Page 20 | The Trinity Whitgift Dulwich 11+/10+ thread 2014 pt2

ladydepp · 13/02/2014 15:05

I know that our Head (prep) prepared references for all the children in Year 6 but no idea which schools, if any, they were given too.

lostinlondon - my pref is Alleyn's closely followed by DC closely followed by W. Would be thrilled with any but Dulwich is much closer for us than Croydon and DS prefers Alleyn's and DC. I keep thinking of the Saturday morning sports and the difficulty of having Croydon as "Home". I have other DC's to juggle... I think they are all great schools and if we are lucky enough to get more than 1 offer it will be difficult to say NO to any.

MrsSteptoe · 13/02/2014 15:08

Mummynet29 Our HT says he's had no requests for references at all, from any of the five schools. I must admit, that's part of my neurosis... perhaps they don't bother getting references if they're not interested after the interview...

wanttoknow77 · 13/02/2014 15:08

Thank you all...if it is any consolation..City letters reach on Tuesday ...another looong weekend of anxiety!

Original poster

LadyMuck · 13/02/2014 15:20

It is strange if there has been no request for reference, as ime these were usually done ahead of interviews, but that may be all down to a prep/state divide. I know W in particular but most schools in general have had difficulty in getting references from state schools, who are under no obligation to give them, hence the request by some schools to include copies of the school reports (ie the one you get as parents).

Possibly one to note for future years - certainly most prep school parents that I know sent in covering letters which "positioned" their child, and how they thought they would do well at X school. If not explicitly asked for a copy of the last school report , and you had one you were happy with, then I would have sent it in with this. As it was, I was trying to refrain from having to send in ds's last report...

OP posts:

pooziepuzzle · 13/02/2014 15:22

When my eldest DS sat for W a reference was requested from our primary even though he was never asked to interview and clearly hadn't passed the test. We had very positive feedback from W at interview this time round but appears no reference requested.

MrsSteptoe · 13/02/2014 15:28

I must say, it would never have occurred to me to send in an unsolicited school report. Pity, as his reports are always very good. Perhaps if we don't get good news tomorrow, on the basis that I won't have anything to lose, I'll ask our HM or hte Y6 teacher if one of them can do a sales letter...

Croydonmumtods · 13/02/2014 15:33

Really not sure refs are an issue. Easy to make a phone call to prep head to discuss a number of boys sitting at all age groups and likelihood is the ht will be known to t and w but hard to see what relevance there would be to them giving feedback to every single head. Prep schools are quite different to state as they are feeder schools and therefore have large numbers of kids applying and have established relationships with t and w.

Croydonmumtods · 13/02/2014 15:36

Mrs s I never sent a covering letter either just filled in the form and sent it. Also if you don't get a letter tomorrow phone up after lunch - w letters have been posted so schools should tell you if letter has filed to reach you

JustAnotherUserName · 13/02/2014 15:46

Covering letter????!!!! Positioning her DS! What a bad mum I am. Never occured to me either. (But got interviews without.....)

Seeline · 13/02/2014 15:53

Justanother same here! I think that is another difference between prep and state applicants. We had no advise/help at all. They wouldn't say whether they thought DS capable of passing the exams. We didn't even know if anyone else was applying from DSs school until he sat the exam because that sort of thing is not discussed at the school gate (either the fact that your kid might be bright, or that you might have enough to scrape together the fees!!)
Our HT made no comment when we asked for time off for exams/interviews, and still didn't comment when we informed her that DS had been successful, and wouldn't be back for Y6.
This thread two years ago was a life saver!!

MrsSteptoe · 13/02/2014 16:04

Absolutely, Seeline - our head would probably quite like to be helpful, but he has enough on his plate steering everyone else through the Catholic state system, with all their endless questions about Vaughan/Oratory/Sacred Heart. (Particularly given how many people seem to ask the same question over and again, despite having heard the answer in Secondary school transfer meetings over and again.)

Brownsugar3879 · 13/02/2014 16:06

Covering letters... Wow. We only did that for boarding schools.
LadyM , CH, W, T, KESW, DC & Bish Stortford. Got a no from DC, reserve list from CH, yes from KESW (waiting for bursary if any & schol). So tomorrow is D-day.
Got my ingredients for red velvet cupcakes which I'll be doing to pass the time and maybe celebrate later on.

MrsSteptoe · 13/02/2014 16:17

Not a bad idea, brownsugar. Maybe I should knock up a commemorative iced gateau between getting up and receiving the post. Leave the icing till I know what the outcome is ("Congratulations" or "I'll buy you a consolation laptop" springs to mind).

Original poster

LadyMuck · 13/02/2014 16:19

Our private school covering letter was far less nauseating that our church school one.

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Somelikeithott · 13/02/2014 16:24

All the best everyone for tomorrow, and the next few weeks. I am secretly, anxious for DS's friends who have sat 11+ as well.

DS having sat 10+ last year, we had absolutely no guidance from school, definitely no support. W did ask for last 3 reports, which we sent in, and we sent the same to T, as well ( can't remember if T asked). At interview, in both schools, his references from his primary school were mentioned in passing.

It was a real surprise when we received a letter from his HT, asking us to come in to discuss DS leaving a year early, on the same day we received offer letters from W & T. I had spent all term trying (unsuccessfully), to avoid HT. I suspect HT was doing the same!!!

Somelikeithott · 13/02/2014 16:38

Just to add, everything T asked for that W , didn't we sent to W as well. So essentially, sent exactly the same information to both schools.

Hipster1 · 13/02/2014 17:15

No covering letter from me either. Scholarship application did require references from teacher and outside professionals but these were sent separately upon request.

Brownsugar3879 · 13/02/2014 18:16

We'll all be fine regardless. My post comes in around 1/2pm so it's going to be a long day here

AliceLostinWonderland · 13/02/2014 18:45

No covering letter from me either. Scholarship application did require references from teacher and outside professionals but these were sent separately upon request

Hipster1 - is this for T?

MotherOfSuburbia · 13/02/2014 18:49

Good luck everyone! I actually work in a different part of the same school as my DS. I've been deliberately avoiding the HT all day today in case I couldn't resist the urge to tackle her to the floor and demand to know the results! Patience is a virtue...

usualsuspect47 · 13/02/2014 19:50

Hello everyone - just wanted to say a huge thank you and good luck to everyone who has posted on this thread. You have all helped to keep me sane - even though at times it has felt like I'm having some sort of menopausal episode.

We are also waiting on T and W tomorrow. Kitchen well and truly stocked already with wine, chocolate cake and tissues (just in case).

Good luck everyone!

Northernlass73 · 13/02/2014 19:55

Waiting on 10+ T tomorrow. Told DS he can burn the Bond books if he gets an offer...have got the firelighters ready in the fire grate just in case! Good luck all. Thanks so much for all the info. I hope we don't need to use it again next year, but let's wait and see.

Mummynet29 · 13/02/2014 20:03

Tnx all....I guess we will only find tomorrow if it made any diff.....My post comes in the afternoon as well...
And I didn't send any covering...only last 3 years report to W..T didn't ask so didn't bother....
Good luck everyone...It's going to b a long night and even longer morning....

AliceLostinWonderland · 13/02/2014 20:16

My post comes first thing in the morning!
I will be at work. DS has inset day, he has already told his dad that he will open the post by himself!

Truda11 · 13/02/2014 20:39

For a moment there was no connection to mumsnet... Total distress!