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

Our Whitgift uniform appt was yesterday - DS very happy and excited.

Shop lady asked if DS was going to Induction days w/c 25 Aug - I had thought not, as DS been to few sports courses in the past, so familiar with the school, etc. Will DS be the only one missing? He's Year 6 Whitgift.

We have the Fri afternoon in uniform get together in the diary - but do we really need to go to the other day/days too?

any ideas? thank you

My DS (going into Year 7) is doing the induction days and is really excited about them. Friend's DS who started last year did not attend but said there were only a few that did not - however am sure that others will have more info.

For me it is a good way for DS to get to know boys in his form without the added pressure of work / proper sport etc.. He will also get used to doing the journey on his own, which for us is pretty lengthy.

I think it more depends on your child, and whether he would value those days or not. Some children will be arriving with friends from their previous schools, some are very easy going and make friends easily, some find change difficult etc. And of course it depends on your family commitments etc. Certainly some of my friends in previous years have just gone for one day. I would expect most of the bonding to be at Lake Garda and beyond.

When ds went into Y6 many years ago (next year will be his final year at school, sob) he did the induction days and had a fab time - it helped him become more familiar with the school (and helps some of the teachers get to know the boys) and as he was the only one going from his primary it was good to start making friends early

thanks all for the info, DS going to do 2 of the 3 days.

DH and I are off to W tomorrow for new boys info meeting, is it just year 6, or all new starters I wonder? Very excited anyway. Any ideas how long it will go on for and do many new parents hang around for the fellow new parents chat after?

Enjoy! Yes the 10+ and 11+ new joiners meet together this evening. You and dippingbackin need to have some sort of secret sign! (though if you post it on here all of the staff will spot you too)

I will be going! Will be the Mum rushing in late no doubt. Looking forward to it.

I expect the school have already let you know, but for any newbies at Trinity, there is a second hand uniform sale this Saturday at 8.30. They usually have loads of stuff there, especially sports kit so it may be worth a visit.

Confession - I managed to cry at the W intro meeting last night, very inspiring talks from the teachers and head. Big intake: 4 X 10+ forms and 9 x 11+ forms.

Also managed to come away not knowing any more about the W 2nd hand sale on Sat - anyone know what time and where? Although haven't quite got through the wad of paperwork given out, so apols if its in there.

Presumably the 9 11+ forms includes the boys who are already in the school from current year 6/Lower First? But yes, by the time you get the 12+ and 13+ intake as well, they are large year groups.

First time that I can remember that number coming in at Year 6 though. Wonder where they're going to put them all?!

good point ladymuck. Am guessing competition will be tighter at 11+ next Jan, unless they are increasing the intake. Glad we managed to get in this time round anyway.

mummyinatizz how many in a form?

pooziepuzzle heard there were 20-24 in a form - heck of a lot of boys! Did you go on Tues night to meeting? Your DS is W isn't he?

went to visit Trinity recently - was absolutely blown away. Can anyone tell me any negatives that I might have overlooked?

Mummyinatizz, Whitgift don't have a fixed intake (whereas Trinity does). They will try to take as many boys as they can. The yeargroups can vary between 160 and 230+. I doubt that the additional Lower First form will make much difference to the 11+ intake. Even the bursary policy has always been admission round based, so even if there are a higher proportion of bursaries already in this 80-90 boys, that shouldn't reduce the chances of an 11+ bursary in January (though these places are certainly very competitive).

I suspect that the entry points which will come under pressure are the 13+ and 16+ entry where boarding entry is more likely.

It will depend on where you live, but I would say that its transport links aren't quite as good as Whitgift's, mainly because it isn't very close to a train station, and for most of us with 10/11 year old boys I suspect that we want the journey to be as simple as possible. They also use Hewletts as their uniform supplier, whereas I think a school shop on site is easier (and I hate shopping in Croydon).

Yes, I am nitpicking.... But actually with whichever school you end up, the journey is important, not just for the daily commute, but also for all the evening/Saturday events etc.

I travel into London every day via East Croydon (or South Croydon) as does his Dad so I was thinking either would be doable in the early years. When I visited I got a bus outside Trinity straight to East Croydon station, few stops, 5 minute journey - seemed surprisingly doable to me?

Oh it is, and they have staff on hand at E Croydon for the first few weeks to help ensure everyone gets the right bus etc. I am definitely nit picking. You also need to think about the occasions in December when your ds has been slow to get out of school, and its raining and he has to wait for the bus etc, and then leaves his sports bag on the bus/train etc...

[These events will of course happen at any school....]. Of course being £3k a year cheaper than W you can probably arrange for taxis to the station when necessary.

lol yes I am sure I would spend a fair amount of time driving around Croydon picking discarded bits of kit up - think we could just about handle that given we both pass through anyway and we are not that far away (same place the head lives). I also thankfully quite enjoy sneaking off to Centrale for a browse and a Starbucks on a Saturday while they're playing sports so think I could handle the location.

Do you think there would be any issues if a boy didn't get into Rugby after the first couple of compulsory years? My son is pretty sporty (football, cricket) but no liking (or build) for Rugby as yet and they do seem very keen on it at Trinity.

I don't think so. My DS is just coming to end of two years there ( joined at 10+) and there seem to be about 30 /36 or so boys that play regularly on a Saturday and attend training, do that means the majority of the year don't. There are so many other things to get into eg hockey, swimming ,music, choir, drama that it might actually be a blessing that he 's not into Rugby !

I haven't found any downsides other than not enough hours in the day ! My DS loves it there

So not do!

Forago My DS gets the train to East Croydon with my DH every morning and then buses from there - lots of the boys do. HE has the option of either the reverse journey home or changing buses at E Croydon, but usually gets the train as it's quicker. He is just finishing Y1 having started in the Junior Form and has coped with the journey quite happily.
My Ds was not sporty at all when he started (didn't want to go to a sporty school), but opted to go to extra training after a few weeks in the Junior Form, and played a few matches, this season he was a regular in the D side! so they do change
He is more into the music, but not as a great musician, just as one who enjoys singing. He has had fantastic opportunities with that over the last 2 years.
The school as far as we are concerned has been fantastic. DS is bright, but not genius level - they have helped him settle down and have encouraged him to learn, question and explore (things he couldn't do at his Primary). Support has been brilliant, and the pastoral side great.
ATM I haven't found any negatives!

thanks both - increasingly encouraging. May be time to start trying to get him in!

Hope summer going/gone well for all!

Can't believe today is pretty much our last day of freedom before Whitgift induction days next week and school the following week.

Where on earth did that 6 months?

Good luck to everyone for new schools and new year!