Page 18 | 7+ WUS and SPJ 2022

animalplanet1 · 2022-09-24T21:59:52+00:00

Hi there, Just feel it's been very quiet here this year on the 7+ exams and no thread has appeared wrt to those two schools. Anyone out there also prepping? xxx

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matchaicecream · 31/01/2023 16:04

Hi we've decided to go to SPJS. Please PM if there's any WhatsApp group. Thanks a lot x

Just curious, have you received WUS's offer letter in the post? we have received offer packs all the others schools but only an email from WUS.

Myboys12345 · 31/01/2023 19:05

Hi. Would like to join The WU group.

elij · 31/01/2023 22:06

Myboys12345 · 31/01/2023 19:05

Hi. Would like to join The WU group.

In the next few months (maybe by May- ish) WUSPA will reach out about a WhatsApp group for your future class (as it is created by WUSPA it is subject to social media rules.)

We have found over the years if you're local you tend to meet people (in passing, friends of friends etc.) who are going to same nursery, pre-prep, prep etc. And you see groups shared this way if nothing happens on mumsnet.

cheerios15 · 01/02/2023 09:05

yes, sent you a PM! :)

cheerios15 · 01/02/2023 09:09

matchaicecream · 31/01/2023 16:04

Hi we've decided to go to SPJS. Please PM if there's any WhatsApp group. Thanks a lot x

Just curious, have you received WUS's offer letter in the post? we have received offer packs all the others schools but only an email from WUS.

yes, sent you a PM! :)

lzzzz · 01/02/2023 11:38

cheerios15 · 01/02/2023 09:09

yes, sent you a PM! :)

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Good morning, we've decided for SPJS too, please PM me as well for the WhatsApp group. Thank you and look forward to catching up!

elij · 02/02/2023 17:03

elij · 25/01/2023 18:35

Chapter Street site still has tenants, it hasn't had it's designation reclassified or the building converted.

At this point it is basically an investment and I don't believe any new parents should be factoring it in.

The letter discussed here to me read as saying everything being gossiped is possible rather then a specific plan (to avoid showing cards).

Co-ed without Y9 provisions at the greater school is a bit odd. I suspect in the next decade they will expand entry for boys and continue the attack on traditional schools like Sussex house (as GHS has) to fend off dukes.

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Just to correct my comment on this @njnjshore @namechangedays -- the greater school lower school officially aims to be coed by 2030 (head in post before next school year).

Pushing 11+ coed intake at WUS to 2028 latest (no recruitment for this yet I believe) -- 7+/8+ might already be too late.

Apologies.

CangLangRiver · 04/02/2023 00:48

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CangLangRiver · 04/02/2023 00:52

out of curiosity, for those of you who got offers from both SPJ and WUS and chose SPJ, what were the reasons /considerations?

elij · 04/02/2023 04:35

CangLangRiver · 04/02/2023 00:52

out of curiosity, for those of you who got offers from both SPJ and WUS and chose SPJ, what were the reasons /considerations?

I'm curious about this too...

For context we're at WUS and when making the choice not only would we have chosen WUS -- we would have also picked SH over SPJS. Proximity being the primary factor.

However we've met many more families who have taken SPJS over WUS and as it surprises us so we're always curious why. There are also 1 or 2 families in WUS who talk about the grass being greener on the SPJS side.

3 reasons are given:

location/school bus
this idea that there is less pressure as incumbents don't need to do the 11+. I personally wouldn't be comfortable with the idea of entering a senior school academically behind but this is the justifications we've been given.
sport facilities

I don't have much internal visibility of SPJS but from movement (11+, 13+ and 16) it's more likely a child would join the Westminster greater school from SPJS/SPGS than the other way. Which I don't know if it's an attainment escape or Westminster is preferred... no way to tell! However Westminster to uni exits are stronger. Non westminster exits from WUS always get their first choice and it hasn't been SPS (usually schools like Eton).

According to Atom Learning Westminster is also stronger in CAT4. SPS/SPGS has better sport facilities and generally wins head to heads with Westminster in sport. Westminster usually beats SPS in things like chess etc.

FlawlessSquid · 04/02/2023 05:03

What’s the reason for this change please?

FlawlessSquid · 04/02/2023 05:06

Curious too, although the families that I know holds both offers chose WUS.

FlawlessSquid · 04/02/2023 05:37

Hard to think why they would make such change. Are they going to add one class or half the boy intake?

elij · 04/02/2023 05:58

FlawlessSquid · 04/02/2023 05:37

Hard to think why they would make such change. Are they going to add one class or half the boy intake?

