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Original poster

The Trinity-Whitgift-Dulwich-Alleyns 10+/11+ thread 2015

999 replies

Firefox1066 · 13/12/2014 08:29

I thought I would take the plunge and start early the 2015 T/W/DC/A 10+/11+ thread that has become an annual staple MN!

This thread has been inspired by the likes of (among others) Ladymuck, Seeline, SoupDragon et al, who have been an amazing resources to people like me in previous years' threads.

Although T & W tend to dominate, I have also included DC and Alleyns as I know a lot of parents these days have DC's sitting for some/all of them.

I hope this thread will continue in the spirit of previous years' thread, with the support, hand-holding and knowledge that has been the hallmark of MN generally but this thread in particular.

Let the fun begin....

OP posts:
Liquorice12 · 19/02/2015 18:48

Thanks Seeline.

mum3074 · 19/02/2015 19:23

GetMeOut - thanks for the advice, we will remember that on the visit. Indeed it is a commitment for many years so have to think of potential a few years ahead... Liquorice12 - great to hear from you! - exactly like you said I'm looking forward to see T. on their normal school day, not Open day Saturday and imagine our DS amongst the boys there next year.Smile

batterseadad · 19/02/2015 20:14

And another 10+ here for W! Originally we were looking for 11+ entry and only applied to W for 10+ as we loved it so much on the visit so decided on a year earlier with just 2 months preparation but it worked out well in the end. Always felt like a very friendly atmosphere with an international outlook and parents we know who all seem to wax lyrical about the place so they are clearly doing something right! Guess you'll never be 100% sure it is the right move but you just have to go with your gut instinct. Let's face it, T, W, DC, Alleyns etc are all amazing schools so it's just wherever you feel will be the best for each of our DS's.

Original poster
Firefox1066 · 19/02/2015 21:03

Congrats Batterseadad..I was looking out for your news, but must have missed it when you posted it after results day.

Fully agree with your synopsis...we were "blown away" by W and really loved the global feel of it. As you rightly say, these are all excellent schools thus we are very blessed to have them on our doorstep.

OP posts:
fullonday123 · 19/02/2015 23:18

Batterseadad we were exactly the same, went to the open afternoon in the November, loved it so much, six weeks rush prep for exam and here we are £800 lighter!! Haha!! It has been a whirlwind and it is still twirling!!

citymum3 · 20/02/2015 09:45

Farewell, Scratty, other North London/City applicants - how are you all this morning? Depending on news from this lot the wait lists could start shifting now- although the wait lists seem more an issue with the girls school on the SW london thread. We are v happy with an attractive offer from City and now really need to start deciding. Best of luck to you all for today's post.

BitByBit · 20/02/2015 09:55

Congrats to everyone and commiserations to those who didn't get the offers they wanted. Have finally got wi-fi and so can catch up on the thread...
It's a yes for DS too!!! (W 10+) He is so excited. Have to ask a few questions before we send the acceptance- just because it is such a big decision and need the reassurance of another visit/ interaction. Just really , really pleased as it was also a last minute decision to go for the exam and there was limited prep time as well.
Does anyone know if the Lake Garda trip is extra on top of the fees or if it is included in the fees? I know in past years it was included but wondered if that had changed. The financial reality of it all is looming large!!!!

Kfmumof3 · 20/02/2015 10:11

Thanks ladydepp and all. Very useful information.I will go to both again to see and get another "feel" for the place.

farewelltoarms · 20/02/2015 11:39

Hi City does that mean you got a scholarship offer from City?

We got an offer from City and one of the other two he applied for so feel very pleased with how he's done. Will probably go to the offers morning at City, but I think it's probably unlikely to sway us.

mummyinatizz · 20/02/2015 15:57

bitbybit last year (Sept 2014) Lake Garda trip was about £100/120 cant remember exactly, plus max approx50£ spending money for ice creams and dodgy souvenirs, plus few euros for breakfast on return journey. They had an amazing trip, did so many activities, def worth the money. Reading previous years posts, don't think the trip has been 'free' for a long time.

Liquorice12 · 20/02/2015 18:51

Mum - yes you will really get the feel of T on a school day. The boys just all seemed so happy to me with a really good atmosphere! Just to let you know we only went in one classroom where a lesson was going on. So if you are keen to see a few more lessons - I would perhaps mention it at the beginning; I should have done this but it wasn't until the end that I thought about it and we'd run out of time! Do report back here when you've been!

scabby1 · 20/02/2015 20:33

Citymum3 & Farewell, City offer came through. Dh & I are thrilled.
DS ever so slightly less so as he wants to go to Latymer Upper ( have an offer from there too). Both schools are amazing and equidistant from us. DS was ill on the City open day and as such hasn't seen it other than during the exam and at interview. This could well be why he prefers LU.
DH & I loved City on the open day. Our gut feeling is that it is the best school for Ds. We may be wrong but our first impression was that City is less " cool" than LU. DS is very aware that LU is seen ( in our neck of the woods) as the cool school.

InASchoolsDilemma · 21/02/2015 11:59

Can anyone help with a bursary question please?

We've been offered a bursary by both T and W. By being awarded it, we are obviously reducing our outgoings (DS is at private currently). Because the reduction in outgoings has the net effect of increasing our income, will that affect next year's bursary?

We can only afford the place if the bursary remains the same (assuming of course that our income and other outgoings remain the same).

