Upcoming girls’ independent SW London schools 11+ exams

DD sat Ibstock at home today which was slightly nightmarish. The instructions were that no other tabs should be open but the test launches from a link the school sent in an email so we had to have that open, then an extension add-ons was required to allow the invigilation software which popped up in a new tab, and there were pop-up tick boxes flying around everywhere so in my haste to shut down all other tabs I inadvertently shut the test down - twice.
Then having launched it for the third time there was then a requirement to scan in proof of id for DD which we'd not known about, cue huge panic trying to find something suitable as DH keeps passports at the office (weird I know).

It was a massively stressful & flappy start to the exam for both of us - I left her to it and went and had a lie down in a cool room upstairs for the duration.

Let this be over!

@Stircrazyschoolmum - the Dulwich maths papers are great because there are 6 of them with full marking schemes in the form of a hand annotated question paper which is invaluable as it shows how many marks are for the correct answer and how many are for workings (which DD refuses to show)
You could skip the first 5 easy questions to cut down on time. The last 2 are always the scholarship type questions and are quite tricky.

@dazedandconfused11plus thank you! Ones with answers are always a bonus!!

Morning @Stircrazyschoolmum you could try St George's Weybridge for maths, and Latymer Upper for English. Also Manchester Grammar generally useful as contain answers. Good luck, hope the exams go well!

Happy Monday!

Best of luck to anyone doing exams today!

If you know a school with 45 min (as opposed to 1 hour) specimen papers would you mind listing it? We’ve pretty much exhausted our supply and most of those were an hour.. I’m concerned DD adjust her speed to having less time.. the trickier maths questions and the essay risk not getting completed!

Happy new year to all! Just to echo what pp have said, this thread has been invaluable in what has been an incredible stressful and unpredictable year. Congratulations to all those who've received offers (and invites to interviews) - that must be such a relief! Also sorely tempted to pull one of the exams coming up, but several of DD's eggs are in the ISEB basket, which is again is so unpredictable... Very much looking forward to this sorry saga coming to an end...!

It did occur to me that there will be some surprises thrown up in the school offers this year, with many DC receiving offers from their 'aspirational' choices while others not even offered their 'realistic' choices. Obviously this happens every year for a number of DC, but I imagine there will be more randomness in the school offers for this cohort.

From the point of view of the schools (especially the super-selective, which live by their grades in external exams), perhaps this 'covid cohort' will be on their radar even more than normal, which could translate into earlier intervention at the first hint of students struggling as they go up through the year groups - so possibly our DC could benefit from this extra focus and intervention.

I read somewhere - unfortunately can't remember the source any more! - that the optimal selection is based on two (equally weighted) components: exam + interview/reference. This year schools are either confronting an absence of exams (e.g. FHSS, SPGS), challenges in administering exams at home (e.g. Radnor, Emmanuel), or unequal environments in which ISEB has been administered. As such, I would imagine SAT and CAT scores will play an even greater role than normal in the selection process - as that's the closest data to an exam. But likewise, the interview and reference will also be significant. Definitely a challenge for the admissions teams this year, and no doubt they will be working around the clock right now...

Best of luck to all the DC with exams still to go. At least the most grueling part is nearly over!

@PatoPato - I really feel for you and your dd, fingers crossed she gets the offers you want. Does she at least have a reference and / or CAT scores? I think the worst position is DC from state primaries that have neither as it really puts it all on the exam / pre-test.

@Losingthewill01In terms of the WHS waitlist, when dd was on it I was told it was in order of the stage 1 test results with girls bumped up or down a little depending on stage 2. I don’t know how that translates to this year. But it is true that there is a lot of movement, from memory (and I could be wrong) the people on that year’s thread who had been told they were in the top third of the waiting list all got offers.

@Losingthewill01 the trick to getting on waiting list is to get through the first stage filter. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of anyone getting an offer if they didn’t get past this stage as they let a substantial number through.

This year some schools have combined their first and second stages and interviewed everyone, or have used ISEB as their baseline. For each school your friend has applied to they will be able to look at the stages and provided they reach ‘final stage’ will be on the WL if not offered a place. I believe once this happens admissions will give a steer on their position and the likelihood of a place coming available.

In some cases you have to have nerves of steel, be prepared to pay 2 deposits or make a strong case for why a school is your favourite. There tends to be movement once the grammar places are announced and parents weigh up the cost/benefit. This year, it might be considerable depending on the financial state of society!

@ Corblimbea thanks I will let her know! I just realised I tagged myself instead of you above! It’s been a long day!

