Are these factors warning signs that private schools struggling to get pupils for year7 /2021 entry?

[Bored2death2020]

I have noticed that some private schools have completely scrapped entrance exams and replaced them with some sort of past work assessments or video presentations etc.; some are extending the time for applications and exams for year 7/2021 entry and offering more financial support and scholarships. Are these warning signs? My dc has offers from 4 schools and 3 of them are having the above mentioned promotions/ measures in place, so it makes a difficult decision even more difficult...

Would depend where in the U.K. you are. London day schools and other highly populated areas, probably not. More rural areas where pupil numbers were on the decline before Covid or where they rely on international boarders then maybe. Although it does seem odd that they would be offering discounts if they are doing that badly.

You’ll find that most schools other than the highly sought after ones will admit children to Y7 outside the normal timescales if there is space.

As for exam assessment - we are in the middle of a pandemic. Children cannot attend normal assessments and trying to run exams online has been rather hit and miss depending on the school. I really wouldn’t read anything into that.

You have four offers - more likely your DC is the sort of child they would all be delighted to have.

Exams have been scrapped because of covid! No point replacing them with tests done at home - everyone would cheat! Anecdotally, applications for year 7 are up, a lot of people have been let down by state primaries. it’s foreign boarders that are down.

The stability of schools is very variable. In some areas outside of the south-east, independent schools have struggled for years. They use entrance exams, but basically offer pretty much everyone who sits a place and they struggle to fill. At Prep level, it is even harder and small schools in particular are closing down or merging all the time.

In London and the south east there is real variety. Again, there are still too many schools and small ones are closing (sometimes single sex) or merging or adapting.me so lots of Preps just go to 11 now not 13. Some boarding schools have dropped that element and take all or more day pupils and take in at 11 as well as 13.
But lots of London and south-east schools are still heavily over subscribed and there is still a large population willing and able to pay. When families apply to 3 or 4 but can only take up 1 place, most in reality are not quite as over subscribed in reality as they application numbers make it appear. But the successful ones can easily fill their places and could take far more than they do, if they had the space or were willing to accept those who performed not quite so well.

The market is polarising and will continue to do so. Some schools will continue to thrive and be in demand (often highly selective day schools ...being mixed gives them a bit more flexibility too) but as the economy goes into recession, lots of schools in other areas particularly will struggle and some will close.

The exam thing is all about Covid. The selective schools really want to test, because they get their great results by only taking the very able. It’s not so important for the schools that essentially take anyone who will pay.

I tend to agree with Wombat.
In your position you do need to choose carefully to make sure your DC don’t end up at a school which might well close in the next 5 years. (Having to move for 6th form isn’t such a problem).

@Bored2death2020 if you are worried just google their accounts from last year that are submitted to companies house. It’ll give you a good indication of its financial status

Exams being scrapped is just a Covid necessity. No way of holding them safely or fairly.

We're in North London and my daughter has been going through the 11+ process this year. All private schools we have applied to had a very rigorous assessment/interview process and more applicants than in previous years and offers won't be made until February.

@Biscuitsneeded That's just not correct. Many schools have bern holding exams online, but many have held them in person in autumn and December last year. 11+ exams have not bern scrapped - at least not in London/Herts.

Been*

Apologies for typos

@XelaM Obviously those that were scheduled to happen in the Autumn, when schools were still open, were able to take place! However, by law any that should have been happening now cannot happen in person! All I am saying is there is no automatic correlation between a school taking recommendations and reports from previous schools when exams aren't possible, and the school being in trouble financially! I work in a private school and we have cancelled our January entrance exams but we have found we have more applications for places across different year groups (especially year 8 and 9) because of parents not being happy with the lockdown provision in current schools. We are not in any way in financial dire straits.

@Biscuitsneeded my daughter had three online 11+ exams in January for 4 different schools and one school still went ahead with their January 11+ assessment in person (which to be fair I found odd)

Sorry I meant four online exams and one in-person exam

DS had his entrance exam online, hopefully benefitting him as he didn't have to do the creative writing. Then followed up with a half hour interview on zoom. Results in February. Day/boarding even split Southwest.

