Has anyone managed to get into a top school after homeEd?

[pinkducklings]

Me and dh just lost our jobs, can only hope it's not for a very long time but school fees are having to go out the window immediately. This will most likely be our last term.

We never had any childcare so I worked pt. I had a good setup, I doubt I'll get that back now as was super flexible, so either I go ft and somehow get childcare or I home Ed and be sahm something I'm happy with.

Our plan is sort our finances out, homeschool and save for secondary.
Is it even possible to achieve a top secondary without being at school? Or perhaps we could return to prep for the later years first. Not an option to keep dc in school and also moving areas so not a simple task of putting them in the local school come September. Dc already been to a few schools due to job relocation as well so I'm feeling awful enough another change of education is coming their way (another reason for potential HEd) dc are age 7&6 year 2&1.

I'm worried we'll be judged out the door by secondary admissions.

I'm not sure where you are defining top, but DD got into a selective day school after being HE'd for the last year of primary, and it wasn't an issue at all. All they were concerned about was her exam results and whether she seemed interesting and personable at interview.

However, I am not sure I would HE for that long - the main reason being that there aren't that many 'academic' HE families, and so you could find it a very lonely experience. We did. Matters less now, but does come year 5/6 when they want friends and more academic stimulation.

Well the third option is surely to be a SAHM, home ed until you move and then put in the local school?
Like PP, your DC are very young to be assuming you will home ed them for the next few years!

We home educated from last term of year 4 until the end of primary. Ds got into a grammar school - not sure how you’re defining a ‘top’ school?

Home educating through primary is fine, there’s loads of resources online and to be honest, the curriculum doesn’t get that challenging.

Depending on your area, you might find there are loads of home edders around and lots of activities going on - we did, but we’re in a large city.

However given they’re so little I wouldn’t rule out a local school when you move either. They will be there for at least four years so not particularly disruptive.

What secondary schools are you looking at? My dd got into what would probably be considered a top independent school (top 10 nationally if you’re going on results). She wasn’t home Ed, but she went to an Ofsted special measures primary in a very deprived area (two thirds of the pupils on free school meals). She wasn’t tutored. The entrance exams to these schools are based on national curriculum Maths and English, so There’s no need for prep school or special preparation. Obviously I understand there might be other benefits to prep school.

Yes, my dd has done. However, the top school in question is a specialist school so not the normal ss private school, but still very selective.

My dd was H.ed for primary, but academic education wasn't the main focus.
I do know of H.ed kids who went on to Oxford, and it wasn't just one family, I've known a few and read about others.
I think with H.ed you have the advantage of being able to go as in depth with certain subjects that interest them, rather than just the coverage that the nc requires.
You have far more time to pursue extra curricular activities and hobbies.
I say go for it, you can always send them to school if it doesn't work out.

Oh, forgot to add. Kids who are H.ed are still able to access all the extra curricular activities that the LA manage.
Obviously you can't join those that the actual school run for its pupils, but county ones even if held in a school are open to H.ed, if that makes sense.
My dd went to county orchestra, county drama, art groups etc.

1. Have a look at the admissions section of the schools websites that you’re interested in. They won’t have section for home ed but should have details for state school entries.

State entries will usually have concessions on some papers ie languages and classics. You’d have to ask the schools if they have a policy for home edders.

1. The date for putting DCs names down for application are different for each school ie some are end yr 5, other much later. Check with each school. Some can be sticklers for this, others have a bit of flex if you’re not coming from a prep school.

1. Within the admissions pathway some schools use a pre-test. This will either be an internally compiled paper by the school or an external one ie ISEB Pre Test. This can be as early as autumn yr 6.

The ISEB (& CEM Durham) are the quant, non-verbal, verbal, spacial etc... type tests, similar to SATS and CAT tests. CATS are the private systems equiv to SATS. I don’t know if you can be entered for The ISEB and CAT tests if your’re not in the prep system, or the SATS if you’re not in the state system. Again, this is something for the admissions team to give guidance on esp if you’re coming from home ed.

