Feltonfleet School

2014-15

Choosing your Child’sSenior School

- A Parent’s Guide -

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June 2014

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Choosing your Child’s Senior School

The importance of the choices we make regarding our children’s education can never be under-estimated. The aim of this booklet is to highlight some of the factors worth considering as you weigh these decisions up, so that, together, we will steer your child in the direction that is best for them. I believe that the priority is to find the school which is right for your child, right for you and right for your family, regardless of what friends and their parents are choosing. Above all, this must be a school in which you feel that your child will flourish.

We are keen to support you and your child in this process as thoroughly and informatively as we can. This booklet aims to map out how you might carry out this decision-making process in the coming terms and put in mind some of the key aspects to be considered in this process.

Crucial throughout is open, honest dialogue: never consider it too early to broach matters with the school, whether it be with your child’s Class Teacher, Year Leader, with the Heads of Middle or Upper School, with Mr Simon Pomeroy (Assistant Head: Teaching & Learning) or with me. For many, this discussion commences as early as Year 4, although we would certainly look to formalise it by the end of Year 5 and into Year 6.

Senior Schools will be asking you and me for your honest intentions regarding applications. We are confident we can steer you to a School well-suited academically to your child, based on ongoing assessment here at Feltonfleet. We appreciate that you are likely to wish to keep your options open. However, it is preferable, having identified your first choice of Senior School, to limit your applications to that School alone. More on this tricky matter is enclosed.

This booklet aims to open these matters up for your consideration – not necessarily answering them, but rather offering a pointer or two by way of advice. I hope that this helps you begin or further your decision-making. Might I also ask that, if you feel that there are any issues upon which this booklet does not touch and which you feel ought to be mentioned, you let me know? It is a dynamic document, which I wish to make as fully informative as possible, so any feedback would be most welcome.

Feltonfleet is committed to supporting every child in the process of finding the right School and achieving for him or herself a well-earned place at that School. I look forward to liaising with you in this exciting process.

With warm regards,

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Alastair G. Morrison(Headmaster)

Key Considerations

The following are some of the most important aspects to consider regarding your choice of Senior School.

Reputation

What are others saying about Senior Schools?Word of mouth is undoubtedly the most influential marketing factor. Particularly important are the views of current or past parents of pupils at that School. See if your friends’ views support this, but do feel willing to make your own mind up, with your child’s best interests at heart, regardless of what path most of your friends, or their children, are choosing. Also consult such sources of information as The Good Schools’ Guide, whose views will be impartial, based on thorough research and carefully considered.

Will the website give a fair reflection of the School?The School’s website will give you a feel for the School, but generally just that and little more. It is also, of course, an essential information source regarding the School. You will only get a true steer on a School through the experience of others you trust, and through seeing it for yourself.

Is it important to visit the Senior Schools?Without a doubt, and vital that your child goes with you too, if not on the first occasion then certainly on your next visit. Invariably extremely astute, young people will quickly identify some of the strengths and weaknesses that are a little less obvious and which won’t be shown to you on the School tour. Their ‘gut feeling’ for that school is perhaps the single-most important factor.

Gender

Would my child be best suited to a co-educational or a single sex School?We would suggest that the co-educational provision that has suited them superbly at Feltonfleet might steer you towards a co-educational Senior School, but some students may be well-served by a single sex Senior School.

What are the pros and cons of single sex versus co-education?

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Consider the likely social impact, as well as the academic implications, of your choice.

Profile

Do we want a day School or do we want boarding?Perhaps the factor which is most personal and down to the child and you as a family. If your child has sampled boarding here at Feltonfleet, they will have a taste of what it involves and the independence required. Equally, 11+ or 13+ may be the time for them to step into the boarding life. It is also worth bearing in mind that a School might be more inclined to offer a certain pupil a boarding place, while a day place is beyond them, such is the supply of boarding places.

If boarding, should it be full boarding, or weekly boarding?Likely to be dictated by location of home/school, this will again depend upon family preference.

