SW London Private & Grammar - applying for year 7 in 2023 (Part III)

Has anyone been able to get out of their DD what questions came in the WHS problem solving? We were totally not prepared for this…

G&L used to have an 11 plus exam format that was an English
comprehension and a story, a maths paper and a VR / NVR. They also used to interview all 900 applicants, from November onwards. So lots were interviewed before the actual exams.

DD was the first year when the Consortium dropped all this. I remember a Consortium representative (I think she was from G&L) was doing the rounds, giving talks to parents in primary / prep schools about the new 11 plus initiative. She said they had switched to a new exam that was mainly multi-choice and like a CAT test, so there was absolutely no point whatsoever tutoring or preparing for this type of test as it examines underlying ability, not learned ability.
She said they were fed up of over-tutored girls (particularly from certain preps) and the whole tutoring business in SW London was out of control and provoking a mental health crisis for children.

But since then, I gather it's all changed again and now they use Atom or something?

G&L used to have an 11 plus exam format that was an English comprehension and a story, a maths paper and a VR / NVR. They also used to interview all 900 applicants, from November onwards. So lots were interviewed before the actual exams.

DD was the first year when the Consortium dropped all this. I remember a Consortium representative (I think she was from G&L) was doing the rounds, giving talks to parents in primary / prep schools about the new 11 plus initiative. She said they had switched to a new exam that was mainly multi-choice and like a CAT test, so there was absolutely no point whatsoever tutoring or preparing for this type of test as it examines underlying ability, not learned ability. She said they were fed up of over-tutored girls (particularly from certain preps) and the whole tutoring business in SW London was out of control and provoking a mental health crisis for children.

But since then, I gather it's all changed again and now they use Atom or something?

Copying my query from end of last thread

Anyone trying to forget about Tiffin Girls? DD did the stage 2 back in Nov, but left both papers unfinished due to insane lack of time. We don't know anyone else who sat it, so are totally in the dark as to general impressions/ whether to just forget about getting a place or not. Nothing on the 11+ forum either. Any feedback?

Copying my query from end of last thread

Anyone trying to forget about Tiffin Girls? DD did the stage 2 back in Nov, but left both papers unfinished due to insane lack of time. We don't know anyone else who sat it, so are totally in the dark as to general impressions/ whether to just forget about getting a place or not. Nothing on the 11+ forum either. Any feedback?

@QuiteAJourney a belated thank you for setting the thread - it is so nice to be in everyone's company here!

@woohooho LU's email mentions 'immersive learning activities in a classroom setting' which I read as assessment of sorts in a group (more information is shared than WHS from what I gather), followed by 1:1 interview with a teacher. Our dd has a morning session too.

Good luck to everyone's DC who are sitting LU tomorrow!!!

Probably a bit biased but we had a very good admissions process at WHS, certainly better than KGS, Ibstock and PHS, amongst others. Just in case any of your DDs end up there ( although it sounds as though you're not keen!) once they are there it's very welcoming and personal etc!

@QuiteAJourney a belated thank you for setting the thread - it is so nice to be in everyone's company here!

@woohooho LU's email mentions 'immersive learning activities in a classroom setting' which I read as assessment of sorts in a group (more information is shared than WHS from what I gather), followed by 1:1 interview with a teacher. Our dd has a morning session too.

Good luck to everyone's DC who are sitting LU tomorrow!!!

@QuiteAJourney a belated thank you for setting the thread - it is so nice to be in everyone's company here!

@woohooho LU's email mentions 'immersive learning activities in a classroom setting' which I read as assessment of sorts in a group (more information is shared than WHS from what I gather), followed by 1:1 interview with a teacher. Our dd has a morning session too.
Good luck to everyone's DC who are sitting LU tomorrow!!!

@ParentContributor There's quite a lot of chat on the previous iteration of this thread (part II) about responses to the SPGS exam. Nobody seemed to finish any part of it.

We won't be sitting until next year, but I'm intrigued as to what your DD meant by the Comprehension paper being different from the sample papers on the website. Do you mind me asking in what way?

@ParentContributor There's quite a lot of chat on the previous iteration of this thread (part II) about responses to the SPGS exam. Nobody seemed to finish any part of it.

We won't be sitting until next year, but I'm intrigued as to what your DD meant by the Comprehension paper being different from the sample papers on the website. Do you mind me asking in what way?

There's quite a lot of chat on the previous iteration of this thread (part II) about responses to the SPGS exam. Nobody seemed to finish any part of it.
We won't be sitting until next year, but I'm intrigued as to what your DD meant by the Comprehension paper being different from the sample papers on the website. Do you mind me asking in what way?

@QuiteAJourney belated thank you for the thread - it is really nice to be in like company along this journey!

@woohooho LU mention in their email that there will be 'immersive learning activities in classroom setting' which I read as group activity in assessment format (although cryptic, gives more information than WHS, from what I read so far), followed by 15 min 1:1 interview. My dd is going there tomorrow morning also. Good luck to everyone whose DC are going to LU tomorrow!!!

@wonderdogs thanks for your feedback. It would be interesting to know the number! I wonder if admissions would say. I do think 80% does sound like a crazy amount, esp if they are having 1,000 applicants....how could they select with a 15 minute interview if they were looking at 800 applicants!

Probably a bit biased but we had a very good admissions process at WHS, certainly better than KGS, Ibstock and PHS, amongst others. Just in case any of your DDs end up there ( although it sounds as though you're not keen!) once they are there it's very welcoming and personal etc!

.

Agree with WHS throwing that impersonal impression, a few years back I had signed up my DD for an occasional place at the school and the process felt too professional and cold for dealing with a young child. I get there were many many to interview but the online call jumped very quick to the point of asking questions, no warmth..

Hope it's ok to chip in? I have a DD at G&L. They have the day off on Friday because they are interviewing. I'm afraid I don't know how many they interview. 900-1000 sit the exam each year, so I doubt they would interview 80%! Maybe half of them or less?

Bit of a lurker here as will be going through it all next year with DC3- already have one at WHS and one at LU! Not sure where number 3 will go!
Has LU given any info as to their new format for round 2? I'm guessing they are all trying to mix it up a bit?
Interesting reading above comments about strange WHS results. DD got in when it was mainly VR/NVR. She was particularly rubbish at Creative Writing and Comprehension at aged 11 but is now going to do English A Level so they probably do know what they're looking for (as much as any school can).
LU and WHS very different but very happy with both!

Most kids don't finish all the tests, that's normal.

G&L has pivoted a few years ago with regard to its admission process. Previously, the school looked more broadly at applicants taking many things into consideration, not just test results. Whilst this is still the case, a few years ago the school started to be a bit stricter about students having to have a certain level of test scores. Don't ask me what the scores are, I have no idea. But the days where prep school heads would get on the phone to G&L and say please reconsider this DD who has great CAT scores etc, those days are over. A applicant must hit the scores that they want, or they are out.