All schools rejected at 11+. What now?

[lirik]

Apologies for the wall of text and a clickbaity title. One school, The Leys in Cambridge, put our daughter on waiting list with final answer due March 8th, and 10 others rejected.

We are based overseas, planning to move to UK this summer. Daughter is currently at NLCS (Singapore).

We have hired education consultants to help navigate UK schooling landscape, aid with school selection, applications, etc. We have also engaged tutors to help prep for 11+ over past year or so.

Now that most schools rejected, consultants are proposing to consider Fulham till 13+ and try again after two years, or just stay at Fulham senior till sixth form.
Another option is to try apply to few schools that haven't done their tests yet. Namely we currently have on our radar Eaton Square Senior School and Radnor House.
A good friend recommends to settle in area with good and outstanding schools only and hire tutors aiming for 13+ or sixth-form.
Locationwise we'd prefer London but can entertain outside London commutable to city. In a pinch if need be can consider pretty much anywhere in UK. I recon I can reach an agreement with the employer.

It sounds like you can afford to buy anything. Fantastic!

Fulham Prep till 13 sounds like a good plan and they will be well placed to give advice. Once you are here you may also find other options. Certainly children joined both my DCs school in year 8 and 9. ( both schools whose main entry is 11+).
There is a lot of movement in and out of London and spaces do open up. Good luck!

Nearly all schools have done their testing for this year, and results are being given out. Staying at Fulham sounds the best idea, and maybe apply for different schools next year. But as 10 schools have said no already, you might be better opting for a good comprehensive school in a nice location.

Are you sure a selective school is right for your daughter?
Can you look for an area with a selection of good state schools, and try and get a place there once you are back in England?

I don't know the Singapore school you refer to, but the state school we came back for was better than our previous British International school. My kids went from easily top of the class to top third on returning to a bog standard NE England state school.

OP is currently overseas so getting a place in a sought after comprehensive will likely be harder than finding an independent school place. Prep schools till 13 will have spaces especially for girls and it will be easier to find a place for y9 if in the country I think.

Do you have a uk address?

😂

If you move in the summer, I don’t think state schools will get back to you before the start of term.

I think there are private but non selective (by academic ability) schools

Try Ewell Castle or Hall School Wimbledon - both accept applications outside the usual cycle.

You'll have to slum it in a state school with the rest of the great unwashed.

What schoold did you get rejections from so we don't reccommend schoold that you have already tried.

NCLS Singapore, any chance for NCLS London?
Fulham Senior, and apply for 13+, also check for occasional places since London you have family relocation for work.
Get a list of places you want to apply or reapply. London ones, which ones did you apply for? Others on MN can maybe help with suggestions that you didn’t have on your initial list.

With that many rejections for a child with private tutors and seemingly unlimited resources to attain educational goals, I suggest you look at less academic, private schools and focus on her receiving good pastoral care and allowing her to enjoy her school days. Nothing is worse than being bottom of the class all the time in an overachieving environment. Not all private schools are for high achievers.

NLCS London is one of the most selective schools in the country!

It sounds as if your daughter wasn't suited to the type of school that you applied for, but without knowing which ones it's hard to advise. My assumption is that you might have gone for bigger name academic ones.

Spaces do open up at The Leys so that might be an option. If you're happy with Cambridge you might get a last minute spot at St Mary's or perhaps Kings Ely. Kimbolton might be another option if you don't mind commuting to London from St Neots area and living rurally. And there are similar schools the other side of Cambridge too. Do post on a local board for advice if you want area specific info.

There are lots of 'good' private schools that will offer an all round education but aren't hugely academic and will likely have open places once the dust has settled. It's easier that you have just one child to find a space for.

Perhaps this all round school is a better option for you if moving from abroad, but again, hard to tell without knowing where you applied.

Wishing you and your daughter good luck in finding the right place.

Not as easy to get into state schools if there is no UK address and maybe non UK passport with work visa pending.

Also, I am curious what these consultants advised you on. It sounds like they were not doing their job. They could have given better direction on what schools to apply to based on your dd ability. Also, advice on how to prepare for the 11+. As pp suggested, check out Fulham Prep. Or also Thomas's Senior.

Did your current school guide you about what sort of schools your daughter was likely to get in to or was it just the education consultant?

Are you willing to say which schools your applied to so people can see if they were all very academic and what the next level "down" might be. At the moment it's a bit of a scrum as offers are only just out but in a couple of weeks, things will settle down and some schools will definitely still have places and will offer to test your daughter.

From your OP, it sounds as if you do have an offer, from Fulham School?

At this point, given the stress your daughter has already been under and the existing list of (presumably the most sort after private schools in London, but it would help if you said which) that sounds like the best idea. Then you can reassess in 2 years depending on how she settles.

Fulham is a good school. It's not one of the top academic ones and doesn't pretend to be, but it will give her a good education.

If your daughter was turned down for NLCS & other similar super selective London day schools, these are all highly competitive schools with 9/10 applicants for each place. DM me for more info, Yr 8 daughter

A couple of options:

Hill House in Chelsea: hillhouseschool.co.uk/admissions. Traditional prep that goes to 13, co-ed.
London Park School in Clapham: www.londonparkschools.com/. New senior school (11-18), co-ed. Admissions process still running but you need to register by 22 Feb.
Portland Place in central London near Regent's park: www.portland-place.co.uk/. Senior school that goes from 10-16, co-ed. Has a reputation for not being very selective. I'm not sure about their admissions cycle.

Another potential track is to look at the international schools which may well be more flexible in their admissions and are catering to a different market: eg

halcyonschool.com/. IB curriculum. Senior school (11-18), co-ed. Rolling admissions.
www.southbank.org/. IB curriculum. All-through school (3-18), co-ed. Rolling admissions.

There are also a couple of American schools if that appeals - one in Cobham, Surrey and one in St John's Wood on the edge of Regent's Park.

If you have any feedback from the schools your daughter didn't get into that might help with decisions.

Good luck - you should be pushing your educational consultants to help more. Clearly their advice was not good if she was put forward for so many schools which have proved unsuitable.

I enjoy these threads. It’s just watching privilege play out. Nice.

No. We are currently in Singapore, waiting for work visa, aiming to move this summer.

Have you considered moving to a local authority area that doesn't have the 11 plus? Bristol doesn't.