Birth - 2 years

Think about preparing for nursery education but do make the most of enjoying precious time with your tot. Babes love nothing better than lots of adult/parental interaction; there's a good reason why increasing numbers of schools are introducing 'happiness programmes' into the curriculum. 

For those who want to make the most of meeting others there's a wealth of activities offered in all leading high-streets; not just 'mums and tots' but everything from 'water babes' and 'music with mummy' to 'massage and sensory stimulation'. Of course if all this is a bit high-tech you could enjoy simple pleasures: singing nursery rhymes to your child; reading stories; copious cuddles; trips to the shops; play-dough and painting... Don't get hung-up on Baby Einstein - research suggests that advanced offerings, in the main, don't advance the child. Start to investigate learning and play options including alternatives such as Montessori Education.

2-4 years

Give thought to the school you want your child to attend and the education programme you wish them to follow. If you're serious about a good state school check to see if you are living in the right catchment area (see the catchment map on our home page and on individual school pages) and that you fulfil the Admissions Criteria. If your preferred establishment is a faith-school make sure Sophia and Serge attend Sunday School. Volunteer for flower and coffee rotas at your local Church and make sure people, particularly the Priest, notice you doing so. If Eton or Harrow are on the agenda choose your pre-prep with care.

We cannot stress enough what a waste we think tuition is at this stage but that has never stopped pushy-parents from indulging...

From three years of age all children in Britain are entitled to a free nursery place (15 hours a week in England and Wales, 475 hours a year in Scotland); there is no compulsion to take such a place but most now do. Settings vary; some parents opt for nurseries (including private and work-place nurseries) or play-groups others for pre-school. Gaining a place in the early-years department of a local school does not guarantee a place there when your child turns 5. The majority of Pre-Preparatory Schools offer places from 3 or 4 years, many with phased entry. Admission hurdles are usually easier for younger children and fees lighter too.

5 years

In England all children must attend school during the term following their fifth-birthday (or be officially home-schooled). In reality most start full-time school in either the September or Christmas of that year and many complete a full year in a reception class. If your child is to attend state school make sure you are up-to-speed with the admissions criteria and key dates. If you're not sure what these are, contact your Local Authority.

The primary years

'Now I am six I'm clever as clever so I think I'll be six for ever and ever.' A A Milne

 5-7 years

Key Stage 1 for those in state school, pre-prep time for those in the independent sector.

A few top pre-prep's will be preparing children for competitive entry to Preparatory Schools, others will simply ensure children are meeting milestones and putting in extra help where they aren't.

The majority of children will learn to read, write and do basic calculations. Many take up a musical instrument too. If your son has a great voice you may wish to pursue a place at a Choir School. 

Sporting ability and talent can be spotted in young children, equally potential difficulties such as dyspraxia and dyslexia may start to come to the fore...

Many youngsters take pleasure in performing opportunities but don't worry if your child is a shrinking violet - not all stay that way... However, if your child finds socialising with others traumatic, avoids eye-contact or gives you any other cause for concern, talk to their teachers; if there are problems, early intervention can make a huge difference. You might also want to read The Good Schools Guide - Special Educational Needs 2008.

 

7-11/13 years

Learning begins in earnest. Children in state schools move into Key Stage 2. A few will make the transition from an infant to a junior school but increasingly primary schools for ages 4-11 are the norm (with a few first and middle schools still touted in some authorities). Some independent schools mirror their state school counterparts but 8 is the traditional age for transition from pre-prep to prep-school. It is also the youngest age at which most schools will accept boarders. (There are a few exceptions to this - with a handful offering boarding from 7 and of course many not accepting children until they are much older). If boarding is a consideration do check-out The Best Age To Go To Boarding School.

Eight the age to consider the elite...

Eight is a key age for those considering elite independent senior schools or selective state school entry.The latter typically cream off the best at eleven, with parents increasingly preparing their off-spring from eight.

Schools may say it's a simple matter of taking verbal and non-verbal reasoning tests for which you cannot prepare; but the burgeoning of books, web-sites and tuition companies, promising 11+ success, show this advice is universally ignored. If you plan on a spot of DIY take a look at our section on Selection 11+ & 13+ and buy relevant Galore Park books from our online shop (we stock verbal and non-verbal reasoning texts plus a whole selection of great books for maths, English and other curriculum subjects); alternatively if you intend bringing in the professionals, our section on Tutors Tutoring Revision is the ideal starting point.

Entry particularly to boys' senior schools is from 13 but by age 10 a few leading lights have closed their books completely.

If Eton, Radley et al are high on your list, start arranging visits now. The Good Schools Guide details invaluable 'official and unofficial entry criteria' for the schools it reviews. Those pursuing faith school places need to return to the pews - you'll need at least 2 years of 'confirmed' bible-bashing if your prayers. are to be answered.

Perfect ten?

Ten is the perfect age to register for most other independent senior schools.

