Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Original poster

GHS 7+ exams

56 replies

subzerotemp · 21/01/2014 18:27

Is there anyone here who's DD wrote the 7+ tests at Guildford High? Just wondering if anyone had an idea of number of places to applicants this year..

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
elementary2 · 28/01/2014 20:11

Wow really helpful, thank you!

So is she fairly advanced compared to national levels at her current school? I've heard it get's harder to pass these selective exams as you move up (so the 4+ is normally considered the "easiest")!

niku · 28/01/2014 20:47

elementary2.....I noticed that my DD actually started really coming out of her shell academically after she turned 4....and was getting not really being stretched at reception so I ended up moving her to smaller more academic (mostly boys school).

She thrived there but then felt she would be more suited to an all girls school environment with more choice of friends and facilities for sports as well as music ! So I then made the decision to go for these 7+ exams and see how she got on. She completely loved the whole examination process and could not stop talking about how good the schools were. This confirmed by gut feeling. Ofcourse things may change as she gets older (as 7 is too young to say) but right now its the right decision for DD.

Personally I feel that 4+ is probably easiest if you know what to expect and 7+ is also easier if the child is punching 12 to 18 months above their age group academically and they do not really have the pressure of exam stress. However I feel 11+ is a lot more competitive (from what I hear) and many children are tutored to pass these. At 4 and 7+ you really do not need tutoring but just some time set aside to work with your child to work through some practice papers etc.

Original poster
subzerotemp · 29/01/2014 18:08

Niku is it true that for LEH if you receive the post on Friday you're in and if Saturday means you're out?

OP posts:
niku · 29/01/2014 19:07

Subzerotemp....from what I know I do not believe this to be the case...I was told all letters will be posted out on Thursday...so depending on post you could receive letter on Friday or Saturday very similar to GHS. I guess we will know soon enough. I will update you when I hear ! Fingers crossed !

sybilwibble · 31/01/2014 13:03

hi results from LEH are out.. I hear from the other parents at our school. No one at home and won't get home from work until this evening to see the post, so feeling the waiting agony. Really thought it would be tomorrow.
Hope everyone here was successful?

niku · 31/01/2014 13:21

Yes we got the good news today. Now to make a very very tough decision between two excellent schools but a good place to be Grin ! Good luck to everyone. sybilwibble I am not sure I could wait...the suspense would kill me ! subzerotemp ..hope you have positive news..

diva100 · 31/01/2014 13:27

Good luck to those waiting. I am in the same boat as you sybilwibble. I may actually leave early today. Congrats to you niku.

Original poster
subzerotemp · 31/01/2014 13:38

Hey Niku! Yes we received the good news Grin so happy and relieved!! Let me know what you choose - if LEH then may be we will have a chance to meet! Smile

OP posts:
niku · 31/01/2014 14:13

That is fantastic news subzerotemp....really happy for you ! I will let you know of my decision....currently am really struggling to choose !

Original poster
subzerotemp · 31/01/2014 14:20

Thank you! Don't worry whatever your decision is -you can't go wrong as both are great schools!

OP posts:
sybilwibble · 01/02/2014 18:34

Hope it turned out well for you too Diva100. We were thrilled to get good news too. Phew!

niku · 03/02/2014 13:52

Gosh....I am so so torn making a decision between GHS and LEH ! I am going from one extreme to another on a daily basis. Any other mums in a similar situation?

Thinkbeforeyouwrite · 03/02/2014 14:22

Niku, I must say you come across as quite inconsiderate. Your DD is very fortunate to be offered a place at 2 very good schools. Not every one has been as fortunate. Perhaps you should just make a decision quietly so that someone on the waiting list doesn't have to wonder how many more days they must wait

niku · 03/02/2014 14:33

I am sorry....I really did not mean to come across like I did ! I am really sorry for upsetting anyone !!

AmIIndecisive · 03/02/2014 17:13

Niku, I didn't think you came across like that, you should be very proud of your child's achievements and its a big decision to make so nothing wrong with asking for advice or sharing. I don't know the schools well enough to offer you advice on which to choose but wanted to say well done!

blinkinwinkin · 04/02/2014 10:26

The "most favoured" schools always sway in popularity and every few years there's a new fashionable choice. GH is the "fashionable" choice parents want right now - still glowing from it's Sunday Times school of the year accolade a few yrs back. But no doubt next year it'll be a different school, possibly LEH.

I was in a similar position to you a couple of years ago but work/home/ travel choices heavily swayed our decision to LEH, it was an easy decision for us. One of my close friend's dc are at Guildford and love it too, when we compare notes they really are very same-same. Good luck with your decision. And well done to your dd.

Zenwen · 28/02/2014 16:35

Hello. Was anyone on waiting list for 7+ GHS? If so, have you heard anything yet given that LEH have started contacting waiting lists people so there may be a chance that there is hope yet for those on the GHS 7+ waiting list?

sixlive · 28/02/2014 20:28

Phone GHS and ask. I would also phone beginning of next term in case anybody in year 2 has given notice. Good luck, people have been contacted at the last minute before.

zenwen · 07/03/2014 17:38

sixlive...no luck unfortunately. Wonder if all offers they made were accepted.

Cantwaittillitsallover14 · 17/03/2016 11:39

Where did you choose LEH or GHS?

niku · 20/03/2016 11:11

We chose GHS in the end and we have not regretted our decision. Our DD is very very happy here and has fitted into the school perfectly. We chose this school in the end as it was unlike LEH in that it is more relaxed, not a hot house and parents are friendly and normal working class people (many of them anyway !). I found that the LEH environment would have been too intense for our DD and we just want her to have a happy fun school experience.

Cantwaittillitsallover14 · 20/03/2016 11:42

In the same position now Niku so I read your post and thought processes with fascination...LEH is closer and we are on the school bus route but it's proving hard to turn down GHS. I'm weighing up if it so much better to justify committing to 11 years on the A3 or DD changing trains later on. People think it's a nice dilemma but I really wish she had only been offered one now!

niku · 22/03/2016 13:05

Cantwaittillitsallover14 ...we had the same issue in that we are actually closer to LEH than GHS (and it was an obvious choice) but after thinking long and hard we felt that coach travel as she gets older would not suit (after school activities etc) and there are no direct trains/buses back home. We have a direct train line to GHS from our area which many girls take at 11 and is apparently a social highlight of the day ! The trip down the A3 surprisingly for me has not proved to be a problem (we planned to move initially but have since changed our minds). In the end we went with the school we felt was better suited to our DD as there was not much in it travelwise.

niku · 22/03/2016 13:07

Good luck with your decision....whilst its a hard one...it is a good position to be in ! Let me know what you decide in the end and feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.

Allaboutchildren · 31/01/2018 19:56

I know this is a very old thread but does anyone know if ghs waiting list for 7 plus ever turns into a place . Any advice please ?