ALL NEW; WHITGIFT/TRINITY/DULWICH/CATERHAM 10+/11+ 2017

[123littlepigs]

Every year I have watched with interest and excitement as all of these types of threads have progressed to offers.

Finally in the same boat. The Christmas prep is wearing...And couldn't find anyone to share the experience with.... hence this attempt to start one....

Anyone else want to join? If I have missed a school... please feel free to still join in and add your school of interest.

Currently burning the night oil trying to find more comprehension material... anyone have any online suggestions?

[RoseyHill]

Thanks Ukconnection. That supports what I have heard from others that despite the fact it hasn't been expressly stated there is quite a body of evidence that siblings have a good chance of following on...(that is of course assuming our first son gets on well!)

[SoupDragon]

I think I agree that they look favourably on siblings rather than have a sibling policy as such, at least that is the feeling I got from T.

[Wimbles101]

That's encouraging - if DS2 doesn't get a grammar we'd like him to be with his brother - it makes such a difference to their confidence

[WombatChocolate]

However I heard that the schools this year have rung up parents who have older kids in the school but younger ones sitting the exam, to say they couldn't offer them a place. As a courtesy they phoned before sending the letter but still they didn't get a place.
I agree they look favourably and possibly cut them a bit of slack if borderline but if they perform poorly, when applications are very high, they simply have to give the places to better candidates. I guess it depends year to year how oversubscribed they are.

[RoseyHill]

There must be a certain risk to the schools that if the younger sibling does not get in that the older one may also be withdrawn. Many parents I know like the idea of just one drop off in the morning.

[Jody867]

Please.don't bank on it. DS2 was waitlisted in a year that never opened the waiting list, so he went to a different school. Do have a backup just in case.

[AnotherNewt]

"There must be a certain risk to the schools that if the younger sibling does not get in that the older one may also be withdrawn. Many parents I know like the idea of just one drop off in the morning."

I don't think they would see that as a risk. The vast majority of secondary school pupils travel to school independently.

[RoseyHill]

Yes quite, that's my concern. I guess that's why I raised the issue to see if a sibling policy did exist. I guess the moral of the story is not to assume anything is guaranteed.

[ChocolateWombat]

Yes, I dont think many withdraw their kids because a sibling doesn't get a place. Independent travel happens and people are loathe to move their kids around and disrupt their ed in secondary, esp once into exam courses.

The schools are after the best candidates they can get at the end of the day. As I said, I think siblings might get a little bit of slack if borderline, but only a very little bit. Schools can't reject significantly better candidates just to let siblings in. They do rely on having the brightest. Therefore I think you're right that you can't rely on anything, if you are applying to academic, over subscribed schools. On the other hand, less academic and less over subscribed will probably be a bit more flexible towards siblings....

[woodlysmum]

Beginning to think about school uniform for T. Current T parents, do the tracksuits tend to come up for sale at the second hand sale?
Frustratingly, it's new rugby tops this year so don't think we can buy them secondhand.
Also, do the boy have to have the base layers?
Thanks

[SoupDragon]

New rugby tops??

Tracksuits do come up in the sale, yes. Not in the larger size I wanted though, dammit. I would wonder whether they are an essential purchase though - mine only really have to wear them if they are travelling to a match in their kit rather than uniform.

I would say that a baselayer is essential as mine wore them all the time throughout the cold seasons. That said, they have had plain royal blue ones from Sports Direct in addition to one single Trinity one. The trinity ones have TRINITY in white blazoned up one arm and do seem to be good quality (barring the fact that the white letters are prone to being peeled off!)

[woodlysmum]

Thanks Soupdragon that's really helpful! :-)

Might hold off on the tracksuit then- although it was the one item of clothing in the shop (along with the PE top) that my husband and DS actually liked!! My DS is very diddy so would need the smallest size really!

So are the Sports Direct base layers allowed? It doesn't mention that we can use alternative base layers on the uniform letter.

Re Rugby top on the uniform list is says new for 2017 Reversible Rugby Jersey. Hewitts don't have it in stock yet and said it's coming in June. Assuming then that we can't buy the old ones...

