January Entrance Exams

I have successfully prepared many children for top independent senior schools' maths exams (having taught maths at several independent junior schools). If any of them had used a pen to complete a maths entrance exam paper, I'd have been most annoyed.

Personally, I think its a ghastly way to conduct school admissions - the process isn't particularly kind to children as it is, although some schools do go out of their way to try and minimize the stress.

Its also a sign of the times, I guess. A shortage of secondary school places in West London? An increasing level of anxiety and panic amongst families?? Not sure, but it definitely feels wrong.

It seems a number of people still get caught out each year, with the exploding offers, even with them pointing it out in the offer letter. I agree it’s not fair and the schools should have a better way of controlling the offers and numbers of acceptances.
Other schools manage it, so they should be able to as well.
As for notifying parents as they get closer to their capacity, this only creates a state of panic and God help you if you don’t have access to the internet at a pertinent time.

Yes, CLGS is already full so offers are going to waiting list if you haven’t accepted.

CLGS already expiring apparently

KGS are doing it this year, see other threads.

AFAIK CLSG and Highgate do this, but it's explained in the offer letter. Haven't heard of it being an issue at any boys schools.

I would think they would tell you if it was an exploding offer...I've never heard of this and would think totally unfair if not pointed out! My DS offer letters have a deadline of 5th March so as far as I'm concerned he is entitled to that place until that date.

Never really heard of exploding offers, before. That must make life difficult, especially if you are waiting on March allocations as well. Do the schools that do this make it known? I.e. Is it communicated to the Parents' of DC that have been offered places, so they know the urgency of their responses? Or do they just get a shock if they've responded too late? I think the pre-test is probably a better idea.

Interesting comments earlier about rejections in one school / while having scholarship interviews at others which are very selective. I guess the numbers of spaces, whether there are people coming from junior schools and just plain performance on the day all count. My DN who also sat JAGS, didn't get an offer at all, but is on waiting list for Sevenoaks. ( I've always thought of Sevenoaks being a lot more selective than JAGS, but I don't know why, we've never been to Sevenoaks). DN also got offers with scholarship from 2 other schools and passed the Kent grammars. I guess also the schools know what they are looking for.

If you want CLSG, I’d respond quickly. They’ve had exploding offers for at least three years now. I think they probably ought to consider some sort of computer pre-test to whittle the numbers down. Great school but a poor admissions process which isn’t kind to the children. They need new strategies to cope with the numbers.

We have our second choice offer in with an academic scholorship! First choice one comes next week so lets see. But DS is feeling much more relaxed having this under his belt as coming back from being abroad from many years he was so concerned he was behind the UK standards. So feeling happy today as he's happy and thats the ultimate goal!

very happy over here with an offer from our first choice for our DS which is Whitgift! Good luck when deciding

We live in a fairly urban area so I think I liked the idea of her travelling in the other direction more.

Well done her getting an offer to CLSG - I met a girl being interviewed for a scholarship at another school who hadn't even got an interview at City.

Both journeys are decent - a few tube stops on one line. So easy enough either way. I really love the idea of her going to school in the heart of the city. Still waiting for the others so maybe there won't be a choice!

I think CLGS are still operating an 'exploding offers' system. If it's your first choice, you'll need to accept fairly swiftly.

Congratulations to everyone on good news, it’s decision time

Good news here. DD got offers from all schools she sat. Can’t wait to tell her later

And thanks Elibean for your congratulations. Although it's hard applying from a state at the same time I think one's spared a lot of the aggro and comparisons.

Backing which is the easier journey of City and SHHS?

I did like SHHS's building especially the astro pitch that seems so central to all. I really wanted to like City as it's the nearest and I like that it seems the least 'private' but dd didn't particularly enjoy the taster day there and I felt it would be madness to apply to such a selective school if we weren't sure about it.

That said, I know plenty of parents who rave about it and their daughters are delightful.

Huge congratulations to all that have positive news today!!

Ok thanks love2dance. Wish ours were all arriving today! We are in the midst of planning our move back to the UK and knowing which school they are both going to would really help the limbo feeling we are in right now!! Lol! JL said they would be emailing the results rather than posting as we are abroad but not had anything yet.

sighing she liked the feel of it and the architecture and the friendliness. I do know where she is coming from. I thought she would love City and she is pretty academic so there would be a fit there but it's quite ugly as a building and I think it just didn't speak to her!

Also I asked the teachers at CLSG what their biggest challenge was and they all said the pressure the girls put on themselves to be the best at everything including who's got the longest hair and who did the most lengths in the pool! I'm sure that's the case everywhere to a degree these days but I didn't get that sense so much at SHHS.

Anyway, as I say, she wants SHHS and I wanted City so if she gets other offers we'll have to have a think.

Hi Thak, yes for 11+.

Love2dance is that for 11+? We are waiting for 13+ and told that St. Albans would be next week 16th.

Well done everyone!
No news from JL but an offer from St Albans so very pleased and relieved. It will be nice to give DS some good news later.