How many girls reject HBS in favour of NLCS/HABS etc

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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IronMikeTyson
Posts: 612
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2011 1:52 pm
Location: Shamballa

Re: How many girls reject HBS

Post by IronMikeTyson »

We know a few children that did not take up selective schools-at least 3 in dd' year for HBS -in favor of Independents.

Some of these parents believe the better facilities,smaller classes and higher proportion of upper middle classes and better social networking are worth the price .

One parent told me that "it would look better on her c.v". I was going to say that I know many recruiters who reject applicants from former private schools for ex Comprehensive school applicants,but that is another story.
"To err is human;to forgive ,divine"
Oshosh
Posts: 265
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2012 9:35 pm

Re: How many girls reject HBS

Post by Oshosh »

One parent told me that "it would look better on her c.v". I was going to say that I know many recruiters who reject applicants from former private schools for ex Comprehensive school applicants,but that is another story.
I would have to second that.....very true.
silverysea
Posts: 1105
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm

Re: How many girls reject HBS

Post by silverysea »

My employer would not allow discrimination on a point that is not in the job description.

Needless to say the type of school attended as a child would not be stated in the JD!

Surely employers have more important aspects to assess in recruiting?

But perhaps not...
London-Dad
Posts: 43
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 11:44 am

Re: How many girls reject HBS

Post by London-Dad »

Daogroupie wrote:Interesting that you made the same typo twice in your post. If ,as you say, preps and yours in particular made no attention to the government requirement to give parents the results of selective text before the CAF, then it is likely that prep parents did carry on with NVR preparation for QE and HBS not realising that both schools had abandoned it. I don't think this is actually true as the state selectives are stuffed full of students from preps. Maybe these are just the families who did not rely on their school to be the source of all information for secondary transfer but ran the process for themselves.

It is fantastic news that you are going to turn down your 250 slot so that a girl less fortunate than your dd will have the chance of a place. Hopefully you have emailed the school to turn down the place so that reallocation can be done quickly. Or are you waiting to see if you would have been one of the 93?

I look forward to continuing to hear all about how much better school for the 7% is than school for the 93%. It is incredibly informative. Your post about all the things that prep schools do for their students to win them places at the best secondary schools was excellent, thank you for taking the time to write it. It will really help state school parents to understand how much ground they need to make up. Do continue to inform us about all the advantages at secondary school level.

I wonder if the 7% would remain in their bubble for the whole of education from 4 to 21 if private universities existed in this county?

DG
DG: I'm not sure there is really the need for the sarcastic + disapproving tone of your post.

I am posting in the independent schools section of the forum...and the issues involved are relevant to parents with children at private as well as state schools.

In particular...many parents who are maybe attracted to some of the "perceived benefits" of options outside the state system will not be able to afford it all the way through.
They have to concentrate their resources....and will consider a Prep school that maybe increases their chances of getting a place at a super-selective grammar school
...or a State Primary ( + maybe tutor) to start off with...followed by a senior independent school (possibly assisted by a scholarship and/or bursary)

I was simply trying to point out that many Prep schools are not particularly helpful when it comes to the specific preparation needed for the most highly regarded State selective senior schools....I think the preparation here is largely parent driven...whatever sort of primary school your children go to.

Even when it comes to senior independent schools...different Prep schools have varied degrees of focus.
There are large numbers of single-sex girls Preps across North London...with an age spectrum of 4-11...which can concentrate specifically on the North London Consortium type format....since this covers so many of the schools that the parents would wish their DDs to attend.

Other co-ed preps have to spread their focus more widely to Common Entrance preparation for boarding schools / both 11+ and 13+ entrance for boys etc.
This is something to bear in mind when parents are assessing the "added value" of a particular Prep school.

- you will have to explain the comment amount the requirement to give results of a selective "text" (I presume test) as I don't quite follow what you are referring to.

- I didn't personally design the current format of educational provision across the UK...so I make no apologies for trying to navigate it in a way which a) is in the best interests of my DD and b) our finances will allow.

- you seem to be saying that many parents opting for the independent system are operating in some sort of "bubble"...but I have seen you make reference yourself to a similar "bubble" that exists within the State system...where parents take the praise from teachers at State Primaries too literally...refuse to acknowledge the scale of preparation that is necessary for the 11+ process...or are reluctant to disrupt the friendship circle of their child's friends at school.

