ALL NEW; WHITGIFT/TRINITY/DULWICH/ALLEYNS 10+/11+ 2016

[MrsPatmore]

Thought I'd go ahead and start. Found the old threads really interesting and would welcome ongoing input from those who've been through the whole process.
Ds in Year 5 and we are looking at a mixture of grammar schools and indies for 11+ Whitgift recommended this year - we've been told there is a drive to raise academic standards. We're going to the Open afternoon on 10th Nov.

The same situation here. Is offered full fee place but on the reserve list for bursary . It will really help if someone who has been in the same situation in the past could give us little clues what it means

And what is the chance of getting a bursary or if there is any chance

I don't think anyone can tell you because it will vary from year to year. Which is frustrating. But what does seem clear from this and the girl's school thread is that movement, when it happens will be a little bit now as those holding 4 or so offers hopefully let 2 schools know they don't need the place, and then decide between the other 2, or even let 3 places go and wait for their state school offer. That is the key date- in March. Particularly regarding bursaries I would think. The next key point is paying some actual cash to secure the place, in about April.
The lists do move, but how far is unpredictable.

aworkinprogress - are u 11 plus or 10 plus?

MuddyGardener - r u also 10 plus?

With regards to the bursary reserve list I think it's just a case of sitting patiently. I spoke to Trinity on Friday and the lady said there isn't much they can tell at this stage as they themselves do not know! The lady said hopefully we will hear after the holidays but we can give a call around the 26th Feb if we haven't heard from them and see if they have any update. Because we are eleven plus - I may leave until around the 3rd to call as by then the state and grammar offers will also be out. Again though, if anyone else out there has any other info or advice then it is much appreciated!

Ahmedfamily-We also in waiting list 11+ bursary at Trinity.I Spoke to them on Friday and the gentleman said altogether six in the waiting list.I been told four of them are front of him.He said anything can tell after 1st of March.
Landymuck can you advice anything his chance to get bursary?My DS got place Whitgift as well but full fee offer.

Thanks for that ramfamily, you were told a bit more info than me but what you were told does make me feel a bit more hopeful! So will you wait til after March 1st now to make contact - if they don't contact you first?

The gentleman I spoked to gave me a hope so I feel not nice to call again.He said will contact me after 1st.Its very frustrating me and lots of questions in my mind who else front of him and how it possible?If they have one or more school offer only he can get a chance.My Ds first choice of school this.If he didn't get it other hopes only Tiffin.

It is frustrating I understand, my son was also offered whitgift full fee place but no mention of bursary reserve list - I wonder if they have one too? My son's first choice has always been trinity so am hoping for something positive to come our way otherwise it's our state school option which isn't great!

Hi Supermummy1674 DS been offered full fees 10+ at W with Music Award - had been hoping for bursary...

Wondering how exactly bursary offers are decided as I felt it was obvious that we would need one so when the letter says "we hope this won't affect your decision", sigh... it does... .

aworkinprogress - that's great news abt music award. The bursary I'm told is based on your child's results in ranking order. So the first 15-20 boys get bursary. However trinity offer 30 boys bursaries so a lot less is offered by W. Did u apply for T? My ds is on a reserve list at T.

I know how u feel in the same boat!

Thanks Supermummy1674.
No we didn't do T, DS was very set on W and so it's bittersweet news for him to have an offer but not quite the one we hoped for. Didn't realise the bursary places on offer were so limited - do you know if that across both 10+/11+?

Do you have a plan B for your DS if T reserve list doesn't work out?

Debating whether it is worth trying again at 11+... Not sure if rejecting W at 10+ puts us at disadvantage for future.
DS currently at state primary and admittedly perhaps wasn't as well prepared for exams (no formal tutor, just me & Bond books etc) with main focus on his elder brother's preparation for this year's 11+ grammars (lots of nail-biting now for 1st March).

