Westminster underschool 11+ interview help please

Hmm, 'go' was meant to be a - there

Oh wow, @Jane077 it sounds like your ds has a chance of lots of offers! My ds had the exams for city, but not an interview. Tbh I really disliked city, as I felt that the kids would never see daylight, so I was kind of relieved he didn't get through, but it does limit our options and ds was sad as he really liked it there (the science labs won him over!).

The whole thing is so demoralising and stressful though - I just wish it was over one way or another!

And yy, I knew what you meant re buildings and not worrying about it yet go just worded my reply badly, so it sounds like I was disagreeing with you instead of agreeing! 🤦‍♂️

I looked up the exploding offers last night and saw Highgate got an 'honourable' mention! It's such an unfair system as it prioritises the parents who can afford to pay 3 or 4 deposits while they decide what the best option is. I also saw the horror stories about (I think channing) where all the places had gone within 24 hours! So unfair! And thank goodness my dd isn't old enough for all this yet!

Yep that was meant to read I’m trying ‘not’ too think about it too much until we actually have offers to consider (easier said than done though).
I know Highgate is known for its exploding offers, which is one of our other favourites. DS had an interview at City straight after Westminster today which he said went well and he enjoyed. But that’s another one I’ve always worried felt very urban without much space for the boys to breathe and kind of relax.( Plus it’s strong on Stem which is great but DS is more about the arts subjects). But think that says as much about me as my DS. I grew up in the countryside and like space. I knew parents of City boys who have been delighted with it.

I hate the threat of exploding offers, so I really, really hope Wus doesn't do those! I thought that was a girls' school thing... Have you heard otherwise?

Absolutely, re building/vs teaching... It's probably not worth worrying about any of it until any of us (well, our ds') get an offer.

Sadly I wasn't there today (I was at work chewing my fingernails down!), but I'm so glad the other parents seemed nice. 🙂

I’m sure there must be a chance to properly look round the big school before accepting an offer. Im trying to think about it too much until we are actually faced with an offer although you’ve then got to work our quite quickly what you want to do, especially with rumours of exploding offers at some of our other top choice schools.
And in terms of buildings, of course I realise that what happens inside a classroom is way more important than whether it’s a bit pokey in proportions, but the space does affect the feeling of a school. It all felt very 1980s to me. I spoke to a few really nice parents while we were waiting for interview which I guess is a good sign (now wondering if one of them might have been you!)

Another school we looked at has open mornings and taster days for offer holders, so I'm wondering if Wus do anything like that too? If so @Jane077 perhaps you (and I tbh) could have another good look round! It's a lot to pay if you haven't really seen it...

Hi @Jane077 I'm so glad it went well for your ds too. Whatever happens now at least they've had this be a positive experience!

When I went on the open day to Wus it was the first school I'd seen and tbh yes, compared to the other schools we saw later (City, St Paul's etc) it is really very cramped and a bit 'rabbit-warreny'. E.g. The science labs, which are normally generous in these schools are v small rooms.

But I haven't seen the senior school - I did arrange a tour, then my 'd'h said I was really wasting my time as ds was v unlikely to get a place, so not to bother - so perhaps they're more generously sized?

@leeloo1 DS came out pretty perky too and enjoyed the session. Felt a long way from our home though and just can’t imagine him schlepping down on the Victoria line there every day.
Glad it went well for you. Has your DS been round the Under school? Mine hasn’t and he wasn’t massively inprsssd today. He said it felt cramped but I’m sure he only saw a tiny bit of it. The two teachers who interviewed him were really nice he said though.

How did your ds get on today @Jane077 (and anyone else who's had their's today). Mine came out feeling they'd been very nice to him, so he was happy. 😊

Omg @Jane077 - I just looked the fees up again! 42k pa for boarding is scary! I had a brief happy moment when I thought sixth form was 10+k pa, then I realised it was per term! 🙈 With 7 years of those level fees we could buy them a house instead!

I think we find out about the bursary at the same time as the offer. But apparently there's a 'bursary home visit' (🤯 scary, but I guess to see if I'm secretly living in luxury) on the week of the 10th - though I guess if we don't hear about that being arranged they won't be making an offer.

You're right, it's one of those schools you can't really turn down, but... Oh well, fingers crossed tomorrow goes well for them all.

@leeloo1 I am similarly conflicted. I think it’s because WM is the kind of school you generally don’t turn down even if it’s an inconvenient choice and barely affordable.
When will you find out about bursary? Hope that goes well for you.
I also will be relieved in many ways if DS isn’t offered a place (assuming he does get an offer from the two other schools he really likes). It’l be difficult for my other kids and I do worry a bit about it’s central location and all that commuting on the Tube. Actually think my DS would be up for weekly boarding when he’s a bit older, but by goodness have you seen the yearly cost of that?!

