Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Boarding school

Connect with fellow parents of boarding school students on our supportive forum. Share experiences, tips, and insights.

Original poster

Harrow/Eton/Winchester Entry 2027

240 replies

Num1 · 04/12/2024 08:29

Hi all,

Just thought I would start a thread for Entry 2027 for the above.

My DS has had the invite for the Harrow Test in Jan 2025, has anyone heard back for Eton or Winchester?

i appreciate its just a waiting game, but am asking out of curiosity.

OP posts:
vjceqgub · 30/01/2025 17:29

Birmingbacon · 30/01/2025 15:08

@vjceqgub do you mind me asking what sort of things were discussed at the interview please? DS has his on Tuesday but coming from a state school we aren’t sure what to expect. He’s done no prep for it. I’ve just said shake hands, be polite and have a nice chat!

DS said he've got general questions about school, family, hobby, etc. Any preparation is definitely unnecessary or makes it even worse. Our prep said: The interviewer will spot a ‘prepared’ answer a mile away and would much prefer to engage with the boys in a more relaxed manner. So, you don't need to worry about it. Your advice is already perfect.
P.S. Each house master should have his own style. Please take it with a pinch of salt.

Xiaoxiong · 31/01/2025 21:27

@RisingStar9 @Num1 DS2 had his assessment a few days ago for Eton.

@Birmingbacon the interview was exactly as @vjceqgub describes. General chat about interests, books, sport, why Eton, why boarding. They'll be looking to see if the boy is curious, sparky, what they would bring to the cohort.

The best preparation is a good night's sleep beforehand, and a good breakfast the morning of!!

vjceqgub · 31/01/2025 22:24

Hi @Xiaoxiong, I've been reading your comments about boarding schools, and I appreciate it so much.
One question: DS will have the interview for Eton too, and I'm wondering if you could tell me your first-hand experience about Eton (because it seems your DS1 went to Eton. Do correct me if I'm wrong)? IMO, DS is bright enough to get offers from WinColl and Eton, and I'm wondering which is the right school for him...
Thank you very much in advance!

Rennypie03 · 09/02/2025 19:58

CoolBlueCat · 25/01/2025 12:26

Hi FaF,

Any school will have pros and cons but I hope I can give you a balanced view after five years at Winchester College. At the end of our journey with so many ups and downs, our boy had an Oxbridge place so it worked out and a second leaves this year. I will happily tell you that we tutored them for the last three years as we didn't think he was being taught properly in his target A Level subjects. We did so in and around the sports timetable as they have a LOT of unsupervised time that they can use for online tutoring.

Pros
We love the diversity - pupils from all over the world, speaking many languages gives it a cosmopolitan feel. A strong bursary programme means there's lots of kids that our son wouldn't ordinarily encounter. Community Service is also amazing. At the same time,

It's not flashy or London centric and most are nice kids and parents

Throughout his time, he was free to be a "boys boy" and the (mainly) boys school environment has been great for him. In the Sixth Form there are something like 15 girls with aims to go fully co-educational from 13.

Lovely facilities as you'd expect for the price.

Winchester is really safe.

Cons
On the whole the last two years has been disappointing for us. Academic results and Oxbridge stats are poor for a school like Winchester. I can't tell you exactly why but most of his friends missed out on their Oxford offers last time around so only a dozen or so made it. Apparently this year is the same with lots of retakes and reapplicants making up the numbers.

Div has been a letdown. As the centre of the academic offer, it should be more than a rambling unprepared teacher at the front of class discussing the Times headline.

The teaching has been variable. One teacher taught the wrong exam for a term, another was off sick forever and English Lit results were so dreadful that they stopped teaching it and examining it rather than sorting out the underlying problem.

Has it worked out? Sure. But we wouldn't do it again today given the new direction of the school. At the price, there are many other options out there. But it will work for some.

Show quote history

May I dm you? As I am looking at 6th form options @CoolBlueCat

BeLilacTiger · 10/02/2025 11:13

Can anyone provide any insight to House Masters and Houses at Win coll?
I've seen some comments on MN stating some houses are better than others however there's no mention of which Houses. I would really appreciate some first hand experience good or bad! Please do dm me if you rather.

Xiaoxiong · 10/02/2025 11:27

@vjceqgub I don't have much to say personally about Winchester as I don't have a DS there, but I've heard a number of comments both on here over the last year or two along the lines of @CoolBlueCat and from boys from DS's prep school that have gone there.

