Mediocre prep school or outstanding state primary

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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watfordgrammarmum
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Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:52 am

Mediocre prep school or outstanding state primary

Post by watfordgrammarmum »

Hi
My son is in year three and am aiming for qe boys if possible. He is in a not so great state primary and on the waiting list for an outstanding primary school in our area. Not sure what choice to make re the prep schools as a lot of the good ones have already admitted for 7 plus. So question is it really worth forking out for somewhere like holland house or Hendon prep? Or take the position at outstanding state schoolshould it become available ?

Recommendations of good prep schools around nw london that admit after 7 plus would be much appreciated too!
scary mum
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Re: Mediocre prep school or outstanding state primary

Post by scary mum »

You are asking whether you should pay for a mediocre school or get a good one for free?? I think you've answered your own question, unless there is more to it than that!
scary mum
JamesDean
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Re: Mediocre prep school or outstanding state primary

Post by JamesDean »

scary mum wrote:You are asking whether you should pay for a mediocre school or get a good one for free?? I think you've answered your own question, unless there is more to it than that!
Or are you asking which is more like to prepare your son for QE?
From what I've read on this site, the answer is 'neither on their own' ...

JD
CPM1771
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Re: Mediocre prep school or outstanding state primary

Post by CPM1771 »

My perspective on this has changed over the years. Even very good prep schools don't seem to prepare their children for entrance exams properly these days. As painful as it is to say it because children should get into schools on the basis of raw ability, none of the entrance exams seem to spot potential as opposed to training. State primary, if it is a good one, plus a good tutor is probably a more certain option. Whatever you do, do not rely on the school (whatever school) to prepare them. it is unfortunately far too competitive for all but the naturally gifted.
Daogroupie
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Location: Herts

Re: Mediocre prep school or outstanding state primary

Post by Daogroupie »

Prep Schools start their preparation for Eleven Plus Exams in September of Year Six. Daily revision with focused English and Maths papers used to produce good results in both state and private selective schools. DAO, QE, HBS and Latymer had to go some way down their waiting list to fill their places as many of those headed for private secondary school would use their exams as mocks. The DAO ranks would be in the 130's on allocation day and then would reach the 150's by the end of the summer to fill 65 places.

But last year there was a big change. The DAO ranks only got to 108 on allocation day and 129 by the end of the summer. This was because the exams moved to September and so the preps no longer gained a chunk of the high ranked places as they had not started their revision classes.

We will know tomorrow if the situation was worse this year, about the same as last year or not as bad. I want it to be not as bad but fear it may be worse. Will the DAO ranks even make 100 tomorrow?

So average state primary, outstanding state primary or prep school will make no difference if your goal is QE. I would save your money and spend it on a tutor who has a track record of getting boys in QE since they abandoned NVR and VR three years ago and refocused on English and Maths with English being the key.

If you are sitting QE in September you have just over six months to prepare so I suggest you start now. If you are tempted by a prep ask them how many boys they got into QE last year and the year before. Do not sign up for a prep that has not got a boy in QE in the last three years. DG

There will be over two thousand boys sitting for 180 places at QE. Many have been preparing for sometime so will be hard to beat.
Minesatea
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Re: Mediocre prep school or outstanding state primary

Post by Minesatea »

OPs son is year 3, I think he has slightly longer than 6 months!
Amber
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Mediocre prep school or outstanding state primary

Post by Amber »

Daogroupie wrote:There will be over two thousand boys sitting for 180 places at QE. Many have been preparing for sometime so will be hard to beat.
I feel so sorry for parents who get whipped up into near-panic by this kind of pressure. Poor you and poor children. 'Hard to beat' in an academic race at age 10 - we will be like Korea soon. Very sad.

OP- advice from outside the SE here - go for the local school and let your child have a bit of the pressure taken off him.
dreamon
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Joined: Fri Mar 01, 2013 12:46 pm

Re: Mediocre prep school or outstanding state primary

Post by dreamon »

A good majority of children at Prep schools also go to tutors from around Year 5 or earlier in some cases.

I know many children from both the Preps you mentioned in your post OP and some of the results that will go on their websites from April will reflect the efforts of many children who have had 2/3 different tutors for maths/English as well as being prepped at home and school.

Also, the Prep schools you have mentioned do not prep for State Selectives such as QE/HBS, therefore, if that is your aim I would opt for a good tutor instead of a Prep.
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