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.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6

Original poster

Online 7+ exam Westminster Under School

131 replies

Mumsnot1825 · 01/01/2021 17:57

Is anyone else's son studying for the WUS 7+ next week? It's now going online... so I'm now worried this has basically turned it into a Cheaters' Charter. Surely there'll be loads of parents just completing the tests for their kids? What do you think?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

nimbuscloud · 01/01/2021 17:57

Why don’t you do the same?

Lazymum78 · 01/01/2021 19:05

My son is sitting. Yes one can cheat but remember the real bright ones will be weeded out in the second round interview.

MsMeanwhile · 01/01/2021 19:21

Agree those real bright kids can still be singled out during the second round, but how about those who could have been in the second round but don’t go through because others manage with “a bit help” from adults

icantbelievethis001 · 01/01/2021 19:36

Normally they invite 50 to the second round for the 22 places. But they may well they invite a larger number of kids through to the second round the avoid any boys being disadvantaged through other boys been given a helping hand. But as another poster has said, they will weed out any boys who will have been given a helping hand in the first round. They may well also take into consideration of feedback from the current heads to corroborate the exam result. All I can say is that I feel really sorry for those parents who have been given this last minute curve ball and wish you the best for next week.

Original poster

Mumsnot1825 · 01/01/2021 20:59

Thanks @icantbelievethis001... it's pretty heartbreaking to be in this situation to be honest. My son has worked so bloody hard after school (because our current place isn't that good really so he's had loads of ground to make up). His grades on practice papers are certainly good enough to do it now; but I suspect that that won't be a differentiator at all in the online environment.

I know @nimbuscloud is probably joking - but god, I couldn't look like a cheating sh*t in front of my 7 year old. He'd never forgive me.

@MsMeanwhile you are spot on. I worry that he'll fail at the first hurdle because he's competing with a bunch of 40 something sharp-elbowed mothers.

OP posts:

Original poster

Mumsnot1825 · 01/01/2021 21:05

We have the added problem of not being at a feeder school... so our current head really really doesn't want people to leave until 13. So, no supportive report from them either sadly.

OP posts:

MsMeanwhile · 01/01/2021 22:33

Agree that school report is another issue if WUS puts too much weight on it. I hear my friend’s experience in the past that her son’s school didn’t provide report to their target school because they didn’t want the boys leave before their 11+ or 13+ and my friend was lucky because the school was less concerned about the report and still gave the offer. My worry is many boys may not be that different for interviewers to pick up if any has got help during exam (say if a parent only helps with one math question). Most of them are quite smart anyway if they are ready to sit this exam

Stressedmum2019 · 12/01/2021 22:42

Did they have to put the answers straight into the computer without being invigilated?

StrugglingPa · 18/01/2021 18:57

How was the exam today? My DS found English to be a bit tough given that he said rest of the children were quite bright. Maths was a cake walk for him and his interview was quite good by his standards. He is from a state school. I don’t think he will still make it. This is about 7+ WUS

annalenav · 18/01/2021 19:04

My son said English was hard ans Math was easy. Some children are still doing interviews tomorrow.

StrugglingPa · 18/01/2021 19:11

That matches his description of things. Ah, I didn’t know that they are still continuing the process tomorrow. Do you know when the results are out?

My DS has Latymer tomorrow but he is probably not going there even if selected.

annalenav · 18/01/2021 19:13

I don’t know when the results will be posted.

DirtyDancing · 18/01/2021 20:49

We have an online for another London school. Headphones compulsory and you need two devises, one behind the child and one they are working on. There are invigilators watching live so no one can cheat, or at least very hard to. Are they not doing the same?

StrugglingPa · 18/01/2021 21:21

@DirtyDancing
No, they aren't. That is a good way of dealing with this online test mess. My DS passed written on St Pauls and Latymer (which weren't online) so I trust his capabilities to an extent. I wonder how many cheated in the tests and to what extent. Best of luck.

MsMeanwhile · 18/01/2021 22:18

Heard the results may be released this Friday

annalenav · 18/01/2021 22:56

@MsMeanwhile Do you know the number of boys who were called back?

StrugglingPa · 18/01/2021 23:44

@MsMeanwhile

Would be nice if they can get it done by fri.

They said 60-70 instead of the usual 50. I think it might be coz it was online.

DirtyDancing · 19/01/2021 07:37

@StrugglingPa I massively sympathise, my DS has prepped hard all over Xmas, with little time off. He’s now got a CAT4 exam at the weekend, for which he’s never seen before in his life and we got 6 days notice. It’s a complete mess. I’m literally having sleepless nights over it now.

TAFZMom · 19/01/2021 09:42

Hello all,

Just wondering how did your boys feel about the second part of the session yesterday i.e. small group interview ? Each kid hardly got 3-4 mins to speak, how much can they get an idea of boy's personality in such a short time ?

MsMeanwhile · 19/01/2021 10:01

@annalenav. very likely to be at least 60-70 as @StrugglingPa said. I think there were around 3-4 groups yesterday. If there is another session today, then at least 60 but think might be more

MsMeanwhile · 19/01/2021 10:04

@TAFZMom my DS thinks the other boys in his group are quite smart. We are not from feeders or independent schools, so guess our chance is slim

TAFZMom · 19/01/2021 10:07

Thanks @MsMeanwhile. Fingers crossed, good luck to all our boys!

StrugglingPa · 19/01/2021 12:05

@annalenav - I agree there could be more than 60 if they want to have a look at the children a bit more closely and discount their written scores a bit.

@TAFZMom - We are in same boat. I have heard this earlier and guess that is what my DS came up against yesterday - participants for WUS are highly tutored. Their writing is grammar intensive which isn't the case for state schools. Not upset at the prep schools. It's just that I feel if that some schools might prefer prepped children.

His Latymer just got over and guess that's going to be a done deal as he was quite pleased. Shame that we won't send him. It was just half-hour with the headmistress but it must be more than enough for her to judge with her years of experience.

TAFZMom · 19/01/2021 13:58

Agreed @StrugglingPa, 30 mins should be enough for any teacher to analyse the potential of a student unlike

icantbelievethis001 · 19/01/2021 14:26

@TAFZMom the meeting on Thursday is just a chance for the parents to get a better perspective of the school since they will not have stepped foot inside the school previously and won't have an opportunity to see the school before they make a decision. In previous years many offer holders will have had a final look before committing. This year it will obviously not be possible, hence the virtual meeting. The boys in Y3 and Y4 have also all uploaded short videos so prospective parents will have an impression of what the current cohort are like. And for those who think that not going to a feeder/prep school will rule them out, I can confirm there are some boys who did come from state.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6