Our experience of Eton has been excellent - it's a big busy place and really is full boarding (parents expected to back off and let the school do what it does best) so it suits a confident, independent, academic and self-motivated boy. That being said, there's also more handholding and pastoral care than they like to admit and they have the resources to make sure the support has been phenomenal when needed. Feel free to DM me!

vjceqgub · 10/02/2025 12:45

Xiaoxiong · 10/02/2025 11:27

@vjceqgub I don't have much to say personally about Winchester as I don't have a DS there, but I've heard a number of comments both on here over the last year or two along the lines of @CoolBlueCat and from boys from DS's prep school that have gone there.

Our experience of Eton has been excellent - it's a big busy place and really is full boarding (parents expected to back off and let the school do what it does best) so it suits a confident, independent, academic and self-motivated boy. That being said, there's also more handholding and pastoral care than they like to admit and they have the resources to make sure the support has been phenomenal when needed. Feel free to DM me!

Thank you very much! I'll DM you.

Original poster
Num1 · 26/02/2025 10:55

Hi All,

Just got the Eton email saying results are sent to the school on the week of 24th March. Best of luck everyone.

I do remember end of April and 1st week of May being mention during one of the interviews, or am I confused with Harrow?

OP posts:
RisingStar9 · 26/02/2025 11:21

Num1 · 26/02/2025 10:55

Hi All,

Just got the Eton email saying results are sent to the school on the week of 24th March. Best of luck everyone.

I do remember end of April and 1st week of May being mention during one of the interviews, or am I confused with Harrow?

That’s what they’ve said for Harrow. Good luck with your results.

Solasum · 26/02/2025 11:40

@Num1 which interview tranche were you in? I was expecting to hear in May

Original poster
Num1 · 26/02/2025 11:52

Solasum · 26/02/2025 11:40

@Num1 which interview tranche were you in? I was expecting to hear in May

For Harrow its was Tranche 5. For Eton, I do not remember.

OP posts:
Kitkat189 · 26/02/2025 12:53

Funnily I was just trying to find info on when we can expect the Harrow results but I have nothing in my emails. I too remember April/may being mentioned. How about Winchester, does anyone know?

Original poster
Num1 · 26/02/2025 12:55

Num1 · 26/02/2025 11:52

For Harrow its was Tranche 5. For Eton, I do not remember.

Show quote history

Just had another email, we were in Tranche 1.

OP posts:
Solasum · 26/02/2025 13:26

@Kitkat189 the Winchester housemaster we saw said everyone would find out in May

vjceqgub · 26/02/2025 13:31

Kitkat189 · 26/02/2025 12:53

Funnily I was just trying to find info on when we can expect the Harrow results but I have nothing in my emails. I too remember April/may being mentioned. How about Winchester, does anyone know?

Re Winchester, early of May.
Re Eton, four to six weeks after the second assessment.

vjceqgub · 02/03/2025 19:37

No offence, but we got waitlisted at Wellington College last week, and I'm panicking a bit (Not DS, he said just "OK, fine".). I've been regarding Wellington as a backup to Eton or Winchester and haven't expected this situation if he's entutled to get straight offers from E/W. Please do correct me if I'm wrong, but do we still have a chance to get into E/W?

easternenergizer · 02/03/2025 21:29

vjceqgub · 02/03/2025 19:37

No offence, but we got waitlisted at Wellington College last week, and I'm panicking a bit (Not DS, he said just "OK, fine".). I've been regarding Wellington as a backup to Eton or Winchester and haven't expected this situation if he's entutled to get straight offers from E/W. Please do correct me if I'm wrong, but do we still have a chance to get into E/W?

You still have a chance. He could have just had a bad day for Wellington Tests that's all. And some schools see the potential that others don't. Fret not :-)

vjceqgub · 02/03/2025 22:33

@easternenergizer Thank you for your message. I do hope so.

Shakespearessister1980 · 03/03/2025 11:33

Num1 · 26/02/2025 12:55

Just had another email, we were in Tranche 1.

