Online 7+ exam Westminster Under School

Why don’t you do the same?

My son is sitting. Yes one can cheat but remember the real bright ones will be weeded out in the second round interview.

Agree those real bright kids can still be singled out during the second round, but how about those who could have been in the second round but don’t go through because others manage with “a bit help” from adults

Normally they invite 50 to the second round for the 22 places. But they may well they invite a larger number of kids through to the second round the avoid any boys being disadvantaged through other boys been given a helping hand. But as another poster has said, they will weed out any boys who will have been given a helping hand in the first round. They may well also take into consideration of feedback from the current heads to corroborate the exam result. All I can say is that I feel really sorry for those parents who have been given this last minute curve ball and wish you the best for next week.

Agree that school report is another issue if WUS puts too much weight on it. I hear my friend’s experience in the past that her son’s school didn’t provide report to their target school because they didn’t want the boys leave before their 11+ or 13+ and my friend was lucky because the school was less concerned about the report and still gave the offer. My worry is many boys may not be that different for interviewers to pick up if any has got help during exam (say if a parent only helps with one math question). Most of them are quite smart anyway if they are ready to sit this exam

Did they have to put the answers straight into the computer without being invigilated?

How was the exam today? My DS found English to be a bit tough given that he said rest of the children were quite bright. Maths was a cake walk for him and his interview was quite good by his standards. He is from a state school. I don’t think he will still make it. This is about 7+ WUS

My son said English was hard ans Math was easy. Some children are still doing interviews tomorrow.

That matches his description of things. Ah, I didn’t know that they are still continuing the process tomorrow. Do you know when the results are out?

My DS has Latymer tomorrow but he is probably not going there even if selected.

I don’t know when the results will be posted.

We have an online for another London school. Headphones compulsory and you need two devises, one behind the child and one they are working on. There are invigilators watching live so no one can cheat, or at least very hard to. Are they not doing the same?

@DirtyDancing
No, they aren't. That is a good way of dealing with this online test mess. My DS passed written on St Pauls and Latymer (which weren't online) so I trust his capabilities to an extent. I wonder how many cheated in the tests and to what extent. Best of luck.

Heard the results may be released this Friday

@MsMeanwhile Do you know the number of boys who were called back?

@MsMeanwhile

Would be nice if they can get it done by fri.

They said 60-70 instead of the usual 50. I think it might be coz it was online.

@StrugglingPa I massively sympathise, my DS has prepped hard all over Xmas, with little time off. He’s now got a CAT4 exam at the weekend, for which he’s never seen before in his life and we got 6 days notice. It’s a complete mess. I’m literally having sleepless nights over it now.

Hello all,

Just wondering how did your boys feel about the second part of the session yesterday i.e. small group interview ? Each kid hardly got 3-4 mins to speak, how much can they get an idea of boy's personality in such a short time ?

@annalenav. very likely to be at least 60-70 as @StrugglingPa said. I think there were around 3-4 groups yesterday. If there is another session today, then at least 60 but think might be more

@TAFZMom my DS thinks the other boys in his group are quite smart. We are not from feeders or independent schools, so guess our chance is slim

Thanks @MsMeanwhile. Fingers crossed, good luck to all our boys!

@annalenav - I agree there could be more than 60 if they want to have a look at the children a bit more closely and discount their written scores a bit.

@TAFZMom - We are in same boat. I have heard this earlier and guess that is what my DS came up against yesterday - participants for WUS are highly tutored. Their writing is grammar intensive which isn't the case for state schools. Not upset at the prep schools. It's just that I feel if that some schools might prefer prepped children.

His Latymer just got over and guess that's going to be a done deal as he was quite pleased. Shame that we won't send him. It was just half-hour with the headmistress but it must be more than enough for her to judge with her years of experience.

Agreed @StrugglingPa, 30 mins should be enough for any teacher to analyse the potential of a student unlike <5 mins. So, will the results be announced on Friday for WUS ? Also, any news on parents meeting on Thursday ? What it is going to be about, given that they have already conducted virtual sessions back in Sept/October 2020 ?