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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.

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Proudmum5 · 01/02/2016 19:24

Congratulations all! Amazing offers, well done to you and your little ones..

Anyone know how long KCJS reserve list is? It is such a long wait until Thursday, Friday or possibly next week! What are the chances?

To answer the Helen Grogan question- they do maths and english tests for two hours and it helps with the children's pace, timing and to practise for tests.. There is not much teaching involved as they sit in groups in a large hall 7+,8+ in the same room.. I would recommend it if the above applies to him. But if his pre prep doesn't prepare for the exams and he has gaps in knowledge or needs focus on specific areas, you will need a tutor in addition to the saturday classes. Hope this helps.

Please KCJS reserve list experience anyone? Thank you

unwittinghamster · 01/02/2016 20:04

For those on KCJS WL, we have accepted CC and so one more place should open up there Smile. Just want to thank all on this thread
and elsewhere on net mums as everyone's opinions really helped support our final choice of CC. It wasn't easy, as both schools are excellent. Ultimately, logistical issues sealed the deal. I wish everyone good luck with their lil ones. Smile

ZXCVB123 · 01/02/2016 21:00

We are on the waitlist, does anyone have offers from both CC and WUS and has not accepted one or the other yet? This waiting is very stressful.

Lastmindotcom · 01/02/2016 21:13

We are on CC waitlist. I heard today of someone who might not take up CC 7plus place. Ditto re the stressful wait.

mertonmama · 01/02/2016 21:17

KCJS reserve list definitely moves quickly. We got our call within 30 mins of the acceptance deadline.

For anyone worrying about hue boys from the wait list get on, I can confirm they go on to more than hold their own.

Claram1 · 01/02/2016 21:48

unwitting hamster - are you giving up a place at 7+ or 8+ at KCJS? Congratulations by the way!!

ladyofthepalace · 01/02/2016 22:11

We are tending to KCS (7+) over CC although I know they do over offer by quite a few in the first instance. Again, everyone's advice on here (particularly about family logistics etc) and the other CC/Kings thread has helped us a huge amount.

S999 · 01/02/2016 22:21

Unwittinghamster are you 8+?

unwittinghamster · 01/02/2016 22:41

7+ hope that is what you wanted to hear :)

unwittinghamster · 01/02/2016 22:44

Claram1 forgot to add a thank you for the wishes :) and good luck with everything. I know of another CC offer being taken over KCJS for 7+

Claram1 · 01/02/2016 22:54

Thank you unwitting hamster but my nerves are being tested with the WL for 8+...

Jod999 · 01/02/2016 23:43

Just logging on to this thread as very confused my DS is lucky enough to have offers from both WUS and CC
I am veering towards colet as no 11 plus and the stress of school entry seems to be gone for the next few years - also seems to have great art and music as my DS in not Super sporty
Am worried about WUS as all boys need to sit 11 plus and some are asked to leave?
Would appreciate some thoughts

Youarenotthebossofme · 02/02/2016 07:26

All of these schools will 'handle' these boys out if they cannot keep up with the academics. They are given a lot of extra help to try and bring them up to working level with the other boys, but if they are still struggling the school will suggest that they move to a school that is a better fit. All schools will have some sort of exam transfer process whether it is internal or external.
CC is a very sporty school! In some aspects the not very sporty boys have to have quite a thick skin to deal with the ribbing from the other boys. I suppose there is a little of this aspect at all schools that take their sports so seriously. I would say that WU and KCS are more accepting of the quirky boys if that means that they are not great at sport but excell in other areas.

TennisMom · 02/02/2016 08:51

Ditto Youarenot...

CC will have an internal exam in Year 5 & 6 as well to weed out students who they think will not meet the standards of Year 9. Parents will be told by end of year 5 to look for alternative schools. Typically, there will be 1-2 students who will be asked to leave. Same with WUS and CLSG Prep. Basically, all the feeder schools where the majority of students move on to attached senior schools have this policy. Hence, your son is not 100% safe at CC either in Year 6 and it shouldn't factor in your consideration.

If anything, CC will not prepare your son for CE in case he wants to leave at end of Year 8 for boarding or another school. WUS will.

Lastly, if your boy is not super sporty, WUS would be more suitable as it caters to all personalities and cleverness/quirkiness is prized. A boy who is not sporty can find his niche and lots of friends who are similar.

Hope this helps.

