Emanuel (Battersea) 13+ 2018

[ConnieUK74]

DS didn't make it to the interview stage at Emanuel (Battersea). He is in yr 8 at a local prep school, looking to move to Independent Secondary in September.

In the numerous Emanuel practice papers he has done at home / school he was getting 75% +, he came out of the actual exam saying that apart from maths which was 'ok' the other papers were 'easy'. He is very laid back generally, and doesn't get freaked out by exams - he denies any big exam disasters on the day. Feedback from the school is that he only got over 60% in one of the papers - not enough to be called for interview.

I don't have an axe to grind - he has an offer from another school which I think is actually a better fit for him (and is regarded as tougher academically which is a bit weird but we're not complaining), and he is really excited about it all, BUT I feel something is off here. A handful of local friends who applied also didn't get to the interview stage - a couple have siblings already at the school, and one is much brighter than my DS.

I am wondering how much school politics plays a part - does the school (off the record) favour children from certain schools etc? Interested in other families thoughts / experiences.

I suspect they now have very few places available at the 13+ as they are taking more pupils at 10+ and11+. So they will have interviewed very few. Actually I think the London Prep schools now have a problem in that there are fewer places every year for their 13+ pupils .

Thanks jeanne16, we did look a lot at the numbers and made the decision to stay on at current prep at 13, which we don't regret at all. There are enough places out there in year 9.

Someone told me that Dulwich college has as many places at 13+ as at 11+. Sometimes it's better to hang on til 13 as the competition is less intense.