North London- Moving from state primary to private secondary

[magdalene]

I expect this has been asked many time on mumsnet! My DD is at an average primary school in London but we will be going private at secondary. Can anyone tell me of any private senior schools which are not too selective? I am concerned that she will need a huge amount of tutoring to compete with children who have been in the private sector at primary level. Any thoughts please. Before you flame me, the state secondary schools in my area are dire (35-40% of children get 5 GCSES) and I am not willing to move unless there is a guarantee my child will get into the preferred school.

[stillfeel18inside]

We're not in north London (Richmond area) so can't help you with actual school suggestions, but wanted to reassure you that it's perfectly possible with moderate tutoring (1 x week for a year before the exam). Tbh looking back my DS wasn't so different academically than his prep school now-classmates - they've done years of french, latin etc but the 11+ exam doesn't test in that (it's just maths, english and reasoning). Where they are ahead is in the practice they've had in taking test papers (which prep schools do a lot of) and that's where the tutor comes in. My DS got into all the schools he tried for, but we didn't aim for the very top rung. The school he's ended up at is quite academic though - and to put it in perspective he was towards the bottom of the top third of kids in his average state school. To find schools, obviously ask around and also look at the Good Schools Guide - I've found them to be very accurate about how hard or not it is to get in and the type of school it is.

[stikmatix]

North London is a big area!

Which area are you in more or less? West/East?

The PP has some very good advice.

[magdalene]

Thank you stillfeel18inside - that's really helpful and encouraging. Is your son enjoying school? My DD is about average in the state sector but I am aware that this would be very different in the private sector. When did you start with a tutor? Year 5?
stikmatix - I am more or less in the West. Don't want somewhere very very academic..

[Bar23]

The Mount (all girls - Mill Hill) and Aldenham are both well known for taking a wide academic range. Belmont (Mill Hill) will look at the whole child and consider "uneven" children - who are good in one area and weak in another.
HTH

[stikmatix]

I was thinking Aldenham too, or Royal Masonic in Rickmansworth, or Northwood College (these 2 are the least selective of the girls schools in the area, but may be too far out for you). There's King Alfred as well which takes a wider academic range.

Good luck

[severalyearsdowntheline]

I went to look at The Mount recently with a view to moving DD there and was really disappointed. The head was great, the school was nice but they seemed to be really struggling to fill their places, especially in Reception to Year 3. There were only 8 or 9 girls in reception and there were a couple of joint year groups which still only had 12 girls in the combined class. It was a real shame but I didn't feel that it was somewhere I could seriously consider for DD. The senior school looked more healthy but if that's the situation in the junior school I would have concerns that in time it will be replicated further up the school.

On the other had I was very impressed with Belmont, the prep for Mill Hill school, it had a lovely feel.