Banners75 · 02/02/2016 09:50

I have been watching this thread with great interest. I wanted advice from all 7+ parents please. I have just been through 7+ with daughter this year and got offers from all top schools. I feel like I over prepared her, not a bad thing but in terms of the actual assessments they were much easier than all the hype. Maths there was no time or money it was heavily calculation based rather than word problems, in one top school instead of story they had to write paragraph about hobby or interest! I was the stressed parent throughout my daughter actually thought the whole process was fun and easy!

So now am doing again but with a boy next year, applying to CC,KCJ,WU. I have heard the boys schools are tougher. Now you have been through process was it worth all the stress or if your son was well prepared was it all quite straight forward? Did you find you had prepared sons in stories/ maths topics but when it came to it, it was easier/harder than required. Have recently had an email from a tutoring company saying they have mock interviews with a top prep head to prepare boys for interviews but charge a bomb, really is that necessary?! It just adds to hype. All daughters interviews involved chat with the head and reading.
Any advice will be much appreciated to help how I can do things differently this time round with a boy! Thanks.

Mominatrix · 02/02/2016 09:52

TennisMom - not sure where you get your info, but I can categorically answer that there are no weeding out exams in Years 5&6. There are no boys besides those who have moved away who gave left in those years to my knowledge in the 4 years I have been at the school.

No, CC does not prepare for CE, but the school's boys choose to leave it for have all accepted the results of the internal transfer exam as a substitute.

Lastly, there are non sporty boys who thrive at CC to - it is just that do many of the boys seem to also be sporty.

Best advice to anybody deciding is to get information from those at the schools, not rumours.

Original poster
firsttimer08 · 02/02/2016 10:08

Mominamatrix Does it mean that even boys who may be struggling are allowed to carry on through to the senior school? Or that due to the intensive entry / selection process at 7+/8+ all boys are capable enough to pass the internal exams?

OP posts:
Eatmoremango · 02/02/2016 10:16

The boys already at WUS do not go through the 11+. They do sit the 13+ for the senior school but the tests are downplayed by the school. The expectation is that the boys are already working at a standard to get through. There was certainly none of the stress that my other dc went through. Boys do sit for other schools, mainly Eton. You can see on the school website which schools the boys go to. They are all excellent schools. There are lots of sporty boys at WUS too.

Mominatrix · 02/02/2016 10:22

If a boy is genuinely struggling and looks like they will not pass the transfer exam, he will not be kicked out but there will be meetings to try and bring the boy up to level or explore if other senior schools would be a better fit. The boy needs to pass the transfer exam to move onto St. Paul's, but it will be fairly clear earlier on if someone is struggling. It is not in the child's best interests to continue in a school where he is getting further and further behind.

However, the selection process is supposed to identify those who will be able to go through the school and move onto St. Paul's. If someone is somehow artificially able to get a high enough score due to intensive tutoring, these are the ones who would be most at risk as there is little homework and the pace of learning is quick. Those boys would probably need to continue tutoring to ensure passing the exams, then continue tutoring again to survive St Paul's. This is why intensive tutoring does nobody any favours.

unwittinghamster · 02/02/2016 11:04

Thank you Moninatrix for that clarification. We have just accepted CC for 7+ and I was starting to groan at the thought of having to again perhaps look at more exams to move to St. Paul's other than the expected ones to ensure boys are at a certain level to move to the senior school. As well, thanks for the non-sporty info. My DS is more geeky than sporty, but can hold his own and one of the reasons CC appealed to us over KCJW was that our friends with boys at the school said it was very sporty. I am sure Cc sporty too, but perhaps more forgiving towards the non- sporty boys Hmm.

unwittinghamster · 02/02/2016 11:05

typo Mominatrix!

Jod999 · 02/02/2016 11:38

Thanks so much
I think we are going to go with Colet - my DS fell in love with the school when he saw it and he's sporty enough just not uber. The facilities are unbelievable and he will be very lucky to go there until he's 18
Hopefully there will be some wait list movement today and tomorrow for some of you. All the best

Jod999 · 02/02/2016 11:54

Has anyone else chosen CC over WUS?!
Would be good to know!!

S999 · 02/02/2016 11:58

Not 8+ by any chance.....

Proudmum5 · 02/02/2016 12:34

Thank you mertonmama, unwittinghamster and everyone else for your feedback regarding the waitlists, greatly appreciated..

Quick questions to the lucky ones who have an offer from Kings, is there a time deadline (i.e. noon) on Thursday when the offers need to be accepted by? Just trying to understand if we could possibly (hopefully) get a call on that day or will it be the next day..

Thank you and hang in there friends on the waitlists 🙏🏻