Plus primary school places, bagging a tutor and helping Ukrainian children No images? Click here Dear subscriber How wonderful to have the summer term underway with all the fun that entails and (fingers firmly crossed) a normal set of public examinations – the first since 2019. Many of you may be using the period after Easter to visit potential secondary schools for your children. Open days are, of course, a chance for private schools to showcase their gleaming facilities, but with school fees ever increasing – we’ve heard of some schools putting fees up by 20% next academic year – you may be wondering exactly what you get for your money. There are more considerations than ever before, not least because top UK universities are upping their efforts to recruit students from the state system, so you need to be sure you’re making the right choice. Our lead article looks at schools fees, asks what you're actually paying for and helps answer many of your questions about value for money. Many of our readers have children preparing for exams now, whether it’s Common Entrance this summer, the 11+ next academic year or the fast-approaching GCSE and A level exams. Sometimes a tutor is just what’s needed to tweak exam technique or build confidence in a certain subject and it’s never too late to find someone to help – the right person can make all the difference in just a small handful of sessions. How to find that person, however, can seem the trickiest hurdle of all. If this sounds like you, don’t miss our advice article on choosing a tutor – and remember that we have taken some of the work out of it for you by reviewing more than 50 tutor agencies of the best tutor agencies; subscribe and start your search. If you applied to a state primary school for your child to start this September, you’ll either be celebrating being offered your first choice this week or, if you haven’t been as lucky, deciding whether you should appeal. Appeals are half as likely to be successful as those for secondary places because legal limits on Reception class sizes leaves much less elasticity in the system. Our primary school appeals article outlines the facts and may help you decide whether to settle for the place you’ve been offered or go ahead with an appeal to secure a place at your school of choice. Finally, if you have offered to host a family seeking refuge from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, you may find yourself wondering where to begin to help them find a school for their children. Our advice for people looking for school places for Ukrainian refugees will help point you and your guests in the right direction. Our expert education consultants are also offering 15-minute pro bono advice calls to help, so please get in touch at consultants@goodschoolsguide.co.uk if we can support you with your school search for a refugee child. We always love to hear from you so if you have any feedback on our newsletter or something you would like us to address in future ‘Ask Our Experts’ columns, please email editor@goodschoolsguide.co.uk. In the meantime, wishing you and your families a happy and healthy summer term. With best wishes The Good Schools Guide team Is the old adage, 'you get what you pay for,' as true when it comes to private schools as it is with other purchases your family might make? From sky-high fees to bona fide bargains, the cost of a private school education varies tremendously and a wide range of factors contribute to the bottom line. Do you know what's behind the priciest school fees or what might render a school far more affordable? Read more Starting this September 2022, students aged 16-19 can now study the IB Diploma Programme entirely online with King’s InterHigh — the UK’s leading online school. The online IBDP is the ideal pathway to the world’s top universities. King's InterHigh combines 16 years of online schooling expertise with 44 years of IB excellence across Inspired Education Group. Inspired schools record high IB results year after year, with 1 in 3 students progressing to Oxbridge, Ivy, or Russell Group universities. In the live, interactive classes, expert IB teachers bring learning to life with innovative technologies like VR. Lessons are recorded for viewing 24/7 and students are offered extensive support, unlocking international learning, accessible from anywhere. King’s InterHigh also teaches the British curriculum for ages 7-19: Primary, Secondary, GCSE, and A Level. Join their global school community — register now for King's InterHigh online IB launch event on April 27th 2022. Most children get a place at their first choice primary school but there are always some families who have not been so lucky. We talk you through your options and how to appeal the decision. With one eye on the autumn entrance exams and a long summer holiday not too far in the distance, now may be the best the time to find your child a tutor. But what should you be looking for and where can you find it? The government’s ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme aims to help tens of thousands of people flee the war in Ukraine and come to the UK. Host families can help find these children the right school and apply for a place. Join The Good Schools Guide's education experts at The Independent Schools Show Summer Fair. The Summer Fair takes place at The Hurlingham Club in London on 10th May 2022 and promises to be the complete guide to 11+ and 13+ independent school options for London parents preparing for entry to senior schools. Meet the leading London independent day schools; Consider education outside the capital, meeting independent schools in commuter belts plus the most prestigious UK boarding schools; Decide whether to introduce your child to boarding at a prep school, or wait until 13+ senior school entry. Book your Summer Fair tickets now. |