Indie school at junior level only

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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MrsLG2011
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2011 7:00 pm

Indie school at junior level only

Post by MrsLG2011 »

Hi,

My son has just started school so is is quite a few years off from the 11+ but I really want to take him out from his state junior school that I am not happy with for various matters and we did not get into the school of our first of second choice as all good state schools are over subscribed.

He is a bright little boy but I think that he will be 'lost' in the state as he is just above average. My question is worth sending him (and his sister) to an indie school until they are 11 and see if he has the ability to pass the 11+ and go to a grammer school as at the moment we could not afford to see it through to senior school for both of them (or we could do if one of them went to a grammer school). I am worried that they might be bullied at secondary school for coming from an indie school?!!

Can anyone advise, I thought that it would be better to give either one of them a chance to go for a grammer school pr am I just wasting my money at junior level?

Many thanks,

Lindsey
hermanmunster
Posts: 12815
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Indie school at junior level only

Post by hermanmunster »

Hi

I sent both mine to indie primary (from nursery stage) so they were never in Junior school. I found the schools fine and as far as I am aware it has not caused any problems at senior schools (they were not the only kids there who had been to indi primaries).
Only point I would make is the benefit tends to depend on the stage at which you move them )you say he has just started - you mean at infant level ?) . At DC's first primary the head wouild not take any children after the start of year 4 as he found it was too disruptive to the kids already there having children come from elsewhere who needed a lot more initial input (unless they had been at a similar school somewhere else).
have you had a look at any indies?
doingmybest
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 3:53 pm

Re: Indie school at junior level only

Post by doingmybest »

According to the ex-prep headmaster who writes for the Telegraph, if you can't afford to do both you should prep them, preferably until 13, and this should cost less than an Indy senior school. His point is that once they start GCSEs/Alevels they are all following the same syllabus anyway, and that all with such a strong foundation from a good prep they should cope well at a decent state secondary. I don't think he's ever watched Educating Essex.
I was told something similar by the deputy head of a leading Indy boys senior school which had a large 11+ intake, he had moved from being deputy at a very good boys prep. He actually left after a few years and went to be head of a straight through school.
Sportsmum
Posts: 99
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:00 am

Re: Indie school at junior level only

Post by Sportsmum »

There are increasingly more parents seeming to adopt the indie until 11 route (getting into a decent state or grammar at 13+ is virtually impossible). We did this and it has worked well for us with them fitting into the grammar schools easily - however - beware of some of the "outstanding" state secondary schools as some teachers really aren't geared up for students that are in essence up to 2 years ahead of their peers in some subjects. What we have found is that, in the main, the ex prep school students are more focused and find the senior school transition easier than many others - but there are always exceptions. Additionally, depending on which part of the country your are in - many prep schools DO NOT prepare for 11+ that will be down to you!
MrsLG2011
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2011 7:00 pm

Re: Indie school at junior level only

Post by MrsLG2011 »

Hi,

Thank you for your responses. I am pleased to hear that other people have gone down this route as my thinking is that if we can not afford to send them to a private secondary school, at least they have had a very good start in the early years.

We live in Surrey and there area and there are a few very good Grammer schools round here. My son has just started reception so we are hoping to make the move to an indie school in January. I am aware that some of them do not prepare them for the 11+ so I will have to do the work with him or use a tutor, closer to the time.



Many thanks,

Lindsey
Fran17
Posts: 1440
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:16 pm

Re: Indie school at junior level only

Post by Fran17 »

We took our DS3 out of his state primary at the end of Year 3 and sent him to an indie. He is now at a grammar school. He is still in touch with children from both his primary schools and sees them on a regular basis. I don't believe he has been asked or been bothered to tell anyone at his secondary school that he went to an indie, and it has not been a problem for him. I really don't think it would be a problem for your DCs if you take this route. Good luck.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Indie school at junior level only

Post by mystery »

I am sure there will be plenty of prep children at a Surrey superselective. Your other potential "problem" to consider is how will he feel if he doesn't get in to the superselective and goes to the state comp? Are there many there in that situation? Again I would think there would be quite a few?

Don't judge your current school entirely on the Foundation Stage in reception. It is so different once the National Curriculum kicks in in year 1 upwards. Are the current school's KS2 results really poor?

All I'm thinking is another option might be to spend your hard earned cash on tutoring and stick with the state primary unless it really is exceptionally dire.
leanmeamum
Posts: 736
Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2011 4:14 pm

Re: Indie school at junior level only

Post by leanmeamum »

I agree that indie is a good idea till 11.

Our daughter was in an indie until 18 & thrived there. We sent our son to the local primary because we had heard good reports about it but within 3-4 months realized that he was falling behind & comparing him to his sister at the same age was not good reading. So we pulled him out after 1 term & sent him to a local prep.

He is now taking his 11+ in selective schools & indies as we don't want him going to the local comprehensive & being bullied - we have seen quite few cases so it scares the **** out of us. Due to change in financial circumstances indie for him upto 18 will be a last resort.

Having said that Please choose the prep school carefully & speak to outgoing children's parents about the 'prep' work that is done in the school. The school we sent our son to was excellent with really good reports but when he was in year 5 it was bought by a consortium of private investors who went on a cutback immediately & good rid of all the good & experienced staff who knew the local selective processes extremely well. They brought in cheaper inexperienced staff who have no idea about the selective exam process & would rather send the kids on trips than concentrate on the work ahead!!! It was too late to move our son again so we & few other parents just got on with preparing our kids ourselves & through tutors.

The school has not completed the KS2 syllabus to date because they do not take part in that & have their own testing. So as a result a lot of kids have suffered because of the blind trust parents in the 'prep' part of the school name. Last year only 4 out of 20 managed to get offers from selective schools & this year about 7 out of 18 look likely compared to 100% success rate in previous years.

Choose the school only after speaking to several parents - year 6 are the best because they are going through the selection process & can give better input.
leanmeamum
Posts: 736
Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2011 4:14 pm

Re: Indie school at junior level only

Post by leanmeamum »

MrsLG2011 wrote:Hi,

We live in Surrey and there area and there are a few very good Grammer schools round here. My son has just started reception so we are hoping to make the move to an indie school in January. I am aware that some of them do not prepare them for the 11+ so I will have to do the work with him or use a tutor, closer to the time.



As you are aware that you might have to do the work your self, the choice should not be too difficult. My earlier comments were made based on our experience as that is the selling point of the prep school our son went to. They tell parents that all work is done by them & not to worry about tutors but that has changed now as parents have realized that is just a sales pitch.
Minesatea
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Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:08 am

Re: Indie school at junior level only

Post by Minesatea »

In our area this is extremely common. We have lots of Indie preps, only 2 Indie Secondaries, no Indie sixth form and two very good grammars!

Whilst mine were state educated, from my friends experiences I would say go for an Indie that does not have a secondary school as their reputations tend to be judged on where their pupils go to at 11 so they are more likely to support 11 plus than a school with a secondary department who will naturally want to keep their bright pupils. Preps that go to 13 also seem less supportive of 11 plus tending to prepare for CE at 13 instead.
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