1. CE exams. Some schools use these in yr 8, others don’t or write their own. Usually used for setting rather than entry. Old papers can be bought. The CE scholarship papers are useful.

Whatever your route be sure to get in writing the school’s policy and entry requirements. Esp regarding the testing. If you don’t have access to the SATS/CATS and Pre Test, this is for the schools to work around. You should not be penalised.
The entry requirements should guide you on the academic level needed by D.C.
Others may disagree but I’ve found the prep system to be academically ahead of state. My DS goes to an academic senior school and could have a good punt at the higher level maths GCSE papers now. He’s not the exception. Similarly, there’s not much left of the curriculum in Latin and Greek to learn. CE was a big push point. He’s yr9.

You’d get more help/support via state but not necessarily enough curriculum push needed for some of the more academic senior schools. State are not obliged to help you prep for the independent sector. You’d need to top up / use tutors.
If you home ed, you’re going to have to be very organised and push the academics, music and sport yourself. It’s a big ask.

Gosh they're very young. I thought you were about to say they were years 5 and 6!

Chill. HE for a bit till you move, then check out local schools.

Thanks. Obviously I'm not quite 'chilled' atm but I agree I need to be.
Some very good points with regards to my abilities to home Ed and also being able to find more academic groups.

Im pretty smart (I think although it is debatable) two languages, also knowledge of latin, great at English ie I know suffixes etc for primary, dh a maths expert and tbh I was pretty much home Ed my dc in the eve anyway but of course around school.

I will try to get them into a good state school but I'm not sure that's going to happen when we can't even move until after lockdown. State system seems to be much more complicated for entry and tbh the good schools seem to be full when I query other parents in areas. I really would like to avoid dc going to a less than good school as well.

@ChateauMyself are you talking about year 9 entry to independent schools? I guess this is quite a different kettle of fish as they examine other subjects. In our experience with year 7 entry, it was just English and Maths and it made no difference whether they'd been to state school, prep school or been home educated. There was certainly no need for extra tutoring - although most people do it, so they would tell you it was necessary! Dd came out of the exams and said it was just like normal school work.

@crazycrofter good point, 13+/11+ for independents. I don't think grammar schools have interviews to get in and are solely based on exam results? That obviously would work but I was wondering more with regards to independent schools.

I suppose as we are so early on in the school years perhaps I can think to put them back into the independent sector from year 5 and go from there.

That’s right, no interviews for my son’s grammar. However my daughter’s independent school do some interviews but I think only for scholarships. At 11+ it was just Maths and English exams.

For 11+ entry to independent schools there’s no benefit in having been to a prep school from what I can see. Of course, you might want a prep school for other reasons - extra curricular, languages etc. You could do all these things though if you were home educating or as extras if you used state school. I know a lot of people find it easier to have it all in one place.

I don’t really believe this thing about prep schools being two years ahead. I think it’s just that their intakes are usually higher ability - but in our experience the higher ability kids were pushed to the same level at state primary. Dd had no problem keeping up with the girls from prep schools.

Are you now planning to settle down? 'A few' schools by Year 1 is an awful lot. Transitioning between schools frequently is detrimental to achievement, that is why forces premium exists and there are special services to support traveller children.

If you are going to move at that rate going forward it might be worth home schooling until Y5 or 6 and then looking at weekly boarding at a prep to 13+ so they can settle down with a peer group.

@reefedsail yes that was our plan to let them board during prep and then I could go back to my career at some point to get ready for secondary schools delightful annual fees.

All gone out the window a bit now but a plan for year 5 to 8 may well fit nicely for this. Thank you. I think deep down in trying to reassure the utter guilt I am now feeling as a mother having to pull the dc out of school again.

I suppose hopefully in a way this virus may allow us the flexibility to come back to the independent sector at some point, current prep school was full in year 5 right now. No idea where it will stand in next few years.

