RGS Guildford 2016

[anothersurreymummy]

I am disappointed that there has not been a thread this year but so am stopping 'lurking'. Not want to give any specifics as maybe there is an extra exam day although this doesnt seem to be published anywhere but did anyone on Saturday ask how many Year 7 possible boys there were, as it is hard to tell who is for which year? It is pointless to ask 1 suppose as the boys are so differnet and with multiple choice method it's impossibel for boys to to know for certian anyway but the 'verdict' was Maths and English OK but the VR hard. I think January will seem a very long month.

[susie118]

Hi anothersurreymummy. I've been waiting for a thread to start as well ....! I thought there were 400 on Saturday or thereabouts .... My son thought the maths was the hardest .... agreed, its a long and tortuous wait!

[tillyho]

Went through this last year - happy to answer any questions

[Sassy56]

So did we!!

[surreygoldfish]

Good luck to all who are waiting. We've got two there and did 11+entry with one and 13+ with the other. The first time around we spent ages trying to work out odds and numbers - ultimately it's whether the school thinks your son is a good fit. It's working out great for both DSs so fingers crossed for you all - that wait for the post (or no post is agonising).

[IvySquirrel]

Also been there, done this twice, both 11+. Everything crossed for you, our sons are thriving there.

[ShannonB]

My son also sat the exam on Saturday - he found the Maths the hardest and thought VR was tricky in places. He seemed okay about the English though and the interview. I'd agree with susie118 that it seemed as though there were about 400 boys there.

One question I have to those who have been through the process before is whether all the 'no' letters go out at the same time or whether those who are recalled for a second interview, but then don't get an offer, still have to wait until mid-Feb to hear?

It's going to be a long, nail-biting month!

[tillyho]

last year there was an initial round of outright nos early on, but then those who went for second interview had to wait until 12 Feb which was Trinity schools posting day.

If you weren't in the initial nos and didn't get called for a second interview you were most likely safe. Didn't hear from anyone who got an unexpected no in these circumstances.

Good luck -its a stressful few weeks.

[ShannonB]

Thank you for confirming that tillyho - it's what I suspected but good to hear it from someone who has been through it.

[Sassy56]

Yes. The only time you'll get a shock is if you've applied to go at 13 and you haven't heard anything. I had a friend who thought she was safe but then got a letter when we got our yes letters asking her son to try again at 12. If you've opted for 11 and haven't been called for interview in first week or so, you're safe! It's a horrendous process. My son is loving his first year at RGS. Hard to believe we had that nightmare last year. Good luck!

[surreygoldfish]

Sassy56 - yes not knowing whether it's a 12+ or a straight yes at 13+ is tough. The boys I know that had deferral letters and did decide to go for the 12+ were successful - so it's definitely worth giving that a go if you find your DS in that position.

[chickindude]

Just marking place, we are waiting to hear.

[Princesitalinda]

My son found English and Maths hard, but doable and VR tricky. Who knows what that really means in terms of achievements, but ... that's his answer. As the second interviews are soon (19th Jan, etc) when are we suppose to hear anything? I suppose letters should start arriving don't they? Good luck to everybody, it seems to be a lovely school.

[haslemeremum16]

Hello all. I'm so pleased to have found this thread, thank you to OP for starting it. My son sat for the exam on Saturday. All I got from him was that the exam was 'ok'. He seemed pretty relaxed about it (unlike me!). We have just today received a letter for a 2nd interview (Maths) next week. Does anyone know what this interview entails and how he should prepare? Any advice will be most appreciated! Thank you :-)

[Cranby987]

Glad I found this thread, it's nice to know I'm not alone in this. Today we received letter for second interview (English). Not sure how to feel about it. Does anyone know what this interview is like? Is it going to be an oral comprehension, or test on vocabulary??? Any advice / experience would be greatly appreciated here too. Thank you.

[ShannonB]

I'm also interested to know what the interviews are like as we've received a second interview letter today. Out of interest, are the boys interviewed alone or in pairs again like on the examination day?

[pipnzip]

runs to post box

[pipnzip]

Damp slippers but no news...

[Sassy56]

As far as I know, certainly for Maths, it's in pairs. I think they might go over the sort of questions your son got wrong to see whether he can work out where he went wrong and show that he can actually do it. But this is just from what I gleaned from last year. Hope I'm not misleading anyone.

[Cfm2016]

We are also anxiously awaiting news! From reading previous year's threads second interview letters seemed to be received on the Friday, Saturday. So more maybe still to be received tomorrow. We've not had anything yet! I have a feeling straight rejections go out around same time. Anyone heard of any of those yet?

[Princesitalinda]

My son also sat the entrance exam for Salesian College. In comparison, he said that RGS was harder. He finished the exam, but he was tired and did not want to talk much about it... fair enough. I am crossing fingers, any other boy here whose son sat Sallesian? Today, no news... maybe tomorrow? Is no news good news in this case? good luck everybody x

[Cfm2016]

Postman just been and no letter again. Now waiting for rejection to come next week!!

[pipnzip]

Scholarship letters are being received too today

[maman2016]

Has anyone received no letters to date? We are still waiting.

[pipnzip]

... as in an invitation to sit another Maths and English exam (not multi-choice this time) and an interview with HM Cox/Head of Admissions. Not sure whether I'd laugh or cry!

For second interviews, it sounded from HM Cox on exam day as if they are really just trying to find out whether DS would thrive at RGS (maybe understanding more about their thought process/ability to learn quickly and apply knowledge) - I think they are pretty practised at knowing what to look for in a boy (whether tutored/well-drilled or not!). Not sure if that makes it easier or harder to bear as a parent...

I know my DS kind of froze-up in one of his interviews with an HM (not at RGS) where parents were present too - he became a bit monosyllabic in answers, very unlike him - and I did worry whether it was because I'd been chatting about 'things the HM might ask' on the drive there. Maybe he just had too much to think about in his head... and TBH very few of the questions we had talked about beforehand came up. So perhaps there's something to be said for letting the boys go in relaxed, being their keen and interested selves and treating it like it's a school day basically. Have I justified not doing any interview prep yet??!

Good luck everyone. Thanks for being a source of sanity and good sense at a very tense time. Fingers crossed that all the lovely engaged mums on this thread get their DSs in!

[Princesitalinda]

Postman's been and no post from RGS yet...long weekend. X