Upcoming girls’ independent SW London schools 11+ exams

@MumsRule20 I doubt much will be done maybe an email to say the issues have now been resolved etc. I don't see them cancelling it again or changing it all to being non invigilated. I hear it's not all the children that experienced technical issues just a particular group.

@Bimbamboosh7 we enquired whether registration fees would be refunded if someone was to pull at of the process at this stage. Not possible, the fee is non refundable.

@Stircrazyschoolmum not stupid at all I have wondered whether they should have sent the exam by first class post (less easier to share as I would assume no one would be crazy enough to take pictures then share them) and require the envelope remained sealed until invigilation commences. It may have been more reliable than the current method.

We did the Jags creative writing at home, no invigilation and that was emailed with instructions not to share and a time limit. Whether all followed those instructions and no assistance was given, we will never know, however I think it's easier to tell with creative writing whether the child completed it alone or was aided. There's also the option of contacting the current school for the child's past written pieces to get an idea of how they usually write and then comparing it with what was written at home. Let's hope everyone was honest though as you said, some parents may indeed assist their DC.

It was emailed out today. It’s sitting in a friends email box right this minute!!

@Stircrazyschoolmum don’t worry about that as the paper isn’t being emailed out, they have put it all online now since they scrapped the hard copy paper collection and drop off from school.

So, all accessed via Zoom - they will send a “link” via chat when applicants are logged in

@Brot64 and @MumsRule20 perhaps this is a stupid question.. so please flag it if my thinking is flawed..

If the exam papers were emailed out, what would stop someone sharing them if incentivised to do so? I realise there will be a second set of papers but general format - number of maths questions, format of English questions etc etc Would be of great interest to those yet to sit and a great practice paper for pacing...

I realise most parents wouldn’t share as its shooting themselves in the foot, but some might? (I guess there was an element of risk that format would be discussed regardless)

@ Brot64 that’s so incredibly unfair! Surely they cannot expect anyone else’s child to sit it with an invigilator next week when it sounds like a free for all today! They should have cancelled the minute the problem arose! Would be interested in finding out what they do about today in terms of marking!

I’m not sure what is worse - trying to run a long process with complicated remote invigilation in an attempt to keep the same exam content...and having it go horribly wrong. OR changing the process at last minute in such a way that makes it impossible for a child to prove themselves? St Cat’s decision to scrap their math, science, English and VR papers this week and replace them with a 30 minute, remotely invigilated writing exercise that needs to be typed and not handwritten doesn’t feel particularly fair either....but I suppose at least it has less chance of going wrong. Unfortunately DD can’t type at all (I should have let her have a phone or an I-pad!!) so she has no chance - I am thanking god they we have a good state option to fall back on and at this moment in time I almost feel like pulling out of the process and demanding my registration fee back.

@LittleOverwhelmed Oh my, unbelievable and so not acceptable. The whole thing should have been scrapped. Not only amateur but just such a feat to expect to run smoothly on first trial. The process should have been simplified. As if we don’t all have enough to contend with in today’s pandemic and so tough on the kids, all this running thorough hoops business @Brot64 Good to know and let’s hope they do the right thing. Whatever that might be. I am super keen to know generally what to expect, but don’t think that can be shared here :(

@MumsRule20 yes I will be enquiring on Monday. Just waiting to hear if there will be any email from them about this, though I doubt it.

@Brot64 just awful. I do hope it can get flagged up to the school as not fair otherwise they may think we / everyone else are none the wiser. It isn’t acceptable. Will you be enquiring on Monday?

Geez - with all these remote tests having technical difficulties the whole thing looks like a total disaster! How on earth are they going to be able to fairly compare candidates? Hats off to the schools that saw the writing on the wall and switched to ISEB and interviews pre Christmas.....

@MumsRule20 just did sorry had only seen yours and was too upset to look further. As far as I know my friend's DC did the entire exam without invigilation because they couldn't log in to start with. DD's best friend (different child) also texted to say she was supposed to do the Emanuel exam this morning but there were problems. That was at 9.30am, come 11am she texts to say she couldn't FaceTime because she was going to have a quick lunch then start her Emanuel exam. Another from the same prep apparently did his partly invigilated and 2 subjects not invigilated, and an hour later. He also has time until 3pm to submit!

I mean seriously it's a disaster, I have lost all confidence and it doesn't make it any better that the children are communicating this between themselves .

We are due to do ours next Friday. My DD has lost all interest and is complaining about how unfair the process is. We will focus on the interviews we already had, one more we are still to have and the other ISEB ones. I find it difficult to take Emanuel seriously now but as they wouldn't refund the registration fee we will still do it on Friday.

