Latymer Upper

Rather helpfully, I've just seen that I posted the letter on this thread a few weeks ago . And can confirm that it says results will be by email.

I think the sheet given out at the interview said they would be emailing the result tomorrow. But can't find it to confirm!

I do believe it is a letter. It says so in their website . Results should have been posted today. Fingers crossed...

Anyone know if it’s an email or a letter for LU tomorrow? X

@user34254356 - I don't think they're expecting the kids to know what the picture is, but rather see how they approach it, think about it and try to give some explanation for what they can see. I could be incorrect, but I feel the dc can completely misinterpret the picture but get a good result because of how they have studied the clues and guessed at an explanation. My dd had never seen the pic before but made a guess about what it was. She's had similar in other interviews and they've usually been quite bizarre pictures that can be read in many different ways. It's a way of seeing how the child thinks and responds to stimuli rather than a question of getting the perfect answer. My dd also skipped out of the interview, but as it was the last I think that might also be the reason!

My DC came out smiling from the LU interview yesterday but not sure if that was sheer relief that the whole process is over! Although billed as a ‘getting to know you’ type interview, my feelings are that they asked quite grown up questions even just related to hobbies etc. I guess they are looking for something special in these kids. Just hope DC did enough... long wait now 😩😞

Cross posted. Thanks givemesomwineplease. It's true my DC also found the Latymer paper as the toughest one of all the assessments and we were pleasantly surprised to have an interview call.

Fingers crossed!

It's hard to say but my DC didn't know what the picture was and the interviewer didn't really give any hints. Seems like they would select DCs who were able to recognise the picture?

I guess we just have to hold tight for two weeks and hope for the best!

I've always heard Latymer is a tough interview @user34254356 so don't necessarily write it off. Thus I wasn't expecting a gentle 'get-to-know' you type experience. DD's interview sounded challenging but she seemed reasonably happy with her responses and said the teacher was very nice. She's had a couple of similar interviews so I think she's got more used to the unexpected nature. Long wait until 14th - all fingers and toes are crossed!

Hi user3425! It’s so difficult to try to guess how the interview went, right...? I mean, I asked DS about it but did not want to question too much... Didn’t want him to feel anxious about the outcome or feel that he did anything wrong if the result is not what we are hoping for (all the kids are true stars and have shown true grit just for coping with the process... the schools have to “split hairs” when making a decision). So I kind of “played it cool”, you know? He did say that the interviewer was very nice and that he had to enact a passage and talk about a picture, that he was asked about hobbies... He walked out feeling good about himself. Fingers crossed...

How did others find it? My DC found it tough so we are not feeling very hopeful.

Thank you @Jbliwecd1! Really good luck to your ds! It's a nerve-racking time. Just read that the results will be sent by email rather than post on Fri 14th Feb.

Thank you so much @givemesomewine! Good luck to your DC!!! x x x

Here you go @Jbliwecd1

Hi everyone! Went to LU this morning for DS’s interview and the school gave everyone an A4 paper with some info about next steps (I think!). It mentioned three possible outcomes etc... I lost the paper... Would anyone be able to tell me its full content? Many many thanks...

OP, you could call the school at this stage and ask for clarification? There are some pupils there who are on part-bursary, part-music scholarship. There are others on part-bursaries or full bursaries and you might possibly find you’re more eligible than you think?

I do apologise if I came across as dismissive, but I just think it’s useful to be realistic because it’s stressful enough at 11+ as it is. One if my DD’s once got an “academic scholarship” from a Girls Consortium school, but it was only 5%.

I have known Putney High to give 2 scholarships to the same girl at 11 plus eg. one academic and one sports, but again, I don’t think it’s more than 5/10% in each case.

OP, don't feel bad, you've just frustrated some people by hoping for a huge scholarship to this particular school when it doesn't exist - whatever someone may have said to someone else in the park.

A bursary you can hope for if you're eligible. If you're not eligible you can logically afford to pay the fees, even if like many, many families you'll be skint afterwards. Maybe it's best just to look for another school that offers huge academic scholarships, though I'm not sure many exist any more

Spring2020, I think that what some of us object to are comments such as “if we started to earn more, would we be expected to pay something towards school fees...?”. Just think about this for a second... How do you think that that comes across?

I know two families who told me their DC got 100% scholarship at LU. I know them because our DCs played together in a park and/or went to the same after school activities at some point during their primary school age. So we would exchange a friendly chat when we bumped into each other but they aren't my friends and I don't know their full name/school/where they live. But I know from our small talk they both had a cleaner and a nanny and their DCs seemed to be alway busy with extra curricular activities so I believe it's a scholarship not bursary and both said so. They seemed very very pleased with the outcome. I didn't really think twice about it so believed up until now. But I'm not sure now after reading all the things written on here!

Thank you so so much, loonatnoon!!! 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

@anewdecade I'd just have a general chat about what you like about the school with your ds, not telling him it's interview prep. He will mention what he remembers and likes personally in the interview and it won't sound too contrived

Once you've got an interview I'm not sure the odds are worst than any other school because the year group is much bigger than some others- Hampton is a smaller year at 11plus and they have prep school and 10plus places. Still not good odds though!
I love the fact that the school is more diverse than some others and their whole bursary programme. Haven't really talked to DS about it though in terms of positives about the school. He is actually quite thoughtful about wider issues like that but I can't help think that if he brought it up at interview it might sound a bit like he was copying what his parents said rather than something that was coming from him. Am probably over thinking it all!

Jb - but the 45 prep places are on top of the 130 or so places being offered. 350 is less than they used to interview and for 130 places, surely they must have to make at least 200 offers? So not bad odds?
Good luck!!!!

Hi loonatnoon and anewdecade,
Apparently LU had 1330 applicants this year and invited 350 back for interviews. Didn’t realise that 45 places were going to pupils of prep school. Oh dear... Odds just got substantially worse...