Original poster
Firefox1066 · 21/02/2015 13:48

BitbyBit I had been looking out for your news...Congrats!!! I remember you being among the last few to receive a letter from W for interview and your DS originally being upset that he'd "failed the test"....clearly wasnt the case, so I hope you spoil him rotten now for his fantastic efforts!

See you at the new parents meeting!

OP posts:
BitByBit · 21/02/2015 14:22

Thanks Firefox - looking forward to seeing you in a new parents' meeting as well!!
Thanks mummyinatizz for Lake Garda trip info - very reassuring!
I called admissions and last year the cost of the trip was £90 which is brilliant. The school says they heavily subsidise the trip. The boy who I know went about 5 years ago so info out of date. I was more worried that we would have to fork out several hundred extra pounds for the trip on top of the fees!!
Very relievedSmile

Somelikeithott · 21/02/2015 16:04

Lovely to come on and read everyone's news and making your decisions, these are exciting times for your DC. Well done to them all. I echo earlier posts that we are really blessed to have all these amazing schools at our 'doorsteps'. They are all really good schools and you can hardly go wrong with the choices you make.

Bitbybit, I sent you a PM re Lake Garda.

InASchoolsDilemma, the Bursary is recalculated annually, so potentially, as your disposable income changes it could affect the bursary level for the next year. Can you call the foundation, without telling them who you are, and ask as a 'hypothetical question'. Always best to ask them directly, hopefully someone on here with more experience can shed some light on this ...

Southlondonmummy · 22/02/2015 09:01

There are a lot of like minded parents on this thread, whose DCs will be meeting up at school in September - heartwarming stuff!

We've whittled our offers down to either A or W for our DS. The grounds, sports and facilities and peacocks at W are swaying DS and I can see him enjoying himself there. He also likes A. But we have a DD a few years younger and the thought of a sibling policy at A's which would avoid me having to go through this torture ever again is tempting... DS is ambivalent about single sex/co-ed whereas DD is a tomboy who prefers the idea of co-ed.

Anyone got thoughts on A for a sporty, mathlete (English is poor) DS?

Should choice for DS be influenced by potential options for sibling? And how much should DS' opinion count? And anyone have experience of A's sibling policy - how reliable is it in practice?

Any insight/advice gratefully received Confused

basildonbond · 22/02/2015 10:47

I have a ds at W and a dd at A - they are very different schools and suit my two very well

A doesn't have an official sibling policy - your dd would still have to pass the exam and impress at interview, however if there were two candidates of equal merit and one place, the sibling would get in.

Ps - ds says the peacocks are really annoying when they've got exams ...Hmm

neanananaweek1972 · 22/02/2015 17:10

Rereading this thread (and others), travel to school seems a really big deal. Our DS would get to W or T in about an hour ( train w/ train & bus t). We are beyond the school buses option. Does this sound too much? Will he get really hacked off with this after a very short time? We are also concerned regarding friends as we will be a long way away from others. Any thoughts gratefully received!

dippingbackin · 22/02/2015 18:02

My DS travels for about 50 mins to W and it is really not a problem. It was my biggest worry about him starting this year but it has been a total non issue. It does mean early starts but he has just got used to it. Re. friends, there are quite a few boys who are in the vicinity but to be honest there is very little time during the week to meet up anyway. The train journey seems to provide plenty of friendship making as well as all the sports and obviously actual lessons!

Seeline · 22/02/2015 18:58

neana any boy that uses the train to get to T then gets a bus/tram for the last section. There are plenty of buses from E Croydon which is where most of the boys come from. They seem to soon get used to 'commuting'.
Roughly where are you based - there are boys from all over at T.
As Dipping says - there is little socialising during the week, and boys can always meet centrally for weekend activities (if they are not playing/performing somewhere!!).

Montagueterrace · 22/02/2015 20:23

Hi basildon

I've got a 10 yr old DD and we're thinking about options for her next year. We've got a DS at Dulwich and think A may be a good fit for DD Could you expand for me on your perspective on A (in regard to it being a v different school to W). Thanks in advance.

basildonbond · 22/02/2015 20:48

Hi montague
I think the presence of girls makes a huge difference to the feel of each school - the discipline at A is less overtly strict and there's a more relaxed style (A takes itself a lot less seriously) but that's partly down to being a smaller school with 50% girls. Massive generalisation coming up but on the whole the boys who choose A are less outwardly boyish than those who choose W - they tend to be a little quieter and more thoughtful.

I think that DC and W have much more in common with each other - we know lots of boys at DC - than either school has with A

So far, and bear in mind that dd's only a term and a half in, she (and we) are extremely happy

neanananaweek1972 · 23/02/2015 07:04

Thanks Dippin & Seelin! Just seems a long commute at just 11!

AnotherNewt · 23/02/2015 07:15

I wouldn't say Dulwich takes itself seriously either!

Seriously, other than the generic of coed v single sex schools, you're talking about minute differences between good schools, all of which are big enough to provide pretty much everything you could want.

The biggest difference - which other pupils will be in your DC's class and year group - is out of your hands and cannot be guessed at. And all the schools will have totally normal teens as the vast majority of their pupils. You just cannot predict where the awkwardnesses might turn up, or that the 'difficult' pupil/behaviour will be anything related to the popular stereotypes.

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