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3+ 4+ 5+ 7+ support thread 2015

363 replies

mumteacher · 25/11/2014 19:07

I started the below thread last year and have had so many people find it useful I thought it might be worth doing it again.

I have had a number of messages asking if I have any spaces in my classes. I'm really sorry but I have been at full capacity for some time now.

However, I do appreciate that this is a very stressful time of year for parents who have children sitting these private school assessments in January. So, I'm hoping that by setting up this support group thread I can help by answering some questions you have about these assessments.

Hopefully this thread will also contain some useful insight from the experiences of parents who have already been through the process.

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North123 · 19/01/2015 16:39

Has anybody heard yet in respect of 7+ habs entry ? Appreciate responses

wandymum · 19/01/2015 17:29

Congrats KCW23 and Clueless 2015!

I'm not sure about CC or WUS but our DS is in for KCJS and they do the interviews before the test.

DS said he was asked about: his family, his favourite book, what musical instrument he plays and why he chose it, favourite subject at school and then had to read a passage he was given out loud and answer some verbal maths questions. KCJS interview is a slightly different format though as they see two boys at a time but I would imagine the content is broadly the same.

kcw23 · 19/01/2015 21:17

Firsttimer08, WUS is fast faced as compared to CC and exam is divided into smaller chunks - less questions to answer.Boys tend to enjoy assessment day more at wus.

It was a letter in WUS, but to me both letter writing and creative story writing are more or less same with probably more drama in the later.

firsttimer08 · 20/01/2015 08:52

Thanks kcw. Agree I would band both letter wiring and story writing in the same category. DS has a year to go but I do find he has limited imagination and structure to his writing. Hope it changes closer to then - otherwise we will not apply as it sounds awfully competitive!

North123 · 20/01/2015 13:49

Just got rejection letter from habs 7+

AmIIndecisive · 20/01/2015 15:09

Sorry to hear that North Sad - did you sit anywhere else?

superlawyermummy1 · 20/01/2015 16:49

mum teacher I am new to this thread but am following with interest for my DD. Can I just ask if you know anything about Halls Prep School in Northwood? is it good?

Soveryupset · 20/01/2015 17:05

Can I join even though our 7+ isn't London based?

My DS2 is sitting this week. I am worried. We did as much prep as possible, but nowhere near 1 hour a day. More like 1 hour or 2 a week since September.

His story writing is definitely the most worrying. He has a huge imagination and comes up with brilliant stories, but his spelling isn't good at all and he keeps forgetting capitals after full stops etc...definitely a case of getting carried away. He is also very immature, so can go from writing something brilliant to something rubbish with no real reason but that he can't be bothered!

He has two siblings at the school already, so I am hoping that is a saving grace. I have heard that they are slightly more lenient on siblings UNLESS they are a worry - e.g. they won't be able to cut the mustard and will become an issue...wish us luck and well done to all those who have got places already!! x

kcw23 · 20/01/2015 21:04

Has anyone heard from wus (7+) yet? Were not they going to notify through email as they mentioned during online registration?

firsttimer08 · 21/01/2015 09:37

Yes for WUS I know two people who have heard back. One a yes, the other a no. Both via email yesterday.

4PlusMum · 21/01/2015 10:18

Can anyone shed any light on what the Habs 4+ 2nd round was like. Apparently the format has changed. Were the girls assessed seperately from parents or was it just a meeting with the head?

kcw23 · 21/01/2015 10:36

Thanks firsttimer08. We also got the email and its a yes. Relieved and proud dad! ?

akennyg · 21/01/2015 10:54

Hi there mumteacher,
This is a long way off for us (dd isn't even 1 yet) but will affect how we plan and I'm so curious-we are trying for highgate at either 7+ or 11+ and planning to send dd to a good local primary (brookfield/Eleanor palmer/ yerbury depending where we move) until that stage. What do we need to consider when it comes to each relative year for entry? Is 7+ much easier/less competitive? sorry this is a little off topic and waaaaay early really but many thanks in advance if you have any thoughts!

Only4Child · 21/01/2015 11:43

hi 4plusmum,
we had round 2 for 4+ at has yesterday. 15 minutes each with the head of infants and the interim head of the junior school. our daughter and us stayed together, it was all very informal, they asked each of us some questions and we asked some. pretty relaxed really.
hope this helps.

4PlusMum · 21/01/2015 12:14

Thanks Only4. Much appreciated. Best of luck with the results.

Neena15 · 21/01/2015 12:23

mumteacher, can you please give some info on the second round of NLCS 7+ and how many girls do they usually call back? more than double?

Your help is really appreciated.

horsemadmom · 21/01/2015 14:06

NLCS 2nd round is like a taster day at school. Nothing to prepare for or stress about. Your DD will come out smiling no matter what- they all do!

North123 · 21/01/2015 14:34

How many children approx are called in for 2nd round at nlcs at7 + ?

MrsNuckyThompson · 21/01/2015 16:24

I'd like some information about the Squirrels (WCPS) and Rowans 4+ assessments if anyone has any wisdom to offer?

DS is a year away from the assessments and currently not in nursery. He will be starting some half days at a good pre-school in September, but that will only give him a few months in the nursery environment before these assessment days, so might be good to get a head start.

Both schools say this is observed play only, but I'm guessing there's more to it. Anyone been through it?

julieh1 · 21/01/2015 18:23

Anyone know how many boys get called back for interviews at Dulwich College. DS is going on Saturday and I'm trying to gauge the odds.

Thanks all

maman4deux · 22/01/2015 11:52

Has any one heard from Northwood prep today so far? Do we expect a call/email?

efrieze78 · 22/01/2015 13:44

They usually call back around 30 at NLCS for around 10 places at 7+.

North123 · 22/01/2015 14:08

Thank you efrieze78

wandymum · 23/01/2015 12:55

DS' teacher congratulated me this morning as DS has been telling everyone he is leaving to go to one of the schools he'd sat for at 7+.

Of course, we haven't had any results yet. He just loved the school and has convinced himself he's going there. The odds are so low anyway and we didn't do much prep so I'm racking my brains on how we are going to break the likely bad news to him :-(

amyfowler · 23/01/2015 18:14

I told my DS before exams that diversity for a class is really most important stuff. Kids living close to school, living far from school, from different schools, from different ethnic backgrounds etc etc. I was prepping him that doing well in test is important for prospective schools but they strive for a class representing kids from lots of other parameters. Surprisingly he found it very reasonable and even come up that given we live more than 3 miles away from school where he had a "smashing" performance in tests, it did not work out for him.

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