Didn't get private secondary offers and state one unacceptable

[iloveapplesandcakes]

Hi, DS in Year 6 prep, we applied for four very selective indies (as advised by current school) and unfortunately he only got 2 waitlists and 2 rejections.

The state option we get is a disaster and out of question.

He has an option to stay at current school till Year 8.

One of the waitlists will run another selection process in Year 8 so too far to rely on it, the 2nd waitlist unlikely to move enough to get a place.

Are there any private secondaries where we can still apply in Year 7 for 13+ entry? I'll certainly speak to Headmaster, but would appreciate some suggestions.

Yes loads ... but you will need to be more precise as to location. Not sure why they were all very selective though ... a fallback school should always be had. Your poor DS going through all those pre-tests too. Could you not have selected your favourite 2 - if he failed the first couple why put him through another 2 if they were all as academic? Unless it was the common pre-test in which case apologies.

It was common ISEB and DS is exceptionally bright, CATS 135+, Headmaster didn't even advise for going for back up (and I was stupid and reckless )

3 out of 4 were super selective, the fourth one was a back up, but it was his first interview and he got paralysed there. This backup is a waitlist, but I don't know our position there and not keen on this school (but will grab the offer if made).

We're in Wandsworth

Oh no! Poor boy (and you) sounds like he just underperformed on the day. Common pre-test is good in some ways but the one down fall is you can’t retake it for another year. I used to teach at a prep in Wandsworth but most of the kids went on to boarding schools. Are you just looking for day. Having said there are loads my mind has now gone blank 😄. Think best bet is to speak to HM and get him to prove his worth by calling some schools, telling them how amazing your ds is and see what he can come up with

Thomas's Battersea opening a senior school, starting at Y7 in Sept 21, going through to Y13. Might be worth a try for 11+ or 13+ entry. I think Dulwich have a 13+ intake without Y6 pretest.

toobusytothink thank you for your sympathy, I can't forgive myself for all of this. HM will just suggest for DS to stay for the next two years and apply for other schools later on.

As far as I can see the process has changed dramatically over the last couple of years and I can't find any school which allows to sit exams in Y7 for 13+ entry

Thank you CrumbsThatsQuick, will check Dulwich now, I didn't know about them accepting without Y6 pretest

There is a middle option which is stay where you are for now but phone around regularly for any occasional spaces at the preferred schools - as it sounds like he’d be a great candidate for any spaces that crop up (people do move, find the school didn’t suit etc). Can understand the desire to have something “in the bag” asap though.

I would have a break for Y7, I agree, I cant think of any schools with Y7 assessments.

Yes, and as PPs have indicated, get your HM on the case. With his scores, they should be able to advocate him up the wait list.

Just as a matter of interest is there any reason why you would prefer to move him now rather than after yr8? I had 2 children at prep and their final 2 years at prep were amazing!

I planned for him to stay till Y8, three very selective ones were for 13+ entry and only back up is 11+ (and it's worse than our current prep, but if we get the offer I'll have to move him after Y6)

My problem now is that we don't have any place secured for Y9 and that's why I'm trying to find out what are the options. If there are no drop outs in the next two years (and no offer from 11+ waitlist school), the way I understand it he won't have anywhere to go for Y9 and we'll be back to state option which is horrific.

Before anyone asks - moving house is not an option for all sorts of reasons and DS has health issue ruling out boarding

Dulwich, Trinity and Whitgift all run a separate 13+ entry round in Y8 (without Y6 pretest).

And if your selective school which looks at WL candidates again in Y8 is the one I think it is (south of the river?), at a recent webinar event the registrar said that a substantial number (40-50%) of the WL do receive an offer at that point.

Yes - just to say that there is a strong chance that your 13+ WL place will become a firm offer. We know of 4 boys in DS year who had a call offering them a place at KCS for 13+ towards the end of their Y7.

Additionally know of quite a few boys who took the exam at SPS in October of Y8 and were offered a place from the reserve list.

Your current HM will be able to advise you better and ideally would be speaking to both schools, updating them on your son's progress.

As the previous poster said, the other options are Dulwich, Trinity, Whitgift and also KGS which all have 13+ places for which boys take exams in the January of their Y8.

I believe Hampton may also have a 12+ entry?

