Private School King Edwards High School for girls

[1Brummiemummy]

Hi my DD sat the KEHS test just over a week ago now. I've applied for a assisted place & just wondering if I should have heard back as yet? It states on their website not all children are called for a interview. I'm assuming children who are given AP must be interviewed before a place is offered? So in effect we will know before places are offered via letters in Dec? (If we don't get called it's a no) Did anyone else's DD's sit the exam? How did they find It? TIA

Hi, I’m not sure if things have changed but when my daughter sat it for 2015 entry she wasn’t interviewed - and was offered an assisted place.

It’s different at the boys school, where they interview huge numbers.

So I wouldn’t give up hope until you actually receive a letter with everyone else. Even if she does get an interview you still won’t hear before those applying for full fee places.

Thanks Crazycrofter, that's very useful info. Is your daughter happy at the school(assuming you accepted)? I will hold onto hope until offer day now

Yes, she’s very happy on the whole (GCSE work starting to kick in now though!). She has lovely friends and the teachers are really supportive. After being stubbornly independent until now, she finally submitted and went to see two teachers about work she didn’t understand today! Hope you get good news! Does your daughter have a grammar place on the cards too?

Ah that must be so good knowing you made the right decision seeing her happy. Unfortunately no back up at grammar due her score not being high enough to obtain a place (mainly on my part sending her in blind, no tution) She said she didn't answer all questions on the grammar exam on each section. We're remaining hopeful on this one as she said she felt she done well with time remaining & confident after checking all through her answers. I put her in tution for one month previous to this test just to get her used to answering in a timely manner etc but I don't know if it will be enough. She's so bright I feel like I've let her down by not having the tution before now . I wasn't clued up on the fierce competition for these schools until I started looking at secondarys. Her teachers did tell me to get extra tuition to excel especially in Maths (they called her Carol Vorderman) but me being me didn't. I'm no bright cookie myself!

And thank you for your luck

I wouldn’t beat yourself up about it! Neither of our children had tuition although we did practice papers at home over the summer. I don’t think it makes a huge amount of difference - with the grammar test they just need to be a bit familiar with the type of questions and the question booklet.

For the KEHS exam you definitely don’t need tuition as it’s very like what they do at school. When dd took it the exam was in the Jan and we did no prep at all between the 11plus in Sept and Jan.

Thanks Crazycrofter you've been very helpful & made me feel a little better ]

Oh & good luck to your daughter for her GCSE's!!

Hi

My daughter sat the exam as well. I panicked when I realised that the competition is 8:1. She didn't pass the 11plus, was very close, so blaming myself for trying DYI prep without tutoring. Silly idea!

There was a very negative review on google reviews about KEHS but was deleted; from what I can gather from another comment it was about lots of girls having mental health issues and being pushed into subjects to assure school's high rating. Would really like to know if this is true, if any KEHS girl reading this.

I went to kehs. With the caveat that it was 20 years ago, I'd say it is a truly lovely school. We were not rich or posh but I never saw any snobbery and any attempt at it was immediately leapt on and crushed (often crushed the hardest by the most privileged of the girls). Mental health... Well those of us who had poor mental health would have had it anywhere, in any school. School expected you to do well and work hard but I can't remember once feeling pressured or anxious about work (and I was by no means the cleverest). I remember having to take general studies which was annoying as few unis accepted it. Also they didn't teach less trad academic subjects so you had to do those externally if you wanted to. They probably encourage you to do the things you're good at, but it's in your interest as well as their own to get the best grades possible, so I don't really see the problem with that. Have been back since and had a really good impression of the girls. They/ we probably are / were a bit neurotic but that's girls' schools for you! :D I have seen it a lot worse.

To sum up that rambling post: it's a really nice school. But nothing suits everyone. In my experience the stress came from events in home life , culture of perfectionism among parents and associated expectations, not from the school.

I saw that review and it really didn’t resonate with me. There may be more girls who would tend towards those sort of problems anyway - ie perfectionist, hard working etc - but I think they would be the same anywhere. It’s the same exam system everywhere after all.

Expectations are high - but they also really believe in the girls. They encourage them to be their best. My daughter is responding well to that and working hard.

I don’t have DDs there but have close friends whose DDs are. To echo the two previous posters, I think the pressure comes from the girls and some of the parents that this type of school attracts, not the school or teaching staff.

For example, one of my daughter’s friends is struggling with the sort of mental health issues which seem to be common amongst this age group - but she’s at a failing comp, not KEHS. She is, however, ambitious and very hard working. I guess there are just more girls like her all concentrated together at schools like KEHS.

Just piggy backing on this thread. Has anyone heard of places being declined at kehs yet? We are on the waiting list and I’m trying to gather any useful information.. it’s a long lonely process waiting