Does anyone have advise - DS didn't get offered the schools he was really hoping for!

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My DS (July Birthday) sat 3 schools and only got offered the 1 that was backup and he wasn't so keen on. Does anyone have any recommendation for Surrey school have are not highly academic but get there excellent results and sit 12+ for 13+ entry?

Hi - depends which schools he has already sat for. Last year I know of DCs getting into KGS, Epsom and St Johns after the whole pretest process because they still had places even after going through the waitlist (but they did not offer these to those who had sat the test and been rejected - they were new candidates who missed the mark for Hampton, KCS and RGS. You could also try Cranleigh as their process might be a little later...and then Hampton does a 12+ that anyone can enter. If you are willing to consider weekly boarding the options are greater.

Box Hill , King Edwards Witley also can sit Year 7 .

My son sat Reed's, St John's and King Edward of Whitley which was his backup. He got an offer for the latter only. I like the school but new head coming in September 2919 (she looks good on paper). DS is July Birthday and I feel he is just coming into his own therefore would quite like a school that will get the best out of him....... this process has been traumatising....

Is your son at a prep now which makes it a less urgent issue?

I know some last year who were allowed to sit KGS and other schools they had not sat for an 11+ place. St Georges does a 12+ test, Hampton do too and I think RGS allows it as well. Halliford, Box Hill etc also an option. If this was for 11+ entry is their possibility of going back to schools sat for and ask about waitlists further on say ay 13+ or were they outright not? Would King Edwards be able to accept your son at 13+. I too have a summer born DS and this whole process makes it much harder for them as unsure if any of them age adjust on the testing with so many now being tested. A boy at 10 being tested is very different to an 11 year old maturity wise to handle it. So results will be skewed to the older unfortunately. By GCSE the difference is less apparent. I think the private schools are missing a trick if they don't age adjust.

He can stay at current school for yr 7+ 8. Thankfully! Wonder if difficult to get them on the waitlist - is that impossible?

Such a tricky situation - what does the headteacher say? Are there specific schools you would target at 12 or 13?

Is there no way you can persuade him about the offer he has - or have you discounted that completely? Remember even 'back-up' schools can do a good job with bright kids

Have you spoken to Reed's and St John's to check which subject was his weaker one? As DarlingOscar said, I would speak to the current headteacher as well, to get a better picture.
Have you looked at Radnor House (Twickenham)?

Where are you based? The Royal School, Haslemere. Seaford College, Petworth, Churchers College, Petersfield. Bedales, Petersfield. Frensham Heights School. Box Hill School. Cranleigh School.

The schools definitely look at age, my sons are summer born state school, so not the best for sitting the 11+. Spaces will come up, we know of several who didn’t get any offers and then got in to other schools. Witley does do well with students, we know a lot that went there. The only issue is the journey but may not be for you. Might be worth visiting it again as you may feel better knowing it is a school you can definitely go to. It may be worth talking to your Head as they can ask the other schools what the ‘weakness’ was. I am going to guess there were just a lot of candidates. Your Head might have some other suggestions for you, they should be helping you. Awful process but your DS did well to get a place somewhere as it sounds like a very tough year.

Waiting on head to come back to me once he has spoken with the 2 schools. Will look at all options. My fear is for DS to sit and potentially fail again. This process is draining...

St John's and Reeds used to be back up schools. I wonder whether more people are applying who would in the past have gone to boarding schools as I can't see why else they have suddenly become so difficult. Epsom? Halliford?

Solly, if you speak to LEH/Hampton they will say that their growth is coming from children in central London, it's where they have expanded the coach routes. DS that use to go to Hampton now go to Reeds etc cascading down to Halliford. At the same time St John's is really on the up with a new head and new bus routes direct from the Richmond area plus the Putney preps love it. It has pastoral care offered at a level unlike any competing school - all year 7 children are greeted by a staff member in the morning and asked to hand in their mobile phone that is returned at the end of the day. On top of that Claremont Fan also has a new head and is very popular. It's a tough year but they are all super schools.

Poppyred25 but that still doesn't really explain it as if people in London are choosing outer schools due to better transport now on offer, there would be less demand in Central London for school places and that certainly isn't the case. There must be more dc applying and going to private schools overall otherwise if it were just a shift in location, there would be a deficit somewhere.

Surrey has such a wide range of excellent indes that any DS should be fine...

Can he go to the back up school and then resit 12 + 13+ later, so that he still has a school if at that point he doesn't pass again?

If he stays at his school now what happens in Year 9?

Solly, in central London people are moving from all over the world to get their dc into London schools - it's the international element that has raised the bar. I agree it's the reduced numbers going to boarding school too.

Plus over the past couple of decades quite a lot of the London boys schools have gone co-ed: Emanuel; Latymer U; KGS; St Bens, effectively halving the number of boys places.

But demand in Central London has been growing, and schools have become noticeably more international.

I wonder if Brexit will change this..Situation may be very different going forward!

It’s definitely changed over the past 4-5 years....boys are being turned away from schools that would have been their “back ups” a few years back. I think that schools like Reeds, St Johns and Epsom have upped their game and actually have more applicants than the traditionally popular choices of Hampton/RGS/KCS as Boys across all ability ranges are trying for a place....but typically places do come up after a few months as the very able boys are sometimes holding up to 5 or 6 places. Don’t give up OP!

Reading all your posts has given me a new lease of life - Thank you for all the advice and words of encouragement!!