By this age you, armed with your Good Schools Guide, and school will have a fair idea not only of where your child's talents lie but also the type of environment that best suits them.

If you intend to stay in state school education plan ahead; education authorities expect you to apply for secondary school almost a year in advance.

If you are to choose the right school for your child make the most of all the opportunities to research schools - open evenings are a great starting point - and will give you a feel for a school. If you're interested in school performance (that's exams including drama!), the Good Schools Guide (GSG) online provides detailed examination and value-added reports on virtually all English state secondary schools. These reports not only look at overall results but identify how good a school is for a child like yours - whether the brightest, above average, just below or struggling - further separated for those with special educational needs. 

If your child has a learning or other difficulty, that is likely to require extra-time in exams, commission a report by an Educational Psychologist. You will need to have your child re-examined within 2 years of any public exam but it is important to show an established pattern of extra-time being granted and used in examinations. 

If you live in an area with state grammar schools and your child is among the brightest and best, 10-11 is the age when they will sit the 11+ examination. If they are in an independent school they may take common entrance (or other exam/ assessment), though a number of schools (especially those that were traditionally boys' senior schools) admit children only at 13. Of this latter group, an increasing number pre-test for entry to independent senior schools deciding at 10/11 who they will invite to sit Common Entrance (CE) at 13. 

Eleven - the age of change?

Eleven is the prime time for most children in state schools to complete Key Stage 2, be tested and transfer to secondary school, regardless of result. Some will move on to selective schools - a few state schools are allowed to pre-select a percentage according to their specialism, the handful of state grammar schools choose by ability, a number of schools select through faith (or as cynics might say - via 'the back-door'). State boarding schools can select boarders according to boarding need and suitability to board (but the boarding element has to be paid for). Address plays a big-part, no wonder Catchment Area Cheats are thought to be an expanding breed. 

T'weens to teen's - moving on to senior school

'Adolescence is a period of rapid change. For example, between the ages of 12 and 17 parents age by as much as 20 years.' Al Bernstein

11-13 years

State school pupils work towards Key Stage 3 and option choices. Final years of prep-school life see responsibility borne by many big-fish in little ponds. A cosseted few continue to enjoy the discourse of Latin and Greek interspersed with the delightful distractions of tree-climbing, prefect duties, toast and muffins. Boff's will be challenged, stretched, pummelled and kneaded by the demands of scholarship work - the rest will plough through every past CE paper, perfecting examination technique to ensure they don't blot their copy (but don't worry, spares can be ordered from Galore Park). 


13+

For some a non-year: no exams, no sense of direction or purpose, no light at the end of the tunnel; for others this is a 'new-year'. Those who transfer schools at 13+ have a whole new regime to adapt to: new subjects to try; new teachers to test; new friendships to spawn. Yet this year is crucial; come summer most youngsters will have chosen their GCSE options, ready to embark on courses that will begin to shape their futures.

14-16 the age of examination

GCSEs, in all their various guises, begin in earnest. Those following modular courses will take 'proper' exams almost from the outset.

Coursework will be drafted, redrafted, marked and remarked on, until the 'right-level' of achievement is evidenced.

Learning may be bite-sized but certainly isn't fun-sized!

If a change of school or schooling environment is in the offing make sure you are ready to apply in the September/ October before the year of entry. Sixteen is a popular time to transfer from school to college or from one school to another. In some areas state secondary schools do not have sixth-forms so staying put may not be an option.

Those finessing the system may find 16 the ideal time to transfer from independent to state school education but anyone switching systems and hoping to cash-in on the perceived bias towards offering pupils from state schools lower university offers should think again - it won't happen!

Despite what headteachers at girls' schools may say, 16 is a popular time for girls to swap single-sex education for co-ed. Boys change schools at this stage too, but usually to pursue a course of choice - perhaps linear rather than modular A-levels or the IB; environmental factors are a lesser consideration. Whether a firm plan, a possibility or just an idea, don't change schools without consulting The Good Schools Guide.

Sixth former to student - when study gets serious

'Little children headache, big children heartache.' Italian proverb

Leaving school at 16 is legal but is increasingly a path taken by a shrinking minority. Advanced qualifications including: A-levels in their many guises, IB, Pre-U and all the various permutations of examinations, need to be carefully considered.

It's no longer a case of finding the right school and ideal environment, you need to factor in the perfect course and ensure option choices are possible and viable.

Linear, modular, vocational...a minefield to be passed with care; The exploding curriculum highlights key choices, their benefits and pit-falls. A wrong decision at this stage can have significant consequences for future degree and career choices. If your child is aiming for Oxbridge avoid (barring the odd exception) 'studies' and 'ologies'.

If a career in the media beckons, English is likely to open more doors than the less taxing 'media studies', and economics will lead to greater entrepreneurial opportunities than business studies...

So subjects and subject combinations need to be carefully considered. If in doubt, check-out degree requirements and their compulsory and preferred subject choices, or speak to an advisor at The Good Schools Guide Advice Service. 

