Why is Prince George not going to secondary school until after he turns 13?

[MinnieMounjaro]

Prince William reveals Prince George, 12, is already boarding at £10,669-a-term Lambrook School mol.im/a/15846933 via https://dailym.ai/android

I saw this article in the DM saying Prince George is currently boarding at Lambrook "ahead of moving to his secondary school in September". He turns 13 in July so the thought occurred to me - why is he still in primary school? Should he not have started secondary in 2024 when he was 11?

But what would be the point of all the independence of senior day school if you were denied the freedom to travel on public transport there and back, @Floppyearedlab?

Because it is a different system.
Pre prep 4-7
Prep 7-13
Senior 13-18
It's a bit different for girls who go to girls schools as these often do start at 11 in line with state.

Obviously one of the advantages of their new house is that he can cycle to Eton every day…..

It's not like he needs an education he's already got a job for life?

I didn’t think he would board but I suppose tradition wins

The top public schools start at 13, at least for boys. Less often for girls I believe.

My son goes to private school- secondary isn’t classed until year 8. Until then you’re classed as Prep still.

I love the people going "hmmm.... twenty people have already explained how the private system works but I'll just post it again" WHY? RTFT....

If the OP has never come across this distinction before, people perhaps feel that adding the facts from their point of view might add some context for her?

Not just private.
Some areas still go by infant, middle and higher.
I think years R to 3, years 4 to 8 and 9 to 13

@MinnieMounjaro this may (or may not, we’ll soon know) be helpful:

https://www.etoncollege.com/admissions/entry-to-eton/

It's to show they are posh / know posh people. Whereas OP is obvs a pleb and has never yet come across a child who has sat common entrance and started a prestigious public school at 13....

I didn't think they had picked Eton as the school for George

I'd imagine he felt he was missing out by not weekly boarding if a lot of his friends were.

Except they don't accept day pupils. It's full boarding only.

Public school

Besides,boarding allows his parents to take on more responsibility.

Shame he's going to Marlborough

There’s no way anyone would subject a boy to being the only day boy there, @CurlewKate. It would be the fastest way to isolate him from his peers.

And anyway, everything happens in the evenings - which are dark for a good part of the academic year. Can’t imagine cycling with a retinue of security through autumn / winter evenings - that would be silly.

Its also at least a 30 min cycle, not just down the road.

Poor lad.

Because he ain’t going to the local comprehensive school ! As pp have stated, the system for private education differs greatly from the general education system.

OP pretends to not understand the (well-known) Education system and for whatever reason can’t just Google their Q, so instead starts a thread talking about a 12yo which then solicits opinions on that child 😒

When I did Common Entrance, you could pick from Age 11 paper, Age 12 paper or Age 13 paper or a combination. Obviously if you took Age13 when you were 11, the standard was higher so opened more doors if you passed. I attended 2 Prep schools - 5-9 and 9-11. It was true that I could have stayed at the second one until I was 13 and gone on to public school then.

Just remember William & Harry boarded from about age 7.
I think Charles etc were the same.
13 seems a more logical age if its something you are going to do.