Secondary education (11-18)

Entering secondary school

The age at which students enter secondary school in Great Britain varies. Most state schools, private schools for girls and some co-educational schools accept children at the age of 11, whilst the majority of private schools for boys and co-educational schools accept children from the age of 13. Entry exams also differ between these schools. 11-year-olds take an exam known as the “11+”, which consists of all or some of the following subjects:

• English
• Mathematics
• Verbal Reasoning
• Non-verbal Reasoning
• Science

The exam for 13-year-olds is called the “Common Entrance Exam”, which consists of the following subjects:

• English
• Mathematics
• Verbal and Non Verbal Reasoning
• French (or Spanish or German)
• Science (basic physics, chemistry and biology)
• History
• Geography
• Latin
• Religious Studies

Thus the main purpose of preparatory schools is the preparation of children for these tough and thorough exams.

It is impossible to gain a place for a child at one of the top ten schools on an impulse because English parents register their children at these schools several years before entry. Some children are even registered in the year of their birth at some schools. Such schools have long waiting lists and selection is very strict: the schools monitor children for several years before entry, sifting out those who they consider to be poorly disposed towards tough academic work.

Gaining a place at a very good school is also not an easy process. Demand is great and registration usually occurs 1-2 years beforehand. Two years should suffice for an average Russian child to prepare for the exams, but it requires great effort from both the child and the parents. The most reliable route is to send the child to an excellent English private school for two years before the planned enrolment.

Securing a place at good schools (ranking 20-50) is fully possible. As long as the child speaks good England, studies properly and is well-developed, he/she will have an excellent chance of getting into a good school if there are places.

Enrolling in a private school at the bottom of the list presents no problem. There are often no exams and children are generally accepted on the basis of an interview or a reference from a previous school.