SW London Private and Grammar - applying for year 7 in 2023 (part V)

St George's are posting and no mention of an email. Our post is very unreliable - no idea how long we'll be waiting for a letter!

@Sass22 just keep reminding them you are here :) call them after half term when they are back and they have received a few responses to reiterate it is your first choice.
when the wl will start to move you ll be the first person they ll think about !
keeping everything cross for you.

Streatham & Clapham emails are out. We've got an offer

Yes still waiting for WHS, FH&LU. Still praying for PHS that waitlist will move. Although they waitlisted 7 girls at our school 🤦🏽‍♀️

Key thing I think is being missed here is that 11+ centres solely on Maths and English (and reasoning for some). But thew HS curriculum does not, you're going from 2 subjects to closer to 13.

That said my DS is in a prep and they have a proper HS timetable in Y6, with dedicated weekly geography, history, drama, music lessons etc, and actual subject teachers. They even do latin...

Oh so sorry to hear that @Sass22 :(
are you expecting some more tomorrow?

Jags results out! And it’s a no offer for us sadly.

Year 7, we found most coed schools start the 3 sciences with specialist teachers - lots of new topics to learn, plus maybe 2 to 3 new languages and all new co-curricular clubs events. Being bored doesn’t seem to be an option and you get kids being stretched in any subjects in lots of way. The child with high maths skills maybe focusing on those history essays or geography research.

Well I said if needed which does mean that not all need it.. I agree though that it does not mean that prep children are better and when you indeed rush some kids into learning things in advance you may not go in depths and the grounding might not be great..

Woohoo is spot on. They are not on an even playing field to start with, but no one group (state vs prep) is ahead particularly, rather different strengths and knowledge across the board. It honestly levels by the Christmas holidays as they find their new grooves.

Maths groups are established relatively quickly - after the October half term generally, but these sets are absolutely fluid. My daughter for eg struggles with maths but is not your standard bottom set child. She was told she'd be moving to set 3 (of 6) last year but she has explicitly requested that she stays in the bottom set as she feels more comfortable there, yet now in Y9 she's top sets for all sciences.

GCSEs are nothing like the 11+ race. She's just made her choices, for that is what they are - her choices and not mine, and apart from a discussion with me between two subjects, she's absolutely had the final decision.

Long story short - the 11+ cannot be beaten for the level of angst and stress it causes! I know it sounds so cliched, but your girls/boys will end up at the right school for them and GCSEs will bring nothing near the stress - those on here with older children will (I hope) agree that your 10/11 year old now will be so very different even by the end of Y7, and despite the bad press they sometimes get, most teenagers are bloody lovely and thirsty to learn and do well, so that's what they do.

To be fair that's exactly what you said even if you didn't mean it...

Especially in maths, most children from prep have done all the curriculum already so the years is spent doing nothing for them and catching up the children from state if needed.

Anyway, I just wanted to reassure others that that isn't the case and that teaching the DCs to pass the 11plus isn't necessarily the same as teaching a good grounding in the basics which is essential for the later years.

@woohooho i did not say that prep school children do nothing in the first few years of secondary so that state school children can catch up… I said most prep have covered the year 7 curriculum already in maths so they don’t learn anything. SOME state children may not have. When 11+ occurred year 6 prep children have always covered all year 6 curriculum + some year 7. For state children (without tutoring) at that point they will be starting the year 6 curriculum.

Good morning. Is anyone waiting for St Georges today?

@SamPoodle123

'Oh no, I hope this is not the case. My dd is already frustrated with math at school. She says they keep repeating things already learned (she is in a state school though, so hopefully private will cover something she has not learned - although she might have covered it herself when doing 11+ prep!).'

I was told by more than one head that state school pupils often had a better grounding in the maths basics ( and in English language as well) due to the curriculum being taught ie 'mastering the skills etc'. They probably had done less 'problem solving' as were not being prepared for 11plus at their schools.

In my experience the secondary schools do cover the basics again to begin with as pupils will have been taught how to do things in certain ways and not necessarily the preferred ones ( particularly by tutors).

It's rubbish to say that prep school children do nothing in the first few years of secondary so the state school children can catch up, as some poster said! Latin and French they may be behind but that's about it and they soon catch up.

Just curious if any schools ever send emails out first thing (by 8am). Someone mentioned emails being sent by one school previously before 6am. I am just curious if we will wake up to perhaps one email or if we will be waiting and refreshing emails tomorrow and checking portals. LOL.

Oh no, I hope this is not the case. My dd is already frustrated with math at school. She says they keep repeating things already learned (she is in a state school though, so hopefully private will cover something she has not learned - although she might have covered it herself when doing 11+ prep!).

@LoveMyADHD that is what I understand from mums that have done in previous years. Especially in maths, most children from prep have done all the curriculum already so the years is spent doing nothing for them and catching up the children from state if needed.

Thomas”s!

I don't just assume, it is in their stats on their website and a family member attends Bute currently, so I know what goes on there. The majority go to SPGS, G&L and LU. And then the others go to Putney, FHSS, Boarding etc. Ranking of schools seems quite important to some. I was advised by one mum if we get a spot at G&L we would be crazy not to take, pointing out the rankings. For me I want to look at the big picture and if my dd will actually fit in, not just the rankings. I am very happy with Putney offer and feel my dd will do well there. I like all the schools we applied to though and my dd favours G&L. If we are lucky enough to get an offer, we will have to go to the holders event to decide for sure. I am quite nervous, as its my dd first choice.

@Lolakath19 ”but then they don’t do anything for the next 2/3 years at their secondary.. until it is time to tutor again for gcse?”

seriously 😬? What do they do for two years then?
when do they actually start thinking about gcse?
so is gcse pressure exactly same as 11+ all over again ? 😳

Why we have to assume Butes girls will likely to choose G&l and SPGS over PHS?

A lot of mums said they are very similar level school anyway? Is it because SW parents want to pay higher tuition fee?

I'm pretty sure it is not just a human prestige thing as this thread frequently quoted.

Apologies I have googled most recent news now.

I am not the slightest bit concerned about Epsom's staff recruitment. I believe this was a classic example of coercive control by an abuser who wants to remind his wife that she only has a career because he allows her to and that he can stop it at any time. Also that if she tries to leave he will be accuse her of being an unfit mother and take custody. This is probably why she didn't call the police rather than her sister.

Sorry I know this thread is not for discussing this incident but just wanted to give my reasons why this incident has not effected my opinion of the school for DD

The true ability of DCs reflects in different forms.
Selective schools (esp private) can use different selection criteria to assess and select the pupils they prefer. Even most of the selection process is academic based, the exam format can vary with different focus.

For example, SPGS round 2 & London consortium has problem solving questions. NLCS had emphasis on open maths questions. School does CEM select focus on speed and time control ability. HBS had heavy focus at NVR and English. Some other school look for team work and collaboration in the classroom settings.

It is a brutal process, and I think 11 is a bit too early (well then you have 4+ 7+ prep...). But I think if one has to send their DCs to 11+ exam for whatever reasons (mostly academic reason I presume). Different schools having different form of exams is way better than one single exam fits all case. It kinds of smoothing out the variability and give DCs the chances to find the schools that fits their true ability or potential.

@LoveMyADHD which article?