Prep School for one year?

[MoreTeaVicar]

Please help me make an agonising decision. DD has the opportunity to join a prep school for one term and one year before applying for very selective Ind school. Really not happy where she is in terms of education, although she herself is happy. Would it be worth the upheaval do you think, as I fear the school we wish to apply for would take pupils from the prep school over other schools, IYSWIM.

Do you think she'd be happy at the ind sel secondary? Really?
If she's happy not being pushed at her current school what makes you think she'll be happier if she is pushed, later if not at the prep?

What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of transferring your daughter at this point?

Do you think she will have a better chance of getting into the selective school if she was in the prep school than her current school?

What does your daughter feel about moving school at this point?

DD has visited the very selective ind school and is very very keen to go, and I guess I am 'assuming' she woud hver chance of getting in if she came from the prep school. She currently is at private school but it is not very good and she is having additional tutoring at home to get her maths up to scratch. I think the prep school would do a better job of educating her for the last year before applying for seniors. In an ideal world she would stay where she is and hope for the best but we are unhappy with the way things have gone so far

If you are already unhappy with DD's current school, I would go and look at alternatives with DD and see what you all think. Have you visited this other prep school yet? Do you know that DD will get a place?

Oh, and also - how owuld you all feel if she does move and then not get into the selective school you have seen? Would DD feel there was too much pressure on her to get in? Do you have alternative back up secondaries?

This is my biggest fear Hulababy. She would have to sit for 3 schools, (all of which she would happy about). If I leave her where she is today for another year until it is exam time and doesn't make it into any of our choices, AT LEAST she would be able to remain where she is, but sadly we are not happy about it. Alternatively, move to the prep school now and keep everything crossed. DD is resigned to the fact that she needs to move but it is such a huge gamble and I am now questioning that as opposed to DD having to stay where she is now if all else fails.

bump, really would appreciate some constructive advise please.

How old is she now?

Do you mean entry for 13 + or 11 +

At DH and DS school they take from primary at 11 and prep at 13 and in the last 2 years at prep they are preparing for exam to enter the school

DS got in at 11 + from primary

How selective will it be with the maths?

ie will she be up to it

What else do they do for exam is it English, Latin, science, maths, french

Will she pass any of these staying where she is?

DH says his school has feeder preps and they know where the boys will go and where they will thrive

What does present school say about her?

Do you think they are kind of lazy cos they know the children can stay until 18 and so no pressure from patents to get them up to standard required for other schools?

sorry what I mean is

will she be up to the maths IF she stays where she is ?

Good point RTKangaMummy, about current school being lazy/complacent, would never have thought of that. DD is currently having four private maths lessons at home per week as her maths was not up to scratch. The senior school would be testing on english, maths and verbal reasoning. DD is currently yr 7 age 11 so we are talking about final year in prep school, yr 8 and hopefully getting into school of choice at 13yrs and yes it would also be a natural feeder school, unlike her current school which neither feeds or preps. I did try to get DD into a new school for yr 7, albeit late, and she failed the exam on maths (quite badly), hence she is having all this private tuition and dare I say, speaks volumes about her current school not really bothering much. I told the head I was disappointed at the end of year 6 but to date I don't really see any improvement. Her current school say she is receiving satisfaction supervision re her maths!!!!! And each and every PT interview they all say the same, DD could do more. This all contributes to the reason why we feel she would be better off elsewhere.

IMHO I would move her then

Did she do SATs ?

What did she get for Maths?

I think the present school aren't really trying?

What do other parents say?

btw to get into some schools she may get in if she does really well in English & VR and less well in Maths

And the same for Maths & VR and less well in Eng

Cos some children are better in eng than maths iyswim

They will prob be set for Maths at senior school anyway

Check this on website

RTKangaMummy, she actually passed her SATS and her english is very very good. She did however fail a maths test miserably at the start of yr 7 and basically that is when this has all come to light about her capabilities in maths. I don't really think her current school are trying either. For various reasons, drs, dentists etc she has missed quite a few lessons over recent weeks and when her interim report came out the form/maths teacher said she needed to be very proactive to catch up - funnily enough she has never offered DD the work she has missed. 4 of the teachers could'nt even be bothered to comment on her performance in their subject. With just 14 kids per class I find that quite alarming also.

BTW other parents are quite happy that said, some are just starting out having come from the state sector and are perhaps just pleased at the small classes.

If the senior school does maths sets

then deffo move her so she can go there

I think it is better to be poor in maths because if it is setted not so much pressure

@ teachers and school attitude