- I received a State Primary education (albeit at a well-regarded CofE school) but continued my education at the local independent school courtesy of a 100% scholarship.
What is interesting is that the Year 6 teacher at my primary school went out of his way (with the encouragement of the Head + school governors) to prepare myself + other candidates for the entrance exam at the independent school...particularly with a view to trying to secure scholarships (+ half-scholarships ).
The scholarship results were published each year in a local paper...and the school took great pride in the numbers of awards that its pupils gained.
It reflected well on the school...and it was in tune with what the parents wanted.
This was over 30 years ago in another part of the country.
Clearly...times have changed.
Rectitudinous
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:50 pm

Re: How many girls reject HBS

Post by Rectitudinous »

Well, that made this section quiet..

DG, that read as a very impolite post to London-Dad. I have found his posts very interesting as we have children in both sectors, and I would respectfully say that your experience is just that-yours. I find your posts very interesting too, but don't share your experience.

Our state primary has a lunchtime club for 11+. It's not the only one locally. Several kids each year to the Grammars.
The Indie does NO prep for state school 11plus but starts VR etc for its own entrance as soon as they are over.
Other local Indies are also either run-through (so no 11+ prep) or go up to 13 (no prep until 13+/CE)
If the pupils at Indies had this huge advantage, the local Grammars would be full of them. They aren't, and they still mostly have outside tutoring.
Crossing slightly with another post of yours about giving up state school places

"I hope all those that can afford it will be swayed leaving the places at the state selectives for those families who cannot afford the luxury of private school fees. For 93% of the year group the "choice" is between state selective and local comp. I am puzzled by the prep school parents who say they can't afford because they already are affording it and many for more than one child."

I am currently deciding on Grammar school and Indie offers. If we go to the Indie, it won't be in order to let a "less fortunate" family go , it will be because it's the right choice for our DC. If so we will make huge sacrifices to do so, and have other DC and risks of illness, redundancy and so on to figure in. Families at our school are not in a bubble at all, I know of several where grandparents and even whole families club together to pay fees, several who ran out of money and left, and several who will be leaving for the local comps.
rebz
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 7:46 pm

Re: How many girls reject HBS

Post by rebz »

I am going to quickly jump in here and cross post as well.
I can only say that DG has been very helpful on this forum, and I know that DG answering of posts and pm etc was very key in my DD getting the school of her choice.

I feel that I have muddied the waters some what in the Herts thread as I stated that I was happy I could not afford private schooling. What I should have said is secondary indie schooling.
Yes I have more than 1 child and they are all in indie schools (only 1 prep and that is til 13)
However at approx £150k per child 11- 18, private ed is at secondary not an option for as tbh I'm not sure it's worth it if you have the option of a selective school as we do.

The posts on this forum have helped me immensely since the summer and I would not want my 'over enthusiastic' post to have caused any mis interpretation
lefol
Posts: 382
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:13 pm
Location: Bexleyheath

Re: How many girls reject HBS

Post by lefol »

I agree . DG makes a significant contribution to this forum and is merely expressing her opinion. HBS is a highly sought after school and performs exceptionally well academically. In my area, a great proportion of GS places are taken from children from prep schools who do well in the selective exams because they have been taught verbal and non verbal reasoning from year 3.

When you have to choose between a highly performing GS and indie, it is always a very difficult choice as you have to justify what you are paying for as the GS would usually match or better the indie in terms of academics. It is simply not as easy as choosing between a poor performing comp and the indie sector.

i sometimes wonder why parents post the question of HBS v Indie! I mean why did you apply for HBS in the first place and then try and put it down when you get our first choice indie???? Some parents would give their right arm to get their child into a selective GS and as such parents need to be sensitive about the comments they make which is often based on the fact they can comfortably afford and indie and the GS is reflected as being a back up plan.
edgwaredad
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:57 am

Re: How many girls reject HBS

Post by edgwaredad »

I never understand why people bring Financial reasons in comparing schools. Please don't use money as a criteria to judge the school. The child has nothing to do with money factor. Having money to fund the education is solely dependent on parents. If parents decides indie then they have to find ways and means to find the money this has nothing to do with the child and moreover it's a 7 year view.

Will people regret if they get money via inheritance, lottery, stock upmarkets anything is possible one doesn't know and the reverse also holds true how long free education may last.

One needs to compare quality of education between two schools and not value for money.
Hence would like see a healthy posts highlighting the true qualities of school.
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