Prep/junior school options for boys - some questions

[Ann]

Dulwichmum, you say you got places at all the schools your daughter applied for. Presumably that includes Alleynes, I'm curious as to what led you to choose JAPS? Or will you apply to all of these again for year 7?

[pebbles]

DM - sorry another question

If my daughter gets in at 4 to JAPS will we have to reapply at 7+ and 11+ or will she automatically get in as she's already at the school?

Thanks in advance

[dulwichmum]

Dear Ann,

If she wants to stay at JAPS, then there she will stay. It is a shame, because on reflection, I think that co-ed is the way to go. I think that it is good for girls to be around boys, it is more balanced. I went to an all girls, independent school myself and it can get very cliquey (did I spell that properly?). My daughter adores JAPS. They start to mix the classes up when they move up through the school so bullying is not an issue apparently.

Freya's teachers at JAPS have been stunningly good. One teacher plus two classroom assistants per 18 girls. She has been thoroughly challenged and adored every minute of it.

I chose JAPS over Alleyns because I just thought that it looked like a more child friendly environment for the youngest children. In Alleyns, it seemed to be a tiny classroom and a yard to play in. JAPS had grass and rabbits and a playhouse. I was really impressed with Alleyns, I still am, and I have stayed in touch. The head master is fabulous. But we would have to do the assessments again if we wanted to move.

Lovely Pebbles,

No, once your child is in, she stays in - I believe. All the way through to her UCAS application forms for Oxbridge and Imperial Medical School (bats eyelashes). Freya will probably want to work on checkout 3 in Tesco, and you know what, I really don't care what she chooses (grinds teeth). I just want her to be happy (crosses fingers). This school makes her happy.

[pebbles]

I'm an ex JAGS girl from 11+ (went to Dulwich Hamlet before). I didn't get into JAPS because at the 4+ interview I refused to talk, not even a word, even though trust me i'm a HUGE chattabox and at 7+ i think I had to do a few maths questions and I told them I had never done maths before (i had and apparently from my mother was quite good at it!!!). Thankfully at 11+ I didn't freak and took the exam successfully!!!

[trinity]

dulwichmum Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> Lovely Pebbles,

>

> No, once your child is in, she stays in - I

> believe.

Not quite.

All Japs girls must sit the competitive entrance exam in year 6 for entry into Jags. However all parents are told at the end of year 5 whether their girls have a definite place at JAGS regardless of their performance in the exam. Unfortunately a few girls each year are told that they do not have an unconditional place and must either improve sufficiently in year 6 or look for a school elsewhere.

Anne,

We also chose Japs over Alleyns for similar reasons to DM but also because I prefer single-sex schools at secondary level so thought best to go all the way through with Japs then Jags.

Trinity

[dulwichmum]

Holy hell! No-one has mentioned this exam to us. Are you sure?

[trinity]

Absolutely DM.

Entrance test consists of Maths, English and verbal reasoning papers all taken in Jan of year 6.

However because the unconditional places are determined at the end of year 5, that year rather than year 6 becomes the stressful year. I know because I have just been through it.

[Susan]

Brining up this subject again - and like the original post I am not looking to debate the pros/cons of State v Private. My partner and I would be very very happy if we got into a local primary but sadly we may fall into one of EDs 'black holes' when it comes to distance from schools. Our nearest is 350 meters away, last years entry for non sibling was 191m!

As such and as a last option we are wondering if we should investigate the fee-paying route and I was looking for feedback from parents here as too which schools they would recommend? when do we need to register by (our son is just over 2)? is it too late for some (gulp)?

Any help and advice greatly appreciated

Thanks

Susan

[LalKJ]

Hi Susan

I don't know all the options available, but we have just been through the assessment hoohaa with our eldest son, so can let you know what we found. Firstly, you say your son is just over 2, my response below is therefore based on the assumption that he will be three in the academic year starting Sept 2014 (our son is three in June this year, so starting academic year Sept 2013):

1. Realistically, you are way too late for DUCKS. I registered my son when I was 6 months pregnant to start 2013 at 3 and we are still not high enough up the list to get a place for this September.

2. Herne Hill, lovely school. Again we registered early but am 99% sure you are not too late to register. From our experience and from anecdotal evidence, HH are taking the assessment procedure a lot more seriously as the years go on. We were told that provided your child passed the assessment, places were given out to siblings first and then subsequently down the list of those that passed, in order down the list in which you registered i.e. early registrations were offered first.

3. DCPS, now Dulwich Prep London. Again, we registered early, and were told they closed the registration list when they hit three on the waiting list to each one place. Again, I don't think you will be too late for this. We've plumped for this school. It was a toss up with HH, but were swayed by the facilities, ability to stay in same school past 7 and actually their specialism in teaching boys.

3. Oakfield - still in time. There are mixed reviews on the forum on Oakfield. We didn't look into it in too much detail, but have friends with children at the school and the parents and children seem very happy with it. From memory, it's also a fair bit cheaper, this may be to do with them accepting the government's free 15 hours of childcare or maybe they are just cheaper, sorry, I can't remember.

Anecdotally we have heard, and the forum seems to suggest the same, that Rosemead is a great school, but if you've got boys who like to run and let off a bit of steam then perhaps the other options may be better.

Happy to be corrected if anyone has any other info, as I think the various school threads show, different parents always come away with different ideas and different information from the various schools. Good luck, and you'll need your cheque book, I think it's between ?50 and ?100 with each school to register!

[Susan]

Thanks so much LalKJ,

Much appreciated

Susan

[Townleygreen]

Have only just seen this thread. Just want to make a small point. Dulwichmum said (on page 1 near the start):

"[At] JAPS ... assessment to get in is very stressful, ditto with Alleyns. JAPS comes up as something like 5 in the Times League Table and Alleyns is around the 20 mark. These places on the league table can partially explain the schools' popularity."

Yes indeed, both are very popular. Alleyns gets more applicants because it is co-ed, so twice number applying (roughly).

Although JAGs often appears slightly higher up the league tables at A level and GCSE (as D-mum says) the reason for this is (again) co-ed. Basically Alleyn's girls beat JAGs, but the school's overall scores come down by a few points because boys do slightly worse at these stages. It's the same nationally.

You might want to bear that in mind if it is relevant. That's all.

[Sol]

Some women/couples work really hard in order to pay private education and sacrifice other things which I Think is unnecessary in primary school. The most important is the time you share with your children and what you teach them at home, the experiences youn share with them, seeing them grow.

What's the point of private education if you become a stranger to your children and they get more attach to the nanny/aupair, if you can not go on holidays or do other outings, if you get stressed and sick due to working full time and selling your soul as you say. It is fine for rich people who can afford it without having to sacrifice all these things.

[fhmum]

And you know some people manage to work hard, spend time having fun with their children and send them to private school. Granted, those people may not have been to the cinema for years, out to dinner alone with a spouse or away for a weekend without the children. I'll do all those things (God willing) when they leave home...

[inthewoods]

There are a lot of people working hard and seeing their children only in the evening just to keep the roof over their heads and to feed the family. Does it mean they are irresponsible parents too?