SW London Girls' Private & Grammar - applying for year 7 in 2023

@Dallasdays many thanks. It does indeed.

Congratulations, that's great. Must be a huge relief to have an offer in the bag!

@Daydreamscometrue Many thanks

Congratulations @QuiteAJourney !

Not a school on the radar for most of the posters (though I think, from some private messages, that some of the people for future years might be interested) but in the spirit of sharing the journey, we got an offer from Woldingham yesterday, with an invite for an academic scholarship assessment. Really, really pleased as it introduces a completely different dynamic going into round 2.

My dd sits the consortium on December 8th and I am wondering the same...how did it go? Curious if its the same feedback as the ISEB and Putney with the adaptive part.

Did anyone’s DD do the new London Consortium yesterday? If so, how did they find it?

@Workhar yea, I know. I am not a fan of these adaptive tests! Is your dd struggling with the atom mocks or the real adaptive tests she has taken? My dd started to panic bc she kept getting these long word problems and running out of time, so she started guessing in the end. I told her for the next adaptive test to just focus on accuracy. Today, she did the Emanuel test, which is not adaptive, and she felt much more confident, was able to finish and felt she did really well. I am not a fan of the adaptive tests at all

@SamPoodle123 yes, atom based adaptive tests are turning out really hard for her. I think they start off easy but i am not sure at what point they turn difficult for her. She struggles to complete the paper. She is struggling a lot with verbal reasoning and/or maths in various different exams. She also complained that if she is unable to do a difficult type question, the next few questions are on the same topic and equally tough. Not sure what’s going in and how the adaptive test algorithm works. Also, she keeps complaining that the language of maths word problems in Atom based adaptive tests is very confusing. Otherwise, she is a very bright student of an independent prep. Whatever the case may be, good news or not, the tough questions might affect a child’s confidence during the exam. And if the child believes that adaptive tests are meant to be tougher, they will start panicking on seeing easy questions in the exam and take it as a sign that the previous question was answered incorrectly. It’s a double edge sword. Really unfair and crazy. These are 10-11 year olds!

I was told the current Prep School Ibstock Year 6 students will be sitting the exams on the same day as the external candidates.

@79abbot - I stand corrected.
(obviously I should count my blessings that my DD's school goes on for longer).

I still think that they have cut down numbers significantly, though.

Today the new Consortium exam was sat in some of the schools.
Any ideas what it was like, what was it similar to, difficulty level?

I think the last day of term at Ibstock is 8th December and the second round for 11+ assessments is on 9th December.

@Workhar I think that Ibstock used to have a 2 stage process for everybody (I think that is what you may be referring to). Going by the numbers that applied this year, I would be very surprised if they have not significantly reduced numbers for stage 2. Plus the fact that they are doing all groups by 1.30 pm and during a school day would indicate much smaller numbers (for stage 1 they had a whole day with the school available plus 2 extra, smaller, sittings on a school day).

I know two kids at my daughter’s prep school who didn’t get invited for round two.

@Workhar they must have shortlisted to some degree otherwise they wouldn't have said. Maybe just not by much?

@Workhar from my understanding is Ibstock is easier to get into then other schools.

@Workhar the most important for adaptive is accuracy, especially at the start. Does she feel it starts out easy and then gets really tricky? If yes, this is a good sign.

@Daydreamscometrue every girl I know (including my DD), who gave the exam, has been selected. Makes me wonder why do they pretend to shortlist or maybe it’s easier for girls to get selected because girls have a lot more choice of schools in the area.

Not sure. I only know of people who have had an invite to round 2

hello, is it true that Ibstock invites almost everyone to the 2nd stage? Also, my DD is really struggling with Maths & VR in adaptive exams. She feels really disappointed and thinks her exams are not going well.

@confu5ed Very good point on creative writing.
I do wish that schools were more upfront...
Likewise, we will share if we find out.
(I wonder if others whose DCs went through it last year might remember)

@snowgirl1 I'm so sorry to hear that, I know how disappointed you must be feeling, we had the same with KGS. Sending lots of positive vibes for your other schools. Stay strong, your DD will be ok. When do you hear on the others?

@QuiteAJourney We don't know anything else on the Ibstock Stage 2, but if we find anything out, will share here. I'm sure it will involve creative writing given that that wasn't tested during Stage 1.

re: Ibstock second stage. The email just refers to 1 hour Maths and 1 hour English. Does anyone know the type (e.g. multiple choice?) and whether the English includes creative writing?
Still a favourite, but I have say that the information on assessments is rather opaque.

Oh yes I've just gone back through and found it.