Page 15 | SW London grammar and private year 7 entry 2024 - Continued

farfallarocks · 28/02/2024 11:19

I totally agree. it needs collective will to stop everyone paying unnecessary deposits! I think some offer holder days are yet to happen though so I do understand wanting a last look at say the final 2. I think Dulwich is on Thursday for example.

Thewaitisawful · 28/02/2024 11:13

I really dont understand how parents with 2 or more offers haven't made a decision yet! Surely fav schools are in your mind for a while! I totally understand those who are waiting on State school offers but if they hold more than 1 offer, surely they could release the extra ones, whilst holding out for a state school. The wait and stress is awful on WL parents...

farfallarocks · 28/02/2024 11:07

Someone reported FHSS movement in another thread. Someone told me they had a waitlist place from Emanuel but another poster called admissions and apparently no wait list places have been offered! So who knows. I think Friday will be a big day as people release offers and make a decision as well as state school offers. Good luck, limbo is just awful place

Thewaitisawful · 28/02/2024 10:55

Has anyone heard of any movement from the WL's yet?

ALongProcess · 27/02/2024 19:18

@farfallarocks congratulations on the decision!

Conundrummum · 27/02/2024 18:56

Ah hello @londonlady2023 😊
That’s lovely to hear!

minipie · 27/02/2024 18:41

PreplexJ · 27/02/2024 18:39

Hang in there and watch the 50% increase of UCAS applications until it peaks at 2031.

Cheery thought!!

PreplexJ · 27/02/2024 18:39

Hang in there and watch the 50% increase of UCAS applications until it peaks at 2031.

londonlady2023 · 27/02/2024 18:37

@Conundrummum my son is also going to Reed’s. He’s so happy. It was always his favourite. 🙂

minipie · 27/02/2024 18:19

I do think it will get less crazy overall year by year, but obviously the experience will depend on the individual child! It does seem tougher for boys unfortunately.

SamPoodle123 · 27/02/2024 17:42

minipie · 27/02/2024 14:08

@Balhamdad11 I think there are various ways the whole process could be improved but actually I suspect that demographics will solve a lot of the issues naturally….

The birth rate dropped off year on year after 2012 so I think this year’s 11+ was peak madness and future years won’t have quite so much competition and (hopefully) won’t feel the need to apply to so many schools. Which will help with WL management as well as many other issues.

Fingers crossed anyway as I also have younger DC!

I sure hope you are right about this. We had dd last year and my ds is next year. It went well for dd, but I am worried as I feel like the boys schools are more competitive close to us.

Conundrummum · 27/02/2024 17:08

I think we have finally decided upon Reeds (over Epsom). If anyone has a DS going in Sept I’d love to know! 😊

minipie · 27/02/2024 14:59

Well done for making a decision farfalla!

We are still mulling. Nearly there I think (but then I thought that last week, in the other direction…)

farfallarocks · 27/02/2024 14:25

@ALongProcess we went for St John’s.

ALongProcess · 27/02/2024 14:24

@farfallarocks which did you go for?

farfallarocks · 27/02/2024 14:22

Very true @minipie , plus VAT will also reduce demand I suspect.
have you made a decision? We just confirmed and paid deposit and feel a huge weight lifted!

minipie · 27/02/2024 14:08

@Balhamdad11 I think there are various ways the whole process could be improved but actually I suspect that demographics will solve a lot of the issues naturally….

The birth rate dropped off year on year after 2012 so I think this year’s 11+ was peak madness and future years won’t have quite so much competition and (hopefully) won’t feel the need to apply to so many schools. Which will help with WL management as well as many other issues.

Fingers crossed anyway as I also have younger DC!

brillodeluna · 27/02/2024 13:15

Balhamdad11 · 27/02/2024 08:46

There must be a better way to manage the waitlist process. Perhaps return 50% of the registration fee to those that reply early? It must be a pretty stressful experience for the schools too, scrambling around on deadline day to fill places

Does your opinion mean it's better to trust other/oldest reviews? I haven't applied to Surbiton High because we live in Fulham and it seems to me too far but I heard fantastic opinions from close friends about Surbiton and I simply thought to reply

GetYourAintoG · 27/02/2024 09:22

I get that @Balhamdad11 but lots of families are waiting to hear from grammar or other state options. Wish those schools released admissions sooner.

Balhamdad11 · 27/02/2024 08:46

There must be a better way to manage the waitlist process. Perhaps return 50% of the registration fee to those that reply early? It must be a pretty stressful experience for the schools too, scrambling around on deadline day to fill places

brillodeluna · 26/02/2024 22:00

extremely happy girls and the academic level seems really on the up too. Very strong in sport. I heard only positive about Surbiton High .
(but I'm not a parent at Surbiton )

Sunnyside77 · 26/02/2024 19:03

Has anyone any feedback for Surbiton they would like to share. Pls feel free to PM me. Thank you

QuiteAJourney · 26/02/2024 17:38

@vivalasviva , they did get more 'robust', indeed 😌Ended up being, according to reports, the first school in the country to have 'clear' locker boxes with all students leaving the phones there on arrival and picking them up when school finishes. As you say, only 6th form are exempt.
As @farfallarocks says, worth looking at the mobile / devices policy (e.g. approach to using computers, headphones, etc. onsite).

vivalasviva · 26/02/2024 17:27

DS's school use Yonder pouches so no access to their phones all school day.
I think DD's school have something similar now but she's in 6th form so they can have them during the day. They were meant to keep them in their locker when she was younger but they never did so I can totally see why they introduced a more 'robust' system..

FrontedAdverbial · 26/02/2024 17:19

farfallarocks · 26/02/2024 16:45

One decision making factor that has become more pronounced for me is the mobile phone policy. I am keen on schools who enforce handing it in rather than just having it on you/in bag etc. I think it is so important

We saw a couple of schools using Yondr pouches (Google them for now they work). They both said they were really happy with the results but I've not heard from parents how effective they are.