Cat’s Corner: The ultimate timeline of 11+ assessment 2024/25
By Cat Sutherland-Hawes
Schools Advisor at Oppidan Education
Welcome to Cat’s Corner, my series that guides parents through the murky waters of school applications and the 11+ assessment.
With over 20 years of experience in admissions departments across Latymer Upper School and Wycombe Abbey, I have seen first-hand how the application process to secondary schools has reduced parents and their children to nervous wrecks, haunted by an overly pressurised system and misleading hearsay at the school gates. To that end, Cat’s Corner sets out to demystify the process and offer actionable advice for parents whose children are in Years 4, 5 and 6 and approaching school choices and the ISEB 11+ Pre-Test. From how best to prepare for interviews and group assessments to the pros and cons of boarding, no stone will be left unturned, hopefully leaving parents and children with a sense of assurance and calm ahead of years that will shape the person they become in the future.
Kicking things off is an all-encompassing timeline of key events, starting from the summer term of Year 5 to accepting a place in spring of Year 6.
Summer term of Year 5
Create a spreadsheet of schools
Now is the time to start really doing your research on suitable schools for your child. Chat to fellow parents that have sent their children to those particular schools, comb through their websites and follow their social media feeds to get a feel for what they’re like. Create a long list of schools on a spreadsheet that includes all the essential admissions information for each school: application dates, when open days are, which exam they do (if not the ISEB 11+ Pre-Test), contact details etc. Crucially, DO NOT order these schools in order of preference. It’s important to create a horizontal hierarchy to manage expectations for both you and your child.
Start going to open days
Schools will start to advertise their open days and many will hold them in the summer term – check out the ones you are interested in, book them and get them in the diary (and on your spreadsheet!). At this stage, most are likely to be big open days. Smaller, more personal visits tend to follow later for offer holders, so don’t expect that now – certainly not in the bigger schools with huge numbers applying. These summer open days are often oversubscribed and whilst they won’t all tick you in and know if you’re not there, it’s good form to give away your place if you can’t make it.
Ignore school exam results
GCSE and A level results come out in the summer. Please don’t read too much into these – every cohort is different and a dip does not signify the school is in decline. The same can be said with university destinations – not everyone wants to do Medicine/Architecture/PPE at Oxbridge – a good school will have a big mix of destinations and what matters more is the percentage of first choice places won.
Summer holidays
Kick back, relax and read
Take the time to down tools and take your mind of school admissions. That said, the summer holidays are the perfect time for your child to read as much as they possibly can. They don’t need to go through volumes of Shakespeare – it doesn’t even need to be a book – just whatever they like as long as it interests and enthuses them. Reading broadens the mind, and you can be almost 100% sure a question about what they’re reading/what book would they would recommend will come up in interview.
Get back in gear before term
Towards the second half of August, gently get the ball rolling again and clear out any cobwebs that might have gathered. Get their minds back into school mode, encourage more reading and make sure any holiday work is done. As a parent, start looking at senior school websites to put together questions you may want to ask if you’re attending more open days.
Here are ten book ideas for the summer holidays:
Autumn term of Year 6
Prepare all school applications
Keep a careful eye on the application deadlines for each school and ensure you’ve completed those outstanding. Putting in school applications early has no bearing on your child’s application, but do not miss deadlines – schools have a zero tolerance policy to late entries. It’s important to submit any additional information at this stage, such as whether your child requires learning support or if you’re applying for a bursary or scholarship. Make sure you know what each school will be asking in terms of assessment and interview. Do your homework so your child knows what to expect and isn’t blindsided by any part of the process.
Prepare for the ISEB 11+ Pre-Test / school-specific exams
As a reminder, the ISEB Common Pre-Test is done online and consists of four parts: maths (40 minutes), English (40 minutes), non-verbal reasoning (30 minutes) and verbal reasoning (25 minutes). You can help prepare your child with practice papers – you can only do so much, do not over prep – but get them used to the format they will encounter. Timing and exam technique is hugely important: read the paper all the way through and make sure you know how long it is, how long you have. When it comes to sitting the exams, make sure your child is relaxed and don’t make too much of it. Everyone at the school gates will be talking about them which can often heighten pressure or concern. Aim to avoid this and don’t listen to what others are saying! Have a nice treat lined up (a mug of hot chocolate or a movie night) to take their mind off it.
