Please or to access all these features

Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

SW London Grammar and private senior school entry 2026

642 replies

firsttrax · 15/02/2025 06:31

Setting up this thread for those of us with DC joining year 7 SW London schools in 2026.

We’re planning to apply to KCS, Hampton, Epsom and Reed’s.

Have been living in Dubai for three years, returning in August for year 6 at DS’ old prep school.

DS has an online tutor focussing on exam technique and any gaps in the curriculum, plus Atom. Current school is great but definitely not preparing him for 11+!

OP posts:
Hockeyjockey · 10/02/2026 20:56

a

MunchkinJ · 10/02/2026 20:34

Congrats on all the PHS offers!

W4mamabear · 10/02/2026 17:13

ABCFulham · 10/02/2026 16:40

Likewise for us! Not the warmest email but delighted with the offer!

I agree! Got slightly better when you clicked into the link (naming the interviewer and creative writing topic in our case) but the initial email was short and to the point

Seasaltlady · 10/02/2026 17:01

ABCFulham · 10/02/2026 16:40

Likewise for us! Not the warmest email but delighted with the offer!

Also happy to have received an offer from PHS! The wait till the end of the week would have been too much! Now waiting for G&L, FHSS and LEH 🤞

ABCFulham · 10/02/2026 16:40

Likewise for us! Not the warmest email but delighted with the offer!

W4mamabear · 10/02/2026 16:29

Yes for us for PHS! Delighted to have the news so early in the week!!

lg1040 · 10/02/2026 16:25

Us too, their email gave me a scare why can’t they start like others by saying congratulations!! 😡. Well done to your DD!

Dontknowmuchanymore · 10/02/2026 16:15

PHS offers are out! we have good news thank goodness

Nushi21 · 10/02/2026 15:59

BrentfordForever · 10/02/2026 14:07

Re Ibstock, don’t think we got a message about his writing , not on the email or the actual letter that came in yesterday 🤔

good luck for final results this week 💃

We received an offer from Ibstock. The letter is personalised to my child and it is embossed. The message was personalised to what my child wrote about.

BrentfordForever · 10/02/2026 14:07

Re Ibstock, don’t think we got a message about his writing , not on the email or the actual letter that came in yesterday 🤔

good luck for final results this week 💃

Onemorebubble · 10/02/2026 12:26

@idriveaVauxhallZafira received Alleyn's offer email last year around 10am. Good luck!

MunchkinJ · 10/02/2026 11:08

Reeds offers are out for anyone that is waiting for those! So excited to finally have something in hand, long wait til Friday for everything else for us.

minipie · 10/02/2026 10:59

idriveaVauxhallZafira · 09/02/2026 14:42

The wait until Friday is excruciating. Anyone have an idea re Alleyn's email timings based on prior years? One of the staff members at interview said don't read anything into timing as they're sent out in batches. This was unprompted - I hadn't asked.

Two years ago our Alleyns offer was midday, but have heard it was more like 4pm last year (maybe due to sending in batches??) and also heard that they do rejection emails first.

minipie · 10/02/2026 10:55

carbonelthecat · 10/02/2026 08:19

SCHS did that when my older DD applied - there was a handwritten note from the head and a personalised comment on her creative writing in with the big envelope of information. I remember thinking at the time it was a nice touch.

They seem to have gone to email offers this time and it definitely doesn't feel as personal.

We had a big envelope and handwritten comment. Did your older DD have a scholarship offer perhaps?

Tiredofbeing · 10/02/2026 09:40

Two of the schools did this last year when we received offers. One has a special separate pack for an offer with an arts scholarship… two others were just bog standard communications. One even got the sex of our child wrong 🤣

good luck for this week for all who are waiting for Friday! I remember this week well… such a long wait.

carbonelthecat · 10/02/2026 08:19

SCHS did that when my older DD applied - there was a handwritten note from the head and a personalised comment on her creative writing in with the big envelope of information. I remember thinking at the time it was a nice touch.

They seem to have gone to email offers this time and it definitely doesn't feel as personal.

SamPoodle123 · 10/02/2026 07:48

I suspect they just took note of each child's creative writing theme and plugged it in to make the offer letters more "personal." It does make it feel like a nice touch. Some of the schools do try to make this additional effort. Emanuel makes a good effort as well with a handwritten card from the person that interviewed your dc.

Wintertime2025 · 09/02/2026 22:27

But was it actually or did they all talk about their create writing?

nonetheless clearly trying to make an effort which is good

W4mamabear · 09/02/2026 21:55

I was so impressed that the letter from Ibstock was tailored to my DD’s creative writing theme as well!

Slippersandrum · 09/02/2026 21:44

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for privacy reasons.

mustwashmycurtains · 09/02/2026 20:14

We got the letter today, also with the correct reference in the creative writing comment. I know another kid who got theirs but cannot even remember doing the writing so doesn't know if theirs was accurate :-)

SamPoodle123 · 09/02/2026 19:40

Wintertime2025 · 09/02/2026 19:05

Did anyone’s child get in the post the Ibstock letter? Did it also say ‘we particularly enjoyed your creative writing piece on friendship’ I doubt they could tailor it for everyone etc, but feels a bit insincere to put it in everyone’s right

They are probably working harder this year, as previous years they had disaster with admissions communications.

Some schools make more of an effort and some don't do much (because they don't have to). We noticed this with our 2 dc.

SWmum3 · 09/02/2026 19:34

We got the Ibstock letter, it was personalised with exactly what he wrote about in the creative writing piece. Very impressive comms

Wintertime2025 · 09/02/2026 19:05

Did anyone’s child get in the post the Ibstock letter? Did it also say ‘we particularly enjoyed your creative writing piece on friendship’ I doubt they could tailor it for everyone etc, but feels a bit insincere to put it in everyone’s right

idriveaVauxhallZafira · 09/02/2026 14:42

The wait until Friday is excruciating. Anyone have an idea re Alleyn's email timings based on prior years? One of the staff members at interview said don't read anything into timing as they're sent out in batches. This was unprompted - I hadn't asked.