I doubt they'll half intake as Westminster is already one of the smallest at the prep and senior level. The WUS new site on Chapter Street is also bigger than other sites like Douglas Street. It signals trying to enlarge the school.

If WUS is made bigger it only goes to reason the senior school has to become bigger or the value proposition doesn't work.

I don't know the reasoning but if I were to speculate I would say co-ed is the best decision you can make. Westminster has better results and better exits of most top senior schools, the co-ed phase appears to play a large part in that.

It seems like a win-win in terms of growing.

Caps0218 · 04/02/2023 09:14

Both SPS and WUS are incredible schools. They are the top 2 and have the prestige that goes with it.
both have pros and cons.
SPS sports facilities are far superior….as well as not having Saturday morning school….this would sway me to SPS.

elij · 04/02/2023 09:46

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Wxluuu · 04/02/2023 11:55

We picked SPJ over WUS. Despite WUS's reputation, the open day experience was tbh underwelming and even though the pupils and staff were perfectly lovely, it was a little disorganised, and then of course the facilities do not compare to SPJ.

Our overall impression remains that the academic output is WUS's primary focus (hence no automatic transfer to the Great School and intake of top girls at 16+ to boost uni results). Extracurricular opportunuties such as music, sports and etc, although offered, is perhaps lower priority in the boys' overall development. If you compare GSCE results from the orginal cohorts before 16+, there is nothing really to seperate the two, which sways us even more to SPJ where the pressure seemingly is less, i.e no Sat school.

Current WUS parents may beg to differ, but that's just our opinion after the whole 7+ interactions with both schools, so please do not feel offended. KCS feels more well-rounded but we declined due to distance.

Also just to add that this year's SPJ 7+ assessments felt the most academically intense of all 3 top boy schools. My DS found SPJ the hardest and he really enjoyed the 2 rounds at WUS and came out bouncing.

Ultimately you can't go wrong with either of the top 3 and we went with SPJ as it suits us best as a family. Time will tell.

FlawlessSquid · 04/02/2023 14:56

It’s interesting point that if they expanding WUS, the WS would be expanded too. Co-Ed would benefit the boys from 13. Not sure about change to co-Ed from 7/8 though, I hope they don’t!

FlawlessSquid · 04/02/2023 21:15

CangLangRiver · 04/02/2023 00:52

out of curiosity, for those of you who got offers from both SPJ and WUS and chose SPJ, what were the reasons /considerations?

I think maybe SPJ parents are somehow more vocal & SPJ also has the largest intake of 7+. I've known quite a few rejected SPJ for WUS or KSC.

2minutesplease · 04/02/2023 21:42

Quite a few boys from my son’s year, including my son, dropped SPJ offers for Kings (one dropped WUS too) either due to location, or because of reputation of being pushier schools, higher fees and very competitive parents too. Some were concerned about the construction works at SPJ.
I’d say that for me location is paramount when we speak about choosing between best junior schools in the country. My son cannot be happier at Kings but if we were based around SPJ we’d go to SPJ and I’m sure, he’ll be happy there too.

Caps0218 · 04/02/2023 23:13

2minutesplease · 04/02/2023 21:42

Quite a few boys from my son’s year, including my son, dropped SPJ offers for Kings (one dropped WUS too) either due to location, or because of reputation of being pushier schools, higher fees and very competitive parents too. Some were concerned about the construction works at SPJ.
I’d say that for me location is paramount when we speak about choosing between best junior schools in the country. My son cannot be happier at Kings but if we were based around SPJ we’d go to SPJ and I’m sure, he’ll be happy there too.

What construction work?

2minutesplease · 04/02/2023 23:48

Last November we were told at open days there is a major refurbishment planned at SPJ which might take a few years. No refurbishment happening?

FlawlessSquid · 05/02/2023 09:59

@2minutesplease yes there is refurbishment for spj. classes are in middle school building during open day.

Wxluuu · 05/02/2023 16:56

FlawlessSquid · 04/02/2023 21:15

I think maybe SPJ parents are somehow more vocal & SPJ also has the largest intake of 7+. I've known quite a few rejected SPJ for WUS or KSC.

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SPJ and KCS has the same 7+ intake of 54, WUS 22.

In my mum friends circle, almost all boys who have SPJ and WUS offers this year picked SPJ, apart from 1 boy as his mum said he dislikes sports. I've also heard boys not even on WUS 7+ waitlist this year getting calls of offers as the school had a lot of offer rejections.

Wxluuu · 05/02/2023 17:00

Re SPJ refurnishment, it's not a refurnishment - they are going to build a brand new building for the junior school, so boys starting this Sep will be in the temporary senior school building for their first 2 years.