Our friends Talk Education on starting senior school
The eight pieces of advice you need to know.
Planning your childβs education can feel a bit like the Grand National. You and your toddler line up at the starting gate, facing a series of daunting fences - picking the right nursery, getting into the right prep school - and then, at 11 or 13, thereβs the giant Becherβs Brook: choosing the right senior school. At every stage of the race, you have to tune out the noise and confusion, dodge the loose horses and stay in the saddle - easier said than done.
Weβve quizzed some of the top heads and education experts in the country for their advice on finding the right senior school and getting your child safely and happily onto the next stage of their education, with the finishing line in sight.
Drawing up your shortlist
1) Listen to your prep school head
If youβre just starting out on your school search, your childβs prep school head should always be your first port of call to help you draw up a sensible shortlist. βGood prep school heads know their children and know their senior schoolsβ, says Catriona Sutherland-Hawes, director of admissions at Wycombe Abbey. Alastair Speers, headmaster of Sandroyd School in Wiltshire, agrees: βThe relationship between prep school head and senior school is critical; it not only allows us to understand the nuances of each schoolβs admissions process, but also allows us to be confident in recommending the correct schools for pupils.β
2) Do your research - and make your choice based on trust, not grandeur or grapevine chat
Thereβs a right school for every child β and thatβs not necessarily the one with the most illustrious name, the grandest buildings or the flashiest marketing. βChoose a school based on trustβ, says Mr Speers. βDonβt choose one based on reputation, your childβs friendship groups, logistics or a βvisionaryβ head aloneβ.
Be discerning, and dig deep into less tangible aspects of the school. Is there a strong community? Does pastoral care go above and beyond? What are the other parents like? For George Budd, head of Moreton Hall School in Shropshire, thereβs only one question which counts: βDo you see your child being happy there? Of course results, reputation and facilities matter - but the ethos underpins all of them. Happy, confident and fulfilled pupils are successful pupils.β
3) Donβt involve your child in the process too early
Visit each school on your shortlist without your child, initially - once theyβve been wowed by the cricket centre or the 3D printer or the chocolate cake, you might struggle to persuade them to go elsewhere. βDonβt take your child to your first visits if you can help it. Wait until you have a couple of schools on your list that you think are perfect β then take your child to visit them and give them the choice,β says Chris Hattam, head of The Elms in Worcestershire.
4) Itβs OK to be ambitious β but have a realistic back-up plan
βMy best advice is to have a firm favourite which is a realistic choice; a second choice your child would be happy to go to, and a back-up in case things go wrong on the dayβ, says Mrs Sutherland-Hawes.
For Anita Griggs, principal of Londonβs Falkner House, itβs all about βrational expectationsβ - βAlways leave open the possibility of change - but never use the term βback-upβ in front of your child.β Itβs important that you donβt involve your child with the perceived hierarchy of schools β they shouldnβt feel as though theyβve βfailedβ by not getting in to your top choice.
Entrance assessments and interviews
5) Confidence is key
βA huge amount of exam preparation is psychological - how you get a child feeling confident going into an exam,β says Mrs Griggs. βHave faith in your child - they are far more resilient than you think.β
The same applies when it comes to interviews: βItβs about making them aware of what to expect, and boosting their confidence so that they can run their best raceβ, says Fergus Llewellyn, headmaster of Cumnor House Sussex. Interview practice is all about βequipping children with the confidence to think for themselves, reflect and learn from mistakesβ, adds Mr Speers.
βI think itβs good for children to come along thinking there are no right or wrong answers β weβre looking for how they respond rather than what they respond with. Iβd be ready to be challenged, asked to think about things differently and develop your answer a bit furtherβ, says Mrs Sutherland-Hawes.
Making the move to senior school
6) Take small steps at home to make things as easy as possible for your child
Once your childβs offer is in hand, itβs time to help them get ready and excited for the new experience ahead of them. βTake time to make sure youβve got the little things right, so your children neednβt worry about having the right lacrosse socks on their first dayβ, says Mrs Griggs. Some children may need help with their organisational skills or an independence boost ahead of the transition β if theyβre travelling to school by public transport for the first time, encourage them to try out their new journey - and role play different situations with them.
7) Let your child make the most of their last term at prep school
βLet them finish well, especially this yearβ, says Mr Llewellynβ. Most schools do a brilliant job at pulling out all the stops for their leavers; whether itβs staging a bumper school play, hosting the school bazaar or packing them off on an action-packed residential trip.
8) And finallyβ¦first day nerves are normal!
βChildren should be prepared to feel totally overwhelmed, hugely excited, nervous, proud and relieved that the day has finally arrivedβ, says Mrs Sutherland-Hawes. βWhat they need to remember is that everyone is in the same boat β and the staff are just as nervous and excited as the pupils are! For boarding pupils, there is the additional element of being away from home. However, they have chosen it β and will be looking forward to the additional freedom, time and space that comes with boarding.β
Talk Education is a dynamic digital schools guide and parent advisory service, founded by an expert team with a combined total of over 175 yearsβ experience. Weβve designed our school pages to give you a clear picture of each school, with our editorial review and the latest data on everything from the subjects they offer at A-level to academic results and leaversβ destinations. In the Fees and Bursaries section on each schoolβs page, youβll find the termly fees for each year group, and detailed information on that schoolβs bursary programme. You can save your favourite schools to your parent dashboard, and compare data - including fee information - across a range of schools.
Visit Talk Educationβs website here