That's why I was planning to homeschool. I really don't want dd's to go to another 'temporary' school, it would be bad for their wellbeing, it was already tough starting this year for older dd. She definitely fell behind. I do believe homeschool will be the only option for next academic year while we sort our messy of a life since CV happened out.
@crazycrofter was this recently?

I agree private schools don't necessarily make the dc years ahead vs state but that know how to prep them for interviews etc so well done to your dd and a helpful response in my situation.

@ChateauMyself thank you

@pinkducklings dd is now in year 11, so not that long ago! Our home Ed stint was with ds’s now year 9.

Don’t prep them for interviews! The senior schools can spot that a mile off and they don’t like it. Be natural and able to cg at about what they like and enjoy etc. Not about what they are told to say. My DD1 went to senior boarding from a pretty average state school. The DC in her year contained several high flyers though. Oxbridge grads now. Don’t judge a state school book by its cover and if you can help your DC learn and add to their school experience you can get into a decent senior school at age 11. If you want 13, I think a prep is best from 11-13.

Able to talk about...

Where are you thinking of moving too?

Following as my home schooling recently has shown me my youngest is pushing way ahead than he is allowed at school, and wandering where to go when schools re open. Continue home Ed or let him get bored for another few years? Worried he will get used to easy work and never be able to work at his natural ability.

How old is he @StayinginSummer?

I went to international school abroad which didn’t usually send kids to uk private schools but followed a UK curriculum. My sahm (had a masters degree but not top tier uni And no teaching experience) tutored me and I managed to get a scholarship to Secondary school. My brothers went to a top tier public school - and I helped them prepare for entrance (though they did go to prep School). i home ed - I reckon it’s fine if you are confident. Download past papers and have a look.

@5zeds we would like to stay anywhere we can remain commutable distance to London. It's difficult because some state schools are completely shut now, and even if they're open admissions are based on where you live in a catchment area. We are pretty flexible as we rent. We won't be unemployed forever but I can see our pay decreasing a lot after this lockdown ends.

@BubblesBuddy yes I won't prep them I mean the prep schools prepare them for interviews. I think some schools also make allowances based on where you're from in an interview as well. What I'm judging in state schools is perhaps not fair, it's not the academics I'm concerned about it's the general way of the school so for example if you're clever you may end up being bullied in a school that's not so good or your aspirations end up lower than if you were at a good school. Of course there are exceptions but I'm not convinced because I can help dds that it's guaranteed you'll get just a good result as if they just went to a good school.

I notice the stark differences between my dds and their state Ed cousins, in both academics and the way they act. I think there are some excellent state schools but unsurprisingly they seem to always be full.

What differences are noticeable in six and seven year olds based on schooling? We’ve been through a whole range of education types over the last 10 years -small private primary, state primary in a very deprived area, home Ed, top independent secondary, state grammar. The children have friends in a range of comprehensive schools, private schools as well as some who are being home Ed at secondary level. I don’t notice huge differences between the children other than maybe accent, especially by the time they get to 15/16!

I think family background and parental support is the most significant factor. Most of the kids we know from supportive backgrounds will end up in similar careers and places in ten years time I’m sure.

I think the key thing is to do what works best for you in your own circumstances at this point in time, given your personality and those of your children.

OP, are you absolutely sure you want to home ed? You now have no income, so you'd struggle to move as no landlord would take you on. You then say your income will reduce significantly once you get another job. Meanwhile, you're reducing your career options if you don't return to work asap. You may well not be able to afford private school fees in four or five years time.
If I were you, I'd get my children into a local primary school asap to bring some stability into their lives, that gives you time to both look for work, then look for a home if you do indeed need to move.
Just out of interest, is there a reason why you only rent?

I did mean don’t over rely on the school to prep them for interview. Senior Schools just see a batch of children who have formulaic answers. It’s not an advantage.

Move out of london, send them to a small local school, supplement with lots of help at home. They should be fine to get into secondary school. I wouldn’t homeschool them. I can’t see why that would help.

As an aside I have homeschooled two children through the end of primary and they both went on to highly selective schools without problem.