@Jane077 goodness yes, maybe don't mention the Saturday school just yet then! 😂

I'm feeling more nervous as its getting closer to the actual interview tomorrow!

I can't decide if I really want ds to get a place (as it'd be amazing, really suit him academically and he's set his heart on it - he's desperate to be with 'boys like him' who love reading and debating) or hope he doesn't (as tbh I really can't afford it and I'm not sure if we'll be offered a bursary that will make it affordable, or that doesn't mean I end up with no pension or... food/a roof over our heads!). This whole schools thing is such a stressful dilemma!

Sorry - sent too soon. Meant to say gioe he has chance to look around before making decision.
Also thanks for clearing up about entry into great school. Exactly, one less thing to worry about.

@leeloo1 I think if I tell my DS about Sat school I won’t even get him to the interview on Monday 😂
We didn’t make it to the open day at WS. I thought there was such a slim chance my DS would make it this far, but I’m now regretting it. If he was lucky enough to be given an offer, I hope there’s a chance for him to get a feel for the place.

Hah @songeur and @Jane077 my ds also prefers talking to writing. There is definitely a theme here!

We'd have a similar commute @Jane077 and I do worry it'll be too long - especially when they start doing more clubs and things in the evenings. My ds has just twigged about Saturday school starting soon if he gets a place and was less than impressed. 😂

On the plus side we were told at the open day that it's automatic entry to the great school now if you start at 11+, so that is one less thing to worry about (if they get in!).

If you get a place at 11+ now, your entry to the Great School at 13+ is conditional only on good behaviour and working well at WUS. They are all expected to (and do) go on to the Great School. The boys who join earlier than 11+ (ie at 7+ or 8+) are not guaranteed a place at the Great School until after they do the tests in Y6 but once they’re in Y7 they’re treated the same way as those joining at 11+. There are of course some (about 10ish each year) of the 7+/8+ joiners who by choice go on to Eton, Winchester etc in Y9 instead of to the Great School.

@songeur thanks for info. I think if you’d done all this rigorous testing at 11, it is highly unlikely they would manage you out at 13.
My child is a v chatty one too who is not wild about writing so he also liked the exam as it was short.
I would love to know what kind of commute you would face if your DSs went to WUS. I’m worrying ours is unmanageable and stressful for an 11/12 year old. It’s about 40 mins mainly on Victoria line. Just can’t imagine DDSdoing it twice a day.

Hi @songeur! I was told by the school that admission in Year 9 in not guaranteed, as WUS Year 6 pupils need to sit tests alongside 13+ external candidates... But let’s face facts: this is just a safety “get out” clause for the school... I have absolutely no doubt that all nice, hard working pupils in WUS are accepted into the Great School! Good luck!

Bear in mind that Great School is also very expensive!

Thanks @Jane077 and good luck to your ds too. I suspect he may be right and Highgate is more relaxed, but it's such an accolade to our boys to have got this far, that even if they don't get an offer or decide to go elsewhere, they should be so proud of themselves. And yes, the fees are really expensive - and I'm not 100% sure what they offer that it needs to be 3k more a term than elsewhere?

@leeloo1 ha! maybe Westminster is good at spotting the bright, but lazy and haven't-been-stretched boys. Good luck to your son for the interview.
My DS is in fact very keen to go to Highgate (he's been interviewed but not heard back yet) as he thinks it'll be more chilled out and fun. If he is offered Westminster, we'll have to persuade him it'll be fun and not hard work all the time. It's also a worse commute for us, so that's an issue. And it's bloody expensive!

@Jane077 - you've described my son too! He's so bright, but reluctant to work hard if he's not engaged or if he can negotiate his way out of it!

I'm so hoping that he gets a place at Wus, where they're used to encouraging these bright boys who have been allowed to coast at primary school.

Mine has an interview at Wus for 11+ next week and I've gone from elation to panic that ds won't show his best side to the interviewer!

I'm pretty sure the format must have changed, as the email says "We are inviting approximately 60 boys in for an interview and that will be with me or a member of the School’s Senior Management Team."
Its also only 20 minutes long.

@songeur how did your ds find the exam?

@songeur My DS is also being interviewed on Monday. It's slightly thrown us as I didn't expect him to get this far through the process. I wonder if anyone ever turns down a place at WUS?
It's not an easy commute for us and I'm also a bit concerned about how hard DS would have to work if he joined WUS and whether he'd make it into the senior school without that being a painful process too. He's at an average primary now. Would love to hear from others with boys at Westminster. Is it fun too, as well as highly academic?
My DS is bright, but quite lazy when he's not engaged and has never really liked too much hard work (!), prefers chatting/StarWars, although he has risen to the challenge of 11+ exams very well.