Do they need rugby/football boots?!

[SoupDragon]

DS2 claims he can wear the plain blue ones, but then added "I think" to the end. He also denies all knowledge of new rugby tops so I'm not convinced he is a reliable source of information! He'll be going into 6th form though so I guess it doesn't affect him. I'd probably buy one trinity base layer because I am basically a rule follower.

The tracksuit top is actually pretty good - seemed fairly windproof from what I remember before it was lost (and not replaced!)

They will need rugby/football boots. As I understand it the only difference is the studs and inthe past we've used one pair for both and just swapped thestuds over. A bit of a pain but cheaper, especially if they end up needing only one or the other.

Boys seem to start out with all the official uniform and then gradually thenon essential bits are swapped to cheaper alternatives - the locker bags being a prime example. Once their first bag disintegrated (which they do after much rough treatment!) they just had ordinary sports bags.

[Seeline]

Haven't heard about new rugby tops either, but then Ds stopped playing rugby when everyone else got much bigger and/or faster than him

He has had a tracksuit, and used it a fair bit. He is still using the one I bought for J Bugs, and he is now 4th form and at least 2" taller than me, so do buy big!! I turned the legs up on the tracksuit bottoms.

He only started wearing a padded base top in the1st form, hen he started playing a few matches. Certainly wasn't the official one (and I think was black) and never had any complaints.

He isn't particularly sporty, and we only ever had rugby boots (the sport he seemed most interested in). When they played class football it was normally on the astro so he just used trainers.

[GavelRavel]

New Rugby tops?! DS in in First Year at T and haven't heard anything abiout this. It's a good idea though, as they make them turn them inside out in training to mark which team they're on, which looks a bit silly :)

I bought everything on the uniform list and here is my experience - DS is sporty, but not A team, plays Rugby, Cricket, Football, not Hockey. He has used everything except the "Valuables Bag" which is a complet waste of money imo - no one I know has actually used it in his year and it is still folded in his bag with the original crease. The only other thing you coudl lose I reckon is the second pair of Rucgby shorts. DS has been fine with one as they are quite mud resistant and easily make a week (might be different if A team Rugby).

He gets th train via East Croydon and its very easy and all fine, for anyone worrying, they work it out very quickly :)

[Seeline]

Gravel - Oh yes I forgot the valuables bag! I don't think DS has used his either. Come to that DH still his in pristine condition, and he left the school 35 years ago

[SoupDragon]

I think DS2 has one that still has the tag on :o

Seeline, Is there anything on the CHS list that is never used?

[Seeline]

I don't think there is Soup Completely non-sporty DD has used everything. Trainers definitely don't have to be mainly white -anything goes.
Word of caution - I would try not to buy too much of anything. Rumours of a new uniform abound.....

[Seeline]

Soup Oh - and any old coat seems to be OK too. Although things may change.

[SoupDragon]

Thanks :)

I can't buy anything as DD is growing like a proverbial weed. It wouldn't fit for long!

The coat was one thing I wasn't sure of but the list I got sent this week is different to the one I'd seen before and didn't limit the coat at all. It also mentioned not allowing "patent leaver" shoes but I have resisted pointing this error out to them...

[Seeline]

Yes - their grammar isn't as good as some other places. Still it will seem familiar from where you are now, unless things have changed considerably in the last two years.

[AuntPol]

Ah, the return of the reversible rugby top.

DB had one several eons ago when he was at Trinity. I think his words when he heard that DS1 was going were "does he still have to wear that completely rubbish reversible rugby top?" grin]

[AuntPol]

Question to all existing T parents re: prize giving.

I've just had the email about reserving tickets. Obviously we'd only want to go if DS1 was actually getting a prize and even then it might be a close call

Do you find out in advance who is getting the prizes? Or if we've not heard yet, do I assume he's not getting one? (We're not expecting one!)

[AuntPol]

fail in my previous post.

[Seeline]

Aunt Pol - you don't find out until nearer the date - it always bugs me that they send out the invites now.
I think it's usually two for best academic (ie top of the class) and then two for the highest commendations (other than those already receiving prizes) per form in the lower school if that helps narrow it down