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Original poster

7+ / 8+ London boys schools Dec 2018 / Jan 2019 (St Paul's Juniors, Westminster Under, Kings)

211 replies

RaspberryCake · 05/11/2018 11:34

Hi everyone, just wondering if anyone has a DS doing the 7+ or 8+ exam for some of the London day schools, like St Paul's Juniors, Westminster, or Kings. My DS is doing the 7+ and the first exam is on December 1st (St Paul's). I think I have a fairly good idea of the exam structure but, of course, I would welcome any top tips - as well as company from a Mumsnet support group, as we go through this! Good luck to everyone!

OP posts:
quitestressed78 · 11/12/2019 14:50

Has anyone heard if letters will be going out earlier than 13th?

Cadeaux · 12/12/2019 11:02

We received an email. We are on waitlist unfortunately...

Heist · 12/12/2019 11:11

We also received an email about 30 minutes ago. Reserve List as well :(

Heist · 12/12/2019 11:14

Any idea from past years' experience - how long is the reserve list and how many places clear, after offer acceptances at other schools

quitestressed78 · 12/12/2019 11:23

We got a place. Smile I would phone up and ask for position on waitlist. Good luck. X

mohblyc2 · 12/12/2019 11:25

We also got a place :)

Good luck everyone xx

Doubleclick2020 · 12/12/2019 19:59

Got a place too. Good luck for everyone! Smile

Tingting01 · 12/12/2019 21:47

Just wondering - for those of you who got a place at both KCS and SPJ, what would your choice be?

And are you sitting Westminster in Jan?

quitestressed78 · 13/12/2019 08:55

Hi tingting01. We are not sure which to choose, although obviously nice problem to have. We are not sitting anymore exams now and definitely not Westminster. Good luck to your DS.

Tingting01 · 13/12/2019 10:44

Thank you quitestressed! You must be over the moon, well done and enjoy the hols!

Natpil · 19/12/2019 19:36

Hello ladies! Is there someone with two offers for Sept 2020? St Pauls and Kings?

Natpil · 19/12/2019 19:38

Tingting01 Congrats to the two offers! Which one are you going for? Any big difference between those schools?we are in the same position..

quitestressed78 · 19/12/2019 20:28

Hi Naptil. We have Kings and St Paul’s offers too. Previous advice on Mumsnet was go to the nearer one if one is much closer than the other. If anyone has any updated advice on advantages and disadvantages I would be grateful too. DS is more keen on Kings but he has visited it 5 times now what with open day, interview, exam etc.

Natpil · 19/12/2019 21:35

Hi quitestressed78, thanks for your reply. Same situation with us. It just feels that we have been more times in KCS thats why it feels more familiar..;-)
The distance to school is not relevant for us, as we need to move house anyway. So it makes the choice even harder...
Not sure how the new head in SP is going to be... Is she going to bring a lot of changes..?

quitestressed78 · 29/12/2019 08:39

Yes Natpil that is more difficult if you are planning on moving. Both Barnes and Wimbledon are lovely places to live. I guess both are excellent schools so you cannot make a bad choice! Would be interesting if anyone has any opinion on the future new head of SPJS. I understand she is moving from JAGS.

quitestressed78 · 29/12/2019 08:40

I meant the new female head of SPS and not the junior!

Natpil · 29/12/2019 11:46

Hi Quitestressed78, I only heard that new female head has more of a humanity back round ( English literature etc), which could make St Pauls a bit more all-rounder ..
Do you know anybody who has only offer from St Pauls? Not King‘s? For me it looks like exams in King‘s were slightly easier, because I know a lot of people who got offers from King‘s but didn‘t get to 2 round in St Pauls.. but I don’t know anybody with opposite situation...

quitestressed78 · 29/12/2019 15:46

Hi, no I don't know anyone who got Kings and not SP but I don't know many 7+ candidates in general as we are not at a prep school. From what my son said, the exam at SPS was more difficult, and given that he is good at story writing, I feel he probably got a place at KCS with more ease (I could be wrong!). My general feeling was it was more difficult to get an offer at SPS and certainly with the short-notice parent 'interview' etc. It seemed SP focuses a lot more on maths and non-verbal reasoning rather than English. Even the activity day sounded like more of an assessment, with descriptive writing and problem-solving being assessed and not just behaviour and team-working skills. However, Kings is an excellent school and at senior school level there isn't really anything between the results at GCSE and A-level. I think St Paul's is a little more competitive (more than 100 extra applicants for a similar number of places thus year) because it is a little more well known and is slightly less south of the river. If we lived near to KCS then I think we would take the place there, but SPS is quite a bit nearer for us. I think we are leaning towards SPS at the moment.

Natpil · 29/12/2019 17:30

Quitestressed78, thanks for your reply and thoughts. My son has similar feelings after the exams. He said it was slightly more challenging at St Pauls. And he definitely enjoyed activity morning more in St Pauls than in Kings. Maybe this is the answer..?)))
All the best for 2020, hope our sons will love their new school!

quitestressed78 · 29/12/2019 18:14

I meant to say I don't know anyone who got an offer at SP and not Kings (if applied). A lot of people in our interview group at SPJS had not applied to Kings.

quitestressed78 · 29/12/2019 18:15

Yes sounds like we might both be going to the same one! Good luck with the move.

openskies · 06/01/2020 21:34

Did anyone else’s DS sit 7+ exams at WUS today? Mine said there was no composition as part of English, which sounds a bit too good to be true! Hoping he didn’t completely miss a page somehow...

abc79 · 07/01/2020 00:04

We did WUS 7+ today also...i got the same, there was no creative writing, was slightly worried too when I first heard as thought maybe he completely missed a section (?!) so happy that someone else says the same!

Heist · 07/01/2020 16:24

My DS told me the same that there was no composition.

Heist · 07/01/2020 16:28

Well, I am aware of a few boys who got through SPJ and didn’t get an offer from KCS though they wanted to opt for KCS due to proximity reasons.
I personally feel they are both strong academically challenging schools and thus, both will be able to provide a very strong base to the boys.