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Original poster

Newstead wood 2015 cut off

40 replies

Buttercups2 · 02/03/2015 19:33

Anyone know what the cut-off may be for Newstead Wood this year and how we find out whether our DD made the waiting list and where she may be on it?

DD passed 11+ for Bexley and passed Newstead test just above historic cut off but no grammar place offered, got 3rd choice which is a state comp!

When DH and I sat 11+ as a children it actually meant something!

Gutted.....

Well done if your DD got in though! Would you share your DD score so we can ascertain where we may be?

Thanks x

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MrsPatmore · 29/01/2017 14:29

Maro11, I'm not sure how to pm you, but if you pm me then I can reply re; tutors.

PettsWoodParadise · 29/01/2017 14:14

Hi Maro, with a DD who joined recently - you don't always need a tutor for NW. Familiarisation is helpful especially for the NVR but that and a few mock tests to help identify gaps in knowledge that you can then focus on should be sufficient but it does depend what standard they are already at and how good is their vocabulary for VR. I also work full time so it is perfectly possible with a child who wants to do the tests. I don't have any recommendations for tutors but we did try out Explore Learning briefly and it wasn't a good fit for DD as it was too noisy chaotic and the computer system just didn't seem to adapt to gaps in her knowledge like it was supposed to. Good luck. If I can help with any other questions you have about the school or admissions then so just ask on here or by PM.

Maro11 · 29/01/2017 12:06

I realise this is an old thread sorry, I am looking for a tutor for Newstead wood, I live in Bromley, any personal recommendations would be great, thank you

Original poster
Buttercups2 · 19/07/2015 08:13

Thankyou CamelHump!

Smile
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CamelHump · 18/07/2015 22:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PettsWoodParadise · 18/07/2015 18:32

Those following news about Newstead may be interested in the latest Head suddenly departing - they are not having much luck keeping their Heads recently! www.newsteadwood.bromley.sch.uk/docs/Letters/WholeSchool/To_Parents_from_Chair_of_Governors_15_07_15.pdf

Thymeout · 16/07/2015 22:33

Good! I'm sure she'll do v well there. Smile

Original poster
Buttercups2 · 16/07/2015 21:22

Hi Thymeout

I think after all the ups and downs of the whole year 7 application process and having looked into the results of all 3 schools and weighing up the travel time as well as factors such as having local friends and greater independence from day 1..... We are going with the local option.
Yes it's Langley Park which is an excellent school. It's very easy to get swept up with the whole 11+ grammar game but at the end of the day we are fortunate to have an excellent option closer to home. However when we filled out our CAF form we weren't sure we would be within Langleys catchment as it can vary by 0.2m each year, but it turned out well in the end.

I want my daughter to feel happy and excited about September and Langley is the school that has made her feel that way.

Good luck all!
Smile

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Thymeout · 16/07/2015 20:45

If Townley is that good, why is it relying on Beckenham girls to make up its numbers, to the extent of laying on a coach service? If the comp your dd has a place at is Langley Park, no contest, imo.

I know several parents who entered their dds for the Bexley tests, as insurance in case they turned out to be out of catchment for the Bromley school they wanted, but, although they passed, in the end opted to send them to, e.g. Bullers Wood, because, looking at results by ability range, the Bexley Grammars weren't worth the extra travel time.

PettsWoodParadise · 15/07/2015 19:57

Thanks Buttercups, good luck with whatever you decide. x

Original poster
Buttercups2 · 15/07/2015 18:32

Hi Pettswoodparadise!

We are in Beckenham BR3 ! We can only realy consider Townley because they have a new coach service from Beckenham to Townley starting this September otherwise we wouldn't even have tried. But DD loved Townley over and above NW and because of their history of being undersubscribed it was really the only option of all the Bexley grammars for us.
We have family that way so may well move in that direction ourselves eventually and because there is only 1 girls grammar option for Bromley residents we went for both 11+ tests.
But the comp she hasa place at is ranked in the top 10% of the country.... So the dilemma is a tough one!

Good luck next year!

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PettsWoodParadise · 15/07/2015 16:52

Buttercups what a dilemma. I can't advise. If it was my DD I would go for Townley but then you know the angst and possible pain this might cause. You know your DD best go with what you think best. Congrats but what a dilemma. I may have this to experience next year so am following with interest. If you feel comfortable saying would you mind mentioning how far out from Townley you are, I see from the booklet released this week as of June they came out under two miles after years of being undersubscribed.

Original poster
Buttercups2 · 15/07/2015 15:46

Well here's the thing.... DD has today been offered a place at Townley! Our/her first choice way back when!
But the dilemma now? She is now unsure about whether or not she wants to go.
She was devestated in March when she missed out on both Townley and NW, it took weeks of pastoral support to engage her in her 3rd choice offer (which incidentally is an exceptionally good and very local girls Comp). She has since attended induction events there met her peers and likes her soon to be form teacher.
So before committing to buying uniform (which I did yesterday on the advice of the school who said their suppliers often sellout of sizes until term starts!) I checked where she was on both WL's and she was no10 2 weeks ago on Townley and this week 5 on NW (both previously 30's).
So today's offer is astonishing from Townley!

