Lady Eleanor Holles 7+ Entry Requirements

[MKP1]

Hi all

I am just starting to think about whether to move my dd from her (non selective) private mixed primary to a school that goes all the way through to 18, to try to minimise the trauma at 11+, as a friend suggested that entry at 7+ might be easier (or at least give a second chance at 11+). The school I have my heart set on is LEH, but I can't find any information on what the entrance requirements are for 7+. I really want to know whether all the children who get in have tutoring...because although I'm looking at Sep 2014 entry I suspect starting tutoring early next year would be sensible if it's needed. Her current school is not the sort of school that is used to children leaving at 7+ so wouldn't be helping (or told about it I suspect until it was decided).

If anyone has any information about this I'd love to hear it.

Thanks a million

MKP

I assume your daughter is in Reception? LEH is extremely competitive, and most children will have tutoring of some sort or are prepared at school. Jack and Jill School, for example, teach Reception children a year one curriculum pretty much from the off and will let them know in year 1 if they think their child is LEH material (or so I'm told!). The admissions page says that further entry is provided to registered applicants - I expect there is a fee - but they don't provide specimen papers.

It's an excellent school, however, it is also an extremely academic one, hence the results, so if you think you'll have to tutor quite heavily to get in, then I've heard that you'll probably have to keep up the tutoring throughout. Which wouldn't be much fun for a child if they are not super-academic. It's hard to tell when they are so little!

I'm also not 100% sure that a Junior School place is any guarantee of a Senior School place?

Sorry, prob not much help - just going on what I've heard from other local mums.

I don't thing I'd have to tutor that heavily, it's just that I don't think she would be getting any exam training at her school so it's that I'd want her exposed to! As for senior school, by about year 5 I think you are told whether your child has a guaranteed place or not, if not they can still take the exam and are guaranteed an interview. But I think if the school said they weren't up for the senior school you'd probably want to listen to them..as you say putting a child who can't really cope through that would be mean!

I'd be fascinated if anyone has any info about the entrance exam though - I looked at the NLCS one, which I suspect is similar, and it's a comprehension test, a writing test and maths that involves adding multiple 2 digit numbers and doing fairly simple algebra. Which is scary as that seems a LONG way off what she is doing at the moment (reception)...but she'd need to get to that standard in 18 months (January of year 2 = 2014 test for entry Sep 2014)...hence the q about tutoring!

DD sat the 7 + in year 2, she is now year 4.
They are basically looking for girls who are at least level 3 SATS, and preferably beyond by the end of the first term of year 2. Although many DCs will hit level 3 by the end of year 2, this is very early and DDs at pre-preps specifically preparing for the LEH exams will have a big advantage. The test was basically 2 English papers and a maths paper. The downside of being at one of their feeder preps is that you may end up pushing a child into a school which doesn't suit them, and they do loose girls all through the junior school. They also have a policy of only taking girls at the standard they require, they will reject applicants and leave empty places. They can do this beause they will fill the places in later years.
DD sat the test, hated the shool and refused to go for the interview, she chose to go to another school instead. I didn't push it because I don't think the atmosphere would suit her personality which is probably why she didn't like it.
I assume that your DD is at TPS or Newland, both of whom are big LEH feeders at 11+, so it may make more sense to leave her where she is and see what she is like at year 5 so you can make the right choice for her, or she can choose for herself.

I've a dd at the school, so believe I can help.
The school I have my heart set on is LEH, but I can't find any information on what the entrance requirements are for 7+
Have you visited? If you have, they give out very detailed entrance guidance notes to visiting parents, so the entrance requirements are extremely clear. If you visited but didn't get them, then the school secretary is very approachable. I'm sure she'd provide them to you happily.

Like your dd, mine too went to a school which was not a natural feeder. We covered most of the requirements ourselves using Bond books, to reinforce what she had already covered. But did decide to tutor our daughter for five tutor sessions to cover the few Maths topics that she had not covered at her previous school. I wouldn't say she was intensively tutored by any means. We did all this in the Autumn term, (Oct - Nov) so in the few months before the entrance exam. Some schools, like J&J mentioned above, prepare your children for you, but my experience is that in the large part, other parents have done most of the preparation with their girls prior to the entrance, and that a year of tutoring is simply not necessary.

The exam itself is quite relaxed, not like an exam at all. The girls go to a classroom, and do some Maths & English. They can put their hands up and ask a question. They go out to play and have a chocolate biscuit. It's more like spending a morning at a new school, but your work gets marked at the end of it. There's also an interview, girls seen in small groups where they read an unseen text to the head and discuss the passage.

