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Original poster

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:
Ayaboo · 19/07/2026 13:32

Maybe as boarding and Visa for students
but location I don’t feel safe . And hard to get to London

minipie · 19/07/2026 12:35

Can’t speak for RGS and KGS but there is a reasonable amount of diversity at Dulwich - not as much as at London state schools but quite a bit more than some other London privates.

Ayaboo · 18/07/2026 22:18

The latter thanks

Pyrfwondering · 18/07/2026 21:45

Hi @Ayaboo. Do you mean Reigate Grammar School or Royal Grammar School, Guildford, when you say RGS?

Ayaboo · 18/07/2026 18:41

RGS Vs KGS v Dulwich.
may I ask what is diversity alike

chilled31 · 04/03/2026 13:59

I heard there has been movement on WHS waitlist today

MunchkinJ · 04/03/2026 13:57

W4mamabear · 04/03/2026 12:19

There doesn't seem to be much movement on PHS or G&L waitlist this year (I heard from friends)

Our friends DD got a PHS spot through the waitlist on Monday.

KGS had nudged people to complete forms/decline offers yesterday.

TheWorthyCoralDuck · 04/03/2026 13:31

EverydayPuzzling · 04/03/2026 13:22

Same with CLS, sadly

Seems like CLS made some offers starting from Friday, wishing you good news soon

EverydayPuzzling · 04/03/2026 13:22

Same with CLS, sadly

AlwaysMoreThanMeetsTheEye · 04/03/2026 13:17

W4mamabear · 04/03/2026 12:19

There doesn't seem to be much movement on PHS or G&L waitlist this year (I heard from friends)

Same with WHS, as far as we know, from friends waiting for an opening.

W4mamabear · 04/03/2026 12:19

There doesn't seem to be much movement on PHS or G&L waitlist this year (I heard from friends)

TheWorthyCoralDuck · 04/03/2026 11:37

Surbimum · 04/03/2026 11:24

Thank you, I have (multiple times!) Just keeping my fingers crossed now, but approaching their midday deadline and it’s looking like they don’t need to go the waitlist ☹️

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I have reached out to them immediately after the outcome email as well not sure how helpful this is as they do not disclose any information about the waiting list. Feeling less hopeful now as well, but as the deadline is approaching they might reach out to some on WL tomorrow. Good luck to everyone who are still waiting

11mummy · 04/03/2026 11:26

Anyone been offered a waitlist place from Alleyns?

SWLmama · 04/03/2026 11:25

I see. Good luck @Surbimum I hope things work out for you!

Surbimum · 04/03/2026 11:24

SWLmama · 04/03/2026 11:19

@Surbimum have you proactively expressed your keen interest to the school? That you are willing to accept as soon as an offer lands. I've seen it helps sometimes.

Thank you, I have (multiple times!) Just keeping my fingers crossed now, but approaching their midday deadline and it’s looking like they don’t need to go the waitlist ☹️

SWLmama · 04/03/2026 11:19

@Surbimum have you proactively expressed your keen interest to the school? That you are willing to accept as soon as an offer lands. I've seen it helps sometimes.

Surbimum · 04/03/2026 10:59

Yes, we know of two boys offered from the waitlist at two other schools but nothing from KGS. Perhaps they over offered more than usual this year, or had an unusually high acceptance rate, or a combination of the two? I’m getting the impression they might not go to the waitlist at all😬

TheWorthyCoralDuck · 04/03/2026 10:49

Surbimum · 03/03/2026 11:21

Wondering if there's been any movement on the KGS reserve list?

Seems like nothing yet. I read online other schools have already reached out to the ones on reserve lists, but didn't hear anything on KGS yet.

Surbimum · 03/03/2026 11:21

Wondering if there's been any movement on the KGS reserve list?

Springtoday · 27/02/2026 19:34

Somewhereinlondon81 · 27/02/2026 15:44

Thank you! G&L does seem like a brilliant school. I just have reservations about single sex education (admittedly based on my own long-ago boarding school experiences). We only have daughters so no brothers around for any kind of gender balance, and the only question the G&L didn't answer well is what joint activities they do with boys. The answer seemed to be nothing!

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Yea, tbh I don't think they do much. I think once I saw for the older years a netball match against St Paul's boys school. But my dd is in year 9 and dont think they have ever done one joint activity. I do think single sex schools should make an effort to do something once in a while. But I am not too bothered because dd has a brother, went to coed all of primary and she does sport out of school that includes boys. Her friends seem to know boys out of school so she has met some via friends.

W4mamabear · 27/02/2026 17:16

Thank you all for your replies - I really appreciate it! Will trust the process and at the end of the day our DD has a top offer in hand so we probably give ourselves a deadline of Tuesday night and if no movement then draw a line under it

W4mamabear · 27/02/2026 17:13

Springtoday · 27/02/2026 15:38

Sometimes things happen for a reason. I have a dd at G&L and she is very happy there. I also have a ds at LU and he is happy. Sometimes kids will get into one school and not the other. We know someone who got LU but not G&L and someone St Paul's but not LU. DS did not get St Paul's but got LU and his friend got St Paul's and not LU. DS did not mind too much, but I did tell him focus on his offers and that things happen for a reason.

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I think you’re very right that sometimes things happen for a reason and schools are potentially quite good at selecting who would settle / thrive better there and that’s why you can have a mix of offers and some children getting one and not the other

W4mamabear · 27/02/2026 17:09

Somewhereinlondon81 · 27/02/2026 15:26

Still wish we could swap! Will you go for LU if the G&L waitlist doesn't move? DD went to the G&L offer day and was rather disheartened that several of the girls in her scavenger hunt group had offers from both and were trying to decide...

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Yes we will accept LU before the deadline on Wednesday - have declined all others now. LU have had us in two times this week already with an open evening and a heads tour and then sports ground visit tomorrow. I think our DD is getting more and more excited as each even happens and will probably want to go for LU even if G&L does come through at the last minute. It doesn’t help that waitlists don’t get to come back to the school again to for a last look around (probably rightfully so) and in the mean time minds can be changed

Somewhereinlondon81 · 27/02/2026 15:44

Springtoday · 27/02/2026 15:38

Sometimes things happen for a reason. I have a dd at G&L and she is very happy there. I also have a ds at LU and he is happy. Sometimes kids will get into one school and not the other. We know someone who got LU but not G&L and someone St Paul's but not LU. DS did not get St Paul's but got LU and his friend got St Paul's and not LU. DS did not mind too much, but I did tell him focus on his offers and that things happen for a reason.

Show quote history

Thank you! G&L does seem like a brilliant school. I just have reservations about single sex education (admittedly based on my own long-ago boarding school experiences). We only have daughters so no brothers around for any kind of gender balance, and the only question the G&L didn't answer well is what joint activities they do with boys. The answer seemed to be nothing!

Springtoday · 27/02/2026 15:38

Somewhereinlondon81 · 27/02/2026 15:26

Still wish we could swap! Will you go for LU if the G&L waitlist doesn't move? DD went to the G&L offer day and was rather disheartened that several of the girls in her scavenger hunt group had offers from both and were trying to decide...

Show quote history

Sometimes things happen for a reason. I have a dd at G&L and she is very happy there. I also have a ds at LU and he is happy. Sometimes kids will get into one school and not the other. We know someone who got LU but not G&L and someone St Paul's but not LU. DS did not get St Paul's but got LU and his friend got St Paul's and not LU. DS did not mind too much, but I did tell him focus on his offers and that things happen for a reason.