Is it too early to start a 2016 girls 11+ W/SW London thread?

Shirleycantbe WHS today- Lots of girls, about 50, from whole variety of schools. Impressive words from headteacher, then girls off for group session. Slightly off the wall questions to test their thought process, be creative, ability to speak up, etc.

Stage 1 done, am glad that bit is over.

Annoyingly headteacher told girls not to do lots of practice NVR and VR papers over the Xmas hols - not v helpful for the panicky parents!

The worse really was not the exams themselves, but the preparation involved, the competitiveness of it all and the stress and pressure poor DS was put under. I can't imagined how I would have felt if he didn't get the offers from the selective schools but just the back up ones that he would have got in anyway without any practice papers and extra work.

Have just come across this thread and am having a wave of deja vu! My DD went through the 11+ last year so I may be of some use to those contemplating the madness that is the West London independent schools' admissions season! I would absolutely say that 3-4 entrance exams is more than enough; along with interviews, music auditions and the like, you'll find that January disappears. We applied to indies and state schools to give ourselves plenty of options and although I really didn't like any of our local state schools, my line with DD was that whichever school she ended up at would be a new adventure, with new friends, where she would do well. She did have her own views of each school we looked at - and they will do at that age - but luckily, our views generally coincided!
I feel I do need to say that the picture given by an earlier poster of the interview day at Latymer Upper was not at all our experience. They were super-friendly, super-organised and in fact I found them to be like this right through the admissions process. They have loads of sixth formers on hand to help out on interview day and while DD was in her interview, I had a chat with a lovely boy. It was all quite nerve-wracking but that was because I was desperately hoping that we would get offers from at least some of the schools we wanted!

We did three schools that ds would get into on a good day. Which also meant that they were three schools that he could fail to get into on a bad day. There were no obvious back-up safe options for us to go for that were preferable to the local states.

For him three was absolutely enough/too much. He was knackered. He also missed a lot of school (3 days for the exams then two of the interviews were on weekdays). I didn't make him go back to school post exams, though apparently some private schools insist that pupils return (which is harsh).

His schedule was 3 hour exam on a monday, 3 hour exam on the Thursday, 3 hour exam on the following Monday. Friends who did our three plus another had an exam on the Wednesday. Maybe everyone else's children are tougher, but that would have been too much for my fragile one. He also went to a state primary so had very little experience of exams which made them more tiring still.

As it is, he was interviewed at all three and offered two (including the favourite) so it was all fine in the end. However, I did feel bad when I thought he'd get no offers and perhaps I should have made sure he had an ego boost from a less academic place.

I would say it totally depends on the child. DS did 6 in a breeze, DD1 will do none and stay in her mixed ability throughout school, and the jury is still out for DD2.

We did the 11+ last year and sat for 4 schools as our head suggested. Two schools DC should get into on a good day, 1 school DC should get into most days and 1 just in case everything went tits up. We ONLY chose schools we liked and although the top two were obviously our hoped-for choices, we would have been happy for DC to go to 3 and 4. In the end DC was offered places at all, BUT the experience was very very tiring and super stressful. I just don't see the point of applying for 6. Don't underestimate the effect it has on your child - and on you.

mummyinatizz - I haven't even registered yet! We are going to the Open Day on Friday so was going to register after that if DD still keen.

Good luck and let me know how it goes!

Hi Shirleycantbe - we're off to WHS for group assessment this week. Have you had yours yet?

We did 6 private and 2 grammar for DS last year. The grammar were our free mocks as they gave feedback early. In west London 6 private is not unheard of (4 selective and 2 back off) It was really difficult not to succumb to the sheer competitive madness of it all. Ds took it in his stride and it was not at all tiring. He was glad to miss school TBH. Good luck to you all!

I'd agree that 6 is too many. We did 4 and that was ample - you only need 1 yes. It's easy to panic and sign up to do more but with the benefit of hindsight it's not necessary. Mind you I do think they get into the swing of things and get used to the whole thing so for some children doing more doesn't necessarily mean they'll be washed out. It really depends on your child and how they deal with the pressure. My DC enjoyed the whole process, particularly having time out of school and going out to lunch after each exam!

I'll give you my honest view. Six is too many. It's a tough and tiring process and it all happens in a very short period of time. If we had added in two of the schools in your list dd would have had exams every day for 6 days running. Even if you do not have that it will be over around 10 days. There are pretty much 2.5 hours plus of exams per school (2 x 1.15 seemed to be the norm), but you have to get there early, its extremely busy and the arrangements can be a bit chaotic, add in a break and a complicated collection arrangement due to said crowds and it is an exhausting and somewhat bewildering day for a 10/11 year old who will often know no one and have no idea where they are. Repeat 6 times?

Nearly every school will throw in an interview as well, which adds to the process (our first interview was only very shortly after the last exam). As a very minor aside, DH and I had to take quite a lot of time off work between us over the period as well for exams and interviews, another reality check as to why 6 is not a great idea.

She is good at VR and NVR though timing is still an issue and I wish I knew more about which type of tests Wimbledon do.

Her maths is good - getting over 80% in most past papers at this stage but Englush varies wildly from 91% if it's short answer comprehension to in the 50s when it's longer answers with essay.

Yes - 6 schools - I know! It's fairly normal amongst the kids I know, only a handful are doing less. It's not ideal I know but since all these schools are so oversubscribed I feel we need to maximise her chances - especially as she's got this speed issue.

