Advice needed - private to state
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FirstTimeBuyer
- Posts: 271
- Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:34 am
- Location: S East
Absolutely delighted for you and DDs. Quite the Happy Ending.richmond wrote:Just an update on this. Thanks for all your replies.
....the Head called me in for a chat and basically offered me financial assistance. Very pleased and surprised.
So went home and looked at the figures and put a letter together requesting a reduction in fees, swimming and school meals of 30% for her Reception year, and 70% for Years 1 and 2 (our most difficult years if DD1 starts at LEH senior)......
Heard from Head this morning that it’s all ok so big sigh of relief. Still in a state of mild shock at how things have turned out.
Thanks again for all your views.
Richmond
Surprised and impressed that Head accepted a 70% reduction in fees
- that is extremely generous.Very best of luck with Tiffin.
FTB
Exams are formidable for the best prepared. The greatest fool may ask what the wisest man cannot answer.
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T.i.p.s.y
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another mother
- Posts: 269
- Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:46 pm
Hi Richmond
What a great relief - although I'm not entirely surprised. I do think heads recognise those they want to keep in the school and IF the school has the funds can be more helpful than expected. It is always worth asking.
Nonetheless (and not for a second saying you should do anything different in your case!) I must put in a word for London state primaries. We moved dd1 from a prep school after one term, when we got a place at our local state school. It wasn't an easy decision (except financially) and I do remember how scary it felt after a very sweet little class. The primary seemed enormous and the class sizes scary - but she and her sister were really happy there, got all sorts of unquantifiable (or do I mean unexaminable
) benefits which I simply don't see in many of their 'privately all the way' educated peers (and as someone who was also only in the private system a million years ago, I envy them that) and both got lots of offers from top London indies at 11. With some tutoring and the sort of involvement every parent on this site has, it's perfectly possible to make the jump at 11! (although it IS nervewracking).
What a great relief - although I'm not entirely surprised. I do think heads recognise those they want to keep in the school and IF the school has the funds can be more helpful than expected. It is always worth asking.
Nonetheless (and not for a second saying you should do anything different in your case!) I must put in a word for London state primaries. We moved dd1 from a prep school after one term, when we got a place at our local state school. It wasn't an easy decision (except financially) and I do remember how scary it felt after a very sweet little class. The primary seemed enormous and the class sizes scary - but she and her sister were really happy there, got all sorts of unquantifiable (or do I mean unexaminable
) benefits which I simply don't see in many of their 'privately all the way' educated peers (and as someone who was also only in the private system a million years ago, I envy them that) and both got lots of offers from top London indies at 11. With some tutoring and the sort of involvement every parent on this site has, it's perfectly possible to make the jump at 11! (although it IS nervewracking).Well done Richmond. I thought I would add a tit bit to the thread. Many private schools will offer financial incentives if they believe the child to be worth the effort. It does usually take meeting the head, registrars have a tendency to say that the school does not offer help. I had a brief sojourn into year 1 of a prep school and part of my job was to assess the scholarship/bursary potential of the children whose parents had expressed a need. One of those children has a 90% scholarship and free music lessons/lunches.
At the moment the private schools are not doing well for applicants, so many are willing to offer help just to have bottoms on chairs. At the older level, if a school feels that a child will make an all round contribution to the school they are also willing to be more helpful.
At the moment the private schools are not doing well for applicants, so many are willing to offer help just to have bottoms on chairs. At the older level, if a school feels that a child will make an all round contribution to the school they are also willing to be more helpful.
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SunlampVexesEel
- Posts: 1245
- Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:31 pm
Thanks for your comments.
DD2's Head is a great Headmistress and I think she just wants to do what she can for as many children as possible. Its also a very small school and she makes all the decisions. Not sure what potential you can spot in a 3 year old!
Tipsy - the Head at DD2's school knows that I intend DD1 to sit the Tiffins exam in December. She made it quite clear that the funding would be for the whole 3 years whatever happened. I will let her know in March 2010 if DD1 does get in as I want to be as honest as possible about matters.