It has a reputation for being competitive and extremely academic. I would say that if your child is a good, natural fit, she won't actually notice that at all. It'd just be a great school to her. Sports are very important. There is proper sport every day so if that would make your child unhappy, you'd need to consider that. I have met girls who just hate the sport!

Most children are offered a place in the senior department, though it is not guaranteed. I believe each year there is a handful of parents who are advised that it may not be the best route for their daughters and this process starts very early, there is no sudden boot out at the end of year 6.
Hope that helps.

My daughter is in the junior department and we came from a non selective independent school. She absolutely loves it. We didn't tutor our daughter, just used the bond books. They don't test verbal reasoning unlike Bute house and Latymers so there is less to do. There are a number in her class who came from state schools and I know the parents just did some extra work with them. There are some girls in her class (very few) who were tutored. I find it no coincidence that these are the girls who seem to struggle the most.
In terms of going onto the senior school only around 3/4 girls in a year of approx 48 girls are not invited onto the senior school so very good odds. I chose leh over other schools primarily because I loved it but I would be lying of having to avoid the hell that is the 11plus wasn't a huge bonus!
They also have a huge advantage going into the senior school as a large group with their friends (they get to request to be in the same class as their closest friends) and being familiar with the school and setup. The junior department is involved with all the major events at the senior school and the senior head Mrs Low attends all the junior events in the calendar so it really is an extension of the school.

Quick caveat! My daughter has only 1 year left in the junior dpt so that was my experience but there may well have been changes in the last year or so re entrance requirements etc...

Can I ask what year/age Bond books you did blueyonder? 7-8 or 8-9?

Thank you blueyonder and washedup - that's exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to find out! I haven't been round yet - I will go in Autumn term as still have plenty of time for 2014 entry. I just wanted to make sure that all the girls hadn't been tutored for ages before the exam because if that was likely to be necessary then I'd want to start early/gently! It sounds a lot less formal than the NLCS exam that I found (which is where I went hence the panic about tutoring...I remember being tutored for that age 5).

I think I'll just start gently pushing things like reading/comprehension now and start on the Bond papers later...once I've been round, and convinced my DH that we do want to move her from the school that is 200yds from our door!!

Does anyone happen to know the applicant/entry ratio for 7/11? Approx?

We started on 6/7 for confidence and ended on 7/8. I would also highly recommend the schofield & sims books, wh smiths sell them. I didn't actually use them but the school use them alot especially for maths and I like them, 'bite size chunks!'. Re the tests master the basics ie 2,3,4,5,10 timetables don't confuse them or push them too much.
7 plus ratio I would say 1 in 4 or 5 offered a place. 11 plus has for more entrants but these girls are trying a number (averagely 5!) schools. At the 7 plus leh will be every parents first choice. Whilst the 7 plus is definitely less stressful it isn't necessarily easier to get in. Leh know exactly what they are looking for and certain standards have to be met. They certainly dont offer places lightly. Unlike pretty much all other schools they don't ask for a report from your daughters current school, they believe completely in their selection procedure. The process was easier for us because at 6 my daugher wasn't phased by the exam process, she loved the whole morning and didn't view the tests as daunting. This certainly would not be the case next year!

Thank you! I do like the idea of it being less stressful...I saw how all the Year 6's sufferred this year and I'm not looking forward to that at all. Going to start working on the times tables (we already have 2,5,10 but not in anything other than rote order)...then start thinking about the Bond books etc. I don't think it will hurt her as she's quite excited by learning things so I shall sell it as a treat!

Hi - my daughter is at LEH Juniors and I'd agree with the above. She came from a top state primary and we just did some work with her, but no intensive tutoring. The test process was very relaxed and I agree that the school know what they are after ... no interest in interviewing parents which we also found relaxing! The progress to the senior school appears a natural flow although a few nearer the bottom may have early suggestions that maybe their DDs mightn't be so happy in the Senior school! Although it's academically demanding, it's by no means a hot-house, although parents who are daunted by the reputation may hint otherwise. Homwework is actually pretty light.

The standards are high academically and yet is very down to earth and human in every level ... not uber-posh or snobby at all, but your daughter will be allowed to be themselves, only to the best of their ability! My daughter is a quietly bright, individual type - not from a feeder - but has made great friends. I doubt you'll find any majorly negative comments from parents there, regardless of whether their kids are in the top or bottom sets.

