Clapham

This is my first post and one could argue I do not belong here, but I will hope for tolerance. I am an American living in London for five years now. When we arrived my son was 7yrs old and entered into year 2 of a London boys prep school. He has two years to go before he heads off to public school. He has been given conditional places at three very prestigious schools.

Now, it appears I may be relocated back to the US in January. My son wants to keep his option to go to boarding school here in the UK at 13+. Does anyone have any experience with prepping kids for the Common Entrance Exam while attending American schools?

Bob

I don't, but have a search, there's a few folks who have kids going to schools back in blighty, I think Englishmum was one of them.

Also depending on where you end up in the US, there are some international/Brit schools...

TruBrit

it's ok, i'm very tolerant

your son should be able to keep his options open even though moving back to the usa. i know of two yank families that have done just that with both boys now at eton college. if in doubt, place a call with the schools in question and sound them out.

lapin_windstar

My school in the UK was fairly hoity-toity, but I never heard of anyone doing CE exams. I have to confess that I had thought they were abolished years ago. Apparently I am completely wrong!

Have you considered sending your child to an IB school here in the US? I heard that a number of private schools in the UK adopted IB, but don't know how true that is. But you'd get decent continuity...

Bob

Eton ain't that fussy though as long as you've got the readies...look at the rabel they've taken in in the past

Nice location though.

TruBrit

my friend's child went to IB Bartow in Fl....great school.

TruBrit

the readies certainly talks at lots of the schools

Clapham

OK, you have found me out. Yes, he has been accepted tp Eton, but what I do not understand is what are the "readies"?

Sincerely

A US Ex Pat now turning Brit Ex-pat that seems to know nothhing...

TruBrit

ha i guessed as much! btw the readies is the moolah

Tarkak9

I don't, yet, I would want to know if your predicament would compromise the 3 offers. My guess it would be the discretion of the schools. I would also wonder if switching curriculums etc so close to sitting the CE exam is going to be an extra burden and distraction too. I went to boarding school and lived overseas.

But, you might want to ask Gabbitas if they have any pointers for you.

lapin_windstar

Handy for Feltham YOI!

Clapham

OK, I get it now. So what you are saying is that if I can afford it, they will likely keep his place as long as he can jump through whatever acedemic hoop they require, which will probably not be that difficult.

Now, as an American in London may I ask why opinions are so divergent on whether Eton, Westminster or Harrow are good or bad? People seem to have such strong views and I just do not get it. Are they good schools or not?

Tarkak9

You might relate to asking yourself if Stanford, Yale or Princeton are good schools or not.

Bob

nothing more amusing than seeing the Eton massive giving it large at the burger king in Staines, mixing it up from the one in Windsor

Bob

They're all good schools, just depends on which one you went to...

But Eton aren't known for being that fussy about entry requirements if you've got the cash to get in...saying that, compared to some other schools, Eton is pretty cheap.