The Trinity Whitgift Dulwich 11+/10+ thread 2014 pt2

[LadyMuck]

Anyone still out there?!

Should DS get a place at T, he'll be looking at the better part of an hour, though hopefully not more - door to desk, most schools are going to be 45-60 minutes from where we are except for Westminster and City (too aspirational) and Emanuel

I'm quite glad dd's doing an after school club today so will miss the head in the playground - it's excruciating to think he knows now and we don't!!!

We're only waiting for one school tomorrow as dd had the (v good) results for the other school last week - I really feel for the boys as none of them knows yet if they've got a place/scholarship - all their results come tomorrow ...

There are a couple of boys in ds1's year who have 1+ hour commutes but not many - ds's journey is 40 mins door to door which seems quite long enough to me!

We're looking at around 50 mins for both W and DC, door to door. DS was initially fazed by journey to W as he will have to catch public transport but once we'd done the train journey with him to interview etc, he realised how easy it was.

This time tomorrow.......

Its not so much the length of the commute as the complexity and frequency of the route IME. From memory some of the school coach services would take about that time or more, but it is a straightforward journey provided you are punctual. DS's school has a regular train service at peak times, but if he has to stay late then it drops to a half hourly service and that is significant if he just misses a train given it is under 15 minutes on the train itself.

It takes DSs about 45 minutes to get to T. Coming home it can take an hour as it is busier and involves two buses.

Which is stupid as it takes about 15 minutes to drive there!

So for those of you who are on the other side already, what would you have wanted to know before you had signed up? And surprises (either good or bad)? Any regrets?

No regrets from me. DS loves T and it has met my expectations.

No regrets here either. Ds is loving W, having taken to it like a duck to water. He's made a bunch of fab friends and is enjoying the work and all the extra-curricular stuff. Even the homework isn't too arduous (though we are 10+, I have a feeling it will ramp up next year). I have been amazed at some of the things he's learning (in a good way!) and I do feel he's being stretched academically, which was really important for us. Communication between school and parents has been generally good, despite the horrors of the admissions process. All in all W has met, and sometimes even exceeded, expectations. And apparently the school lunches are STILL FANTASTIC

I'm really feeling for all those of you awaiting tomorrow's news. I remember feeling physically sick this time last year. But I honestly believe that dcs end up at the school that's meant for them, so it will all work out in the end. It's a shocking process, though, that's for sure.

basilbond, ladymuck - are your DSs at a feeder prep school? if the Head already knows or do they routinely contact all successful applicants' schools. my DS is the only from our school.

IF we get a place at W, commute with be an hour on school bus initially.

thanks ladyM, don't see our prep head around much anyway, so should be easy to avoid him.

Best of luck to everyone for tomorrow. Glad when this is all over.

Look forward to reading all the good news tomorrow. I am at work until late so might have to whizz home to get letters during the day. Promised DS I wouldn't open them but when it comes to it am not sure I will be able to hold off. Might have to practice my envelope steaming. We have all three schools coming tomorrow so it is going to be full of joy or the total opposite.

I think our prep school head will know today. Will be looking for a cheeky grin from her later (hopefully), if she avoids eye contact I will obviously over analyse it!

Off out into Soho with DP tonight so won't spend too much time dwelling on it.

Late pickup for DS tonight but I have to pick up his younger sister at normal time. Head is only normally on the gate in the morning but if he's there this afternoon I might need to avoid eye contact!

DS would need to leave the house at 7.20 for W or 7.30ish for Dulwich coach. Being overprotective mother I prefer coach as it can't be cancelled! And no "public" although so many boys go from our station to W that it's called the a Whitgift express.

I am hearing stories of a few boys not sleeping well and being quite stressed. Thankfully DS seems pretty chilled.

Less than 24 hours......(assuming postman doesn't break his ankle )

ladydepp We're up for W and DC tomorrow too. Which is your preference?

Thinking of you all with fingers crossed!
My DS leaves at 7.40 to get a train and bus to T - takes 45-60mins. It takes me 10-15 mins to drive, but have younger DD to get to school too. I do pick ups in the evening if he's stayed late for an activity (often 5.30 finish). Some of his friends commute quite long distances in from Oxted/Bletchingley etc.
We've been very happy with our decision to pick T. DS is very happy there and working well. Happy to try and answer any questions which arise after tomorrow

Understand this is a W/T/D thread...but there is so much experience and help here that I cant help myself....if distance was not a factor....would one choose T/W or CLSB??

Much might depend on sports, I imagine - CLSB obviously have sporting facilities, but I think you've got to schlep off to another part of London for quite a lot of sports stuff.

Personally, having a non-sports DS, I'd have gone for City in a shot - you say if distance wasn't a factor, but I'd choose City because of location (as opposed to distance, IYSWIM). They apparently get a lot of really interesting speakers coming in, which I think is really inspiring, and students come from all round London - I imagine T and W have a slightly more "local" population, mostly coming from SW London and Surrey. Nothing wrong with that, but I'd prefer the central London site.

Incidentally, we didn't apply for CLSB because it would have been such a long shot for DS - very competitive, very demanding, very fashionable. No matter where it is, we loved Trinity and I'll be extremely grateful if we get a place there.

Thank you MrsSteptoe... for us CLSB is much more commutable and DS is not too sporty...so it would be the sensible choice I would have to say , if we are in the lucky position to have one ...but personally I loved T...in fact if I had to say which school I liked better on my visits...T would win hands down! Even the whole process was so much better managed, staff so much more approachable...seems like a place DS would thrive in.
But it still amazes me how many more people know CLSB compared to T/W. But again depends on which neck of the woods one is in...and we are definitely closer to CLSB.

Clsb! ResultsLocation contact with city lower fees. Diverse intake .Only downside for boys coming from south west or south is that To start with they might have fewer year 7 bus /train mates for delays etc but on the plus side they would get to know boys in other years this was ds equal first preference.

Ladymuck r u aware if W/T ask reference for all the children or just the ones in a prep.My DS took exams for both and I checked with the teacher who said they received no ref request from either of the schools.He is in a state primary.

Prefer/love....Trinity
Like...W
Positive experience of the whole process, excellent response at interview...W

Mummynet29, same here, our head not contacted for a reference.

W has asked our primary school for a reference. B talked about the reference in the interview...

I'd prefer CLSB (but DS failed the test) since central and more convenient, speakers, etc, etc and cheaper too. A downside is the schlepp to sports and the fact that it has a much more N London catchment (very few kids come from south) so I always feared he'd not have many local(ish) friends. Fingers crossed for W and DC for us tomorrow.