Desperately seeking a late entry independent school

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now
tfad
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:27 am

Desperately seeking a late entry independent school

Post by tfad »

My DD has not made it through to the only independent school we chose and we only have two schools we are waiting for next week. Does anyone know of any independent schools that will accept a late entry? My husband and I were thinking that there must be some movement with kids taking up grammar school places and other independents, how do we know which schools have extra places where she can sit the exam. She is brilliant but I think she freezes at the interview stage.

Thanks
mm3
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 12:02 pm

Post by mm3 »

Where ? In London ?
tfad
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:27 am

Post by tfad »

Yes, we live in Hendon and we applied for HB, Marylebone and South Hampstead. We are keeping fingers crossed for next week, and preferably we would like a school in North London, but at this stage we will consider going out to Hertfordshire.

Thanks
lion63
Posts: 219
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:37 pm

Post by lion63 »

http://www.wpis.org/view.aspx?ID=1
Have you looked at this school?

I don't know it personally but have heard of others looking for late entry admission there.
tfad
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:27 am

Post by tfad »

Many thanks. I will contact them directly.
filbert
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 11:07 pm

Post by filbert »

If you need to get a list to work through then you could use the Times Parent Power online search http://www.timesonline.co.uk/parentpower/search.php

I assume you got to select 6 state schools. Do you not have a "safety net" choice from those?
tfad
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:27 am

Post by tfad »

I didn't have 6 - I only had three because she would not thrive in the state schools near me in Hendon. She is quite a shy girl and we went to visit them and she definitely would have become even more introverted. We tried for Mill Hill County and she didn't make it through, but she did make it through the first round of HB!! But more importantly we were outside the catchment area of a lot of schools - so we ended up with three and one independent. When I spoke to the head, she said that a minimum of 4 would be enough! So even with hindsight I would still have found it difficult to select 6 "good" schools for her without her traipsing halfway across London. I guess there are lessons to be learned, but I am not holding out too much hope for next Tuesday - I don't know why its just a feeling and I would like to get all my ducks in a row and have an independent school that I can fall back on!
lion63
Posts: 219
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:37 pm

Post by lion63 »

Th advice we were given was not to put down any schools you definitely do not want to consider ,even if you have not used up all 6 options. If you do, you will be offered a school on your list( e.g.poorly performing choice 6) and the LEA will be deemed as having fulfilled its obligations and you are stuck with that school.

Many consider the independent route or home schooling if in the unfortunate position of 'no school' allocated by the LEA, which although painful is preferable to having to attend a poor school.

In hindsight, you were right as well, tfad.
I gather you have no faith school options looking at your choices,so you are quite limited. We were in the same situation last year and only put down 4 out of six choices.
tfad
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:27 am

Post by tfad »

sorry I am new to this so forgive me, but I do have a faith school option...Marylebone School is a C of E School and my husband is on the Church PCC (he is the Treasurer) so I do have my fingers crossed! Does this increase my chances? It was our last choice, not because it is not a good school - it is! But it will be quite a journey for her, but at this stage - I'm not fussy!
filbert
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 11:07 pm

Post by filbert »

lion63 wrote:Th advice we were given was not to put down any schools you definitely do not want to consider ,even if you have not used up all 6 options. If you do, you will be offered a school on your list( e.g.poorly performing choice 6) and the LEA will be deemed as having fulfilled its obligations and you are stuck with that school.
Conversely unless you have the independent option would it not be better to have a nearby potentially poor choice than falling through? Once that happens the LEA will still allocate you a school it will just be wherever there is space and that could be a poor school miles away. At least that is my understanding of how it works.

With regards to tfad and MHC. You are playing short odds. There are only 24 academic places on offer. I would imagine HBS is like QEB selecting the whole year group by academic selection so there is a greater chance of places. So hopefully that will work in your favour.
Post Reply
11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now