Harrow/Eton/Radley/Winchester Entry 2028

[MrsHLQ]

Starting a thread for all those parents whose sons are currently in Year 6 and who are hoping to join one of these 4 schools in 2028

As the first stage of their assessment process, the boys are sitting ISEB exams this month

Here we can discuss anything and everything to do with the entire application and assessment process over the next 6 or so months or so. By which time we should all know if we have offers, rejections or have been waitlisted

Good luck to all the boys sitting ISEB exams!

Friends who a generation ago would have gone to eton are now preferring Radley due to being overwhelmed by overseas boys at eton . One family friend has a boy at eton whose year group in house is 80% overseas. It’s been a bit grim from a friendship making/social viewpoint . Holidays - all his housemates in year are back in Asia ….The school
is no doubt excellent from an education POV but at what cost? Plenty of British families want a more rounded traditional education with friendships made for life and Radley certainly fosters that more than Eton does these days. I think Radley is becoming now what eton was 20 years ago maybe. I think Radley boys are a great bunch. It’s definitely a school I’d look for if I had wanted an all
boys school. Erin and Harrow much much less.( Winchester just doesn’t feature on anyone’s radar in the midlands. )

First I’ve ever heard that about Eton

Quite a few people have popped up on the thread saying their DC received Harrow offers

Congratulations!

I’m interested to know if you will accept or not and the reasons behind your decision

we will accept as we seek to continue to evaluate the school. Hopefully there will be orientation days where we can meet the cohort and proposed house mates and then we will have more first hand information on which to base our decision

@MrsHLQ Hi ,
we are waiting for Winchester ! I won’t be accepting Harrow !
we have Radley too and would except Radley over Winchester . But my son would like to go to Winchester so end of April we will see what they offer him

@MrsHLQ that is interesting. I didn’t realise we would be able to glean that much from the intro events. I’m still nervous about whether boarding is right for DS, but encouraged / reassured that you think the decision-making process is still ongoing.

Around what time do people holding onto more than one offer let the extra offers go? Do most people wait until the very last minute? When is the very last minute? Thanks (a waiting list mum!)

@MrsDiddy was that a response to me? Sorry I missed it!

If you have a definite No1 school and get offered it then you just decline all the others

I know quite a few people who initially accepted Radley but have now have declined because they have already been offered Eton

a lot of other people I know are about to decline Radley if they get offered Eton in tranche 2 or 3

sounds like @Tobstar106 is going to decline Radley and Harrow if they get Win Col

so all that opens up places

BUT

it depends where you want to go and why you were waitlisted.

Waitlisting can be a soft decline (as a gentle favour to you and/or your prep school, less harsh than “no”) or it can mean you are genuinely in with a chance.

everyone is different but I would treat waitlist as a decline if it were me.

leftandaright · Today 15:55
Friends who a generation ago would have gone to eton are now preferring Radley due to being overwhelmed by overseas boys at eton

That’s interesting. That must be relatively recent development as when my ds was there there was a limit on overseas pupils.

Winchester hopefuls:

Are the results out yet, or are they expected by end of April?

Not yet, I heard someone mentioned 30th April. They sent out offers on 1st May last year.

First week of May.

Are all of the WinColl offers/results/outcomes released at the same time or does it vary dependent on house/bursary/scholarship applications?

The same day but might be different time depending on houses. Sometimes they send out offers first in the morning and send out WL a few hours later.