Prep school to state high school

[Mummymode]

Hi all, just wondering if anyone has experience going from a prep school to state at year 7?? The cost of sending all three of my children to independent schools from year 7 is just too enormous, compared to prep. Just wondering if it is usual to do this? I always thought it is better to do it the other way round??

I’m in a grammar school area. People do pay for prep here with an aim to go to Grammar School at 11.

Thankyou Duckstar. We are too. Thing is not sure grammar is the right for my kids, they are great at school but am concerned about the pressure of getting into a good grammar is something that suits us. My eldest is about to love from reception class at a state school to a prep, my second will start in pre prep in sept 2018, and we have a few years before my youngest will go. Just after advice on what people think about children going to a prep to a good state high school.

Same as Duckstar. Whilst over half of DD’s class stayed on in private education a good number moved at end of Y6 to state, both state comprehensive and state grammar. DD is far, far happier in her grammar than she was at her prep. Her prep had 20 in a class to y2 then 24 in Y3 to Y6, her grammar has 27 so not much difference. Some other grammars nearby have 32 which is a bit of change but I’ve known some make the transition quite easily.

I’ve also known the rarer scenario where some make the decision to move back. I could understand if the reasons were curriculum based but in the small number so know of none were. The reasons for feeling out of fit as far as I know are cultural (that is a polite word for something else) or problems dealing with budgetary issues that meant that darlings had to use newspaper to clean out something in DT rather than paper towels or throw the offensive item away etc. I didn’t hear one comment about the quality of the teaching as being a reason.

Therefore it depends on what your priorities are and what you are looking for in an education and also importantly the environment of that education - knowing that and looking round the state and independent school options will help you understand what will work for you and your DCs.

My son is going from a prep to a state school in September. Our circumstances changed and do private secondary is not an option. We have prepared him by joining local clubs football scouts etc so he will know other boys which is good

We did it with dd2... Private from kindergarten to Yr 6 then she got a grammar school place... Oh the relief from fees was immeasurable.. I went from pretty much 7 days a week work to 5 or sometimes 6.
My dd transitioned with no drama.. I was anxious! She coped brilliantly from day 1.

This was from very nurturing small rural private prep to big town grammar.. I think her general manners deteriorated a bit and she got a bit 'too cool for school' for a while.. But she settled down and is now head girl and hoping to go to Cambridge next Yr.
The bigger environment and meeting friends from all of the social strata was a far more beneficial thing than the seclusion and elitism of her private education

Thankyou everyone. Your experiences are so helpful. My husband and I are both professionals and are comfortable, however I work part time and we have zero child care fees at the moment. Where we can manage the school fees for prep, this will ofcourse impact our lifestyle and we need to just be more careful. In other words this is a huge decision for us that will really change the way we live. We currently live in a small village and DS's go to a small one form entry primary. I pretty much think a move to secondary will be a big change for them in any event. The current school has an outstanding early years set up but the rest of the school has an ofsted rating of 3...... and there are just some things I'm not happy with as the boys continue through school, mainly they are "good kids". In that the get their work done, don't cause anyone hassle, and just seem to coast, but when challenged they really thrive, which just seems tough in a class of 31...... I'm hoping that a move to prep will help them achieve their best and set them in good stead for their secondary education journey. We can manage prep fees (we will always have two in prep for the next 7 years) but the independent schools from year 7 onwards is just not a realistic option when we will have 2 children in secondary. I just didn't want to move to a prep and later realised that whilst that was great we have caused more obstacles in settling into a state high school

Prep to grammar - very common and sensible. Prep to failing comprehensive - errr why? Peer group and work ethos of school in teenage years far important than at primary age when parental input determines outcomes.

We did it with ds2 (to grammar) and ds3 (to non-selective School).

It’s been fine. And I prefer it to the fee paying options locally (not that we could afford it anyway). Both boys very happy and had no problems settling in. One other boy went with ds2 to his school, ds3 knew no-one at his new School. Both settled in easily

My DS has been at a prep school for years 5 and 6 and is due to start at a state secondary next year.