Would a mix of day and boarding be best?The flexible boarding many of the pupils taste here at Feltonfleet suggests that this might be an attractive option. While flexible boarding is increasingly available at Senior Schools, many of the traditional boarding Schools do loyally adhere to full boarding.

Might my child transfer from day to boarding, or vice versa, during the Senior School?Important to ask what sort of conversion rate the Schools have: does it add competition for places, especially in the 6th form?

Style

What sort of place do we want our child to grow up in?Probably a question that you want to have clear in your minds as you approach schools: try to clarify those ‘non-negotiables’ over what you want out of the Senior School, before their charm offensive begins!

Is our absolute priority that our child progresses academically, or are the pastoral care and extra-curricular aspects more significant? You will be keen for the blend of academic rigour with the immersion in extra-curricular pursuits to be that which best suits your child. Do aim for your child to be stretched academically, although be prepared for us to keep you realistic about your academic aspirations for them.

What are the academic standards like?A key question, of course. Consider the GCSE and A-Level or IB results, but, perhaps more importantly, seek a feel of the teaching ethos: look for

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signs of innovation, progression and, of course, inspiration in your child’s learning.

Can you measure the value added?Sadly, the answer is usually No! But one that’s very much worth pursuing. In seeking to measure value added, ask yourself:What are the academic results like in relation to the initial entry requirements?

What does the league position of the school tell you?It is generally a fair indicator of the standard of pupil academic attainment at the top of the school, which is reflected, of course, by the entry requirements. Not as telling, I would suggest, as any indication you can gain of where value is added.

What will the other children (and their families) be like?Schools can develop a stereotypical customer – pupil, parents and family – this may not matter to you. The best schools have a healthy mix of backgrounds and contexts.

Does pupil smartness matter?A matter of personal opinion, but their grounding in Feltonfleet, where pupils are encouraged to take pride in their appearance, would point to the preference for a ‘smart’ Senior School.

The Ethos

Are the children happy?Of fundamental importance and one that ought to be quite easily identifiable: listen to your instincts here!

Do the Staff (including the HM and Senior Staff) know the children’s names?Crucial to a strong pastoral care set-up, but not often easily achieved in a larger School.

Does everyone – pupils and Staff – make eye contact, smile and engage in conversation with you?Much more easily achieved, as seen in Feltonfleet, and an easily identifiable pointer to a School’s ethos and underlying happiness.

Do the children seem unoccupied, listless, loutish, or do they carry an air of purpose and endeavour?Hopefully more of the latter!

Do you get a sense that the School has an achievement culture?

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Look for this on your tour – displays and classroom notice-boards, as well as from pupil comments – rather than in what the Headteacher will tell you!

The ‘Fabric’

Is the School clean, well-maintained and smart?Basics that ought to be in place, but sadly often overlooked. Use peripheral vision as you tour, for the route will invariably be carefully planned to show you the best, cleanest, most glamorous bits.

Is the boarding house well cared for, with suitable recreation areas?If you are considering boarding, you’ll be picturing your child living there: are the facilities adequate?

What level of recent, current or planned development is evident?A fair indication of a School’s state of financial health and progress. You’d be hopeful of seeing development projects underway, as well as evidence of recent developments or plans for the future.

Location

How far do we want to travel?On a daily or weekly basis, or less frequent, what is the comfortable distance you would travel from home to school? Does the School run a bus service?

How close does a day school need to be?Check on the times of the day start and end, with the associated flexibility. Ask after the provision of school bus runs and of public transport links.

How do we manage the School run?Often, a little collaborative thinking ‘out of the box’ and combined efforts makes life an awful lot easier: that which seemed beyond you, can become achievable.

How far are we prepared to travel for sports matches on Saturdays?Often overlooked, worth important consideration ahead of selection of school.