Show quote history

Hi there, this may be a silly question, but how do you know which 'tranche' you were in? Do you mean, which Harrow Test date your DS was on , out of all the assessment dates? Don't all Harrow decision letters come out in early May, regardless of the 'tranche'? Many thanks

RisingStar9 · 03/03/2025 11:52

I believe they are simply taking about which of the 9 assessment days at Harrow they were invited to attend. I think there were two or three assessment days after ours which would have made us assessment day 6 or 7, but all pupils should get their results from Harrow on the same day. Eton, on the other hand, have proper tranches according to DOB with ten assessment days in each of the three tranches. Each tranche is individually notified approx 5-6 weeks after the assessments in that tranche have concluded.

Original poster
Num1 · 03/03/2025 12:17

Shakespearessister1980 · 03/03/2025 11:33

Hi there, this may be a silly question, but how do you know which 'tranche' you were in? Do you mean, which Harrow Test date your DS was on , out of all the assessment dates? Don't all Harrow decision letters come out in early May, regardless of the 'tranche'? Many thanks

Show quote history

Hello,

Not a silly question at all.

The Eton Automated email tells you which tranche your DS is in.

Regarding Harrow, they told us which tranche my DS was on the day of interview, and yes we all find out on the same day.

Regarding Harrow, how did the parents and DS find the post interview feedback and collection? The HM was quite clear what his views were, and I was wondering if others had similar experiences, or am I just misreading the situation?

OP posts:
Shakespearessister1980 · 03/03/2025 12:33

Num1 · 03/03/2025 12:17

Hello,

Not a silly question at all.

The Eton Automated email tells you which tranche your DS is in.

Regarding Harrow, they told us which tranche my DS was on the day of interview, and yes we all find out on the same day.

Regarding Harrow, how did the parents and DS find the post interview feedback and collection? The HM was quite clear what his views were, and I was wondering if others had similar experiences, or am I just misreading the situation?

Show quote history

Hi, thank you. Yes our experience was that the HM who interviewed DS was very open and explicit about how it went and how he felt about DS, which we found v helpful. If HM feedback is positive, one would hope that that is a good thing, especially if interviewed for a house that is high up on a preference list. I understand that at Harrow, the interview counts for a lot and the HM has quite a big say in selection.

Corwen · 03/03/2025 13:28

Following this thread with interest as DS will be going through this process next year. Grandparents will fund Y9-12 as we are not in a position to do so but I am wondering if anyone can let me know the termly instrumental lesson cost at Harrow and Winchester as DS currently takes 4 sets of lessons and these will fall to us. He's really aiming for Harrow as a music scholar due to various connections we have there and he may get some lessons free if he achieves this. Does anyone have experience of the music depts at these three schools and how they compare? He's very focussed on classical music and opera although he doesn't sing (much). He's hoping for lots of chamber music and big orchestral concerts. Thanks and good luck with all your decisions

Original poster
Num1 · 03/03/2025 15:18

Shakespearessister1980 · 03/03/2025 12:33

Hi, thank you. Yes our experience was that the HM who interviewed DS was very open and explicit about how it went and how he felt about DS, which we found v helpful. If HM feedback is positive, one would hope that that is a good thing, especially if interviewed for a house that is high up on a preference list. I understand that at Harrow, the interview counts for a lot and the HM has quite a big say in selection.

Show quote history

Thanks. Yes, speaking to other parents and teachers there, the process is heavily weighted on interview, ie bad day on exam for DS is not a bar for entry, but a bad/poor interview (whatever that looks like), is probably terminal.

These are snippets of advice I have had over the years, Eton however are far more focussed on the test, apparently.

OP posts:
Xiaoxiong · 03/03/2025 17:28

@Corwen I know most about Eton but I'm sure all three have great music on offer and wonderful facilities. Of course Eton being a bigger school will have just more to get involved with. eg. Eton has 57 instrumental ensembles, two orchestras, seven choirs, each house has concerts, the senior boys regularly put on their own concerts, the houses also compete against each other with singing in the house shout, the house harmony competition etc. The main school play is often a fully staged musical - they did the Producers a few years ago and next year will be West Side Story. They have 78 music teachers with 1,250 individual lessons per week and half of the entire school takes at least one instrument.

If your boy comes in as an MS (music scholar), all their lessons are fully covered (up to a certain number of hours, but I think it covers at least 4x 30 min instrumental lessons once a week). Also if he starts in Year 9 all MS candidates are eligible for bursary assistance subject to means testing. Worth checking out: www.etoncollege.com/admissions/scholarships-and-awards/music-awards/