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Original poster

Entrance exam... last bit of panic!

98 replies

Labro · 11/01/2013 01:10

This has probably been asked many many times before but humour me! In the unlikely event that ds is ill or the weather stops us getting to the exam, do I ring the school and they allow test to be sat at another time or what????

OP posts:
Eastpoint · 11/01/2013 06:50

You call the school where the exam is taking place and your own school so they know too. Some of the schools have alternative dates for candidates who have clashes. I've asked for alternative interview times too so my DC didn't have to miss a school trip.

Amerryscot · 11/01/2013 07:00

Did the school say in the letter what to do.

At DDs' school, you phone the school on the morning of the exam if there is a problem.

OldBeanbagz · 11/01/2013 09:25

Is it tomorrow by any chance?

Allow plenty of time for weather/traffic and if your DS is ill tomorrow morning, phone the school straight away.

My DD missed her assessment day for her current school due to chickenpox and they just rearranged to a different day. There's a few in her class who have a clash tomorrow but the school has organised then to sit the second exams next week.

mummytime · 11/01/2013 09:33

The weather will be fine (very little chance of snow here tomorrow, more of ice). If there is an issue I would phone the school. Take deep breaths, it will be fine (I've never heard of boys in tears unlike at other schools entrance exams, and I do mean boys in tears).

You do realise there will also be a lot of State school boys there too? So really deep breaths, lavender oil on your (and his) pillow, plan a nice shop/coffee shop.

"If" he doesn't pass it will not be the end of the world. It would be far worse to scrape in by a fluke and go through 5/7 years feeling "thick" at the bottom of the bottom sets; as a friend who used to teach there once said.

Original poster
Labro · 11/01/2013 09:46

Thanks everybody. Yes, I'm aware of the state school boys too, which is no problem as ds was in state until a year ago, he may even find some old friends there. Theres alternatives if he doesn't get through and it sounds like their testing is more about potential rather than hitting the right % on the right day. Good luck to everybody!

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Original poster
Labro · 12/01/2013 09:30

Well, hes gone in, now the long day wait. Did forget to ask which bit to collect him from but expect it will be obvious later!

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RiseDS · 12/01/2013 15:08

The exam is over but don't know how he has done. He is not happy with comprehension. He could not figure out the trick. He has even left 6 marks question blank. I am not sure whether the comprehension was tricky or it is just my ds. I am very scared.

racingheart · 12/01/2013 15:53

Rise - what do you mean - the trick? (If this is the exam I think it is, I'm wondering what you're referring to. DS said they had an extract from Dickens.

Marni23 · 12/01/2013 16:45

Be careful not to discuss specific questions...there will be a reserve day for DC who couldn't take the exam today.

Original poster
Labro · 12/01/2013 16:47

Trick? Ds said it was a passage from Dickens. The maths was apparently 'alright' and the VR he keeps muttering about the code question where there was no code to work from! He also said the interview was odd, apparently everyone in pairs being asked random questions like what would they do if they could make up.a game for the olympics. Ds was confused as everybody had different interviewers at the same time, they were asked to fill in a sheet about themselves but the interviewer didn't ask anything about what they'd written, then ds started muttering about why do they have to ask stupid questions which they know there is no answer to!!!!

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Original poster
Labro · 12/01/2013 16:50

Trick? Ds said it was a passage from Dickens. The maths was apparently 'alright' and the VR he keeps muttering about the code question where there was no code to work from! He also said the interview was odd, apparently everyone in pairs being asked random questions like what would they do if they could make up.a game for the olympics. Ds was confused as everybody had different interviewers at the same time, they were asked to fill in a sheet about themselves but the interviewer didn't ask anything about what they'd written, then ds started muttering at me about why do they have to ask stupid questions which they know there is no answer to!!!! Have now left him glued to his computer lol

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Original poster
Labro · 12/01/2013 16:54

Not sure why that came out twice!
X post! Hope I haven't been too specific.

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RiseDS · 12/01/2013 17:31

Which school are you talking about?

hardboiled · 12/01/2013 22:41

Labro, how come he had his interview the same day as the exam? Or have I misread your post?

HairyBerry · 13/01/2013 00:31

Rgs, Guildford had dickens. Was today. Don't think there was any trick questions, though the last question was worth 9marks apparently?

They did VR and then interview in pairs in the hall. It sounds like the interviewers weren't all singing from the same hymn sheet, as my son said they were asking him about the hobbies etc. he'd written on the sheet - no tricks.

The interview process seems a bit slapdash, but they said they would bring back some boys for a second interview, so I suppose it might give them SOME info.

BeckAndCall · 13/01/2013 08:12

hradboiled at RGS they have a fairly casual interview on the day, in random pairs of boys, as stated.

Formal interviews only apply to the middle group after the exams are marked - top group get offered a place, no interview; bottom group get rejected, no interview; middle group get a call back interview and then may or may not get offered a place.

RiseDS · 13/01/2013 08:51

Sorry I was talking about other school exam. I won't reveal the name as there might be reserve day for others. Will let you know after a week.

racingheart · 13/01/2013 20:15

Labro, we were told they'd ask unusual questions, but DS was just asked about a hobby he'd written down (which he'd made up on the spot on the form they'd given him, and is something he has zero experience in. Why???)

Original poster
Labro · 13/01/2013 21:56

Lol, well, my ds didn't get asked anything about what he'd written on the form, was asked something like 'what would you do with 1 millon pounds'

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Original poster
Labro · 14/01/2013 11:11

ds and I have both gone down with the 'winter vomiting bug' in the early hours of this morning!!!!!!!!!

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Ginberry · 14/01/2013 15:51

Sorry you're poorly Labro.

Just wondering, does anyone know how many applicants there are for the 100 year 7 places at this school? To me it looked as though there were about 500 boys there on Saturday!

JoanByers · 14/01/2013 16:43

Ginberry, there were in effect two separate pools on Saturday, one was 11+ for Y7 entry (mostly state school boys), and the other was 11+ for Y9 entry.

Since you had to choose one or t'other, the competition wouldn't be as bad as it might appear, so if there were 500 boys that would be for 100 11+ and 50 13+ places, so about 3 to 1, which I believe is the usual ratio.

I note that they appear to have updated their admissions supplement for 13+ applicants, such that the CE pass mark is now 70%, rather than 65%, and there is now a requirement to sit the higher tier paper in English.

Obviously some schools get more applicants per place than that, but as RGS is the highest achieving school for a good many miles around, most applicants would accept a place, so I guess they won't over-offer to any great degree and the majority of applications will be unsuccessful.

Ginberry · 14/01/2013 20:36

Thanks JoanByers. My understanding is that if you're outright rejected, or if you're asked back for a second interview, you get those letters this week (as the second interviews are next week), but if you are a "straight in" then you just don't hear at all until 18 Feb. Is this right or is it the case that both outright rejections and "straight ins" don't hear till 18 Feb?

JoanByers · 14/01/2013 20:56

I think they said they will let the know the straight rejections ASAP, and otherwise 18th but maybe sooner too.

racingheart · 14/01/2013 21:27

Ginberry - I got the same impression as you. If you hear nothing that's very good news indeed. They send rejections out as soon as they can, so people aren't hanging on. Then they send out second interview letters which are for the borderline boys. The ones they definitely want, they simply offer places to when the deadline comes.
And I think Joan is right, very few people turn down RGS. There's more movement at Hampton and Reeds, as these are both second choice schools for lots of people. Even though Hampton is an academic school, it's still seen by some London parents as the safety net for boys who don't get into Kings, Westminster or St Pauls, so if their first choice comes through, they turn it down.