Timing of Transfer

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Do I want my child to stay at Feltonfleet until 13, or leave at 11?Naturally, we will point you to the enormous, irreplaceable benefits of the final two years of Prep School life: Years 7 and 8 offer the pupils such a huge amount of academic and pastoral development, not least in their assumption of leadership roles. In fact, a surprising number of Senior Schools who start at 11 so appreciate those benefits, that they would support a delay of transfer until 13. It varies between Senior Schools as to whether a start at 11 is actually less competitive than a start at 13 and the academic progress we see pupils making in our final two years is terrific and not easily replicated. The most common reason for an 11+ transfer is fear of coping with the stress of Common Entrance. Yet we do much to spread the preparation for Common Entrance over Years 7 and 8. And you ask the boys and girls how they have found the CE process and Year 8 in general….. they’ll tell you they’ve worked hard but ‘had a blast’! But we will fully support you if, for academic reasons or other, you wish to consider leaving at 11+.

Do I want my child in that chosen Senior School for five or seven years?A key factor to consider if you are contemplating a move at 11. If they do go at 11, are they more likely to want to go somewhere else at 16?

Does the School have a Sixth Form?Think carefully of Schools which only go up to 16 – the teaching is much less likely to be strong and stretching.

What should we do if we want our child to be considered for a school which tests at 11+?Talk to the subject teacher, the form tutor, the Year Leader, the Assistant Head: Teaching & Learning, or the Headmaster. As soon as we know that you are looking at the School in question, we will get a situation report on your child’s progress, and the Headmaster will invite you in to discuss the feasibility of an entry. If the School advises that your child is not of the standard likely to be required, it would be a strong advice that he/she doesn’t sit that exam. Demoralisation can soon outweigh the apparent benefit of sitting for “the practice” if your child is out of their depth for that School’s examination. It is important to understand that demand exceeds capacity for many of our local day Schools, and it is worth considering the broader options, before you commit all your eggs to one basket. This in part explains the current growth in demand for weekly boarding (where selection parameters are often not as fierce), and co-education (often linked to boarding). Not for all of you, by any means, but given the profile of the School your child is currently in, worthy of consideration.

Admissions Process

How does the School assess pupils for entry?

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Almost all Senior Schools assess pupils through Common Entrance (CE) in June of Year 8. They will have required the pupils to have applied well before this stage (during Years 6 or 7). Following assessment at that stage and based upon the Prep School’s recommendation, an offer of a place might be made, conditional on a certain standard being achieved in Common Entrance. Senior Schools will depend on Prep Schools keeping them informed of pupils’ progress between an offer of place and CE itself.

What are their likely entry requirements?This varies significantly between Senior Schools and can be hard to predict. They are dictated, of course, by the academic reputation and standard of a School, but also by the demand for places in any given year. There is an increasingly high number of Senior Schools expecting an average of 60% or above at CE, or even for all subjects to surpass 60%, particularly in the current competitive climate. But a significant number of Schools, particularly outside Surrey, have lower requirements than this.

What form do the pre-tests take?Generally, pre-tests will involve written papers in English and Maths, as well as an interview, either group or, more likely, individual. Pre-tests are also increasingly likely to involve cognitive ability tests: verbal reasoning and/or non-verbal reasoning, which are standardised tests to gauge the pupils’ thinking ability against a national average of 100. A booklet is sent out separately to inform you fully on their process. Importantly, they are a test of pupils’ cognitive ability and so are not likely to be affected much by practice. Your child will be familiarised with them during Years 5 and 6 in school; beyond that, there is little point in drilling your child in their completion.

Do all Senior Schools hold pre-tests?Only a certain number of Senior Schools – particularly the local ones – hold pre-tests, and their timing varies, although most are in the Spring term of Year 6. It is important to establish this factor from the outset, particularly if you have reservations about your child sitting pre-tests. Some children may need to sit equivalent and similar exams at 12+ (Spring of Year 7), or pre-CE screeners at 13+ (Spring of Year 8). Many Schools with a main point of entry of 13+ don’t run pre-tests, relying instead on CE, the Headmaster’s report, and possibly an interview. In general, local day schools, where there is great demand, will pre-test, often demanding a very high calibre of pupil, at 11+.

If my child fails the pre-test, are their chances of a place in the Senior School over?Not by any means. A number of Senior Schools are running the pre-tests as a means of ‘narrowing their field of applicants down’, but they are perfectly aware that pupils can make significant progress late in Year 6 and during Years 7 and 8, so they are open to Prep Schools’ informing them of such progress.

