Upcoming girls’ independent SW London schools 11+ exams

Thanks @BookShark. I’m sure we will get it in the morning at some point. I shall be refreshing emails regularly!! Yes, we did already have our online slot booked in as it was the time when DD had originally been due to go into KGS to sit the exam. Hope you get confirmation of your online slot soon. You’re right, I’m sure admissions are manic sorting out all the DCs that had been due to sit exam at own schools.

@Dozymum2020 Nope, but we have had an e-mail saying they're working on allocating us an online slot - it sounds as though yours has already been allocated though. I get the impression the team are pretty frantic, so presumably you'll get your link tomorrow morning - if not, then I'd chase the admissions team. I know exams are going into the weekend anyway, so I'm sure they'll find a way to fit you in, even if there are issues with the slot you've been allocated. All very stressful!

@BookShark Have you got the links yet for the KGS can tomorrow? My DD is doing it tomorrow pm but we haven’t received anything yet from Mercer Mettl. I’m wondering if I need to chase up ASAP!

I think DS did CAT4 early in year 7 for streaming purposes as they didn’t trust the SAT scores! He didn’t do any prep for it and seemed very unstressed by the process.

DD should’ve done it at the end of year 5 but didn’t due to lockdown...

Emanuel has just withdrawn its paper based test and gone to fully online. More details tomorrow apparently..

My DD gave CAT last year and it’s much easier than ISEB . Not adaptive or time pressured .
It is very similar to the GL familiarisation packs online .
Maybe they are using CAT scores to compare with pupils whose references have their previous CAT scores as mostly all preps do it at the end of year 5.Just a guess !

The interview and creative writing have been done already - DD's interview was abysmal and, in hindsight, we should have done a lot more to prepare.

Sorry - it's not onsite - it's online (from home) and that's why they can't do the ISEB because apparently the ISEB can't be invigilated remotely or sat outside of a recognised test centre).

Does anyone know what the time pressures are like for the CAT4? Does she have to work fast, or is there plenty of time?

This is so odd .. I thought the question was that they can’t make the girls sit the test onsite . Why would they change the format and still do it onsite ?

JAGS have just emailed to say that exam will go ahead tomorrow, but will be CAT4 verbal and non-verbal reasoning only, plus their interview and creative writing test.

I don't know what to think. How will they be able to compare that data with the girls who have sat ISEB already and done maths and English as well (both are strong points for DD). Plus, will they share this with SCHS - who have already said they will not be placing as much emphasis on verbal and non-verbal reasoning.

SWPS cancelled all their exams and are basing decisions on a 10 minute interview!

Epsom College are going ahead with their ISEB exams on site this week. Just heard. Very surprised!

I agree - it’s not essential travel and it pales into insignificance compared to the mess that senior schools students are facing with cancelled GCSEs and a levels. This should have been a good opportunity to sort out the senior school application process in the south east because frankly over the years it has become quite ridiculous - instead it has become even more stressful and ridiculous for the poor DCs involved and I am dreading the fallout which will undoubtably result in more stress and worry for a large proportion of us....

Sending positive vibes to your DD @Flossietea !

@Lindseylovescake optimism and caffeine are the only things keeping me going right now!

It will be interesting to see if we are still ‘allowed’ to pick up the Emanuel papers.

I just checked my emails and Alleyns won’t let us know until 22 Jan regarding 2nd stage.. so it looks like the first piece of data will be PHS for us..

@Stircrazyschoolmum, I really love your optimism, and i'm going nuts about it too. However, sadly, if they are cancelling exams, closing schools and banning us from leaving our houses (as they quite rightly need to), then travel so some of us can get our independent school entrance exams done, will not be added to the essential travel list! Just think how that would look in the press. Sadly, I think the boat has sailed and for those who didn't bring these forward, we'll all now be doing them remotely in one shape or form, or perhaps being assessed for entry through another medium altogether. I for one would not (even with the despair this is causing my DS) condone private school entrance exams to be essential travel.

DD is sitting the Surbiton High School exam right now and it seems to be going smoothly as far as I can tell given she’s sat at the kitchen table with a teacher invigilating via Teams! What a bizarre time this is.

I am jubilant because this is our last exam! So ready for this process to be OVER. Just interviews (hopefully) to go...

@Iateallthesmarties894, snap! Tbh, i'm a bit annoyed about the situation, it's not just St.Cats, but another school DS has been studying for have now also 'postponed'...

Let us not kid ourselves, "postponed" really translates directly into "panicking to come now up with some half baked alternative".

No matter how clever schools might be, such as the powerhouses of JAGS etc. is frankly poor that they, with whatever deluded or arrogant thought process, believed this wouldn't happen after the xmas holidays.

We actually did the remote interviews yesterday for another Guildford Girls School, having done their ISEB test back before Christmas... Thank the lord they saw the writing on the wall, otherwise we'd be in a right pickle with no other (certain) options!

I’m just thinking aloud, but given WHS, JAGS and CSHS all have prep schools (that are currently closed) and JAGS had allocated 6 girls to a computer suite, if they spread the exam out over a few days and used their prep facilities as well as their own, they could have 1 or 2 girls in a classroom and get it done pretty quickly?

I think the gov would allow this under essential travel for education and there’s no risk to returning pupils if they are not back until after half term!

Also waiting on PHS and Alleyns who had deadlines at the beginning of Dec..

KGS was over three consecutive days, starting today. Everyone was meant to be sitting it at school? I hope they are more on the ball for tomorrow’s exams! I’m still livid about how they messed things up this morning. So so unfair on the kids

I thought KGS was tomorrow? We haven't been sent any links as we were meant to be sitting it at school. No answer from the admissions department as yet, but I'm guessing they're gradually working through it all. Fingers crossed we get the information in time to sit it at home tomorrow!

I totally agree. Kudos to the schools that got this all safely out of the way while they could! DS doing his KGS online exam - not even sure it’s the right one as they sent out new links this am which didn’t work. Argh! Really changes your view of a school!

We had the pre-test for St Cats Bramley cancelled late last night (was supposed to take place on site today)....they haven’t cancelled, just postponed so I am not sure what the solution will be. It’s so frustrating as DD was ready and I had hoped to get this out of the way so she could then focus on another pretest in a couple of weeks time which is a completely different format. DD is fed up and I feel she has lost all motivation...I can’t help but feel that the schools should have ALL acted pre Christmas - it was so obvious that this was going to happen in January and the fact that some schools don’t even seem to have a back up plan is not a good advertisement for them!