@Brot64 have you read @Stircrazyschoolmum posts from earlier on this all? Thanks for your update. I, too would have be delighted with no invigilation, but stir and myself both have ours sitting next Sat and am rather miffed if we don’t have the same treatment. It can’t be allowed and it will be interesting to see what the school do about this all now as the format etc. has to stay consistent for it to be fair and acceptable. Such a shamble. Please do let us know if you hear anymore. Not sure what to do...

Oh and I am fuming particularly as the said friend was rather thrilled that there was no invigilation. I am not suggesting any wrong doing but nonetheless am sceptical!!

So sorry to hear about the Emmanuel shenanigans, what an absolute nightmare!

It's finely balanced for us. Our local state option is very good, and DD is keen to stay with her friends - most, though not all, of them will go there. It's also a factor that she's bright but not top set material, I'm slightly worried about her bumping along the bottom in a selective school and starting to think she's stupid. There's also the financial factor; we can pay the fees, but our holidays for the next seven years will be much less exciting, and one of the things 2020 has shown us is how much we value travelling.

On the other hand, this past year has really screwed over most state school pupils, and if I can buy her a more consistent education for secondary, I feel I should.

A friend's daughter and son did the Emanuel exam this morning, we are due to do it next week. Their exam was NOT invigilated due to technical issues! Surely this cannot be fair? Wonder whether those that were not invigilated results will be looked at different. This whole thing is beginning to look like a joke.

We're taking DD's views into account, but we've agreed with her that the final decision will lie with us.
In the unlikely event we get offers from all of them, we'll be choosing between 4 schools - 2 private and 2 state (and I guess we've already ranked the states because we had to for the CAF). DD prefers both the states over the indies BUT the vast majority of her friends/ class will be going to one of the states so she is far more familiar with those. It helps in some respects that it is highly unlikely all of her group of close friends will end up at the same school.

Yes, best to not get too caught up in it all for now & let’s try not to worry too much. Keep me posted on any updates. X

@MumsRule20 I’m honestly not sure.. I guess the existing cohort are going to be somewhat distracted until 15.00 so it will be interesting to see how it plays out.. but of a PR disaster for the school.. I seem to remember they cocked up the maths papers last year with some kind of printing error.. doesn’t inspire me with confidence tbh!

I’d like to think the school will issue a statement on Monday.. too many Chinese whispers at present to know full implications..

@Stircrazyschoolmum Wow, am truly gobsmacked. Head spinning stuff. Am glad I have you to keep me in the loop. You are totally right, it seems now extremely unfair as it has to be invigilated all round as not fair on the combined cohort. There was always the prospect re: online and Zoom invigilation rather than online exams using Metl (with inbuilt detection). Cause for concern now 🤨

Will any said parents and those booked for
week be raising this with school? They won’t be able to use different formats for diff groups.

@Corblimbea I personally think, one can do all the right checks and research and hone in on intuition when visiting schools, ask the right questions, but essentially you or DC never truly knows what it will be like until you are there and have to hope for the best that you have essentially chosen the a school
where you feel sure she can thrive on all levels and look beyond the appeal of facilities, status and gloss.

I also think it is important to allow our children a say in the choice and the final choice includes a natural negotiation / sensible discussion and mutual agreement (hopefully). The parent will have absolute final say based on that and the financial / pastoral care offered / extra practicalities etc. are massive deciding factor too. As the process takes quite some time to go through, it all naturally unfolds and sometimes you discover one that you or she may have loved and felt a right fit early on, actually becomes less so and then also dependent on what gets offered. Then one has to look at the choices available in a different light altogether, but it becomes a lot clearer on the fit at that later stage? Also to remind DC it is never about where your friends are going and essentially no guarantee yet of where those friends will end up. In secondary they adapt and make new friends and will naturally keep the ones if they are worth keeping.

@MumsRule20 Our WhatsApp threads are going mad over it!! Hard to get a true sense of what happened right now.. I’ve seen a suggestion that only one ‘room’ was impacted and another that all exams were stopped. It crashed mid morning and initially invigilator said exams would have to be completed in another date but then the school emailed and told candidates to continue with a deadline to hand in at 15.00.

Parents of those impacted are spitting as how do you prove no cheating? Parents sitting next week also deeply uneasy as firstly exam could revert to paper and secondly how to ensure a fair process and level playing field?

@Corblimbea I think it’s a really interesting question (and a nice distraction from the waiting game!) Due to lockdown Im the only one in our family that’s seen all our schools. DD and DH have seen only 2. DH has really liked one ‘online’ but was surprised (and disappointed) at how cramped the site was when we did a drive by.

We are state so with the exception of a couple, DD will be the only one or one of very few to go.

I’m holding out for offers.. which may well make the choice for us! One advantage of DD not having seen them is she doesn’t really have a favourite, she just wants one to want her!