Ok so the uniform can be returned so that's not the main issue.

But how to work through the wound that had begun to heal?

Sigh ????

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robinia · 24/06/2015 10:26

PS. Newstead do set for some subjects. Maths definitely.

robinia · 24/06/2015 10:12

No news but just wanted to respond to ChlorinePerfume.

I have children who went to both Newstead and St.Olave's. Regardless of exam results it's my opinion that Newstead is by far the better school. It may lack the facilities because it doesn't wring every last penny it can out of the parents, nor does it benefit from an 'old boys' network or funding from The Dulwich Estate.

But the girls there seemed to me to be much better cared for. Their welfare was the paramount concern and the staff listened to them. There's also a much greater emphasis on things outside of lessons. At Olave's everything seems competitive with little room for doing things for enjoyment alone.

Before every Open Day Olave's puts out an appeal to parents to come in and do painting, general maintenance and ground work so that the school looks at its best - otherwise you might find plenty of dust on their PE equipment too!

I realise that most people don't need to know how the two compare as it's not a choice between one or the other(!). I just see a lot of comments on the lines of Olave's is better - exam results are way better - without knowing the full picture.

PettsWoodParadise · 23/04/2015 08:20

Any news from people who got offers to Newstead in the second round allocations? We are going through this next year so interested to know any trends.

Haroldhadrada · 15/03/2015 10:54

The fact that Townley currently has a waiting list doesn't mean that it won't be undersubscribed by the end of the academic year. Townley always has a waiting list at the point of the first round of offers but by the end of the summer term, once all the shuffling has finished, it still has places to fill, which then go to girls who have just missed out on the pass mark.

fleurdelacourt · 12/03/2015 10:48

2 girls from our school got into Newstead in May last year - the waiting list does move a lot between now and September so if you're just a few points off, then hang in there!

Original poster
Buttercups2 · 10/03/2015 23:35

Daddypaulo
Thanks for your support!
And yes DD is in the 220 ranks for NW so in the 30's on the list so we'll see.
We've yet to find out where she maybe on Townleys list....

Such fun Smile

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Original poster
Buttercups2 · 10/03/2015 23:24

Bexley not Beckey - annoying autocorrect error!

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Original poster
Buttercups2 · 10/03/2015 23:22

Hi everyone

Thanks for taking the time to comment. I feel reassured by many, I know good secondary Comprehensives do exist as I went to one a lifetime ago..... However as DD sat and passed 11+ in both Bromley and Bexley we had hoped (perhaps too much) for a grammar place. However our current offer is for an 'outstanding' Bromley comp but even so not our first or second choice..... So I think it's only human to be disappointed .

We have heard that NW cut off can lower as the summer progresses, however we also put Townley as DD was so impressed by it and was most likely the only Beckey one that we had a chance of getting in....

So no, Townley is no longer undersubscribed as of this year! It actually now has a waiting list too!

We will wait and see what happens. I realise that kids who want to learn will do well wherever they are, I am just disappointed in a system that is not adequately serviced in available places year on year yet still dangles the carrot.

Keep posting ! Rants and all ! It keeps us all engaging and opening up to each others opinions.... Ulien you too! Wink

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ChlorinePerfume · 10/03/2015 13:29

We looked at Newstead, many moons ago with DD1 and I have to say that I was not impressed with the school. There was so much dust on the PE equipment you could write on it. When I said that they had a lovely field backing on to the school they said that they were not allowed to use it because it did not belong to the school.
The girls who showed us around said that the school opened at a certain time (can't remember what it was tbh) and that they were not allowed in school before that time. When I pointed out to the girls that the opening times for the canteen stated opening time 15 minutes earlier than the said opening time for the school our tour guides went totally blank. These girls may have been very good at passing tests but they could not think on their feet and did not come across as bright imo.

We only sat Newstead as a backup in case she had a bad day in the Bexley test and she had a high enough score. It was just not for us.

PanelChair · 08/03/2015 00:17

Newstead Wood is too far away to be an option for us. They don't (as I understand it) set for any subject "as all the girls are by definition top set material", according to one parent I spoke to. And yet I've heard of girls there getting Cs at GCSEs, which of course isn't terrible at all but seems at odds with being a super selective.

debjud · 07/03/2015 10:50

fwiw - DD achieved 3 A's A level at her v average comp.(plus several others who got mixtures of A's and A's) - now at RG uni. She was a late bloomer - at age 10 she didn't get into local selective. No tutoring, mixed ability classes mainly.

Pooka · 07/03/2015 09:47

rely rather than rarely.

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