The Trinity Whitgift Dulwich 11+/10+ thread 2014 pt3

[SJ69]

Part 2 reached 1000 posts so start part 3 here.
If you need to follow part 2, the link is as follow.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/education/1974488-The-Trinity-Whitgift-Dulwich-11-10-thread-2014-pt2?reverse=1

dippingbackin They did an extremely good job at impressing my DS too (and DH!). He'll be coming via Clapham Junction and knows at least one other 11+ boy who'll be making the same journey but still pretty daunting.
My DS chose W over an easy coach ride to DC with lots of boys he knows (including his big brother) so I'm quite proud he made such a bold choice.

W has 3 days of induction for new boys before term starts which was a real help for making new friends and getting familiar with the school - my DS didn't know anyone before he started and it wasn't a problem

Thanks lady ...DS will be going to Wilson's , it is a great school , true what you say re league tables but Oxbridge entries were also in the high 20s last year ..that's better than almost all indies ...very bright boys ..well taught

I am pleased now the choice has been made ...

Dibbleofficer... glad to hear to hear about you have finally made a decision. These are all great schools - it has been so difficult for us too.

In the end we have also chosen to go with Wilson's over Whitgift with a scholarship. DS did not mind either way as long as not our local (improving) comp. I tortured myself for weeks but at the end of it all I could not justify the financial committment over the next 7 years for the extras an indie would provide when measured against a school of a calibre such as Wilsons. Leagues tables are indeed not an end in itself but I too compared leavers destinations and subjects taken over the last few years and it was quite impressive (another of the Sutton grammar - we may have gone for Whitgift with the added consideration of the travel to/from school).

Another thing that helpt us make our final choice was the fact that DS is quite academic and we did not feel he would miss so much of the wider range of extra-curricular sports / music activities available at an indie. No A team football player here but he will still be able to continue playing and also take up a new instrument which he was keen on in Year 7.

Also pleased with our choice and to have come to the end of this entry process... now let the fun start for DS!

Thanks all....ur words have assured me that he will be not on his own...I don't think he's that much worried it's us mums who fuss more

Hi there, thanks for all your words and conversations, very useful. Now waiting for the call for waiting list at T! Fingers crossed. They did not tell me where we are on the list, 'not at liberty to say'.

Just sharing some info from another Mum who has an extremely bright boy: joined DC at 11, did not have a good personal experience there and moved to Wilsons at 13 (so it is possible to move indies to grammar!), and is now at Cambridge. She told me that the pastoral care at Wilsons is really not great. I thought I would let you know as it is quite important to look after these boys during their teenage years from a character development perspective, not just academically. She said that they did a lot, as a family, to support him and help him grow as an adult. Her other two boys are at T, and she could not sing their praises more highly.

Anyone going to Sutton Grammar School?

ipreferletters: your information seems contrary to the general consensus about the current pastoral care at Wilsons. Am I right in thinking that your friend's son did not have positive experiences at both DC and Wilson's? Might the issue not have been with the schools?

I have to agree EWC - also if this boy is now at University then this is all quite some time ago. I have close friends whose oldest son attended Wilson's and he had a wonderful time. For every school there will be claim and counter-claim. The judgement is more about whether your child is a good fit for a school and vice versa.

ipreferletters - I didn't say Indie to Grammar was not possible. Of course it is! But you have to wait for spaces to come up. They do not do a 13+ intake, which was my point.

Apologies, I have not been very clear: this boy was not happy at DC and moved to Wilson's where he thrived, particularly in an academic sense, completing his studies with a flurry of A*. He did not have any particular personal issues at Wilson's, however his Mum told me that they do not support the boys in their character development (normally covered under pastoral care) as they are concentrated on the academic side.
Perhaps you are all correct that this is now a few years back, and indeed things may have changed. The family, however, did not send the other two younger sons at Wilson's and preferred T, where they found not only excellent academics but also a very supportive pastoral care. This was despite they live on one income and it is a financial stretch (they have a younger boy who is still in primary).
Hope it helps, of course it is only one experience, and not even mine ... 'night night

Wallington Boys does actually say on its website that it takes up to 15 boys at 13+ when re-arranging the year for GSCEs. Other Sutton Grammars only have places as and when available.

Ipreferletters - I heard similar things about Wilsons not being as strong on the pastoral care with greater emphasis on the academic side. If I am honest this is the area that held me back in my choice of a school as it is of great importance to DH and I. Number and availability of staff is bound to be impacted by a much reduced money pot so I guess this is one of the extras you pay for at an indie. Down to the family and the individual DS - awareness is key as I am hoping is the choice of extra curricular activities to strike a balance with the acamedic side. In fairness to Wilson's I should add that the school was very prompt in addressing a one-off concern a parent I spoke to had, and all I spoke to were happy with care and support provided.

Does it never end? Having chosen DC, we now receive a letter telling us that within the next two weeks we need to tell them whether DS will choose French or Spanish for Years 7 and 8!!!! Already. Can't I have a rest from decisions for a little while longer......

I know... from memory I got the letter from T asking, French, Spanish, German or Mandarin. Quite important. This forms the 'class' they are assigned to.

Parents do pull their children out of Trinity too for various reasons, although clearly the majority love it.

All these current and prospective Wilson's parents will have to think up ingenious ways of filling the supposed gap in pastoral care and character-building relative to that afforded by neighboring private schools. A few £000's saved on fees every year won't hurt their efforts

OK. So all the boys are "naice" of course, but is there any difference between the type of boy that chooses Spanish over the type that chooses French - so I can best choose the sub-cohort that my DS mixes with!

Spanish - more emotional, exuberant, flamboyant. Think Guitars. Flamengo. The paso doble.
French - more refined, literary, aesthete, a sense of fallen grandeur.

Can't help you I'm afraid JAUN - at T they do 2 out of 4. My DS does French and Spanish and I haven't noticed any split-personality traits
Mind you I'm not sure I've noticed any of the aspects you've identified apart from emotional and I think that's probably common to all 12 yo boys

I guess you might want to think about where future school trips may go, and if there is an exchange program?!

We're just starting to think about GCSE/Year 9 options, and realising that ds needs to think about from which column he is choosing subjects which appear more than once, if he wants to stick with friends! Wouldn't have dawned on me to check if I didn't bump into mothers of girls....

No difference as far as I can see... ha ha.
Although, Mandarin was specified as being particularly difficult compared to the other. Learning a new alphabet, etc.

So Myriam, MotherofSuburbia - minds made up yet? EyesWideClosed are you off to Wilsons? Any hand holding left, or are we down to induction details?!

JAUN - it's a matter of huge importance. In the end I solved the dilemma by serving paella and coq au vin for dinner one evening. Thankfully DS went for paella so it's flamenco, castanets and trips to Salamanca here.

I received the French/Spanish letter from DC yesterday too. I asked DS last night and he told me to choose! I think he is seriously fed up of making decisions, as am I . Think we might flip a coin for this one

What I loved most was the line about Spanish being so important for culture and heritage (in the "Things to consider to help you chose" bumf).

And no mention of the same for French. Tee hee..... love how that would wind any French DPs receiving the same.

love France and the French by the way, but it really struck me as odd that DC took the view Spain=Culture (rather than French!).