Spring term of Year 6
Prepare for school interviews
Whatever you do, do not rehearse answers with your child. Schools can spot the over-prepped, unnatural interviewee from a mile off. Ensure your practice with them has a more organic approach: talk to them about what’s going on in the news, what they loved about the last book they read or anything else that might get them to open up and speak freely. Schools are unlikely to reveal upcoming interview questions, but you can be fairly certain they’ll ask your child about reading. Encourage your child to speak freely and expressively and remind them there are no right or wrong answers. They’re more interested in how they say it rather than what they say.
There’s a lot more to be said on the topic of interviews, so keep a look out for more information in future editions of Cat’s Corner!
Offers arrive in February half term
If all goes to plan, February half term should see your inbox explode with school offers. Start to really think about what will suit your child, what they want and the various aspects you like and dislike about each school. Logistics matter a huge amount and shouldn’t be underplayed when it comes to making a decision.
Here are few a few things to consider:
First and foremost, is the school right for your child?
Is the academic level right for your child? You want them to achieve their full potential, be challenged, feel good about themselves and not be under pressure.
Is the journey to school doable and does the location allow them to have local friends? Remember, school buses don’t wait for individual children to do clubs etc.
Do you get a sense of excitement from your child about the extracurricular activities on offer?
Does your child want to go there? It sounds obvious, but it’s easy to forget that it’s them that’s going not you!
Now is also the time to visit the frontrunners again, armed with new questions and aspects to look at that should smooth the decision-making process. It’s also worth talking to your child’s current school; they might have some advice on what they think will suit best. That said, remember it’s you and your child’s decision and whilst I’m sure they wouldn’t be swayed by big names and prestige, be clear about what it is you want and why. When you’ve made your decision, do the right thing if you are holding other offers and stand them down immediately. Admissions departments have the unenviable task of juggling numbers and waiting lists, so the earlier they have an indication of their intake, the easier it is for everyone.
What happens if we’re on a waiting list?
If your child is placed on a waiting list, do not despair. Schools have to be cautious with their numbers and so are particularly careful with offers they make. I always thought of the waiting list as a second wave of offers: initial offers are made, and once there’s a clearer picture of numbers, a second round of offers is made. It doesn’t mean they’re dithering or are scared to say no. Quite the opposite; they want to offer your child a place but don’t want to over-offer! It’s not as simple as ‘one in, one out’ – admissions departments will be waiting for a clearer picture that will become apparent the weeks offers close at the earliest. It’s a game of patience but do ask me for a specific advice if you do want a waiting list place to become a full place – there are ways to do it.
The dos and don’ts when speaking to admissions teams
Working in admissions is a great privilege. You get to work with amazing young people and shape a school if you’re lucky. To get the best out of any interactions with the team, here are some thoughts:
Don’t assume your child is the only one sitting the exam. It’s a common mistake!
Don’t email and follow up with a phone call immediately. Do one or the other and be patient.
Don’t make specific demands for your child, particularly around clashing exam dates. They will work something out – it may not be what you want but they are limited in what they can do.
Don’t tell them your child is very bright – they’ll be the judge of that.
Don’t tell them you went to Oxford or Harvard. It’s not relevant and it’s your child’s academic ability they’re interested in.
Don’t tell them your ten-year-old child wants to go to Yale, become a doctor or write an award-winning novel. Leave them to make their own decisions and find their own place.
Don’t read Mumsnet. Talk to the school with any queries.
Don’t bribe them. They can’t accept gifts and it doesn’t work!
Do be patient. Particularly around offers season, they are very busy people dealing with lots of different demands.
Do say thank you. Admissions teams don’t always get a lot of thanks for big open days or exam days. It goes a long way!
Do respond swiftly to anything you get from them.
Do tell the Head if you’ve had a particularly positive experience!
School advice
Speak to Cat Sutherland-Hawes about school applications.
An experienced admissions professional, Cat joined Oppidan as Schools Advisor in September 2022 to advise families on all aspects of the secondary school application process. She is available for one-off consultations and a comprehensive placement service.