13+ habs boys

[saintrockz]

has anyone been through this process this year or last year? My DS didnt sit the deferred entry in year six and did not do well at 11+. We are looking to sit habs, john lyons and st albans boys, our first choice is habs, if any kind parent would mind DMing me about how tough it is, i know there are meant to be 20 places but i am very confused that with deferred entry does this mean potentially they could have one place? And then the conundrum of conditional places. I am very confused! and also want to be realistic, how many sit the 13+ is it over 100? any help or guidance would be appreciated, especially from anyone who went through this from a state school. I am also worried that being from a state school will put him in a disadvantage as the preps will be having a better relationship with the school.

thank u all for your kindness

okay, deep breath. You'll have to be the 11+ consultant for your son.

Upmarket tutors and prep school heads will be on the phone chumming with their targeted schools, 'marketing' the kids that don't have a place yet but need one for YR9 entry.

Call each of your listed schools, get familiar with the registrar and let them know you have an "academic and sporty son who plays the oboe" or whatever his strong points are.

Ask them what he needs to do to join. Ask them all the Qs you posted above.

i think you are being a little unfair, I have called the schools and the standard line is state and prep are the same when in reality its not the case. schools will not disclose how many places they have if they have deferred entry places as well as 13+ places. I just thought someone who was state school parent who had been through the process might be able to share their journey that's all. Each of the schools is different and many parents have specialist knowledge on feeders for the school, what numbers or even the process.
i have taken many deep breaths, and to be honest they were before posting on here.

@saintrockz , you could post in the independent schools section of elevenplusexams.co.uk but the situation you are in is difficult and all schools don't like to disclose how many places they have for 13+ entry excluding deferred entry places with the exam taken in year 6.
Is your ds going to a state secondary school in September or a prep school?

@saintrockz , just to add the schools don't like disclosing exact numbers because amongst other things it gives as idea of the drop out rate during years 7 and 8, in my ds's school ds left during those years due to house moves outside London / U.K. and non payment of fees!
Also you have always got the option of moving him for 6th form instead, it's a more transparent process.

To answer one of your questions: yes, the deferred places do reduce the number of available places at 13+ below 20. This was made clear when we attended a Habs open day.

All of your options are all-boys, but would you consider co-ed? If so, St Margaret’s, Bushey is worth a look. It is newly co-ed since 2020 and has a significant 13+ intake.

hey saintrockz, I didn't mean to offend.

my main point was that it might be a good idea to create some kind of rapport with the school to level the playing field

wishing you and your son much luck!

OP, sorry to hear the 11+ experience didn’t go well. Unfortunately boys’ independent day places in North London & Herts are highly competitive at the best of times, and your DS (like mine) was born in a high birth year. 13+ is becoming less and less significant, with the emphasis increasingly on earlier entry.

Habs is really hard to get into. No reason not to try again, but I think it’s better for parents and DC not to get too set on a particular favourite school. Set your 13+ sights on a range of places and see what happens. I endorse the suggestion to have a look at St Margaret’s - our DS is there and very happy.

My son went through 13+ examination process and got an offer. It’s very competitive admission process, but it’s purely made on the academic merit. Boys must pass exam’s at the premises, the whole day examination take place at the school. One hour each per core subjects, English, maths, science and general studies. Once they passed exams, the number of pupils are selected for an interview of one hour, 15 mi per main subjects randomly, and general questions about reading, books, hobbies and tv programs. Intake i less than twenty.
good luck, it worth o trying, no matter whether kid is coming from private or state school, as acceptance is on pure academic results.

Difficulty wise I would probably say that Habs is the hardest, marginally followed by St As, a lot of people from DS school said that St A and UCS are very similar in academics. I would St Margaret’s and John Lyon are around the same, I am not too sure on which is slightly harder. St Margaret’s has a boarding option as well, meaning it will probably have better facilities. John Lyon is the day school version of Harrow school, meaning they share a lot of the fields and campus as well. All are great schools, some more rigorous, but it comes to what your DS is in favour of.