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Secondary education

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Original poster

Y5 girls not allowed at 11+ Open Days - is this new?

35 replies

KittyWithStripes · 03/09/2023 16:41

Is this usual now? DD is starting Y5. It’s not a huge deal, but I’d always been told it’s nice to start looking around at a couple of Open Days when your DC are in Y5, because there’s so little time in Y6 before it’s decision crunch time. Seems reasonable, you and DCs can start getting an idea of what they’re like.

Been on the website for a couple of London girls secondaries (SHHS and others) and it’s strictly Y7 2024 entry only who are allowed to attend the Open Days. Has that always been the case?

OP posts:
CruiseOver · 03/09/2023 16:47

Seems strange. We took Dd to grammar school open days at the end of y4, prior to beginning 11+ prep in Y5.

Angelik · 03/09/2023 16:47

No but I think hosting these events is time consuming for schools so they want to focus on the children who are eligible. New thing in my area is grammar school open days only available to those who pass. So parents have about 2 weeks to get it done and decide!

12345change · 03/09/2023 16:48

KittyWithStripes · 03/09/2023 16:41

Is this usual now? DD is starting Y5. It’s not a huge deal, but I’d always been told it’s nice to start looking around at a couple of Open Days when your DC are in Y5, because there’s so little time in Y6 before it’s decision crunch time. Seems reasonable, you and DCs can start getting an idea of what they’re like.

Been on the website for a couple of London girls secondaries (SHHS and others) and it’s strictly Y7 2024 entry only who are allowed to attend the Open Days. Has that always been the case?

That seems odd. My experience has been year 5 is when you look around secondary schools. If you leave it year 6 it can be too late... often people go for a second look in year 6 to check they have made the right choice before the forms have to be completed at the end of October in year 6.

In fact Tiffin Girls, if you did not go in year 5 you would not get a look before you complete the application form as there open day was in July. Not that it was relevant for us as I have a boy.

BorrowedThyme · 03/09/2023 16:50

There is limited space, it is only for the children making decisions imminently. it isn't really appropriate for children to be visiting secondary schools in year 5 - they just need to carry on being 9 year olds!

Soontobe60 · 03/09/2023 16:51

In reality, if a school is over subscribed, then open days are a waste of their time as they will still get too many applicants!
I suppose they could get swamped by nosey parents who might or might not apply for a place for their child in 2 year’s time?

HamishTheCamel · 03/09/2023 16:51

In my area this started a couple of years ago when they were keen to limit the number of people inside for covid-related reasons. Maybe they're continuing with it because they've realised it offers a better experience for the year 6 pupils when it's less crowded.

Original poster
KittyWithStripes · 03/09/2023 16:51

Hmm. This is just for girls private London secondaries, not grammars- but it’s still strange. Again not a huge deal – but I’d always gotten the strong impression that you start having a poke around the schools in year 5 to get an idea of what they’re like…

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gogomoto · 03/09/2023 16:53

Always been the norm for secondaries here, also no siblings - due to numbers

NeverDropYourMooncup · 03/09/2023 16:53

The school quite probably doesn't have the capacity to spend guiding round sightseers as well as those who are actually making applications this month.

Foxesandsquirrels · 03/09/2023 16:55

I've never seen this rule tbh and we're in London. I always thought it's quite normal to go look in Y5 esp for the selective Indies.

12345change · 03/09/2023 16:55

@KittyWithStripes I bet lots will ignore - how are they going to police this? I would just go if I was you.

We missed out on visiting my dd secondary school because we did not go in year 5. Then an accident happen which meant we could not go in year 6 and then COVID happened - I did not get to go in to the school myself until she was in year 8! Now she is about to go into year 10.

Soubriquet · 03/09/2023 16:56

Weird. Our local high school had a big open day specifically for year 5 girls.

PuttingDownRoots · 03/09/2023 16:57

Not London but our local Private school does its open day for Yr5s in the summer... the autumn one is the current Yr6.

Foxesandsquirrels · 03/09/2023 17:00

NeverDropYourMooncup · 03/09/2023 16:53

The school quite probably doesn't have the capacity to spend guiding round sightseers as well as those who are actually making applications this month.

I really don't think most people make decisions on their secondary choices a month before the deadline to apply. It's a bizarre rule. Most open days we went to in London, bar the state school ones, were filled with Y5s.

modgepodge · 03/09/2023 17:04

I suspect it will all depend on how over subscribed they are. I work in a small undersubscribed prep. Any time any prospective parent wants to come visit - whether an open day or private tour - we make it happen, regardless of how far in advance we are looking. However an ex colleague now works at a huge indie senior which has hundreds of applications for about 80 places. Strictly limited to 2 visits per family, offered only at set times to set year groups, booked up months in advance. They don’t need to bother being more inclusive as they’ll still fill their places anyway. I suspect this is the case at the places you’re looking at. You may find they offer things for y5 (taster days etc) later this academic year (spring/summer term) once year 6s admissions round is done.

