eton advice on ce & nc

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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Indefinate
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 8:09 pm

eton advice on ce & nc

Post by Indefinate »

Hi can any one advice, ds will be starting secondary soon, looked at Eton - loved it ! got a place at indie school which does not do CE papers, turned down the gs as ds did not want to be there just in case does not get into Eton., also told if at grammar school unlikely to be accepted only minimum. gs follow nc and have to do Eton test, some pupils have extra tuition to prepare! has anybody been in same position? No prep schools near to where we located, feel ds too young to be in boarding
What route will we have to follow, waiting to sit pre test in April. results are out in July. Cannot wait in selecting schools as unfair to other children on waiting lists.

All advice appreciated
Kingfisher
Posts: 416
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:08 pm

Re: eton advice on ce & nc

Post by Kingfisher »

Hello Indefinite. Your son will have to start school in September no matter what. He should expect to be there for the first two years, at least; assuming he gets into Eton, he will not start there until he is in Year 9. The two things are separate. You need to focus on the independent school you have selected for him, if this is the route you have chosen. He will have to do very well there and, providing he has been offered a conditional place at Eton, you can begin your prep for the Common Entrance exam.

You might need to tutor him yourself or find a tutor experienced with CE if your indie does not offer this. But if he does not get into Eton, he will at least be settled in his indie school and have made friends along the way. Either way, you will know your position in July.

Don't forget to focus on interview technique as well; this is an important part of the selection process in April.
Indefinate
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 8:09 pm

Re: eton advice on ce & nc

Post by Indefinate »

Thankyou Kingfisher

Is you're son at Eton / taking the test? I know its all about the nvr/ vr/ numerical testing along with hm report regards the interview I am unsure as ds is confident at times, around surroundings he knows, maybe typical 10 yr old. interview can not prepare for or can you?
I know when we went there lot of boys where from the prep schools, (up to 13 only) my ds has been in indie prep since 2 yrs - which is up to 18 yrs, but not cater for ce, the hm there did say he would prepare for ce himself, but ds does not want stay on.

The new indie is not in favour of Eton, wont get much help.
Kingfisher
Posts: 416
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:08 pm

Re: eton advice on ce & nc

Post by Kingfisher »

It is possible to prepare your son for interview. What he must not do is give 'stock' answers, telling the interviewer what he thinks s/he would like to hear. Neither must he bend the truth. There is no point in claiming he has read Jane Eyre if he is unable to discuss it in detail. One child did this with me recently; when quizzed about it, it turned out her mother had told her to say that and she has no idea about the plot line, let alone being able to discuss anything about the narratorial voice or the style.

Make a list of questions that might be asked - whether they actually come up or not is of no consequence in reality - and then help your DC to formulate responses. Get someone he does not know well - a relative or a neighbour- to ask him the questions AND FOLLOW-UP ONES AS WELL. This way he will gain familiarity in conversing with someone he does not know as well as being able to answer in detail any type of question he might be asked. And keep adding to the question list. He has to be able to speak coherently and fluently in front of strangers. This is always the real differentiating factor, all other things being equal.
Last edited by Kingfisher on Mon Mar 18, 2013 5:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Indefinate
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 8:09 pm

Re: eton advice on ce & nc

Post by Indefinate »

Has anybody had ds at state / grammar than gone into Eton?
Okanagan
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Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:20 pm
Location: Warwickshire

Re: eton advice on ce & nc

Post by Okanagan »

I believe that the Eton entrance test is a computerised entrance test run by the Univ of Durham CEM - so if your ds has already done the Birmingham 11+ he'll have the advantage of already having seen CEM style questions - although Eton's is a bespoke online test so there will obviously be some differences.
harrow123
Posts: 299
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2010 10:54 am

Re: eton advice on ce & nc

Post by harrow123 »

Indefinate wrote:Has anybody had ds at state / grammar than gone into Eton?

I strongly advise move your ds to an indie which prepares them for CE test, Prep schools are the best ones. what will be your backup option, you may start thinking about that also just in case
Indefinate
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 8:09 pm

Re: eton advice on ce & nc

Post by Indefinate »

my son attend an indie and will be doing so for secondary,( although he got a place gs) but indie does not prepare for ce, does its own 13+, hm not keen on Eton, but this indie is back up - not looked into harrow as already had a dilemma in choosing top gs for top indie!
Kingfisher
Posts: 416
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:08 pm

Re: eton advice on ce & nc

Post by Kingfisher »

Indefinite ( forgive me but I have to use the correct spelling of your name!), there is no point worrying about this yet. Your DS has not been offered a conditional place at Eton and it is a notoriously difficult school to get into. Your son will be starting at the independent school in September; IF things go well for him in April and the news in July is good, then you can start finding out more about the CE exam and a decent tutor. Otherwise, why panic at this stage?
ToadMum
Posts: 11946
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: eton advice on ce & nc

Post by ToadMum »

.
Indefinate wrote:Has anybody had ds at state / grammar than gone into Eton?
Recent item in our local paper - a boy currently (in yr8 I assume) at WHSB has got a scholarship to Eton. He has already got A level Maths :)
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
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