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How will Feltonfleet prepare my child for pre-testing?We believe strongly in pursuing our curriculum towards Common Entrance and in not hindering it with any specific preparation for the pre-testing process in Year 6 or beyond. That said, from the start of Year 5, teaching in English and Maths is increasingly geared towards 11+ skills, as we give the pupils experience of 11+ assessment papers, to help them feel at ease with the testing process. As we test the pupils annually in verbal reasoning (VR) and non-verbal reasoning (NVR), we feel confident that we are achieving our aim of ensuring the pupils are familiar with that process and ready to do themselves justice. Of course, our curriculum is much broader than merely practising skills and working through papers for such tests. In Years 7 and 8, the emphasis is on the much wider range of subjects represented by CE. We also ensure every child receives some guidance in the interview process, through a programme run by the Deputy Head, Miss Shelley Guest. Shelley produces a booklet for your child’s benefit, but she must be kept informed of when interviews are approaching. A good Senior School will be more interested in your child’s broad education and achievements, rather than simply scrutinising test results. Life outside the classroom should be carefully considered. The Headmaster’s report is often very influential in this process.

What is Common Entrance (CE) and when does it take place?Years 7 and 8 and are spent preparing children for entry to their chosen Senior School. Once you have registered for the School, and along with that School, Feltonfleet has supported your application (in other words we believe it is a good fit for your child), entry is normally conditional upon a satisfactory level of performance at CE. CE is taken in June of Year 8, and pupils sit papers in one week in the following subjects – English, Maths, Science, French, History, Geography, RS and possibly Latin or Spanish. Some children may elect to take Greek as well. The key subjects are Maths, English, and Science for most Schools. Papers are marked by the chosen Senior School, and the results are published a week later. It is very unusual for a pupil not to be accepted by the Senior School after CE.

Do I choose one school, or register for several?This is entirely up to you. If we suspect that your child might be a borderline candidate for the preferred School, then we will suggest a back-up plan, by registering with a ‘safer choice’ of School. By the end of February in Year 8, you will need to declare your hand. At that point, we have to outline your chosen School to the Senior Schools and the CE exam board. Naturally, we have to ensure our understanding of your child’s destination tallies with yours. The Summer term exams in Year 7 are a useful moment to gauge how well suited your child is to the chosen School, should there be any doubt. Occasionally, we may ask you to seriously consider a re-think about Schools in Year 8, if progress is faltering. Gladly, this rarely happens!

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It is vital that we know as early as possible which school your child is sitting for, so that we have ample time to find out what is

required of him/her (and therefore of us)

Cost

Can you afford it?We can’t really help you with this one: your call! An equally significant question to ask yourself is: Does it seem good value for money?

Suitability for the Child

Is it a natural move on from all that is Feltonfleet for my child?This is certainly the question I would most readily identify with in assessing Senior Schools. Generally speaking, the range of Senior Schools to which Feltonfleet pupils have been progressing hold fast to all that we believe in, so you can feel assured of a relatively smooth transition.

Will our child cope there, academically and socially?Our main aim will be to inform you and steer you as knowledgeably as possible, from your child’s academic performance within Feltonfleet, as to appropriate Senior Schools for which you might aim. As previously mentioned, this might mean our having to bring some harsh realism to your targets in terms of Senior Schools! Please know, when we do this, we simply wish for your child not to find themselves either failing completely in their bid for a place or struggling to keep up with the academic pace when there.

Does it feel right?Only you – and, more importantly, your child – will be able to answer this. This is where that visit to the School with your child is so crucial.

Does it provide fully, across the age ranges, for the things my child likes doing, and achieves at?Your research into Senior Schools, from visiting to listening to the opinions of others and viewing the website, ought to inform you in this.

A lovely Theatre, but will my child be in a play?It is, of course, vital to ask whether any marvellous facilities – academic, dramatic, sporting or musical – will ever be to the benefit of your child in their time at that School.