As we live in SW London, LEH, SPGS, Tiffin Girls and G&L were the ones were were looking at for secondary ... but LEH ticks so many of the boxes so well, it's unlikely we'll move her as 90% of her classmates will simply go to the senior. This kind of long-term friendship building experience outweighs anything else, though an SPGS offer might be seriously tempting I admit!

Reading the above ... the school gives out detailed entry requirements so they are pretty open on what they expect. The secretary is so helpful, all the kids and parents know and love her!

Might be worth to mention LEH Juniors also have an 8+ entry point. In my DDs year I think they took 4 out of 13. I'd go for the 7+ personally unless your DD is a late bloomer.

Could someone let me know when I should register my daughter for LEH? Is it from birth?

Hi sl280 - you need to register the year before the 7+, 8+ (or 11+ for the Seniors). I don't think any of the London Day Schools for girls are "register from birth".

Probably an idea to go for the open day after registering and before the test - lets your DD meet the teacher and feel a bit less stressed out on the day, although it's pretty low key in the Junior Dept.

BTW I agree J&J and other feeders will really groom your daughter for LEH but there's really no need, and maybe it's better to just coach her a bit and see if she gets in comfortably?

We've let our daughter find her own level without tutoring, it helps us see what her natural level is (thankfully good results without any push from us - results would be better/more consistent if we were more pushy parents!). My personal view - the kids are just that, they grow up too fast anyway, so let them be kids, let the school do the job it does simply brilliantly, and save the parental stress until 13+ as that's when it will actually benefit them! If she's a rocket-scientist / neuro-surgeon / future cabinet minister type, get her into SPGS but that's very very few kids. My 2 cents ...

what's SPGS?
DD1 i think is a natural fit for LEH, but will also go for Tiffin. She's a great swimmer but not overly sporty (useless at ball sports, at the moment anyway). Will the sport focus put her off? I got the impression that Surbiton High is more sporty than LEH and less academic. is that right?

ah, st paul's got it..

NOOO - There isn't an 8+ entrance as such. There are entrance exams at 8+ and 9+ to fill any empty spaces, but in some years that can be 0!

hi we are sitting for sept 2013 entry; dd is at a (very) non academic prep; we had two sessions with a tutor last term but whilst she loved it, its just too much to fit in and i dont want to make a big thing of these exams. We do do bond books for fun when we get a moment (rare!) as her school wont offer any support for 7+ entry elsewhere as they have their own prep. I am quite relaxed - they learnt so much in the last term of yr 1 and she is in top groups for yr 2 and seems to be whizzing ahead; she also loves any sort of 'test' or challenge so will probably outperform herself out of sheer will power:). We are also doing Bute House and possibly one other.

Bond books are a real good place to start. Do age appropriate books moving onto the next age band as you go. Maths and English bond books plus verbal reasoning. Also theres a bond book called 10 minute tests which you would probably do mid way through yr 1 but covers things like time, estimating and measuring.

Make sure your child reads to you each day but also you read higher level books so that introduces them to greater vocabulary.

Hi to those who sat the LEH and other schools like Wimbledon etc 2013 7+ for Sept 2013 entry- any feedback you can share with us please? Did you think you should have put in yr daughters into pvt tuition etc , if so could you recommend any? how were the exams?

Heard LEH was really tough and most intake was from states and highly tutored children from private schools.

Thanks for any help

I heard that a lot from jack & Jill did not get through this year.

I heard the same about Jack & Jill...I also heard that many more than usual sat the 7+ exam including a lot of girls who flew in from Tokyo - the mind boggles!

Thanks to those who replied. Is there anyone whose daughter has got in reading this? How did you prepare just bond books like mum teacher posted?

Propitia, we flew over from Tokyo and sat the exams. Not so sure there were lots of us, though! Just our family. I overheard two Japanese families, but I think they were resident in the UK. We're expats here, due to relocate back that's all, nothing more exciting than that. It's interesting you mentioned Jack and Jill - we had places there before we moved out to Tokyo.
Nutterbox - we had no tutoring (can't get it here anyway) so just did bond books and Schofield and sims. Most important thing is that you daughter is excited about going.....we talked lots about the school, its philosophy, facilities and opportunities. We loved the school when we visited and when we went for the exams. The girls thoroughly enjoyed their morning, so just remain positive. Good luck!

Chinese whispers, eh! I thought it sounded bonkers!
But I guess that many more may well have sat the exams to so dilute the normal Jack & Jill pass rate.
The few who I know who have gone in the last 3 or 4 years have done bond/ schofield & sims and chatted a lot with adults ie involved and directed parenting but not going to tutors as such. HTH