From the Head, the school has had a full applicant list this year.

Anecdotally, DS prep year group has added 5 pupils since September and added 3 after Easter for online learning last year.

Ds had 2 online school specific exams, one ISEB at his prep in nov, and one school cancelled exams and is going on cat4s and an activity assessment they managed to hold in nov.

The whole things been bloody hideous but I blame COVID rather than the schools.

I agree with the points of exams being scraped. Like @XelaM child, my dc also sat online exams in Jan and did the scholarship assessments in Dec and jan which I found add. Even with cameras on, there were plenty of opportunities to cheat. And scholarship online assessments are not fair as they don’t allow a child to demonstrate their skills. What I wonder is that some of the SE schools extended the deadline for applications and also increased the scholarship pool. I agree with the comments above, if you are struggling, why give more money away?

@Bored2death2020 Yes, definitely opportunities to cheat in online tests (in some schools more than others). Some schools sent their exam papers by post and you had to return them by post, so I can imagine a lot of cheating and correcting of exam work before sending it back, although one school asked for envelopes to be sealed on camera. Some schools were definitely stricter than others.

@XelaM well, still not cheat proof. Even if sealing envelopes on camera nothing stopped parents from helping kids to answer questions during the exam itself, online or on paper. So I imagine the 2021 intake is going to be very different abilities wise than the previous years...

Yes, although that's more complicated I imagine, as sound and cameras had to be on. I was glad most schools didn't require parents' involvement as I work FT, so just left my daughter to it. One school demanded that parents stay in the room for the duration of the exam and sit "at a safe distance" behind the child on camera. Parents were also not allowed to use any electronic devices whilst on camera. All very unpleasant to be honest, especially since I was meant to be working and "on call".

Smaller schools already have closed in my area.(Not London). Less choice in the private sector has meant that the remaining schools have experienced more applications in the last 12 mths - at every stage of entry - 11+, 13+ & 16+. Not every school has offered a fee discount, some merely froze their fee increase for the academic year.

@XelaM If you want to “help” it’s not that difficult. Just connect two machines together, or even better mirror the screen of your child’s machine on the second screen and knock yourself answering the questions... not the same as being in a classroom. So guess lots of schools realised it and cancelled exams. Though I have heard of a few peeps who invited all the kids in to sit exams for different schools, so they were in proper exam conditions

@Bored2death2020 Wow, I clearly hadn't thought it through 🤣 should have organised screens and spyware! I guess we didn't want it badly enough 🤪

My son did his assessment papers from home and we find out in 2 weeks. Exam conditions and no 'help' from us other than talking him through the practice papers.
I don't doubt some won't have done that, it was v tempting to cast an eye over it so I left my husband to it. He's more ethical than I am
I hope and assume that the previous school reports and zoom 'interview' count for more this year!
No point cheating and setting them up to be miserable!

www.tes.com/news/private-school-funds-shot-pieces-mergers-expected

My school scrapped the exam because it seemed pointless when there was the possibility of parental intervention. We have been told that application numbers are within normal parameters.

@thebluebellas

My son did his assessment papers from home and we find out in 2 weeks. Exam conditions and no 'help' from us other than talking him through the practice papers. I don't doubt some won't have done that, it was v tempting to cast an eye over it so I left my husband to it. He's more ethical than I am I hope and assume that the previous school reports and zoom 'interview' count for more this year! No point cheating and setting them up to be miserable!

I so agree with the 'no point in cheating' comment!

Also, I think children are generally so open and honest - how could one prevent their child from revealing to friends or others that their parent had helped or had literally done the exam for them?

We've done everything in the right way so will know that any offers are deserved. There were also a number of exams that my DD sat at her school. I feel happy that the process has been thorough. If anyone has cheated, I would like to think it's a minority and that they will be worse off in the end...