Thanks for the advice!

Shirleycantbe - are you really going to do 6 schools?

We have been advised to do 4 but I think we are going to do 2 private and then state

My DC went through the 11+ last year and goes to one of the top ones on your list Shirleycantbe! Maths ok but not particularly strong but English very good. Your DDs Y5 levels are in the right range and sounds like she is on track so maybe she just needs to get some extra help with exam technique? This can make a lot of difference.

WHS is just VR and NVR - will that help?

Is she good at maths? My (anecdotal) experience has been that a very strong maths paper gets you a long way and is much more useful in the process than a strong English paper.

Hi! I hadnt noticed this thread had come back to life. We are having a panic about our school choices - we were advised to go for the academic SW London options by our primary school (Godolphin, Latymer Upper, Putney, WHS, Surbiton and Ibstock as back up). But dd isnt doing particularly well on English practise papers - mainly because she only completes 2/3 of each due to her processing speed issues. I simply cant see how she will get into any of the top 4 unless her performance improves dramatically. So wondering if we are just setting her up for disappointment.

Does anyone have any experience as to whether children make leaps in progress over this term? She was working at level 5b in maths and 5C in English at the end of year 5 so doing well. She was assessed as in the 99th percentile for English in her last PiE assessment at school - but she just cant seem to translate it into 11+ timings and structure.

Does anyone know what sort of numbers apply for Godolphin (our favourite in a dream world)?

Off to see St James and Francis Holland SW1 over the next week or so with a view to softening the list....

We are all already feeling stressed!!!

Hi there
I'm so sorry I posted about applying for overseas and didn't really make much sense. We won't be deferring, she will be sitting in 2017. DD came from a London prep so we know the scene quite well - which is probably why I'm panicking!
I haven't contacted any schools as yet so I'm not sure of the attitude to candidates coming from overseas schools. We will be moving back lock, stock and barrel with her but also considering boarding option.
My biggest stress right now is that her school doesn't really prepare her in the way London preps are hothoused. Or am I wrong in thinking this is the case...I've seen some of the maths they do in Year 4 in her old prep school and it is no different to what she does, if not maybe less demanding. Does Year 5 suddenly shoot up in standard and do they start test papers non-stop? I have tried to ask my 'friends' back in England but surprise, surprise, noone wants to divulge...
Thank you!

I'm thinking about all this for dd1 in a few years time. But she's at a primary where the head thinks they should all go to local schools, so there's no support at all. How do you know where is likely to be a good fit academically (as in, what would be your stretch option as opposed to your safe option) if the school won't / can't advise you? I can work out what will suit her in other ways but I've no idea how to calibrate the academic stuff.

Thanks for all the info. Had thought about Woldingham - anyone I know who goes there, started as day pupil and now weekly boards at £4k extra per term, gulp! Its their open morning this weekend, undecided as to whether to go - as someone said earlier, don't pay the reg fee/complete the application unless you really are going to do the exam!

Saw Kingston Grammar on Sat, liked it, bit cramped, but nice kids and teachers but for us it falls into same category as Emanuel and thats just a walk away.

Still to see JAGS, PutneyHS and StreathamClaphamHS before deciding which to apply to.

Houseisfallingdown I totally understand, but weekly boarding is worth looking into, even just to dismiss it. Most schools offer a bus service on a Friday evening as well as a return shuttle to the railway station which means when girls are a bit older they could opt out of Boarding and go day but my observations are they love boarding and so do mums and dads once they've got used to the advantages.
It's just the awful pressure London parents and their children endure, which I would hate. I've heard girls sitting 6 entrance exams with hundreds of other hopefuls. And interviews. What's all that about? A good Head will get what she/he requires from the confidential report from the feeder school and the entrance exam. If in doubt she/he will pick up the phone and ask more questions. Interviews are great for little miss Confident at aged 10, but can mean agony for lots if others who may simply parrot what parents have told them to say.
I know London parents on behalf of their sons and daughters sacrifice a lot at top London day schools including outside space to play, sports facilities etc but there are other options which tick so many boxes.

If you're close to Clapham Junction, Woldingham is within reach even as a day pupil (about 20mins on train, station is at perimeter of school (700? acre) grounds, though I've heard that most pupils slide, by choice, into weekly boarding.

Pennybrite- I went to full boarding school and loved it and I think DD would actually love it too. I think weekly boarding might be a good compromise but DH would (probably) never agree to it!

Please don't forget the weekly boarding option! There are excellent girls' schools an hour away from sw London which have acres of space, amazing facilities and get fantastic results. Your chances of your DD gaining a place without sitting multiple entrance exams with all the associated pressures are so much higher. You may, understandably, feel you don't want to 'lose 'your DD at 11+, but weigh up the advantages and disadvantages before dismissing the idea. Also the extra cost isn't as bad as you might imagine once you factor in daily travel, after school childcare, after school clubs etc.

I went through this last year and will be doing it again in 2017
I would advise do no more than 3 schools if the exams are all in the first week of January. By the third one they'll be knackered and start messing around ime.
Don't "choose" the one you want until you have the offer letters. you can only choose from the offers you have.
Take your state options seriously too. in the cold light of February you may find you choose it after all, it happens a lot.
Good luck!!