Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

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

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Flip

1 2 ··· 8 9 10 11 12 13

Original poster

WUS, CC and KCJS 7+/8+

310 replies

firsttimer08 · 05/01/2016 18:04

Starting this thread for those sitting the 7+/8+ for these schools. Have found last few years' threads useful in understanding the process as a newbie; and now that it is our turn, thought we can exchange notes or have an idea of when the dreaded letters/emails arrive!

All the best for this week and the next.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Original poster

firsttimer08 · 03/02/2016 10:47

Agee with londonchillaxer. I don't think anything tennismom said warranted such a defensive reaction. These are all wonderful and excellent schools and I don't think one is necessarily better than the other.

I started this thread for advice and handholding through this stressful month. So let's move on. We are all nearly there now - good luck to those on the WL. Hope you get good news tomorrow!

OP posts:

intensivecare · 03/02/2016 11:03

Cyber bullism should really have no seat here. Like firsttimer insists, this is really meant to be a handholding thread. Congraculations to you all and good luck!

Londonmumat40 · 03/02/2016 12:08

Changing the subject - going back to the earlier question about Helen Grogan's classes - this is what I also posted to the same question on the "good tutor" thread.

A definite vote here for Helen Grogan if you are close enough to her Chelsea classes. I've used her with two boys. They did a two hour session each Saturday morning and they were divided into fairly small groups (around 5 or 6 per teacher) by age and ability. The classes give you exactly what you need - repeated practice of Maths, Comprehension, Composition and Reasoning. It really took some of the pressure off us as parents. Helen is very sensible and straight talking. She will tell you honestly what she thinks the chances for your child are and as she has many boys every year doing the 7+ and 8+ (and 11+ girls I think) she has the experience to know. I know she gets a good number into all the top schools each year (CC, WUS, SH, KCJS etc). Both my boys did some one on one tutoring before discovering the classes and they both responded much better to the classes. I think there is something about working in a group which means they feel it is less "unfair" that they are having to do extra work. Many boys are naturally competitive and seeing their neighbour doing well makes them work harder. (We had used one tutor from a different agency who had bored my son to tears).

Another advantage of the classes system is that in October and in the run up to the exams Helen sets mock exams. My children came from a school which doesn't prepare for the 8+ at all so they had very limited experience of sitting any type of exam. It was therefore very good practice for them to get the feel for sitting in a quiet exam hall and competing against other boys. The results give you a feel for how your son is doing relative to others which isn't always easy to do. Having done the classes also meant they saw a familiar face or two on the actual exam days at the potential schools.

If your child is struggling in a particular area then you maybe need some one on one sessions to deal with it rather than the class but I think if an issue came up there would be the opportunity to book that with one of the teachers separately. I guess (although this is only my experience) the classes are aimed at maximising the potential of boys who are doing well and aiming at top schools rather than being remedial classes for those struggling. She now has a fairly comprehensive website which it is worth looking at.

I have recommended Helen to various friends. Her set up really worked for us.

Mominatrix · 04/02/2016 06:05

I was going to drop this, but I absolutely refute the charge of cyberbullying.

I have no point against anyone on this thread, but I do have a problem if a parent who is not at a particular school is passing on misinformation when the topic was regarding parents trying to choose between several schools. i have plenty of "negative" stories about schools on this thread told to me by parents at those schools. However, I feel that it is inappropriate for me to throw these stories out there and malign the schools when I have no idea about how common the source of unhappiness is or how accurate the stories portray the school. I stand by the point that to spread such stories is rumourmongering and not fair when people are trying to choose schools.

I was taken aback that Tennis Mum mistook my recommendation that people should only take information about schools from parents at the schools and she justified her stating that Colet Court actively weeded out by stating that she was a mum at one of the school which was not Colet. I do think that there was an overreaction, and if there was confusion of my message on one of my posts, I heartily apologise.

Youarenotthebossofme · 04/02/2016 08:19

I'm out. I think you guys killed the thread.
Good luck to all those on a waiting list. Good luck and congratulations to those whose sons have secured a place at these wonderful schools.

mertonmama · 04/02/2016 08:26

Best of luck to everyone waiting for a bit of Reserve List movement today. Fingers crossed for some good news.

