Kingston Grammar 10+ exam 2018

[nononsencemum]

Hi Does anyone know how many sat the 10+ exam this year for Kingston Grammar and when you can expect to be called back for an interview? Thank you

[derivaz]

Roughly 200 sat it and everybody will find out by 19th. X

[nononsencemum]

wow that is not that many! somehow I was under the impression that the numbers were in the range of 400. Thank you for the piece of good news ;-)

[nononsencemum]

although on a second thought it is 10 children per place - hmm not such a good news after all...

[nononsencemum]

does anyone knows how many are per place at 11+?

[derivaz]

There are 25 places available at 10+, so 8 per place. Roughly 800 went for the 11+ with 110 places on offer. So the odds aren’t much different. The exam is meant to be harder at 10+, but all who get through are able to enter the scholarship exam the following year. 40 people will go through for interview. I think that they do general interviews for those who did well, if you were weaker in an area you have an interview based on that weakness. I have heard that they are quite focused on VR as it indicates potential rather than what you have already learnt. It is so stressful waiting to find out. I love the school and really want my de to go there.

[derivaz]

Ds silly autocorrect.

[Sunshine5050]

Yehhh !! 11plus interview emails are out - good news for us.

[testbunny]

Re: KGS 11+ interviews, Does anyone know what sort of questions they will ask.? We've not been told (yet) whether it's a general interview or it will be subject specific.

Also, apparently, 400 have gone through to interview so definitely not out of the woods yet!

Thank you!

[Sunshine5050]

I know in the past they have asked "what do you want to do when you are older".

[helloallllllll]

We've got an interview too- rather surprised as DC completely messed up the English as didn't understand what it was about at all! I am therefore expecting we get an English focussed interview!
They'll be pleased though as we all thought it was a definite no and had totally written it off!

[derivaz]

Sunshine I thought they were inviting people to interview with a phone call? We are waiting for 10+, really didn’t think I would be so nervous.
Well done for getting interviews, will keep everything crossed for you.

[helloallllllll]

I assumed would be phone call but was an email saying would contact next week with time etc. The 'No' letters also came out today.
We also did the 10+ - we got a 'no' letter and don't know anyone who got an interview so don't know how they did that!

[helloallllllll]

10+ is really tough but they give you very good feedback on how your DC did (eventually...we got it in June!)

[derivaz]

Helloalllll, you got a no letter and an email for an interview? How odd. Or did you do 10+ last year? Sorry, I am probably being really thick. It’s been a loooooong day.

[helloallllllll]

We got an email for the 11+ interview today but friend got a 'no' letter today.

When we did the 10+ last year we just got a 'no' letter!

It's going to be a loooooooong month!

[Sunshine5050]

Yes same for me, got a no letter for 10plus in 2017 and eventually got good feedback from the registrar by phoning them and got a yes 11plus interview email today and know people who got a no 11plus interview email today. The 10plus is really tricky, they want a good VR score.

[derivaz]

Ah ok. That makes sense. I had heard that the 10+ is a lot harder. My ds found the English paper the hardest, so I guess will just have to hope for the best.
Brilliant that you all got interviews this year. 😊

[testbunny]

My friend hasn't a letter or an email for the 11+. weird, Yes, the 10+ is supposed to be hard. I heard the feedback in the Summer was a bit cryptic!

[nononsencemum]

Wow well done to all 11+ interview offers 👍 I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
It looks like this week they were ‚dealing’ with 11+ papers and so the next week it’s going to be 10+ turn 😑.

Perhaps the ‚phone calls’ only happen at 10+ stage since there will only be 40 interviews or so scheduled (as per website info) while 11+ numbers are so much higher so not really doable.

Needless to say I had my phone constantly next to me all this week and every phone call was giving me heart palpitations (lucky ppl whatsapping more these days than making calls as otherwise I would end up with a heart attack by the end of the week 😂🙈).

It all begins on Monday morning yet again - I have a feeling we are in for a rather loooong ride.... 🙏🍀😑

[nononsencemum]

And yes my DS found VR paper by far the most challenging (the others were ok). I wonder why they make VR so tricky to do?!

[nononsencemum]

He sat Hanpton School this year as well (10+) and found Kingston Grammar exam much harder (especially VR).

[helloallllllll]

If it's any consolation DC said VR was really hard at 10+ and they 'missed loads out'. When we got the feedback they'd done absolutely fine in it, relatively speaking, compared to peers. I think they were thrown by the format as much as anything as they'd never seen an actual paper, just bond books etc.
Were much more prepared overall for 11+ and they found it OK this time. (They must have done as English was so dire they must have done OK in Maths and VR)....

[derivaz]

VR looks at potential rather than what you already know apparently. As there is such a big gap between what is taught at private vs state primaries I think it is meant to give a better idea of who would do well in the future. Of course that doesn’t follow if some people haven’t ever seen VR papers before as they definitely get easier with practice. We have only done Bonds ones before, so multiple choice was a curveball. We aren’t looking anywhere else at this stage, so it is good that you get feedback if it’s a no and another chance.
I too will be staring at the phone willing it to ring from Monday. It’s ds’s birthday next week too, so if it is a no will have to keep it to myself until after.

[nononsencemum]

But derivaz imagine if it is a yes - what a lovely present for your DS would that be! :-)
We have only started looking at Bonds a couple of months before the exams as I was not sure whether i should put him through 10+ exams until the very end.. very pleased I did since he will now have much better idea as to what expect at 11+ stage (feels like it will never come :-)).
Fingers crossed for both of our boys - we should know one way or another this time next week...

[derivaz]

You are absolutely right Nononsencemum. Let’s hope we will be clinking glasses at a new parent event soon! fingers crossed for all who have interviews coming up.