Part 2: SW London Girl's Indies 11+ Pandemic Panic!

Aaargh not SchoolBase sorry! SchoolBlazer!

Just had an email from SchoolBase (uniform supplier) saying they’re doing a 30% off sale on blazers, trousers and skirts starting next Monday. We’re going to LEH which sells uniform through SchoolBase so I will be stocking up! Thought I’d let you all know in case you’re LEH-bound, or your school uses SchoolBase

Wow! I can’t believe we’ve filled up a second thread!

Let’s hope thread 3 is less panic and more excitement as offers get accepted and waitlists get moving.

Homestretch now everyone!

@WarmAndco3y it's true Alleyns did get caught out on their current Y9 and had more acceptances that expected but they honoured them

@Cloudberry1 lots of people need to decline places before the waitlists move - they will have over offered maybe 1.5x their places

@WarmAndco3y thank you for the feedback/background. will tell her.

@11plusNewbie I know a few people have turned places down, but they over offer so it will take a while for this to filter down. Also more decisions will take place after offer holder events and state school offers come out, so I imagine realistically if there is going to be any movement it won’t be until mid next week at the earliest.
Someone told me for current year 9, Alleyn’s ended up with far too many people taking up offers so they had to increase number of classes that year and no 13+ ( I don’t know if this is true or not). And last year the over compensated, so ended up offering a lot on their WL. I’m guessing this year would’ve been even more challenging. Time would tell. Your friend should hang in there.

Asking for a friend on the WL for Alleyn's and Jags
has anyone turned down their places at those school ?
Thanks

Congratulations to everyone on excellent offers!

Just passing through again.

@indimum I really liked what you wrote about "beginning to bond mentally with the school". Positive.

@indimum @Jojogabor and others in the Hammersmith crowd, do a test-drive/ trial-run going to Hammersmith. Probably worth visiting the station before/after school when gates open again. Like what @utility said, you will only need to go with your daughters for a few times!

To those waiting for WLs to move, hang in there!

@Jojogabor Hope your DD is getting as excited as mine about going to new school and looking forward to it. I am so relieved to have made the decision and move on. She is also looking forward to going back to school in couple of weeks. Hopefully they can have a lovely summer term and Leavers events. The last cohort of school leavers missed out on the leavers events and were very upset.
We will now start putting together a leaver’s book of photos and memories!

Sending year 7s on the tube seems daunting at first.
But East Putney or Putney Bridge, or West Brompton, to Hammersmith are easy journeys. Then 5 minutes' walk at the other end. With many G&L girls travelling at similar times.
You will definitely not need to accompany your daughters more than a couple of times!

Congratulations to all on excellent offers!

@indimum - we are going to G&L also and had v similar concerns. Our journey is 40 min door to door on tube or bus and we were also very concerned about her travelling on her own as she looks so young! I think we are going to take her ourselves for first few months.

@Scorpio1980 - we had very similar dilemma between Putney high and G&L but opted for latter in the end despite longer commute. Mainly down to gut feel as both excellent schools. Good luck!

Hi @Utility - we live near west Brompton Fulham.
@ Scorpio 1980, have sent you a message too.
@ Java Teak , thank you . We will do trial runs with couple of travel routes during summer . I am sure the girls will find travel buddies soon !

Hi ! I am in Putney @utility

Indimum , you are not alone to worry or to have your daughter be worried about the children going in to school on transport on their own at the young age of 11. I remember thinking this was absolutely crazy. Although it seems far too young to do so, they do settle in to traveling to and from school faster than you might think/- and if you live 10 mins by tube and 10 min walk away from G&L, you can be absolutely certain she will have company along the way with other G&L classmates. Also, children from many local area schools will all be traveling around the same time. We just went with our children for the first few days per their request til they got used to it, and did a few trial runs too during the summer holidays. I think the hardest bit is as a parent to let them go- but you can track them if they have a phone using the Find My Friends app for example, or similar.

Sorry - meant indimum, of course!

Imidium: where do you live? The majority of G&L girls come by tube as evidenced by the hoardes approaching and leaving Hammersmith Station each day. A couple of 'dry runs' in the summer and she will be fine.

Also, we have offers from G&L and WHS. which Is a better choice out of the two? I live closer to WHS. Thanks a ton ! Super stressful decisions!

Hello all! So happy to see these posts! It’s a great support. So stressed at the moment. We are on waiting list for SPGS. Does anyone has any experience of WL at SPGS?
Many thanks!

I meant bus + walk or tube + walk🥺

Any DD s going to G&L ? My DD is now worrying about travelling alone. We used to drop off/ pick to snd from school bus . She was used to the school bus but worried and anxious about solo public transport. I guess we will do few days with her until she is confident. Then it will be just me worrying! DS was 13 when he went solo but at 11 he was not great with situational awareness . Would have worried about him more about him TBH . Experienced mums, I am looking for reassurance , that DD will cope with solo travel. We can do 20 min bus, less than 10 min walk or tube 10 min and walk 10 min.

@MumsRule20, awesome

Well done to you and your DD @indimum. it’s nice when you’ve reached that point and you can really relax

Like many on this thread, I have found it very helpful. We have released multiple offers including City girls, FH ( SS) , PHS and LU. Hopefully once more people have released the WL will start moving . I know friends waiting for national offers so surely on Mon there will be lot more movement.

We are going with G&L. Now DD is beginning to bond mentally with the school . She was thoroughly confused with the great offers and we had to do it by degrees so she did feel we took away her choice and opportunities. But thankfully she has seen the advantage of shorter travel and the fact that she is likely to have many friends within easy commutable distance vs equally excellent schools but much further away. Thank you to the mums giving very objective advise including the spreadsheet !