Sixth forms and sixth form colleges are the choice of most but a small minority opt for crammers and tutorial colleges. As exams approach Christmas and Easter revision courses gain in popularity and tuition is once again embarked on by those worried about making the grade or wanting help/advice on university entrance exams - especially LNAT, BMAT and similar selectors. Degree course, and higher education options should be considered alongside career choices.

This is an ideal age to garner work-experience and ensure sufficient relevant skills to pack-a-punch on the UCAS application and thus bedazzle admissions tutors. AS and A-level courses begin in earnest - with many students taking and re-sitting modules until they obtain top-grades. A word of caution a few universities, including UCL and Bath, have said re-sit grades for some courses will be ignored (it's possible for students to re-sit an exam up to 6 times) - the re-sit ban is seen as a way of ensuring the pick of the crop access the best courses. Increasingly A* A-level grades are being asked for when offers are made, with Cambridge leading the way and a number of others set to follow.  Other paths such as IB, Advanced Highers and Pre-U remain valid alternatives to A-levels (see The Exploding Curriculum).

17-18 Planning for adulthood

Time for those so inclined to choose a university and plan a Gap year. Research and planning should be well underway with plans transforming from ideas to reality before school ends.

A number of companies offer paid positions, many more expect you not only to volunteer but to pay for the privilege too.

For those in the independent sector, school fees are about to give way to university costs - though there is no requirement for parents to pay fees. Regardless of educational background, financial help may be available; check-out your options (some help is means tested and grants are available for those with parents on low-incomes). University tuition fees may be among the most publicised costs but are by no means the only expense. Grants and loans are available subject to fulfilling eligibility requirements. 
 

18+ Coming of age

Work, gap-year, university or for an unlucky few, re-sits.

A number of crammers offer students the chance to improve on their grades. There are some great institutions out there but a few sharks too - so choose with care. Many students opt to cram for one term and take re-sits the following January.

With an ever increasing number of universities opting out of clearing, more and more students are finding they either have to opt for an 'involuntary gap-year' and re-apply or take the re-sit route, in an attempt to make the grade.

The Good Schools Guide - Can you afford not to read it?

Authoritative, sought-after, truthful...

Try before you buy

Click on the links below to read the FULL Good Schools Guide review or buy now from our on-line store.

Farleigh School, Andover an independent school for boys and girls aged 3-13, that takes boarders.

The influence of the head is pervasive, rooting the school in values of right thinking and right conduct..

Jordanhill School Glasgow - a co-ed state school for 5-18 year-olds.

Power point demos by all, from Primary 7; Primary 6 are observers, and rector then discusses the P7 presentation with them (face lit up like a beacon when he described this). 

Rainbow School for Autistic Children, London - A co-ed, day special school for children aged 4-11 with autism.

Engaging, inquisitive, interested youngsters many with ready smiles, welcoming of visitors; yes the children do have ASD but forget the myths; most children here communicate and interact.

Discover all the inside information including:

• What the head is really like.
• How to get in - and where pupils go on to when they leave.
• What's really on offer; both in and out of the classroom.
• The facilities, frippery and finery to be found - or not!
• The atmosphere - who will the school REALLY suit?
• The funding you'll need and the financial health of the school.
• Our opinion - what parents think, what we've uncovered...

Online only -

Subscribers to The Good Schools guide can examine:

• School performance data* for KS2, GCSE and A-level
• Value-added data* .Does the school make a difference to all pupils or just some?
• University information*. Details of which universities pupils go on to and what they study.
• And, for English state schools, make sure you make the right move by examining catchment area data and seeing which schools pupils come from and which schools they move on to. 

*We indicate on a school's page here data is available. We do not have data for schools outside of England.

Further Reading

We have a whole series of articles and advice to help you every step of the way; whether tentatively embarking on choosing a school, or part way through the school choice process.

For those new to the process:

Choosing A School Thoughts For Parents

Mix and Match State and Private Education

Coming Into The British School System From Abroad

Sussing Out Independent Schools and Horses For Courses

Choosing A School For A Talented Child

Primary Schools In The UK

Starting School

The Exploding Curriculum

For those visiting schools:

School Open Evenings

Questions To Ask Staff When Visiting A School

Questions To Ask When Visiting A School - Academic Matters

Questions To Ask When Visiting A School - Financial Factors

Questions To Ask  When Visiting A School - Beyond the Classroom

Visiting A School - Questions For Pupils

For those contemplating the admissions process:

State School Admissions - How To Secure A Place

Independent School Admissions - Insider Information On Getting In!

Independent School Admissions - It's Not Just Ability To Pay 

SEN Admission To Independent School

Shop Online from our Bookstore

Galore Park, an independent publisher have a excellent range of books - including 11+, common entrance, scholarship, study guides, individual subjects plus verbal and non-verbal reasoning.

You can order past papers for CE and Common Academic Scholarship exams plus all the Galore Park textbooks from our online bookshop.