Reeds 11+

If you have offers for all 3 go to the offer holder mornings. I think they are very different in atmosphere. The heads are very different and the head is an important factor for me, they set the tone of the school.

Academically I think they are very similar to me Epsom seemed more pushy academically but that wouldn't suit my son as he doesn't need the additional stress.

No football at Reeds which some love and others would miss.

Thanks for the thoughts. Any others are welcome.

@Surbitonlady, Epsom stronger at rugby (major focus). Other than that they all play on the same circuit, run A-Z teams, see sport as being important for development. There is no difference apart from Reeds is just hockey, Epsom/St J football. Academically, Epsom historically get the stronger results. So co-ed v boys, location, flexiboarding etc

@Surbitonlady , Reeds won TES IS Awards 2020 Sports Award on Friday night in London, you can find all the results on Twitter. If nothing else it means the sports budget at the school will be protected / enhanced.

My ds had offers from Epsom & St J's a few years ago & I agree they are similar, I would go for shorter journey due to long day / Saturday school.

Hi. Does anyone on here know which school is better for rugby/cricket - Epsom, Reeds or St J?
Also glancing though seems like they are all the same academically. Would you guys agree?

Thanks for any insight.

@paranoidmum123 we got our Reeds 13+ letter on Thursday.

Has anyone heard from Reeds today regarding the 13+ entries? I believe they were posted yesterday.

Yes, they value them, but they seem to be more interested in how much a child will involve them self in school life. My head has been talking to many admissions departments/heads in our area.

@trinity0097, how do you know that secondary schools have not placed much importance on outside school activities? have you had direct feedback?

Any standardised score, e.g. CATS or GL Progress tests, InCAS etc would get put on a reference by an independent prep to a senior school. The senior school may redo tests, or elements of, but it’s all part of the decision making process when they have hundreds and hundreds of applicants.

What has come across loud and clear this year from senior schools is that outside of school extra-curriculars are not nearly as important as what a child does in school, I.e. they want to take on pupils that will actively engage with what the school offers.

Hi yey22! Thank you for the clarification. DS has a mean CAT4 of 133. It’s very good and I’m very proud, although it’s certainly borderline/lower end of the spectrum for the super selectives. I guess will do neither good nor harm if included in DS’s prep school reference letter. Will probably all hang on how cohort performs in general and performance at interviews... Thank you again!

@yey22 thanks

CATs scores are from VR and NVR tests so if this was part of the entrance exam they will have a CAT scores. If primary/prep school have a child’s CAT (not all schools will) they will put it on the reference.

@trinity0097 is a CATS test what the boys sat on the entrance exams day at Reeds?

Yes @Jbliwecd1 I'd like to know the same. DS started at private prep and now worried his CAT score will be taken into account for private school choices and send to admissions.

Other DC went from state to private secondary and no CAT scores involved.

With respect to the CAT4 scores... Does anyone know how it works...? Do primary/prep schools inform to target secondary schools each candidate’s CAT4 score? And do target secondary schools take these into consideration...? Thank you!

It was much more competitive this year. You really needed a CATS score of at least 125 to get an place, possibly in the 130s for an 11+ place.

I agree awful process. My DS managed an offer with a sports award. Competition was the highest they have ever seen. I love the school but my DS thinks he wants co-ed...😬

Hi. Yes we heard today. Got lucky with a music award. Hope everyone’s DS are ok. What a rubbish process.

Has everyone received a letter from Reeds today? As I didn’t get anything...

@mcmooberry your message meant a lot. Thanks my love. Your positivity is wonderful. X x

@Didsomeonesay your son will do just fine somewhere else (as will all the other boys who didn't get in) Well done to you for keeping things low key and not making him feel like a failure.
I only came across this thread last week by accident, have never heard of Reeds but thought I would check in as it was results day!!

We’re waiting for 13+ too - I think they’re due to be posted out on Wednesday. The 11+ results coming out today have made me even more desperate to know!!

We are waiting on Reeds, Halliford and St George’s but have gone for 13+ entry so results not posted for another fortnight

@logfire2020
The maths get worse the more I think it through.

• 70ish places at year 7 entry.
• Approx 10% rightly set aside for foundation applicants.
• Approx 12 for scholarships if you assume 2 for each in academic/sport/drama/music/art/head teacher award

That brings it down to 50ish places which approx. 400 DC are competing for (if we assume they had 400+ total applicants and that the scholarship offers are almost all accepted as you might think likely).

On top of that, their criteria make it clear family connections (eg sibling or parent who went to the school) help them decide who to offer to when considering candidates who’ve both met the requirements (fair enough - if my elder DS was there, I’d want them both at the same school).

The odds aren’t great and I’m really worried about the impact on our DS if we leave him hanging on the waiting list.

I think we have to use this weekend to recover and then find alternative options that we and he can get excited about - instead of him feeling like he’s waiting on luck.