He was at state primary but the school went rapidly downhill and into special measures, so we pulled him out and put him into a prep school for several reasons, one being that we wanted to give him the best chance at getting in to the same grammar as his older brother. Unfortunately he just missed out (.28 off the pass score).

I'm feeling anxious about sending him to a local state school having got used to a private school. The things I'm most worried about are large class sizes, them not stretching able pupils enough and peer group influences. He's started French and Spanish at prep school and has had specialist subject teachers for all subjects - he's definitely working at a higher level than his peers in state primaries. So I'm worried he'll be bored at state secondary and not stretched enough.

But on the other side of the coin, I've seen teaching that is just as good (if not better) in the state sector and I'm pretty sure my son will have less homework (they get way too much homework at his prep school). I feel like my son might have more opportunity to enjoy school life without the competitive / pressurised / hot housing atmosphere at his prep school. And not having to pay the fees will mean I can offer more enriching activities in our home lives e.g. travel and day trips etc. Also I know there can be prejudice towards children who have been to private schools (I notice that amongst state school friends).

Being honest I wish I could afford to send him to private and I am anxious about going to our local state, but I'm trying my hardest to embrace the positives.

My DD was in an independent school from pre-school until the end of Yr6. Her year had 23 pupils in 2 classes. In September she started at a comprehensive state school with 220 in the year. She knew 1 girl from Scouts though they weren't exactly close and a friend of a friend (vaguely). She has been absolutely fine and loves it. The move reasons are complicated but not financial, her brother is Yr8 and still at the same independent school. I think it just depends on the child but as long as they haven't been wrapped in cotton wool will be fine.

From a parental point of view it is very different! At her old school all her teachers knew her well (different subject teachers for pretty much all subjects from Yr5) At her new school her English teacher got her name wrong twice at parents evening at the end of Nov! But at the end of the day I don't think her GCSE grades will be any different (she is very bright). DS would be a totally different kettle of fish! Struggles at school, would be much lower sets and that would make me worry about classroom disruption.

I've seen it happen in my area too. However, I think it makes a lot more sense to spend on senior school instead of the prep. All the facilities, activities and small classes benefit older children/teens more.

I don't have recent experience, but when I was at a private junior school several of my friends left at 11 to go to the local (fairly average) comprehensive. I'm not sure how it went initially, but both of them ended up doing very well academically and had lots of friends. I would have no problem doing the same for my children if we find we can't afford secondary fees.
I think going to a private school from 5-11 set them up academically and they maintained that throughout the rest of their time at school.

Ds went all through prep & did two years at a private school but was very unhappy. He's just moved to a decent comp & is thriving. The prep stood him in good stead.

Dd moved from prep to a govt funded dance school (non academically selective) & has done very well. Again she felt prep rally gave her the edge. I don't regret neither of them being at the pushy private school.

Thankyou all. If we could afford all of our children continuing to secondary independent (years 7-12) then we would, however given the huge leap in cost from prep to secondary I think at this stage where we can afford the cost of prep we wouldn't be able to continue after year 7. Hence my op. It's all very useful, so much appreciated. It seems that prep will give them a good start and if grammar is something that suits them then that's the path we will go, or if our finances change we will continue with independent. However prep should put them in good stead for the future??
My children are involved with various extra activites with lots of local children so we are hoping that will help too x

Don't expect the prep to do any magic, though. I would say that the strongest correlation with children doing well at 11 is the home environment. Being educationally focused and doing things outside school.

It's quite common where I live (mostly into grammar schools). You may want to consider aoplkying for scholarships and bursaries though. Smaller publics schools tend to be quite generous with scholarships and larger ones tend to be very generous with bursaries. There are some schools where more than two thirds of families receive sone kind of financial assistance so it is well worth a shot.

No Grammars in this county - all the schools are Comps

decent numbers of kids go to the comps from private primaries
there is a regular flow back and forth between the state and private sector
LOTS of kids leave the private schools to go state for 6th form

I teach in a state comp, we take lots of kids from private primaries into y7, and often into other years. They all settle well, occasionally the odd one moves back to private but the vast majority have no issues.