@Losingthewill01 would say definitely get them to email the admissions registrar and let them know they would definitely accept if offered, that’s what our friends did and they got an offer a few weeks after the main offers went out.

@Losingthewill01 Thanks I was asking for a friend. I’m new to all this it’s a mind field!

@Losingthewill01 last year WHS went to waiting list for loads of girls at our prep, as did other schools. Our head says if really keen on a school and on waiting list, to let the school know - it can get you metaphorically ‘to the top’ of the waiting list - in preps a head can email the head of the secondary school to plead the case. I know this happened with a friend’s DD last year and she got an offer.

The school should be able to tell you to fly how many offers they have made that came from the waiting lists.

Can anyone explain the waiting list scenario for independent schools? Is the list ranked in entrance exam results? Do many people gain a place if on a wait list in your experience if they didn’t successfully gain an offer? Thanks wise people

Happy New Year! We're also in the midst of this. What an absolute mess! Trying to think of it as an opportunity to model resilience in the face of unexpected change for children. Not sure it's working 🙄. Good luck to everyone with exams and assessments, on or offline. At least we are now some way through the process!

@Stircrazyschoolmum I feel quite the same as you on trying to work out whether or not to withdraw from Emanuel now too. I think they are anticipating many will feel this way as far from ideal and hence why they ask mention the withdrawal protocol ask on their letter last night. I don’t envy them or any other school in the slightest either as must be very difficult for them to navigate and changing circumstances on top of running a school. Tough all round. What to do??!! I think my DC had even lost interest and impetus now...

Similar to Radnor House
I still think these convoluted workarounds are better than scrapping the exam and going on Zoom interview like SPGS & FHSS - you still get the chance to prove yourself on paper

Hopefully this whole circus will be something we can look back on and laugh about. But not for a very long time

@PatoPato you have to pick up the papers in a three hour window by surname and return them the same way the day after the exam. Papers must be opened and sealed on zoom call or candidate is out of process. Exam time table will proceed exactly as timetabled but at home.. I.e three exams back to back in home environment. Snack to be provided and permission to be asked to use the toilet. God forbid your wifi goes as exam will need to be repeated.. parent not allowed in room and child may be asked to demonstrate no helpful materials in room.. fml.. I want my registration fee back!!

I agree. I don’t think I would be able to stop my DD from having an almighty breakdown mid way through as being at home sitting any exam just wouldn’t feel like an exam to her. Wishing all of you lovely mums a Happy New Year!. Thanks for all of your kind words and support!. Let’s hope this whole saga will be well and truly over soon.

@Stircrazyschoolmum - sorry if it's been detailed up thread but what is the process for Emanuel? Though I'm on the floor with disappointment about the changes that have been forced up on us I'm still quite fascinated about the variety of approaches the different schools are taking.
I went on that 2 hour run and my toes are still bruised today - must have really pounded the trails of Richmond Park in anger!

@stellagibbons that is brilliant news. You must be soooo relieved.

JAGs have just confirmed the ISEB will be going ahead as planned next week as per DfE guidance and there will be no more than 6 candidates per room. I'm so relieved.

@Stircrazyschoolmum I agree with the process - there is no way DD would focus at home in the same way she would at school/ an exam venue. Let alone the fact that we are open plan with two younger DC so would have to find something to do with them to keep them completely quiet for 2 or 3 hours!

Ps.. happy new year lovely ladies.. couldn’t be going through this without you all!

Hmmm, sorely tempted to bin Emanuel but without any knowledge of how ISEB has gone it feels like a gamble.

I don’t have a gripe with the invigilation process per se as I get they want to keep kids safe. I’m not sure they understand the difficulty in getting kids to follow the process though.. it’s their home.. it doesn’t feel like an exam.. they are 10! If DD has a meltdown mid way through what do you do?! Perhaps having someone on camera will make them behave differently but from the email sent there seems like plenty of opportunity to invalidate yourself!

Sorry it has been such an anxious time for al. It has been really consoling to see the support here and to vent our frustrations on the whole maddening process...Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and a brighter time ahead and deserved success for our DC’s who have worked so hard and tirelessly whilst adapting to all the changes and demands made upon them!!

So the chat over on elevenplusexams.co.uk/independent schools is that the non ISEB Consortium schools have pulled and are selecting for interview on the basis of school reports. It's a bit of a blanket statement and doesn't hold true for FHSS who were always going to interview all applicants anyway.
I've no idea on what basis the statement was made but there is reference to a number of schools in the consortium that have pulled. I'm tapping away on my phone (in front of crap NYE telly) so can't do a clicky link but it might be worth a look. Though unless you've heard from your school I wouldn't trust hearsay....they can be a bit intense on that website