St Albans boys

By Friday…

I think it’s more likely about 150. Remember Aldenham is more of a “catch all” as it gets kids using it as a back up and kids who put it first choice. I think someone said it earlier but lots of people won’t bother with St A if their Ds/DD not academically inclined.

I was probably watching the exact same thread😂
Yes best of luck to you all and hopefully it’s good news for us all on Friday 🙂
I’m curious to know if SAS judge solely off the exam as the scholarship assessments are all after this?

Anyway best of luck to everyone’s DS/DD on this thread waiting for SAS. I remember watching a similar post this time last year and thinking it will be me this time next year - here we are !

Shall we talk about the chances of place offer if you get a call back, or shall we save that for next week 🙃🤪

He was in the later group but I didn’t get the email until after I had left to collect so ended up seeing the first and second group. To be honest it’s probably a little more than 50-60 but not 100.

ive asked my son again and he defo said no way were there 100…:I’ve also heard Habs is down significantly this year so nothing would surprise me. Again I may be wishful thinking as SAS is our number one choice!

Totally agree!

Yes definitely no afternoon sessions.. hopefully numbers are down!! Just not sure why the teacher would indicate the higher numbers I mentioned earlier. It didn’t look like it to me either and a my DS guess of 100 is not exactly the most reliable source! The parents in group B got sent an email to come abit later, which group was your DS in?

Exactly…..! Seems like more supply vs demand?

I know for a fact there were about 15- 20 kids for 13+ just based on the 15 that I know attended and then there will have been a few more…72 spaces for year 7 and 72 further for 13+ but of course they get applicants for year 9 entry who sit in year 7 and year 8 so they won’t fill the 13+ numbers in this round. I guess what I’m saying is we aren’t talking about 72 spaces only but more like 90-100 as they will allocate some of the 13+ places from the assessments. I’m going to say it - the numbers are not adding up for me this year in the way I have watched for this process in the last few years - help!

according to their website their is actually 144 places available between the yr 7 entry and deferred entry (72 places for each) which is interesting. Just a matter of how many were there for each entry point.

Also just to add, the days of the 5th and 6th were 2 AM sessions only. There is no way they could have run multiple afternoon sessions if you consider the morning slots was 8.15-1315-1345 (we didn’t leave until home 1345.)

they would have had kids there until 6. Wouldn’t have happened. And this is my point. I know the numbers should be higher.,.based on previous years…but I’m not sure they are!!

Yes I agree with you on how low it seems. But also just not sure how we get to 200. As those who were there on the day (including myself) said there were not more than 50-60 kids on each day of the 5th and 6th. That leaves me thinking there must have been a bigger day elsewhere but I know the day on the 8th was least preferred as school is back in session. Make it make sense!!!

My DS actually mentioned seeing over hundred children there including both groups as he made a friend in the first group but got moved to the second group and didn’t see him again after that. It’s hard to judge as we did not get to go into the school at the beginning of the day, just dropped him off at the gates in the morning so its hard to gage how many students were there altogether and when it was time to pick him, half of them were already gone as my ds was in the later group, so it’s anyone’s guess

They split the groups up into 2 groups the Tuesday I went. If DS surname was between A- M he would have been in the first group who had already finished and were waiting to be picked up. The second group N- Z finished half hour later and us parents had to wait in the hall for them.

Something that has been on my mind though- how many children were at the assessment day for the deferred year 9 entry and how many were there to start to start in year 7 as it was the same assessment for both routes. Most prep schools finish in year 8 so assuming there will be more spaces for those coming from state schools for the year 7 entry. Any thoughts?

100 seems a lot… I / other parents estimated 25 in each group. But I couldn’t believe the numbers would be so low!! All the best to you. The wait is torture. My DS has wanted to go here for years….the waiting is harder than the lead up / prep 🤪

Hi!

I am curious to know more on how the numbers above were estimated for those sitting SAS last week. Seems like there were about 20 / 25 in each of the 2 groups, and 4 groups across the 2 days. Then of course there would have been the mop up day which I think was the Thursday. But this thread seems to suggest there were a lot more in each of the groups? Not what my son who sat said and other parents confirmed there kids said the same.

@jdr1234my ds is currently sitting Mount House today.. our first choice is SAS though so really hoping for a call back next week.

This is what they’ve done the last two years - both have 4 classes and around 88 pupils I think.

We heard quite a few girls who applied to STAHS (the girls’ school) also applied to SAS. They would have sat the SAS exam on Monday as STAHS was on Tuesday.

Also forgot to mention that they also said they would happily increase the number of offers to 80 students and add an extra form if the cohort is strong, so we’ll see 😬

Morning, my DS took the exam on Tuesday and I asked a teacher there how many students attended the examinations this year. He actually mentioned there was more this year than last year and he’s assuming this is due to them becoming co-ed despite only seeing saw 2 girls there!! He said there was around 180 students that attended on Tuesday and 160 on Monday and they try to call back around half! Also they ran the assessment day differently this year, doing it across 2 days as opposed to the 1 with 2 sessions. They said that there was another girls school who had their exam on the same day and didn’t want parents to have to choose which one their child would sit.. He also mentioned that they didn’t like when parents prepped their child for an interview and would much rather laugh at an unexpected response. Not sure about anyone else, but the wait is killing me..

I don’t know historically the number of applicants to SAS, but when we applied the website said “about 300.” So the actual 280 figure was what you’d expect given birth rates and VAT.