Do they play the right sports?Naturally, with a remotely sporty child, you will wish to check closely on this.

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Are we choosing what is best for our child, or what we want for ourselves?I suggest you keep this question to the forefront of your thinking throughout the process, ensuring your child remains at the heart of the decision-making process:

What does our child think?

ScholarshipThe chances are that you will choose your School before it emerges that your child is truly a potential Scholarship candidate. Scholarship is not for the faint hearted, and very demanding. It may be that you have a bright child and you choose a front line academic School for them. Inevitably, the Scholarship standards can be very exacting indeed. It will tend to be the most able of our children who are chosen, in consultation with you, to form our Year 7 Scholarship set, and thereon by exposure to Scholarship material over the year, a decision can be made as to whether or not your child continues on this path in Year 8, or focuses on CE instead. For some pupils, for example girls leaving at 11+, there may be the offer of a Scholarship at that School at 11+. With any queries, in the first instance, talk to Miss Jane Ashfold, the Assistant Head: Teaching & Learning, who is in charge of our Scholarship preparation.

Feltonfleet 11+ ScholarshipThe suitability of candidates for our 11+ Academic Scholarship, or for our Art, Drama, Music, Sport or All-Rounder Awards will be considered, based upon the recommendations of Subject Leaders, early in Year 7. Internal Scholarships can be awarded at any time during Years 7 and 8.

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Stages of the Process of Choosing a Senior School

The following might form the stages of the process, with suggested times:

Stage

Action When1 Talk to friends, recent leavers, Staff – but try to be objective, impartial

andindependent.

Throughout

2 Think through the considerations listed in this booklet;seek to draw up a long list of Schools that might suit your criteria.

Years 4 and 5

3 Contact the Schools and ask for their prospectus, or DVD;enquire after their admissions process.

4 Visit their website. Ask for the last two editions of their School magazine – it willtell you a lot about the ethos of the School, the range of activities, its academicfocus, and similar factors.

5 Talk to your child’s form tutor and Year Leader – both know your child well andwill advise what sort of Senior School is likely to suit them.

6 Attend the Senior School Fair, Panel Evenings & Info. Events * Throughout7 Visit the Schools (possibly without your child initially).

Years 5 and 68 Discuss your long list with one of the School’s Senior members of Staff:

Assistant Head (Teaching & Learning), Mr Simon PomeroyHead of Middle School (Years 5 – 6), Mr Graham Starkey

Head of Upper School (Years 7 – 8), Mr Neil Kumar9 Seek to narrow your list down to a small group of max. five Schools10 Meet with me, as the Headmaster – I will be delighted to chat your

optionsthrough with you and put you in touch with Senior Schools’ Staff, if you wish. Year 611 Go back to the favoured schools – take your child. Listen to him/her.85% of school choosing is now done by child with parents.Ten years ago it was 85% of parents alone, with no consultation of the child.

12 Re-consider the options, the academic requirements, and all aspects affectingyour choice.

Throughout

13 Seek, if possible, to narrow down to your preferred group of two or threeSchools. Perhaps one that might provide an academic challenge for your child toreach and one that ought to be more comfortably within their academic reach. Years 6 and 7

14 Make sure your child is entered on time for tests, where appropriate.15 Make your decision. Ultimately, you know your child best and what’s

best forthem. Follow your hunches; you won’t be wrong.

16 Perhaps most importantly of all, keep Feltonfleet fully informed and Throughout12

updatedthroughout the process, so that we can support you as much as possible.

* Information events are arranged on a regular basis to help you through the stages of this process:

Senior School Fair (in the Summer term, in alternate years) – Senior Schools present stalls and the opportunity for you to meet with members of their Staff and gather information

Panel Evenings (Autumn and Spring terms) – HM’s or key Staff of some of the most popular Senior Schools amongst recent Feltonfleet leavers, present, take questions and debate on the relative strengths of their School. We always aim for a broad spectrum in terms of school types (boarding/day, co-educational/single sex, etc).

Information Events – please consult the School calendar for other events.

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