Good day, we will be moving to London early next year. My son born June 2000 is currently in year 7. He is more artistic and creative than academic. I am looking at independent schooling and would highly appreciate any inputs for me to pursue further.Our residential area could be St Johns wood or Hampstead but in saying that we are not opposed to identifying a home in keeping with good schooling.Our current assignment will be for around 4 years.
Thanks n regards

OP posts:
alpinemeadow · 01/10/2013 06:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BikeRunSki · 01/10/2013 06:46

I was going to sugguest King Alfred' s too.

BikeRunSki · 01/10/2013 06:47

I didn't go there, I imagine that they teach their pupils to spell!

Original poster
lyn1965 · 01/10/2013 08:04

Thanks guys.What are your thoughts on the dulwich college.

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Theas18 · 01/10/2013 08:10

RE Dulwich College, I would guess you are you on the edge timewise to enter him for 13+ entry, both with them and in order to prepare your son ( unless he's in a prep that works towards 13+ anyway) You are too late for 11+ entry obviously.

Are you looking for a day school that will also take borders? Just my opinion but your 4yr timescale means that you will be here for years 8-11 ( ie GCSE) and then he'll have to move again at 6th form. Not impossible but maybe not the easiest path for him?

LIZS · 01/10/2013 08:13

Why is he year 7 , shouldn't he be year 9 ? Most independents have main intake into year 7 or 9 in September so you won't have a range of choice.

Original poster
lyn1965 · 01/10/2013 08:18

Yeah Theas18 am looking for a day school and will be in a position to continue to 6th form just so that he completes.If the school is good and am able to get admission mid way will consider leasing thereabouts.It would mean that hubby dear would have to drive to palace street daily.

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Original poster
lyn1965 · 01/10/2013 08:19

LIZS I am relocating from Sydney.He is currently in year 7 and the next academic year begins in Feb 2014.

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LIZS · 01/10/2013 08:28

If you move to England before next September you are looking for a place in our Year 9, 10 from September 2014. I'm not sure what that will mean to him in terms of academic adjustment but he will be expected to choose GCSE options almost straight away. Occasionally an independent school may hold a child back a year (dd has a couple from HK in her year who are the age of the year above) if they are academically out of synch. This might give you a starting point or could you use a relocation agent to do the leg work for you and find suitable schools with places in that year group. Good luck but I fear you may not find it easy to get a year 9 place as the new intake will only just have started.

Hoojimiflip · 01/10/2013 08:36

I think with your entry point you will have to contact as many schools as possible and ask to be out on their waiting lists. This usually entails a small, non refundable, fee and will obviously add up with the scattergun approach you're likely to have to employ. That being the case I'd start looking exactly where you want to live and work your way out if I were you. As LIZS says unfortunately this is a particularly bad point of entry for boys' private schools as they generally have intake at either 11, 13 or both, in the September following the birthday. Good luck.

meditrina · 01/10/2013 08:45

In UK, a pupil born in June 00 would normally be in year 9. The independent sector would be more receptive to placing a child outside the normal age cohort than the state sector.

Dulwich College is a very good school, especially under the current head Dr Spence who is excellent. The Dulwich schools run a coach service covering a lot of south, west and central London, which gives you quite a large area to look for a house, but I don't think it goes right up to the areas of N London you mention in OP. it might be worth ringing or emailing their registrar to see how much flexibility they can offer in terms of placing outside year group. If you look at their website, under the "boarding" section, they have a supplement to the prospectus for overseas candidates and that might help you in terms of what they look for. Their regular year 9 entry deadline is imminent, so the sooner you get in touch the better.

MrsSchadenfreude · 01/10/2013 08:48

If you're going to be in North London, you might have a look at some of the schools in Herts. In my experience (but only with girls) it is often easier to slot them in if they don't sit in the "normal" intake of 11+ or 13+. Every school we enquired about for DD2, who entered in Year 8, had places. At the end of the day, schools are businesses and they want to get places filled regardless.

MrsSchadenfreude · 01/10/2013 08:53

And a lot of schools are very flexible if you are applying from overseas - those with a reasonable number of overseas students or in expat-y areas will be used to this sort of scenario.

LAK11 · 01/10/2013 08:55

Have a look at Aldenham School in Elstree. They are not super academic, have excellent art, music and sport. They also have coaches from many areas of N London.

Original poster
lyn1965 · 01/10/2013 10:55

Thanks for your inputs. Aldenham looks good. So does Dulwich. Will start a dialogue asap.

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Pythonesque · 02/10/2013 20:15

Can I just ask, are you likely to be returning to Australia after the 4 years, or moving within the UK, or internationally elsewhere? I ask because I remember a girl joining my year in Sydney in year 11 who should have gone into year 12 but it was deemed necessary for her to do the whole 2 year HSC course; much of what we were doing in year 11 was wasting her time to be honest. Admittedly this was now some years ago!

Given that your timescale will encompass GCSEs in the UK you may want to have an idea of how your son's education will continue depending on your own movements thereafter (eg, boarding 6th form?).

Good luck sorting out a good solution!

Floggingmolly · 02/10/2013 20:24

Are you sure he'll be placed in Year 7? Confused. That'll put him at 17 doing GCSE's... Why?

Floggingmolly · 02/10/2013 20:25

I did A levels at not quite 17.

ThreeBeeOneGee · 02/10/2013 20:36

If he was born in June 2000, he will be entering half-way through Y9. This is actually not a bad time to move, as in most schools the students start their GCSE courses during Y9 or at the beginning of Y10, so he will be joining at the beginning of the courses.

Original poster
lyn1965 · 06/10/2013 10:08

I will be in the UK for at least 4 years in order to ensure that my son completes his GCSE and then we will be transferred yet again internationally.At that point in time i will take a call on whether to pursue education in the Uk or not. I am hoping that he gets admission in year 8 in jan 2014 so that he is in sync with the other boys of his year group when he enters year 9.

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Lottiedoubtie · 06/10/2013 10:14

So you would need an 11+ school.

Or a school with an attached prep. How about Mill Hill/Belmont?

Decent boarding fr sixth form there too.

difficultpickle · 06/10/2013 10:36

If you are looking for a school from Jan 2014 then you will be looking for a place in year 9. Our school year runs from Sept to August so he will go into year 10 in Sept 2014. Ds is June 2004 and in year 5 now. Your ds is 4 years older so he would be in year 9 now and will still in year 9 in January.

LIZS · 06/10/2013 10:44

You might find a school willing to use their discretion to put him into Year 8 instead of 9 but realistically I fear you may struggle to find places at all. Do remember that just because year groups are called the same , due to difference sin the timing of academic year and curriculum , he may not actually be academically "behind" his UK peers. ds went for Grade 1 into Year 3 on our return to UK. Most independent schools will have an entrance test and interview, which will vary in their rigorousness and how they apply the results.

Original poster
lyn1965 · 09/10/2013 04:08

Thanks for your inputs. Its true I am struggling. Just a question. Is there a possibility to prep my son privately (that is without formal schooling) for entry into year 9 in Sept 2014.
That is my thought process if year 8 admissions do not work out.

OP posts:
difficultpickle · 09/10/2013 05:53

If he goes into year 9 in Sept 2014 he will be a year older than his peers. You would have to speak to the school to assess whether be should be placed outside his correct year group.