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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

7+ exams at Westminster, Habs, St. Paul's

135 replies

Biw · 02/01/2017 22:54

I haven't noticed a 7+ thread for the ultra competitive schools this year and thought I'd start one - rather late, I know!! My son is a very clever but unassuming little fellow, comfortably in the top 5 of children in his year group despite being A relatively young June baby. Our head suggested he sits the 7+. I have been supporting him myself with Bond books and recently having a go at past papers online from the schools who publish them!

My biggest concern is Westminster. As we've never hired a tutor and they don't publish sample papers I have no idea what the exams entail and what level it is pitched. At this point I am hoping some mums who have been through the exams can come to my rescue and share any information just so my son knows what to expect on the day! E.g. For the composition and comprehension paper how much time is given? I heard Kings College (unfortunately too far south for us) gave them only 20 minutes to write a whole story! Any other info on the maths and reasoning paper would be very gratefully received. Also is there some kind of activity e.g. Art they do on exam day?

For habs my son found the sample papers very easy. Is it really representative of the real thing?

Thank you so much for your help.

OP posts:

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Biw · 02/01/2017 23:01

I realise my last question isn't clear - would parents with experience of both say the Habs papers are representative of what you might find at Westminster? I expect the latter is so much harder but by how much?

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Ma518 · 03/01/2017 21:22

Good luck - I think most exams are this week?. I don't have any experience with papers but have heard on the grapevine that the interviews are tricky and some cases designed to 'catch you out'

Isabella1881 · 04/01/2017 03:23

Hi
My DS is sitting on WMU AND CC this year as well . however the tricky problem is WMU's deadline is only one day after CC's offer. How cam succesfyl boy chose then...
Hope all children get their dream school.

Biw · 04/01/2017 21:44

Hi Isabella, it would be a lovely position to be in if your don is offered both so I wouldn't worry. Did you sit Haberdashers? My son said it was very easy and so did all his friends so I am wondering how they will distinguish between candidates.

How are you preparing for Westminster English exam? Do you know his long the paper is?

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Isabella1881 · 05/01/2017 04:29

Hi Biw
Yes you are right, if have more than one choice would be lovely though it is non sense to worry that before get any offer yet~
Not we have not choose that school. I think too easy would be a problem too.
English we just keep reading...nit much to do and i quite regret being lazy not keep asking questions when he read but let him read alone.... i think comprehension is the most difficult for my boy...
No idea for WU for they dont give any information however compare if time they need to keep the kids i suppose will not too different from other school. Difference is how challenge i guess.
Hope your little one all the best~

Changeandchangeagain · 05/01/2017 08:23

Biw my boy is taking the 7plus at a local school and we tried the Habs maths sample paper available online and found it quite challenging. Was the real paper similar in difficulty compared to the sample? If yes I think your boy must be doing very well indeed!

Isabella1881 · 05/01/2017 23:28

Hi
I think most boys attend this kind of exam will find maths is the easiest. The problem is even so how much correct you may get is still a question and balencing with other papers will distinguish the kids anyway~Sadly even my boy feel easy and finish in half time, he may have more than 5 mistakes so sad...

ToffeePenny · 07/01/2017 15:54

Another one here in for 7+ WUS next week and St P juniors the week after.
We're coming from a state school where they haven't finished the KS1 syllabus yet in his class yet and looking at the sample papers for other academic 7+ (like KCS and Magdalen) I expect DS will find the maths hard because of this (the sample papers also seem designed to trick/trip kids up which he'll probably enjoy from a 'puzzle' sort of view but I know his school does nothing of that sort so he'll be raw at that too).

We haven't tutored for 7+ but we probably will for 8+ to cover the state/private knowledge gap if DS reports back that he really doesn't know certain topics that come up.

There seems to be quite an industry in tutoring now it seems, my friends who are putting children for 11+ and common entrance all seem to be at it. Makes me hope he makes the grade at 7+ to be spared it really.

Arghhelp · 11/01/2017 08:44

Did anyone else's kids find the Math quite difficult at Westminster yesterday? Also apparently they didnt give them a break between the English and Math papers?

ToohotforaSeptday · 11/01/2017 09:57

My boy was at WUS yesterday and he found everything except the NVR hard. He couldn't finished part 1 of the maths but managed to complete part 2. He is at state primary and we haven't actually prepped him that much, no tutor etc. I don't think we have much hope......

Isabella1881 · 11/01/2017 10:10

According to my boy all papers are seperate and mini or short break had been given. He find its ok fir Math but challenging with time on comprehension.

ToohotforaSeptday · 11/01/2017 10:18

DS said he did English first then break, Maths part 1 and 2 then break with Kit Kat (the highlight of the morning), then VR and non VR, played a game before finishing. He was pretty cheerful afterwards despite finding the papers difficult.

Dixie2010 · 11/01/2017 14:39

My boy was at WU yesterday and didn't finish Eng comprehension questions as ran out of time but he said he found the other papers generally ok. He thankfully got given breaks between each subject!

mam3xs · 11/01/2017 15:32

DD also mentioned there were 2 parts on math and he didn't finish one of them. Are they going to inform every participant or just the ones who got through next round? Anyone received any correspondence yet?

Isabella1881 · 11/01/2017 16:21

Nothing till now yet~ Any body get email?

Dixie2010 · 11/01/2017 16:55

Nothing yet either!

BKP28 · 12/01/2017 10:41

Good luck everyone.

Isabella1881 · 12/01/2017 10:58

Good luck~ no news yet,seems this year quite slow to decide~

Arghhelp · 12/01/2017 13:11

Anyone heard from Westminster yet?

Arghhelp · 12/01/2017 13:13

Oh God...are we the only ones who didn't finish Math and found it a little hard then? Eekk..not holding out much hope now.. mine found English easier and VR and NVR ok..

Dixie2010 · 12/01/2017 14:21

No news yet...! Gosh, this is quite tortuous! Good luck all!

Arghhelp · 12/01/2017 14:24

Yes!!!!!!!....oh dear......I just don't know what to do with myself...sitting here with phone in hand and checking the mail every few...good luck all indeed......

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Biw · 12/01/2017 14:57

Hi all

I have been offline past couple of days recovering after the Westminster exam! My son was happy with his composition but one never knows how he has done.... he said maths was fine, only circled a few questions on one page which apparently had some really mean division sums but he didn't have time to go back and check because he was busy doing the doubling sums at the end which he loves... Comprehension was hard and reasoning was fine.
If you haven't received an email by now the likely scenario is a no this time. Regardless of the outcome well done to all the boys. Honestly there are some 350 + boys who applied and only 45 shortlisted so there will be some very bright boys who don't make the list.

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Biw · 12/01/2017 14:59

If anyone was invited to interview and can help with any insights I would be very grateful!

OP posts:

Arghhelp · 12/01/2017 15:00

How did yours do BiW?

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