10+ entry for secondary schools 2026

Yes, it is good to have the assessments over and done with before Xmas and I hope everyone will get the offers they want.

I think both schools are great actually and that’s why we applied for both. I think there is a lot to be said for being more traditional and having the bells and whistles. There is also a lot in the opportunities of being part as a school transitions to be fully coed (and no one can predict how that will go).
Ultimately, I’m sure all boys who get an offer will do a second visit and then make the final decision as to what is the best option for them and their families.

Wednesday. Honestly, I don’t think I want Trinity it’s always been my backup school. I’ve got friends at both and Whitgift is the stand out for me. The “traditional” I think is just more professional. Everything they do is just to a high standard all the time and for the fees we are now expecting to pay, that makes me happy. Trinity feels now like a bit of a test. I don’t know how the coed is really going to work long term, by then we will be about three years in… that’s a lot of money to not know how the concept works and just because it works in sixth form, doesn’t mean it will through the school.
Also the fact they are interviewing so many makes me suspicious too. One friends son is at Whitgift has had so much pastoral support too as he found the transition hard. They have said the school have been so caring told him not to worry that he’s in now and he can be himself, he’s earned his spot. They also got him involved and gave him so much encouragement. Another mum friend who actually pushed me to apply had her son in a school in west London, he was getting bullied and is now as Whitgift and she said he’s like a different child now just so happy and enjoying school life. My Trinity mums are happy, but they do say it’s not got the bells and whistles that Whitgift has and if I’m honest I do want all that too because for 30k a year I do want the best of the best.

im just going to try and push this away now and not think about it over Christmas and hope for the best.

When is your DS’s interview at Trinity?
My DS preferred Whitgift but now here is changing his mind I think, mostly as Whitgift feels a bit too traditional for him.

Yes, the snacks are very important! 😆 it’s defo the more formal of the schools in that way. Competition is high there too with all the changes that have gone on in Trinity. My DS really wants Whitgift so I’m hoping it’s gone well. Either way, we will now relax and enjoy Christmas.

How did today go for everyone?

My DS said it was harder than Trinity and not as welcoming as they were all in one big room and the snacks (very important as we all know) were worse and the teachers weren’t as nice.

Hello all! We are all done now. How did your DS find it. My son said it was much harder than trinity and I think the sheer number of boys in their uniforms also got to him. Well it’s end of exam season for us so it’s just a waiting game now. How did yours find it?

Wow, thank you so much for your detailed response! That’s super helpful. Did they mention anything about the meeting being academic scholarship at all, or indicating it was for that?

Ot sounds like your DS did well! I hope tomorrow goes well for you too. Almost there 😃 then we can relax!

Hello and good evening,

Yes! We had the interview today.
There were 12 interviews today for 10+ and they said that there is a lot more upcoming for them in January.
Interview with DS: The interviewer picked our son up from the meeting room and they went for a chat in a different room.
It started with chatting about the answers he has given in the written assessment.
This was followed by an image from WW II and chatting about it from various perspectives.
Next, he was asked what does he think about a robot making government and global decisions.
Last, he was asked if he has any questions for the interviewer and then he was accompanied back to the meeting room.
15 minutes, all easy and super friendly.
DS said it was all very nice and whilst he was worried, it all went well.
Meeting with Headmaster: We had a chat with him and he presented the results of DS's test and said that he has done very well and he really just wanted to get a better understanding of DS and it was an opportunity for us to ask any questions.

Good luck for tomorrow for all those sitting the Whitgift and I hope everyone else had a good experience today at Trinity!

Oh and let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to hearing how it went for the others.

Hello, Anyone who went today willing to share?
Thanks in advance

Hi all,

It is all a speculation and we will obviously know more after the interviews and chats on Friday, but it might be that there are simply more kids they are interviewing and so they need to move some children to be pre January - especially those who have not applied for scholarships perhaps?
It is beyond me why the HM wants to talk to us, but we shall know more a bit later this week.

I'm a bit surprised by the number of people you both mentioned as it did not look that busy to me when we were picking DS up post assessment- I expected there to be at least 100-150 people but it seemed quite a bit fewer than that.

We are also attending Whitgift on Saturday and it feels like it will be busier than the Trinity one and definitely more work for the boys! I just wish they did not stretch it out till mid January and told us pre Xmas about the interviews.

Good luck to us all!

i was thinking as girls are due to come in they will interview as many boys as possible to get the right balance in personality too.

You are right, girls are not this year but the following year 7 intake.

Let’s see, we have Whitgift on Saturday too which is our preferred school so at least this will give him a bit of a taster. I will report back!

He said he found it really easy. But everyone we know has been invited to interview! So I’m wondering if it’s an easier test this year because they are going co ed and trying a different way. The reason why I’m saying everybody got an interview is because some of my friends have openly shared they are surprised as there DS’s have been struggling.

a lot of them have there interviews in Jan but they also have applications for scholarships in sport music etc.

I was wondering if an interview this week put meeting with the head means something? Like is he considered for a scholarship or maybe it’s because he’s not gone for music/drama etc.

I thought we would be invited to a scholarship assessment but maybe that’s 11+

Can I ask if anyone else’s interviews are with the head master and if you know what that means? We are going in Friday and we are seeing the HM. Does everyone see Head or is it for scholarship? And does he see all the parents?

Interview is next week for us as well, on Friday afternoon! If you have yours before then, would you mind sharing how it was?
My DS is torn, maybe more inclined for Whitgift and I am more for Trinity. My other half just wants to have a problem whereby we are offered a place in both and we need to decide:)

ReadyorNot - when is the interview for you guys?
DS said the assessment was as expected, now we are preparing for the Whitgift which seems to be the longest of them all.

Where else are you all applying for?

We shall see you at Whitgift then as we are applying for that, too! Good luck to us all! I'll let you know how the interview goes in Trinity.

We've applied for a music scholarship and the interview date is 24th January which they have said no prep required for. My DS is also sitting the Whitgift exam in 2 weeks so will see what the outcome of that on will be. Good luck to your DS for his interview next week 🤞 will be great to find out what he was asking!