Hi there

First post....great and informative forum!

I have a question I was hoping someone may be able to answer.

I would like my DC to move into Year 6 at an Independent school - currently at a state school. Do any of the independent schools consider children entering the school outside of the usual entry point and does anyone have any experience of it and what the requirements for entry would be? Schools we would be interested in include UCS, HABS and MTS.

Thank you. IM

Unfortunately you have just missed the ten plus exams that do enable you to enter some schools, notably City of London in Y6.

HABS and MTS both have prep schools with entry points at 4 plus and 7 plus and some places coming up in other years. But if you have a Y5 at this point you would be far better off focusing on 11 plus entry into these schools with the exams this time next year.

If either of these schools take you into Y6 then that is taking up a space for 11 plus applicants.

There is already an issue with the 11 plus entrants coming in at a higher level than the existing preps so you would really be a lot better at this stage coming in on the 11 plus.

It is of course worth contacting the three schools and seeing if they have any space available in the year group that you would be able to start in. DG

Thank you for the helpful reply.

Yes aware of City 10plus but that is not a good option for us, location wise.



What do you mean by this? Kids from other primary schools are at a higher level to Habs children? Why would this mean better to come in later?

If there were spaces at any of the schools do you have any idea what the entry requirements would be if there is no 10plus exam? How would they assess?

Thank you. IM

Students who join the school at 11 plus have prepared at a high level in English and Maths and so are coming in at a higher level than the preps who have not.

I would advise you to start preparing for the eleven plus.

Is your ds in Y5?

If they did have spaces in Y6 and were prepared to fill them instead of waiting for the 11 plus intake in Y7 then it would be likely that they would expect a strong level in English and Maths and would test this by using VR, English and Maths papers under timed conditions. DG

Habs never fill spaces in year 6 and very rarely fill any which become available even in year 5, instead they hold the spaces for the year 7 entry. I think they feel to start so late in the prep schools would disruptive. I would focus on 11+.

and by the way daogroupie, it is completely untrue that the students coming into habs at year 7 are ahead of those who have gone through their prep/junior schools. i am not sure why you enjoy peddling this myth but it is incorrect, unhelpful and slightly bitchy and dare i say jealous?

I have heard many existing Habs parents say that those coming in at year 7 are at a much more advanced level than those from habs prep (who haven’t sat the 11+). Sounds logical!

Indeed, one of the reasons given when both Habs schools decided to stop making their in-house year sixes sit the 11+ paper was that the schools had no intention of prepping them in maths and English to the level of the external candidates.

So at the start of year 7, the schools positively expect the children coming up from their own preps to be behind in maths and English - but ahead in languages, humanities and science.

It would be a very foolish business model.

Why would you teach your existing students the knowledge that would enable them to look elsewhere for secondary school?

They want to keep them. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and the best way of keeping them is to not reach the level in English and Maths that will enable them to sit 11 plus exams elsewhere.

That level can easily be taught in Y7 by which time the window of opportunity to look elsewhere has closed until Y11.

A very sensible strategy indeed and one heavily in force in Y5 and Y6 at the 13 plus preps. DG

This is true for Notting Hill in Ealing and Latymer Upper to name the 2 in my spot of London, nothing bitchy about this, just logical given the military preparation for the 11+ entrance exams. The true informative statistic would be how they compare at GCSEs though, I would assume there are no difference, anyone knows?