Home « Transfer from state to independent schools
Many pupils in independent secondary schools have attended state primary schools. But the proportions vary enormously, from under 1% to over 80%. There is a growing trend for popular schools to start their own junior schools and this can be expected to reduce their intake from state schools.
For parents the good news is that the majority of secondary Heads see no problem in transferring from a state school. Many are more positive ('a very stimulating move'). And the bad news? Very little, but you will need to concentrate on three issues.
Transfer age: Usually easiest at 11 (or 12 in Scotland) and into the sixth form; at other ages it is more tricky. Schools that recruit at 11 often have large numbers from local primary schools; those recruiting at 13 (usually boys' schools using the Common Entrance) have very few.
Entrance examination: Where schools set their own entrance exams, they are often suited to state pupils. Common Entrance is less so. Children should be properly prepared for the exam, particularly if it is a highly selective school.
Settling in: At 11, there are few problems - except they are unlikely to have learnt a language, in contrast to pupils from independent junior schools. At 16, after GCSE, there can be problems for science pupils transferring into an independent sixth form - particularly if they are the only one to have taken integrated science at GCSE; they may also find that they are not ready for an AS-level maths course. Neither is a real barrier to those prepared to work hard.
Problems are very rare. Surprises - such as classroom silence after the hubbub of a primary classroom, weekly tests in different subjects - are associated with the transfer to senior school, not restricted to the transfer between the state and independent systems.