Original poster
KittyWithStripes · 03/09/2023 17:14

modgepodge · 03/09/2023 17:04

I suspect it will all depend on how over subscribed they are. I work in a small undersubscribed prep. Any time any prospective parent wants to come visit - whether an open day or private tour - we make it happen, regardless of how far in advance we are looking. However an ex colleague now works at a huge indie senior which has hundreds of applications for about 80 places. Strictly limited to 2 visits per family, offered only at set times to set year groups, booked up months in advance. They don’t need to bother being more inclusive as they’ll still fill their places anyway. I suspect this is the case at the places you’re looking at. You may find they offer things for y5 (taster days etc) later this academic year (spring/summer term) once year 6s admissions round is done.

That’s so useful, thank you!

I would love to be cheeky and just sign up anyway, but really do we need to be the annoying family at this stage – I just heard back from FHRP and they have (as you said) open days in the spring for girls currently in Y5. Suspect the others are the same. Will get on the lists for those as much as possible and hang tight for now.

but as a PP said - most people aren’t going to leave it until the month before they make the applications, to actually have a look around the school. Again, this is for London girls indies and I don’t think you can compare this to peoples experiences with grammars etc in other parts of the country.

OP posts:
Original poster
KittyWithStripes · 03/09/2023 17:19

12345change · 03/09/2023 16:55

@KittyWithStripes I bet lots will ignore - how are they going to police this? I would just go if I was you.

We missed out on visiting my dd secondary school because we did not go in year 5. Then an accident happen which meant we could not go in year 6 and then COVID happened - I did not get to go in to the school myself until she was in year 8! Now she is about to go into year 10.

Yes, i’m wondering if this is a post-Covid thing – before Covid I’m sure this wasn’t the case?

OP posts:
JinxMonsoon · 03/09/2023 17:20

All schools we visited in Y5 only opened up to Y5 children from spring term (London and Surrey). Sept/ Oct open days are to accommodate second visits before final decisions are made. You will also have better idea where your child sits academically after summer, so that you go for the right mix of schools.

Foxesandsquirrels · 03/09/2023 17:24

I guess spring term of Y5 is fine. By then you will have hopefully had a chat with your prep head and have an idea of what sort of schools they're suggesting you apply to. Prior to that the prep will be concentrating on getting the Y6s through 11+.

ParadiseZity · 03/09/2023 17:24

We looked at those selective London schools for my DD last year, plus others. They also had that rule then. I believe it's due to capacity- prioritising those girls who were actively making decisions rather than those who were early planners. Frustrating (as I like to plan!), but understandable.

SamPoodle123 · 03/09/2023 17:41

It is not so bad if you do not get to look around until year 6. We ended up going for 11+ last minute, so only got to look at one school end of year 5. And then year 6 we decided to wait to see if we had any offers before looking at the other schools....as it is time consuming to look at the school and did not want to fall in love with a school, as not guaranteed you would get a spot. I will probably just do the same second time around with my DS.

SweetieLie · 03/09/2023 17:52

I’m just outside London. A lot of the state schools (including grammars) are strict open days only for y6.

Independents tend not to have such restrictions, save some have specific “Y6” taster days/evenings, but this is in addition to more general open days.

Original poster
KittyWithStripes · 03/09/2023 18:09

JinxMonsoon · 03/09/2023 17:20

All schools we visited in Y5 only opened up to Y5 children from spring term (London and Surrey). Sept/ Oct open days are to accommodate second visits before final decisions are made. You will also have better idea where your child sits academically after summer, so that you go for the right mix of schools.

This is super helpful, thanks 😊

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Original poster
KittyWithStripes · 03/09/2023 18:13

ParadiseZity · 03/09/2023 17:24

We looked at those selective London schools for my DD last year, plus others. They also had that rule then. I believe it's due to capacity- prioritising those girls who were actively making decisions rather than those who were early planners. Frustrating (as I like to plan!), but understandable.

This is also super helpful, thank you!

We are not high maintenance parents, but like you, we like to be organised and get our ducks in a row… And I had read so many threads on Mumsnet about looking around schools in the autumn term of Y5, like it was something you’re supposed to do 😆

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BringOnSummerHolidays · 03/09/2023 18:15

Maybe people do for selective schools, but DC goes to a comprehensive and we only visited in Year 6.