On the recent 'debate' on this thread all I can say is these schools inspire quite passionate responses from parents because they are all good schools. I regularly have to bite my tongue when others make remarks about all the boys being 'on the spectrum' or the school being a 'hothouse'. They aren't and it isn't.

S999 · 04/02/2016 08:36

Do you think they will call today after midday or tomorrow?

mertonmama · 04/02/2016 08:47

I can only speak from experience of KCJS. We got our call just after midday on the day of the acceptance deadline - so it could be today. Don't despair if you don't hear though, they have to work through the list and may not be able to get hold of people.

S999 · 04/02/2016 09:29

Thanks Mertonmama!

Proudmum5 · 04/02/2016 12:29

Hi S999, can you please post if you can if you get a call this afternoon? So I know if I should expect or not.. This wait is nerve wrecking! Good luck to us, hope to get clarity soon. Thank you

intensivecare · 04/02/2016 12:48

Proudmum5 I've actually just been thinking about S999. Really hoping her boy get in. Good luck to you too with this wait. The 7+ list will definitely move this afternoon as a few boys opted for elsewhere. I Just don't have a sense of how things are with the 8+ WL. Fingers crossed for u all.

S999 · 04/02/2016 12:54

You are very kind thank you! And same amazingly positive vibes to you...
As if an omen, I had the full welcome pack from 2nd choice school in post today.
Que sera...

S999 · 04/02/2016 12:54

Yes will post as soon as I know anything!

nearlythere7plus · 04/02/2016 13:04

Good luck to everyone waiting for waitlists to move. We are holding out hope for Habs 7+ . I know a few boys sitting the above schools will also have sat Habs, so just checking to see if anyone is turning down a place today? We have a Highgate offer ( close 2nd choice ) but son really keen on the facilities and me on the academics bit of the former.

holding breath...

TennisMom · 04/02/2016 13:10

Hi nearlythere7plus, I know a Habs 7+ place will be available today. Good luck!

CB2009 · 04/02/2016 13:13

nearltthere7plus - we are aware of two families with 7+ boys with overlapping offers between CC & Habs. Not sure which way one family are opting but 1 certainly indicating that they planned to take CC and turn down Habs. There is a hope. We have a son on Reserve List for Highgate and have our fingers and toes crossed :-)

nearlythere7plus · 04/02/2016 13:22

ahh good to know. I tried calling the school to see how many offers were made ( if they overoffered at all ) and how many on the reserve - but there was no answer, so didn't want to be a nuisance. Does anyone know the numbers? At the exam were told there are just 18 places, so wondering if there were only 18 offers or more?
CB2009, good luck for H'gate, hopefully we will be in the position to give up the place.

Proudmum5 · 04/02/2016 13:25

Thank you intensivecare, thank you S999. Fingers crossed for all of us on waiting lists.. I will also post if I hear anything. No call yet.. And no 2nd choice either for us as we were hoping for Kings this year.. Trying not to lose hope..

LondonChillaxer · 04/02/2016 13:25

S999 I have found 2 families with dual 8+ CC and WUS offers. So places will open up. Fingers crossed for you but its great news that you have the reassurance of a certain place on your other school. All the best...

anychanceCC7 · 04/02/2016 13:57

it's a yes for us from CC! they called me at 1.30pm, I missed, they just sent email.
our second choice school just confirmed they received our deposit this morning. we are losing our deposit for sure.

Proudmum5 · 04/02/2016 14:19

Congratulations anychanceCC7! All the best to your son..

S999 - I have heard that there are still people with definite offers that did not come back to KCJS yet, so it might be even tomorrow before they can call us. Don't lose hope and maybe we can arrange to meet in person at school if both of our sons get in! Best of luck..

S999 · 04/02/2016 14:24

anychance - amazing!!!! Congratulations!!
Proud - the deadline is noon today right for Kings? So they can't accept after. Did they take WUS?

Proudmum5 · 04/02/2016 14:37

S999 - yes 12 is the deadline but as far as I understand, some have not responded by the deadline and the school follows up with them first before filling their spaces.. Perhaps in case something got lost in the post etc. Means wait for us but at least we should not yet lose hope..

S999 · 04/02/2016 14:47

We didn't try kings and wus does it all by email I believe...

Wineatalltimes · 04/02/2016 14:52

anychanceCC7 - congratulations!!! Really good news for your son and for you. Well done.

Flip

1 2 ··· 8 9 10 11 12 13