I know the King Edward independent schools have their own entrance exams, but is it a case of as long as you’re in a position to pay the fees, you will most likely receive a place? Or is the pass mark for the exam similar to that of camp hill, where they will only accept the highest performing and not even remotely consider anyone who hasn’t achieved a set score regardless of whether they can pay or not? Has anyone here not received a place when applying for the independents?

A great many will take the test and not receive the offer a place even if they have the funds to pay the fees

It's the latter - KES/KEHS exams are very tough, typically only the top 30% or less get offered a full-fee place; for assisted places it's probably within the top 15%-20%, for scholarships probably top 5%. For KES all boys are interviewed prior to an offer.

Thanks for the replies. Just out of interest, do you think it is harder to get into the camp hill schools or the independents?

It depends, various factors involved:-

1. The Grammar Consortium Exams are quite different to the KES/KEHS exams. Also the Girls KEHS exam is different to KES. For both of the Independent exams there is more emphasis on English Essay type questions. Some of the KES/KEHS Maths questions are very tough
2. It also depends on Gender - KEHS is harder to get into than KES but on the other side KECHB is harder to get into than KECHG. In both cases it depends on the number of places available.
3. The child's affinity to the different type of exam - the grammar consortium exam (complied by Durham CEM) is very time pressured - some children perform better with this type of exam whereas other prefer a more traditional exam. We have come across children who have scored highly in the Grammar Consortium exam but failed to get into KES/KEHS, but equally we have come across children who have not scored highly in the grammar exam but been awarded either scholarships/Assisted Places in either KES/KEHS.

When I went for a tour I was told that they know exactly the sorts of girls that will thrive at KES. So some years they only find 85 of those and some years its 95. They identify those who have natural intelligence and creativity as opposed to those who have been coached to pass tests. They want whoever is selected to be happy at the school.

As far as I could work out at the time only 72 started in daughter's year at KEHS. Daughter also qualified for CHG, son qualified for CHB but not KES.

Mike the 85 and 95 are just example figures.

I know - I was confirming your point by illustrating with an actual example. I believe the nominal intake was 80 at that time.

They try to fill in the places, even if they do not want to go too much down the list of best results. I know a girl (now in her third year to become a radiographer if I remember well) who had obtained no place at the GS in Birmingham. Despite this, she has been accepted at KHES. She is not ‘a bright spark’ like her sister who has attended CHG and who is now a dentist. Her A level results were OK but not excellent.

But my post does not indicate that if you have the money, you have a place. NO. Look for other private schools for that.

And you have also a lot of bright sparks at KHES and KES as they try to attract the very bright by offering scholarships.

PS: When I enrolled my DS for back ups in private school many moons ago, I choose three different levels:
The very top: Magdalen College School, Oxford
Below: KES
Further below: Warwick school