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Original poster

RGS Guildford 2018

380 replies

Rianna · 02/01/2018 14:11

I’ve had so much fun lurking on the entrance test threads in the last years - now it’s my son’s turn .
Still 10 days to go but I’m starting the thread .
Sitting a couple of other schools as well so maybe we could start a general ‘ Surrey entrance exams ‘ thread ( fun ;-)! )
DS ‘s first exam is in two days time .
He’s preparing himself by playing computer games . I let it go as I don’t believe in prepping children too much for these exams - . I just want him to be relaxed .

OP posts:
Ffffffffffffff202899554 · 20/01/2018 11:13

No letter yet.. the wait is unbearable... any news out there?!

Omi80 · 20/01/2018 14:20

Any news on scholarship letters ......

Cfm2016 · 20/01/2018 15:27

I've got a son now in Second Form. From memory the no letters went out Tuesday or Wednesday next week. It was then a very long wait until February to be sure of your place... Good luck everyone. It is a lovely school full of generally polite, respectful, well-behaved boys!

bob2907 · 20/01/2018 17:08

DS has maths call back interview. Anyone been through it before? Any tips?

Original poster
Rianna · 20/01/2018 19:04

Bob , I don’t think it’s anything they can prepare for . My guess is they’re just going to see what impression your son makes and ask him some questions to see how he answers .
My advise is : if he’s not stressed and well rested he has the best chance . Good luck to him .
For those that haven’t had letters : it might be very good news !
And have been thinking about the behaviour of the boys ... I genuinely believe overall it’s a nice bunch of kids - maybe the main reason to let my son try for the school was that he might find nice friends . And of course no school has only perfect children .

OP posts:
Bin85 · 20/01/2018 19:10

messaging you bob2907 !

cmjmama · 20/01/2018 21:50

Rianna - no not really on the good back up to be honest he has already been turned down cold from his first choice. Think as he really wanted to go he got really nervous and tanked the exam....that and it was his first exam ever, first test, first pressure etc etc.

2manypets · 20/01/2018 23:38

We’ve applied for 13+...
Does that mean we get a yes, a no or a come back for 12+?
Relieved we’ve had no post so far.

Omi80 · 21/01/2018 08:17

Any idea when letters for scholarship test are expected ....

Random2017 · 21/01/2018 08:45

Looking back on last years threads call backs and scholarship letters arrived the equivalent of Friday and Saturday so should be out. Straight No letters came out this coming Friday and Saturday but only a few let you know for obvious reasons. All depends on your mail though. Most can breath easier till half term once you hit Feb as they should be in, apart from call backs who won't know either way til the Feb half term when all the letters go out.

Frazzledmumofboys · 21/01/2018 09:01

The info sheet they handed out on the day says scholarship letters will be sent out the week before the exam.

Satvik · 21/01/2018 09:08

So Happy to find this post and realizing that I am not alone with ups and down and lots of uncertainties. DS appeared for exam on 13th and said Maths was challenging but VA was good and was not sure about English.
He has been called for second stage interview in English on Wednesday for 30 minutes.
Any advice on what to expect?
Any help will be useful :-)
Good Luck to everyone ...

bob2907 · 21/01/2018 09:13

Friends say they just want to see what you got wrong and if you understand it? Not sure how that applies to English though?

With the maths, anyone DS remember any of the tricky questions apart from the train one? Or any of the maths questions at all?

Thanks random17 for details on when call back people hear.

Satvik · 21/01/2018 10:27

Thanks Bob !
Hoping he can do good after getting a second chance:-)

Bin85 · 21/01/2018 10:51

English---years ago they had to read a poem aloud and answer questions on it as part of it.

Bin85 · 21/01/2018 10:52

no harm in knowing a bit about a few current stories in the News either.

Satvik · 21/01/2018 11:10

Many thanks Bin85!
Got some idea :-)

cmjmama · 21/01/2018 12:02

I have a friends son coming around this afternoon who did the English interview a couple of years ago to let us know what it is about.
I think the scholarship exams are early next week so letters will arrive this week probably later in the week

Omi80 · 21/01/2018 14:41

Best of luck Smile

Original poster
Rianna · 21/01/2018 21:16

Cmjmama Good luck ! Most boys will get through the interview x

OP posts:
Original poster
Rianna · 22/01/2018 09:01

Meanwhile , I’m away and gold the husband to do some vr with my son . As expected , he was very good at it . ‘ but at the exams there was something that I found hard ‘ . What it was , he can’t remember 😀.
Personally I find the sequences hard but won’t be able to help with that when I’m back home on Tuesday morning . I’ll tell the husband to do some of that tonight - if he can find a book somewhere or find the tests online .

OP posts:
anthos · 22/01/2018 09:30

Rianna, I did a couple of VR practice papers at home over the Christmas hols with DS. He only needed to do two as it was glaringly obvious what he was getting wrong. There will always be the odd question on VR that will trip them up (a word they can't think of etc) and you can't practice for that, well we didn't anyway. What I found was there was two whole mini sections that DS got fully wrong, as he misunderstood what he needed to do. Once I went through one with him... the penny dropped and he answered the rest all correctly.

if it was a whole 'section' that he just didn't initially get. It will be glaringly obvious to anyone marking the papers. If so then I suspect the interview may be on that, showing him how to do it and a bright boy will go 'ohhh...' and answer the rest fine . VR is a great tool to measure potential, but the overall results can be misinterpreted if a child just didn't get what they needed to do..... resulting in them all wrong in one area.. they are only 10/11 after all. I suspect the interview may be on that, I could be wrong. Good luck!

sazzy5 · 22/01/2018 10:13

From the people that did the call backs last year and two years previously it was very much going over the area the DS might have misunderstood or got wrong. They get shown the right way and then get to have a go themselves. They are initially seen in groups.
I think we worked out you have a 50% chance if you get called back which is better than the 25% you start off at. Trust the process as they really know what they’re doing. All the boys who got in via call backs 3 yrs ago and last year are doing fine and all those who didn’t get in are doing equally well at other schools. If you think about it the exam process could mean there are a whole lot of children on exactly the same mark. That is how tricky it is to differentiate between the boys so another interview anD chance to shine is great for your DS. Good luck to your boys it is such a long process.

Bin85 · 22/01/2018 10:35

I doubt there will be any letters today unless posted on Saturday.

SheilaFentiman · 22/01/2018 12:00

Has anyone who has an interview appointment got one on Friday (26) yet?