SW London grammar and private year 7 entry 2024 - Continued

The journey is probably similar because he’d get a coach to Hampton and it would be around 45 minutes in traffic, and for RGS it would be the train and it would be roughly the same as we’re very close to Claygate station. It would be easier to get to Hampton not in peak hours though. DS is a cricket nut but they play that in both schools, but football is his second favourite sport so Hampton has the advantage.

We also had a more “stuffy” impression of RGS with DS1 which is why I think he chose KGS but that was in Covid times so we didn’t actually visit the school and we liked it much better in person, though I agree it seems more traditional.

I just don’t know any more!

Both are excellent schools - we were advised to consider RGS for DS but two things ruled it out for us:

1. journey - a lot longer than the journey to Hampton (and KGS etc); and
2. my DS is football mad so the thought of no school football led to a flat out rejection from DS.

How do the journeys stack up and does your DS have sports preferences?

How did you find the feel of the schools - my and DS’s impression from our respective tours was that RGS seemed more formal (hard to explain why - might just be me and DS being weird!)

Help!! I abandoned the thread and have gone into ostrich mode as making the choice has felt overwhelming. I think it’s because we opted for KGS over RGS for DS1 and I now regret it so feeling paralysed with DS2.

We’re torn between Hampton and RGS. DC initially preferred RGS but has since been won over by Hampton. I don’t know what metrics to go on any more

Thanks again everyone hope those who are still waiting have good news as well to share.
we just declined KGS …

Hope you and DS have the BIGGEST celebrations! ❤️ Massive smile on my face x

So happy for you!!!

Wahoooo!! Congrats!! Delighted for you x

Huge congrats! Just to give some hope I know a lot of families at dd school
still haven’t decided and holding out until
tomorrow! Madness but there may be movement yet

Huge congratulations to you and your Son! ❤️

Does anyone know if the Latymer Upper WL has started to move?

So so thrilled for you 💃💃

@ncsurrey22 thank you !! We really loved KGS too and would have been an excellent choice if Dulwich would not have worked , will definitely be on our list of schools for our younger children in a few years !

@Summerma thank you so much ah ah😂i am so happy and relieved right now i can finally celebrate !! Thanks for all the good vibes on MN ❤️

Wonderful news! Have close family at Dulwich, a lovely school in so many respects.

Thank you so much

@Wondermumof4 thrilled for you though we shall miss you at KGS! Brilliant news!

Sending the best of luck to all others on the WL. Hoping there’s lots of movement over the next few days. I know a fair few kids both in state and indies who are accepting grammar places (Sutton/Tiffin etc) over KCS, Hampton, KGS, Trinity etc.

THIS IS THE POST I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!! So thrilled for you @Wondermumof4 well done for hanging on in there and huge congratulations to your DS!! 🎉🥳🥂

Totally agree with this! Living closer means you can meet up easily at the weekend, stay on after weekend sports fixtures etc, maybe do outside activities together etc.
For what it’s worth, we did a lot of research into FHSS and my DD found them very kind and friendly throughout the process (much more so than some of the other schools she interviewed with and did equally well at - not on your list) - this was both the teachers and the girls.
But i have also been warned about the high affluence point (people going to Milan for the weekend for better shopping) - though by no means all the school will be like this, and you can also find pockets of this in many schools.
i wouldn’t worry about the school being too small. FH definitely has a friendly vibe. So i would go with FHRP if closest and your DD likes it.

Our WL offer turned into an offer this morning, im so thrilled to say that DS is going to Dulwich College in September 🎉🎉🎉cannot wait to break the news to him !

Which school was it?

We’ve been told by our WL school, they are unlikely to go to WL…

Well done on your decision Littleduckses! Scholarship plus your DS’s top choice and enthusiasm from the school all sound like good reasons. DD’s current schools sends lots of boys to Whitgift and they’re definitely not all alpha.

It is so hard to let a really good school go, even when you have chosen somewhere else that is also great. Gives a flavour of how the schools must feel when trying to decide between lots of excellent candidates…

Any more WL news? Fingers crossed for anyone waiting.

We have just release DS’s offered place at Reed’s. We have accepted Whitgift-DS was offered a Sports Scholarship at W but, although he did really well in the scholarship trials at R, didn’t get one there.

I feel a bit sad about it because Reed’s is lovely and DS would have been very happy there. I hope whoever gets DS’s place will be really happy there.

However the scholarship offer at W makes it rather more affordable (especially when the R fees jump at Third form) and W will give him one on one sport mentoring, fantastic support in his current main sports, and opportunities to try new ones along with that. W have seemed very keen to have him -they were in contact a few times following the offer including a long call from the Director of Sport to talk through what the scholarship involves, and it was his top choice (along with Trinity where he didn’t get an offer-too
much of a spiky profile in the exams we think).

W is a big school and can give the impression of being a bit ‘alpha’. DS is not exactly ‘alpha’ but is amiable, quietly confident and used to dealing with some pretty big personalities via his current sports. The boys we have met have all been charming, and friendly to DS, so we’re hoping he will be happy there! Looking forward to the next chapter in September!

Really helpful if DD has a school preference. @ThatPoliteCat so maybe go for that one?