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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Move at 7+ or 11+ London private school

13 replies

Herecomesthesun2022 · 12/03/2022 10:51

My DC is at a London prep school that goes to 13. A lot of children leave at 11+, the rest at 13+. There is an excellent local school that goes all the way from Reception to 18 years. DC is happy at their current school but I could have them sit the 7+, which I understand is less pressure than the 11+. I’m just unsure whether it might not be better to move at 11+ anyway. It’s a long time to be at one school ((7+ to end of A Levels) and children can change a lot. A fresh start at 11 could be for the best. Has anyone moved their child at 7 to a school they stayed at until 18. Can you let me know the pros and cons?

OP posts:

mdh2020 · 12/03/2022 10:55

DS moved at 11 and only wish we had moved him earlier. GD started at private school and will be there till 18 and is very happy. It’s easier to get on the earlier you go

Original poster

Herecomesthesun2022 · 12/03/2022 11:02

@mdh2020

DS moved at 11 and only wish we had moved him earlier. GD started at private school and will be there till 18 and is very happy. It’s easier to get on the earlier you go

Thanks for your comment. Can you tell me what you mean by ‘easier to get on’? Why do you wish you’d moved DS earlier?

OP posts:

TypsTrycks · 12/03/2022 11:06

Definitely the 7+ if it's a school you like, or if there is only a marginal difference.

It's far easier to get in at 7+ than 11+ in the same school. But I see your prep goes up to 13+. 7+ and 13+ are both better than the 11+ with no doubt!

Do you have a specific school you'd like to target?

Original poster

Herecomesthesun2022 · 12/03/2022 11:19

Thanks for your thoughts. There’s only one school I’d consider at 7+ as it’s fairly close by. At 11+ I’d be open to a wider range of schools, up to, say, a 45 minute commute (from a current 20 minutes). At 11+ we’d be looking at places like Kings, Wimbledon and City, as well as the local option

OP posts:

Original poster

Herecomesthesun2022 · 12/03/2022 11:20

@TypsTrycks

Definitely the 7+ if it's a school you like, or if there is only a marginal difference.

It's far easier to get in at 7+ than 11+ in the same school. But I see your prep goes up to 13+. 7+ and 13+ are both better than the 11+ with no doubt!

Do you have a specific school you'd like to target?

Ps can I ask why you say 13+ is easier than 11+? We’d probably plan to do 11+ with 13+ as fallback, which is potentially double exam stress!

OP posts:

TypsTrycks · 12/03/2022 11:39

13+ is just one exam and you can apply to as many schools as you like. So you have more ‘fallback’ options across a wide range of schools. Also the ratio of applicants to places still favours the 13+. 11+ is a nightmare of the highest order with so many different exams and competition from state and private students. Don’t do both honestly. I will DM you.

ConfusedaboutSchool · 12/03/2022 20:07

If you like the school, and I think I know which one it might be, then I'd do the 7+. Children sometimes do need a change after starting in a through school quite young. This is particularly the case at 16 though children leave at 11 and 13 too occasionally. I wouldn't see it as closing off all future options but rather banking a school you'd love and seeing how things go from there. If you decide you'd like to leave, you may need to do some exam prep outside of school but otherwise, there really isn't any downside.

Xenia · 12/03/2022 22:19

My daughter went to North London Collegiate at 7 and stayed to 18. It worked fine and was not boring because at 11plus there were lots of new pupils and classmates and the same at lower sixth so in a sense it was almost 3 different school experiences in some ways. Her sister was at Habs from age 4 to 18 by the way and again it was fine. Our view was it may be easier to get in younger before the state school parents pile in at 11+ and I still take the view that is so, whereas my sons stayed at their boys' only prep schools until they did 13+ entry.

HighRopes · 13/03/2022 09:20

An alternative view. My dds did state to 11, bypassing the stress of those final years in a prep, and that made the 11+ a lot easier. Compared to people on here, and people I know in real life, the stress levels were a lot lower as no competition with peers and no attention at school on results etc. And they both got plenty of offers.

So I would consider the atmosphere of the prep and how stressed out Y5 and Y6 parents are as a factor. It is relatively calm, then I think there is an advantage to waiting until 11, as that opens up so many more schools and because by that time you will have a much better idea of where your DC will be happiest and best suited.

Original poster

Herecomesthesun2022 · 13/03/2022 09:31

Thanks so much for the replies. I really appreciate hearing people’s different views and experiences

OP posts:

LigurianBread · 13/03/2022 21:39

Best to get in early at 7+, and avoid the 11+. Though not suited for many children for various reasons. If the chosen school is highly academic and your child will struggle to keep up without the tuition, would avoid at all costs.

PamMarlow · 14/03/2022 17:36

My dc moved to their current school at 7 and we avoided the 11+ lunacy, a huge relief, as some of my friends totally lost the plot! They could have moved at 16 but didn't want to - lots more children joined in the senior school so everyone was mixed up, they were on a different site, different teachers - it seemed like a very new experience. I left the school I joined at 9 at 16 because I was bored and wanted a change of scene so it can happen but that's fine - plenty of other sixth forms to attend and by then your child will know their own mind.

minipie · 14/03/2022 17:43

It really depends on how confident you are that the 7 to 18 school will suit your DC.

If you think it is a good fit then go for it. Avoiding the 11+ is worth a lot, as is your child feeling secure and knowing the school well.

If however you are not sure how your DC will turn out and it might or might not be a good fit… best to wait rather than commit your eggs to one basket. As you can be sure the 7 to 18 school won’t do much to prep your child for the 11+ at other schools.

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