Late entry SE London Independents?

[SE22schoolpuzzle]

For complicated reasons we are wondering about whether we should try and find a place for our DD at an independent secondary, having missed all the application processes for year 7. We are in SE London. Is there any point even approaching schools at this point? Do places come up during year 7 or even at the start of yr8? She does have a good state secondary school to go to, so it’s not a crisis if we have to wait a bit.

DD is pretty academic. We did some tutoring earlier in the year in case we wanted to apply for private schools and it looked as if she had a realistic chance for jags or Alleyn’s, but at the time we decided against it. She’s quite musical, obsessed with reading, loves languages, totally uninterested by sport. Are there any independents in proximity to SE London it would be worth approaching now?

No harm in phoning around but it's unlikely at places like Alleyns. More chance at Year 9 as kids leave for boarding or prep schools or 6th form.

You will be able to get into a prep school in Y7. Or a regular school in Y9. Most competitive schools in the area will not even tolerate a late admission question - you will be better off looking at preps for now and then trying again at Y9 or sixth form.

I only know boys’ preps sadly! - hopefully someone else will know of girls’ preps that will go up to Y9 in the area.

It might be worth contacting Blackheath High. I know a friend's DD started mid-year - maybe she was lucky. I know several families with DD there and they're very happy.

DDs at an academic school in SW London. They had quite a few new joiners in y8 and a few girls left- all moved abroad. Then a fair few joined in year 9 as well.

@wordlee mind telling me which school your DD is studying?

One of the GDSTs schools

Thanks everyone so far. I guess I’m just going to have to make some calls and see what they say. I get the impression there’s a bit of movement in some of the local independent schools in yr8/9 as I’ve known children move then, but I’m guessing year 7 entry is going to be tricky. We might look to places more centrally if they’re not too long a commute too. DD could get the Thameslink or the line into Victoria easily.

@wordless thank you for your reply!

People move / leave London so occasional places come up in all schools. Add your name to the list for these as JAGs, Alleyns and Sydenham and see what happens. They get snapped up fairly quickly though and for the start of Year 7 in September they’ll be using their waitlist before assessing new candidates so it’s more likely after school starts.

I’m not sure there are any schools that don’t get full based on year 7 applicants anymore as everywhere seems increasingly popular but if so it would potentially be Royal Russel, Streatham and Clapham or St Dunstans.

Thomas’s Clapham branch goes to 13 and will definitely have space for year 7 as will some of the other Clapham and Wandsworth Co-Ed preps. They’ll be very big heavy though as most girls leave at 11 but will give you time to find a place at 13.

Good luck

Bromley High always has problems filling its places for year 7 so you should try there.

I'd approach some of the less academic GDST schools - it sounds like your DD has a lot to offer them academically. I wouldn't have thought there would be much point in approaching the more competitive schools, but worth applying for a chance vacancy if there are any you are really keen on. Or a prep and move at 13+.

There’s a reason you decided not to apply to independents. I’d suggest sticking with the state school place you have and see how it goes. There will always be a chance to move her later on if it’s not right, but chances are, your dd will fly at a state school.

Greycoats in Westminster? That’s an easy walk from Victoria.
Emanuel I think would be tricky for Y7 but no harm in asking.
You could look in the other direction and consider independents in the Bromley/Beckenham/Chislehurst area.

Greycoats is a state school.

Whoops, sorry. I suppose you could put yourself on their waiting list though, like any other state?

Emanuel used to be easy to get into and had a turnover. I know two who left quite early on. I think it’s harder to get into now. A school like SCHS also used to be easy to get into but is now harder. Might be worth asking both. But why go to a middling independent when you haven’t tried the state school yet? Those who I know who left those two independents moved to state schools, although one moved out of London, to be fair.

I would call all your closest ones and ask and I would only go for an academic one if your child is very academic. Did she sit any grammar school tests and do well? I know several people who got into e.g. Newstead or Townley and changed their minds last minute for independent schools and got in quickly off waiting lists despite not sitting the usual round. However, they could wave the objective academic standard grammar school offer so that might have helped. Most independent schools have discretion as regards who and when they admit, fair it is not, but some will do so and just admit the best candidate even if it is late in the day.

Eltham College, for example, takes girls now and is fairly academic but I suspect it would suit a certain type of girl to go to a school that still has a majority of boys in the older years. It could be intimidating for the wrong kind of girl with a competitive boys atmosphere.

You could try the GDST schools in outer London - Sutton, Croydon and Bromley. They don't have as much competition as those more central. Ring the admissions people and see what they say. Nothing to lose.

@MsFogi

Bromley High always has problems filling its places for year 7 so you should try there.

Hi, was interested in this as rarely see details on the Bromley High subscription stats, is there a reason they struggle to fill slots that you are aware other than being outside of the central London mix of schools?

Have rung round today and asked to put DD on waiting lists. Didn’t get hugely positive reception, but wasn’t a total no from most places. I think, like someone said, DD would probably be ok at the school she’s been offered, so we wouldn’t go for somewhere else unless we thought it was great for her. I think we probably made a mistake not giving Alleyn’s and JAGS a go at the time, as I think they would have been favourites and we’re unlikely to have a chance now, but there we go. Maybe at yr8/9!

If the schools are interested in your DD they will ask her to sit the entrance exam and then she may be able to go to the top of the waiting list or gain a place if she does well. They are fobbing you off if they are saying she can go on the wait list without paying an entrance fee and sitting an exam.

A number of schools have y9 (13+) entry points, and it might be more realistic to apply as part of that round.

@Journey123 BH has a lot of stiff competition - JAGs/Alleyns/Eltham and the grammar schools and more people are also going to Bullers Wood (all depends if they want to pay!).

I think you’d get interest from GDST schools. As others say, lots are not very over subscribed, especially as you go out of London.

Bear in mind the GDST is in an industrial dispute about leaving the teacher pension scheme. There are a number of strikes and also teachers leaving to go to other independent schools which aren’t leaving the pension.