Ladymuck or anyone
W have a much higher fees than T and I was wondering if all the other extra curricular activities and trips abroad are more expensive than T. I wanted to know overall costs compared to T if it's greater or roughly the same. Apart from fees will W b more expensive in the long run.

aworkinprogress
I think it's 15-20 each for 10 and 11 plus.
If it doesn't work for us now we had always intended to do grammar schools at 11 plus so probably do that and try 11 plus for the private schools too.

It depends how good your music award is and I'm sure they will offer again next year- maybe mention that wen u apply again at 11 plus and may also qualify for academic scholarship too

Aworkinprogress, I think the best thing to do would be to ask W admissions directly - given that your DS can carry on with one more year of free education and then have another go at a bursary application at 11+, it makes sense. Bursaries are only awarded at the point of entry, so once you accept a full fees place at 10+, you will carry on paying full fees.

Supermummy1674, I don't know anything about the cost of trips in T compared to W, but I have a feeling uniform may be a bit cheaper at T. You can actually check the price lists for both schools - there are links somewhere on both websites.

Also, one important thing to bear in mind is that the fees will go up in September, as they always do. This will be the case in W and I'm pretty sure in T also. I remember getting caught out with DS1 when the fees at W were about 14.5K at the time of us accepting the place, but they went up to just over 15K by September when he started and we were completely unprepared for that...

Good question supermummy1674. Why are W fees more expensive than T?

Extra costs vary at T. Boys can bring packed lunches from day 1 if they want to. food is available via an access card which you pre-load with money so you can try and limit daily spend, but you know what boys and food are like.
Uniform is reasonable. Shirts, trousers and even jumpers can be bought from any shop which keeps the costs down. T PTA run a very good second hand sale regularly to help with sports kit (which can be expensive - buy big!!), blazers etc.
Most educational trips in the first few years are only day trips, which have minimal cost. Public transport to eg London destinations is frequently used, so boys need a zip card, but this does keep the costs down. The more exotic (and expensive trips) are optional. And they are optional when considering that usually only 30-40 places are available so obviously everyone can't go. Music and sports tours to far-flung places usually involve fund raisers to help towards the cost. DS is only Y9 at the moment, so not sure how things for GCSEs are organised yet.
link to school letters page with 25 jan letter about future trips
Music lessons are £23/30mins (10lessons each term)
Transport to matches or music events is usually provided by the school, free of charge.

My boy has been offered a music award from Whitgift, not the SC we hoped for...is the 11+ the only time you can get a SC? The fees are huge at W, £18,700! Would also like to know why Trinity fees are lower?

Different level of facilities at W than T, in particular subsidising the boarding house. T always aims to be cheaper than W, and cuts its cloth accordingly. If you are 10+ at W then the Lake Garda trip is heavily subsidised.

In terms of co-curricular scholarships at W, these can be awarded to internal candidates at 13+ and 16+, and existing awards can be increased at that stage. That said, with a new head, who knows how the funds will be directed. You cannot get an academic award internally until 16+ though.

Thank you Ladymuck. Trying to work out if there will be extra costs at W on top of the humongous fees? The website states that aren't many extra costs but then goes on to say lunch is extra as are many things...

Also do the fees go up massively every year? Seems to have gone up £700 from 2015 to 2016.

Homegirl1, in the last few years the fees have gone up a few hundred pounds every year. In September 2011 they were somewhere around £14,200 or £14,400...

That's a 4% rise which is on the lower end of W's rates. Usually 3-7% - there was quite a jump one year to fund the boarding house.

I would certainly budget for a 5% rise each year at any of the independent schools - if T hasn't announced its rise yet, there will still be one. I'm surprised that W has announced already - usually it is worded that the fees will be "no more than".

Extras: lunch, uniform, music lessons, school bus to home, trips. Not sure if CCF subs are charged. Exam fees when these come round (and those mount up, especially for GCSE) Some events eg plays and concerts will be ticketed, usually as fundraisers.

And checking back, if your son did 10+ entry for these schools back in 08/09 then he would be about to sit A levels. The fees in the first year were 12,354 for W and 11,724 for T. It was Mr Bishop's decision to ensure that T would always be 10% cheaper than W. Potentially either or both of the new heads could make different decisions.