What will your child's fate be in the 4+ at Highgate?
/Highgate has 60 places available for new students each year to begin their Reception Year following their 4+ assessments.
My clients initially think that 60 places is a lot. Well, it isn’t. Last year they supposedly had 450 applicants (or so they say).
Personally, I believe it was far more — but let’s go with that number.
That’s roughly a 1:8 chance of passing the 4+ assessment at this school.
Not easy, is it?
Following Round 1, this number is reduced to 180 candidates. At that stage, your child has roughly a 1 in 3 chance of being offered a place. Still not easy. But easier for sure at this point!
Siblings of pupils already at Highgate are always invited back for Round 2 (it’s part of their assessment policy). If you think about it carefully, that’s a significant proportion of the 180 who will be invited back who will be siblings. That gives non siblings a harder chance.
In fact, many of the children called back to Round 2 last year were siblings. Children of staff are also automatically invited to Round 2 — regardless of their level or ability. Read that again.
The stated criteria is that they assess “readiness for learning.”
So is “readiness for learning” not taken into consideration for siblings or children of staff? Not according to their policy. Not in Round 1. In Round 2 they say it is.
Therefore Round 1 is not a level playing field. It is important to know that so you won’t be severely disappointed!
Highgate states that in the second round, no preferential treatment is given to siblings and that they are assessed in the same way as all other children. However, the majority of children assessed this year who passed (as far as I can see) were siblings. Obviously, I’ve not spoken to all 60 of the candidates but I’ve spoken to a good 30 of them!
Only one of the three students we supported to pass this assessment last year was a non-sibling. He did not choose to go to this school and will be studying at UCS instead.
I do respect Highgate’s honesty and transparency in its admissions policy. It is clear and direct. Parents know exactly what to expect after reading it.
It really shouldn’t be a surprise when children do not pass this 4+ assessment.
Some of our brightest students did not pass this assessment last year following the first round (and a few following the second). Many of the students who did not pass Highgate 4+ were offered places at schools such as Westminster, The Hall, NLCS, Habs, Falkner House, and Glendower.
Were parents furious and frustrated about the results at Highgate following the 4+ assessments? Of course they were. It wasn’t what anyone was expecting. This year, we know what to expect.
Do you?