DD1 has told her form teacher at LEH Junior that she intends to sit for Tiffins and is being tutored just for that exam. She is a very open girl and I certainly did not say to her dont say anything about it. I think around 2 or 3 girls go to Tiffins from the Junior school each year so I think its not that unusual to want to sit the exam. We have been told that DD1 should be offered an unconditional place at LEH senior (for Sept 2011) by this June unless her standards suddenly slip. Its their new admission procedure to stop girls from from the junior school having to sit the exam (unless they are going for a schlorship). Its supposed to relieve the pressure (on girls and mums and dads). I would expect we would have to pay the deposit early and then not have to formally accept until April/May next year for a September 2011 place, by which time we will know about Tiffins.
Richmond
DD2's Head is a great Headmistress and I think she just wants to do what she can for as many children as possible. Its also a very small school and she makes all the decisions. Not sure what potential you can spot in a 3 year old!
Tipsy - the Head at DD2's school knows that I intend DD1 to sit the Tiffins exam in December. She made it quite clear that the funding would be for the whole 3 years whatever happened. I will let her know in March 2010 if DD1 does get in as I want to be as honest as possible about matters.
DD1 has told her form teacher at LEH Junior that she intends to sit for Tiffins and is being tutored just for that exam. She is a very open girl and I certainly did not say to her dont say anything about it. I think around 2 or 3 girls go to Tiffins from the Junior school each year so I think its not that unusual to want to sit the exam. We have been told that DD1 should be offered an unconditional place at LEH senior (for Sept 2011) by this June unless her standards suddenly slip. Its their new admission procedure to stop girls from from the junior school having to sit the exam (unless they are going for a schlorship). Its supposed to relieve the pressure (on girls and mums and dads). I would expect we would have to pay the deposit early and then not have to formally accept until April/May next year for a September 2011 place, by which time we will know about Tiffins.
Richmond
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T.i.p.s.y
I don't think junior schools should make pupils sit an entrance test to the senior school. I think teachers should have a measure of the child by then and be able to give an indication in advance if they are not suited to the senior school. Good to see LEH are looking at this more holistically now, unlike some schools who seem to be getting worse! 
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SunlampVexesEel
- Posts: 1245
- Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:31 pm
Much higher last year. I think there are >3 in one class alone.richmond wrote:I think around 2 or 3 girls go to Tiffins from the Junior school each year
The senior exam was a bit of a joke since annedotal evidence has it that the juniors were coached as to the questions anyway as clearly all involved wanted them to go forward to the senior.
Good luck, DS will be taking the exam (for the Boys) later in the year.
Regards
SVE
Animis opibusque parati
I just wanted to add something, albeit a bit late, as a fellow Richmond borough resident!
My daughter has just started in yr 7 at LEH, from a good state primary. Lots of children from her school got into the private school of their choice, including another 2 who have gone to LEH (and two who turned it down for Tiffin). I've also just been to a Hampton open day, and around 75% of their 11+ intake comes from the state sector every year. 6 boys from my daughter's year 6 went to Hampton.
So all is not lost if you do have to step back into the state sector at the primary level. Richmond as a borough is consistently top of the primary school league tables (ignoring City of London and one other "authority" which have only one school each), and given the nature of the area, places crop up all the time even in the best state primary schools.
Best wishes
Mumoffour
My daughter has just started in yr 7 at LEH, from a good state primary. Lots of children from her school got into the private school of their choice, including another 2 who have gone to LEH (and two who turned it down for Tiffin). I've also just been to a Hampton open day, and around 75% of their 11+ intake comes from the state sector every year. 6 boys from my daughter's year 6 went to Hampton.
So all is not lost if you do have to step back into the state sector at the primary level. Richmond as a borough is consistently top of the primary school league tables (ignoring City of London and one other "authority" which have only one school each), and given the nature of the area, places crop up all the time even in the best state primary schools.
Best wishes
Mumoffour