Ibstock Place, Royal Russell and Kingston Grammar school also run a 13+ entrance in y8 as far as I can tell.

There is a school in Sevenoaks called Sevenoaks School which runs Year 7 tests for day and boarders I believe. Might be a bit far though to commute but some kids seem to do it from London.

Yikes around here private schools are so desperate for pupils they’re barely selective! If you can pay you can go! London schools always sound like another world!

My first port of call would be the headmaster. Let him know you feel you have been quite badly served and ask what he proposes to do to sort it out. For comparison my DS' CAT was 139 but we were told we needed back ups to the superselectives because you never know, advised to apply to schools using a range of different exams (trickier this year) so he had more than one shot at it and given suggestions of schools where his particular interests and quirks would be most sought after. By comparison it sounds like your head has based his advice purely on the CAT number.
Your son is on two wait lists so your headmaster should be on the phone to them pushing his case for you. Then he needs to give you suggestions for further applications if the WL don't pan out. The fact that your son can stay on at his prep until year 8 doesn't let him off the hook because most schools now test in year 6 for 13+ entry. The only local day school I can think of that still runs an entry round for year 8 boys is Dulwich College but your head may know more.

Best of luck.

This is for your headmaster to sort - esp as 3 were for 13+

The 11+ waitlist will probably move as everything has been a bit of a mess this year

I would second Dulwich, Whitgift and Trinity. Less well known but worth considering is Kew House.

I don’t think Hampton pre-test either unless that’s changed recently.

Thank you so much everyone, you're brilliant lot, so helpful! I knew I can rely on MN wisdom.

Yes, 13+ WL is SPS.

I'll check all the schools mentioned here and have a call with HM on Monday next week.
Do you know if he can influence the WL school/s at all?

I'm dreading the thought of going through it all again, it's been such a painful journey...

Actually I’ve heard a lot of the y6 boys at DC’s prep (also Wandsworth) have had a bit of a shock on offers. Lots have not got what was expected or even back ups. The hope is that it’s due to the single exam - the top group have offers for everywhere (and some may have applied for more schools than usual as it’s the same exam) and there will therefore be a huge amount of WL movement. Fingers crossed for you that’s the case.

My understanding is that SPS don't offer from their Reserve List until Y8, so I suspect at this stage your HM might only be able to influence the 11+ WL offer from your back-up school.

In that case, it would be worth thinking carefully about whether or not you want to start the ball rolling with your HM re speaking to the back-up school. Would you really be happy for your DS to go to there? Or do you think you might find a school that is a better fit if you hold off and apply elsewhere in Y8?

Some boys are just better equipped to navigate exams and interviews after an extra couple of years at prep school. He sounds very bright, and if he tries again in Y8 with different schools a tier below the "big 3" academically selective boys' schools, he might well have a decent shot at a 13+ academic scholarship.

TheatreTaxi you're reading my mind - that's exactly the agony. What I read on this forum about 11+ back up makes me believe that there is a chance of getting an offer and I'd have to respond very quickly. But - emotionally the school doesn't suit DS and academically it's below his current prep school level.

However, I'm so worried about not having any offers in later years that I'll be struggling to make this call.

Agrhh, I was so much looking forward to have this all done and dusted...

@iloveapplesandcakes, I'm reading your mind because I've been there .

DS had an 11+ process that didn't go entirely according to plan. He stayed on at his prep, applied for 13+ entry in Y8 and is now thriving in a school that is a much better fit tor him than our 11+ option.

Go with your gut feeling. If the back-up school doesn't feel right, don't sweat to get off the WL.

However, if you decide to go for Y8 13+ entry, make sure you check the size of the 13+ intake. Some schools (e.g. Emanuel) advertise a 13+ entry, but in practice take only a handful of new students and it's a bit of a lottery even for scholarship candidates. Schools like Dulwich, Trinity and Whitgift all take a reasonable number at 13+ (not as big as the 11+ intake, but at least a couple of classes).

@theatretaxi I think the position has changed a lot in the last couple of years. Emanuel and others (e.g. Alleyns) have dropped their 13+ entry altogether. The schools who do still have 13+ now allocate most of them to those who protest at year 6 - e.g. Dulwich has 25 places for boys applying in year 8 whereas it used to be 85 (the other 60 now being allocated in year 6).

Ha pre-test not protest although it would make for an interesting system