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Senior school will be where students advance on to their studies past the age of 11 in most private schools. Looking for a place for your child might be more difficult if you are not in the know, however. There are a few elements to consider in the process and ways to make things easier for you and your child.
Attend open evenings
Take a look at your options and see if your child will be a great fit at the senior schools you have picked out. If you are based in London, a wide variety of schools will be available to you and your child. If you are based in a more rural location however your options may be more limited.
Open evenings are therefore crucial to finding which school would be the right fit for your child. Not only does this allow you to explore facilities at each school, but gives you the chance to see what subjects will be taught at this level, extra curricular activity support, and more.
Explore the application process
You will need to apply for any school you would like your child to attend, both for private schools and state schools. That will help you understand the application process for many different schools and see which ones are going to be the best options for your child as well. There will be a fair amount of considerations not just for your own personal preferences, but those that help your child with their future development as well.
Student-specific needs
There will be a few specific needs your child might have, such as special educational needs and children with educational health and care plans. This is where you should be having some conversations with specific staff members at these schools to ensure they have the right procedures in place to support every student. If ever in doubt during the application process, it’s always worth talking to staff from the schools you are choosing to apply for.
Entrance Exams
Most of the best independent schools in London and across the rest of the UK will operate some kind of admissions assessment or entrance exam to determine whether or not the child meets the academic criteria for that individual school.
There’s a lot to consider with a senior school application, but the above measures should be where you should first start with applying to schools in London.