Does anyone know about Alleyn's or JAP/Gs , when's best to apply and would we fit in?

[starrystarrynights]

Does anyone know about Allyen's or JAP/Gs and would you recommend 7+ or 11+ entry?

I'm having a bit of a dilemma. DD 6, attends a GDST that has performed really poorly in this year's exams - the local comprehensive has obtained virtually on-par results. We make sacrifices for DD to attend the school so it does make me wonder what I'm spending my money on?.

Anyway, we've never planned on sending her to the attached GDST High School and have wanted her to go to Alleyn's or JAPS from 11. This years exams results and the fact that the school are so very very laid back and relaxed are making me wonder if we should push to get her into another school sooner. So I have a couple of questions:

• I read somewhere that its much easier to get into JAPS/Alleyns at 7 than 11 as its much more competitive at 11 - is this true? I don't know if its best to try to get her in at age 7 if this is the case.

• We returned to London from overseas last year, from a country where children started school later. As a result DD is not bottom but definitely not top of her class. If we decide to go down the JAPS/Alleyns route for age 7 we can organise a tutor for her till the entrance exam at the end of the year. Do you think that this would be too much for her and if she did get in that she would struggle? Teachers at current school have commented that her Maths is on par with the class and that she has a real interest buts its in English that she needs a bit of support.
• What are the schools like? I have a picture in my head that Alleyns is more inclusive and warmer but I don't know what makes me think that! We are comfortable but not loaded so definately not pony owning or polo players?

Any assistance would be much appreciated..

is your daughter at a school which begins with S and has a C in it?

If so, I was distinctly underwhelmed when I went round to have a look at it for dd

we also looked at Alleyn's and JAPS - Alleyn's junior dept is warmer and cuddlier than JAPS. JAPS is very impressive academically but imo a bit too full-on and scary. A friend of mine teaches at JAGS and she says the senior school staff think it's a bit bonkers and the little girls are put under too much pressure.

Alleyn's senior school is very academic, but not particularly socially mixed - lots of very rich, famous parents and some of the other parents feel they and their kids are overlooked somewhat by the school.

JAPS has a more formal exam for 7+ entry than Alleyn's - sitting down in a big hall, interviews for the girls getting the top scores in the exams. There aren't many places at 7+ as most of their intake comes from their pre-prep. There aren't many places up for grabs at Alleyn's either at that stage as again, most go in a 4+.

I didn't even put dd in for JAPS in the end as I just thought it was OTT for a 6 year old. Yes, Alleyn's and JAGS are v competitive at 11, but I think that 11 year olds are much more able to deal with the pressure.

Go for Alleyn's: it's lovely.

I have taught there for nearly ten years, and now am very happy to send dd there (whilst thanking the Lord for teacher's reduced fees!) It is very friendly. There are a good number of luvvies etc, but also many many ordinary folk.

Alleyns also has a small 9+ entry.

There is no harm in trying at 7+ without making a big thing of it and then having a rethink if you don't get a place. We know one child who finally got a place at 11+, her fourth attempt, but depending on where you live there are other schools (Emanuel, Old Palace, Blackheath) which you could consider.

If Basildon Bond is right, you are not the only one who has concerns. A pity. It used to be considered a nice straight-forward school but when my daughter sat 11+ 18 months ago, it seemed to have dropped off people's preference lists and none of her friends went there. In our case we found it so difficult to get any response from the admissions office to a reasonable and straightforward question that we did not bother.

Thanks for your responses, I don't want to out myself but I do know of that school.

What I'm most worried about is puttng her through the ordeal of the exam if she is not going to get in - the Alleyns prospectus basically says that 1 in 15 get in at 7, it feels like a lot to put kids through especially if other kids havehad tutoring/support for longer.

The Alleyns prospectus/website is a little vague aroud the entrance assessment and there are no sample papers on the site - would anyone be able to share what's involved?

I can't remember exactly what was involved (we went along to open days etc but then decided a 20 minute drive each way every day was going to be just a bit too far), but I do remember that it was much less formal than JAPS, so not a 3 hour sit-down exam type scenario

I know the school says 1 in 15, but many of those children will be applying to multiple schools so in reality the odds aren't as bad as they seem on the face of it ...

"The Alleyns prospectus/website is a little vague aroud the entrance assessment and there are no sample papers on the site - would anyone be able to share what's involved?"

Have you asked the school? It might be worth talking to the admissions secretary or going to an open day?

Does anyone have experience of a child going from pre prep to prep at JAPS, Alleyn's or Dulwich College?

There are 18 places available for reception, and 22 places at prep. Assuming all or most of the 22 places available at the 7+ entry are taken up by the pre prep, that only leaves 4 places for outside entries!!

Can any parents out there remember whether all the class moved up through to prep? ...

A quick update on my previous post ... it turns out the 22 places available at 7+ are in fact outside places - the pre prep places are not included.

This means, according to the number of applicants for each point of entry, that your child has twice as much chance of gaining a place at 7+ than at 4+ ... Basildonbond - you seem to have some experience of these schools and wondered if you could shed some light on your above post, where you mention it's harder to gain a place at 7+. I've also read that 4+ places at Alleyn's are the most sought after and I'm now wondering why.

Any advice or experience other parents can share would be greatly appreciated.

Starry - The S London GDST school is not intensively selective. There are 2 local state schools that have very high results indeed, especially given that they take a representative intake (apart from the one that takes a top two classes from one of the most competitive selective exams in London!). So don't be too surprised that a state school has results as good as a GDST school! And it can often be down to the ability of the children, not the school - apart from the fact that several local state secondaries are extremely good schools!

If your dd is not happy and you do not think that the education she is receiving is developing her potential then of course look around, but I really wouldn't move her simply because of the exam results of a cohort she isn't even in!

Leave her at her current school and look at St Dunstan's at 11?

And, umm, if you don't want to out yourself, remove your profile

Good luck - I know school choices can be a nightmare.

is Dustbins coed now?
gosh that ruins half the fun from when I was at the GDST