Brandon Learning Centre: British Education - process, preparation and practicalities

 The days of standalone prep schools are numbered in the UK...  Winchester College and Pilgrims' Radley College and Cothill Charterhouse and Windlesham  Who's next? I can take a wild guess. The fact is that running small schools in the UK has become increasingly challenging in the face of increased National Insurance, Teachers' Pension Scheme contributions, energy costs and general inflation. And that isn't before you think of falling rolls once VAT really kicks in. So the solution is joining forces with a larger entity.  Prep schools feed a range of senior schools; anyone wanting a solid prep for Eton, Winchester or Harrow picked from a wide pool. These days, the pool is shrinking whilst the group of boys entering from UK state schools is increasing as parents turn away from boarding and economise.  How does all this affect your choices?  There are still some standalones who haven't mentioned mergers yet and some which are clearly in strong positions and m...

You get through the ISEB CPT, fly through the interviews... only to get a waiting list offer.  Don't despair!  A waiting list place is NOT a rejection. You are still in the picture. In a record year, five of my boys moved from reserve to general places at Winchester. This year, one of my boys moved from the Eton waiting list and one of my girls has just moved off the waiting list at Downe House to the delight of her parents.  Be patient: it is now May and another of my boys in Y8 has just moved off the Waiting List at Eton. Why do schools have waiting lists?  It is no secret that families apply to multiple schools. If a school makes 10 offers, they can assume that a proportion of the candidates will not accept, or may drop our later. Hence the waiting list.  Why do students move from the waiting list? Some students may have a couple of options to consider. Once they give up their places, the schools will go to the waiting list to fill the gaps.  Other plac...