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4+ assessments 2023

497 replies

Agirlcanhope2023 · 08/11/2023 19:43

Thought I’d set up a thread for those of us sitting our DS/DD for the 4+ in 2023 (for September 2024 start date). Anyone had any assessment day(s) yet?

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mumstress91 · 30/11/2023 09:32

@mostwonderfultimeoftheyear , this is 100% the case (referring to your points above they do have to unteach heavily tutored kids and can tell) however tutoring isn’t always reading and writing. I would say traditional tutoring no, but guidance if people are stuck is good. Most ‘tutors’ do the traditional stuff for 7+ . At 4, they guide you on how to teach your kids the worldly stuff. But also sometimes it’s not about what they are learning in these environments. It’s about being able to listen to an adult you don’t know, cooperation, answering questions and being in a foreign environment. I did not tutor my first child, but I did take her to see an external support - a handful of times who guided me through the process and gave me a realistic indication of whether she could get in to certain schools. She introduced me to games, books I should buy, things I could talk to my daughter about in addition to what I was doing. All very useful.

orangedress · 01/12/2023 07:14

LondonCoffeeLover · 24/11/2023 15:09

St Paul's Cathedral will communicate results next week. I don't see the acceptance deadlines on their website and I can't recall whether they've mentioned it when I visited. But I'm sure they will want a commitment well before end of January when the NW schools announce results.
And St Paul's Cathedral has a huge financial commitment at acceptance, a non-refundable deposit almost as high as the full fee for the first term (redeemable against the first term's fee). So they must be targeting parents who want the certainty of a good school early or don't have confidence they'll get in somewhere else, and lock them in early with the large deposit.

In my son's case, we have two more assessments in January, he's smart but unpredictable in his behaviour, I can't be sure he'll behave at the other ones. I won't tutor, he can do tasks easily, he's just not always willing to.
For now, we'll wait to see the outcome from St Paul's Cathedral and take it from there.

We got our response from St. Paul's Cathedral yesterday with a deadline for acceptance in mid December. Does any of you have thoughts on St Paul's Cathedral vs QCPS? We also have assessments still planned for January

LondonCoffeeLover · 01/12/2023 09:01

Congrats on the acceptance. Same for us. We haven't decided what to do, we also have two more assessments in January.

Discoverdock · 01/12/2023 09:25

@orangedress did your DD get an offer for both? Congratulations to your Dd ! What’s her Jan assessments?

@LondonCoffeeLover
Which are your Jan assessments and do you have a backup school? Congratulations!

quite a hard decision having to accept before the Jan assessments take place

mostwonderfultimeoftheyear · 01/12/2023 09:51

Congratulations everyone who's received offers! Out of interest, what did the St Paul's assessments involve? How did they differ from other assessments?

orangedress · 01/12/2023 14:52

mostwonderfultimeoftheyear · 01/12/2023 09:51

Congratulations everyone who's received offers! Out of interest, what did the St Paul's assessments involve? How did they differ from other assessments?

No idea what the assessment involved. My daughter standard answer is I don't know, I played! Then things come up after a couple days, she mentioned colouring and playing with a bus. We have st Christopher's and Highgate in January, so don't know what to do.

LondonCoffeeLover · 01/12/2023 15:03

After the assessment at St Paul's Cathedral, my son came out happy and said he played with vehicles and built a tower. No other details.

The video they had sent in advance was helpful. On the day I could show him the snail that was included in the video, and it was one of the teachers from the video that took him inside. It made everything somewhat familiar. He went in reluctantly but without a major fuss, while maybe 3-5 kids were crying they didn't want to go in.

We have The Hall and UCS Pre-rep in January.
We signed up for Highgate but lost at the ballot stage, we're not even getting assessed. Anecdotally, not sure it's true, I heard Highgate had 750 applications for 450 places at the first assessment stage.

Discoverdock · 02/12/2023 08:43

Agree it’s a hard decision, personally I think if you feel the school is suitable and convenient (and I have heard st Paul’s cathedral is a very good school with good pastoral and academics) you should accept the offer unless you have an equally good backup school in mind - you can always try again at 7+ and can apply for City at that point in time too. I heard a lot of the brightest children leave then for City which is around the corner.

Mummymummy89 · 02/12/2023 17:46

Hi all I've been watching this thread and appreciate all the tips.

We have only applied for one school for dd (which was possibly rash but I don't like the others in the area) - it's less selective than the others around, and we mentioned on the form that we only applied for one.

I'm about to have another baby, three weeks before the 4+ assessment. Do you think this will affect how my dd behaves at the assessment? She's been to two stay and plays at the school already so can name several of the teachers.

Also there's an "informal chat with the parents" - do you think I can take my baby and BF him while doing this...?! I asked my colleagues what they thought and they joked that I'd come across as so middle class by doing this, we'd be a shoo-in but I need to decide seriously...! Alternatively I can just send dh but he's painfully introverted and talks in mumbles and just wouldn't know what to say imo.

The teachers have met me and dd at open mornings and the stay-and-plays so have seen me get gradually more PG so the baby won't be a surprise, although I might email to ask if I can bring him - unless that's just too outrageously Not Done. Please help!

Labradoodlie · 02/12/2023 18:33

I’ve taken my baby (bigger, 7 months) to all the assessments and tours @Mummymummy89 , and no one has batted an eyelid.

It might also help if they’re totally aware how tiny your little one is, just in case the big one is a bit unsettled and they have the background as to why!

Mummymummy89 · 02/12/2023 19:27

Labradoodlie · 02/12/2023 18:33

I’ve taken my baby (bigger, 7 months) to all the assessments and tours @Mummymummy89 , and no one has batted an eyelid.

It might also help if they’re totally aware how tiny your little one is, just in case the big one is a bit unsettled and they have the background as to why!

Thank you for this reassurance! Yeah the baby will only be 3 weeks old so I won't be up for leaving him at home so that's reassuring that they wouldn't be too taken aback if I brought him with me. Thank you

NLdnparent · 08/12/2023 10:37

Thank you so much @GNW3mum - what a helpful insight. Everything crossed for you for a less stressful process this time round!

NLdnparent · 08/12/2023 10:40

What are those with imminent St Paul’s cathedral deadlines thinking? It’s so soon compared to other schools so we, like other friends with offers, are very torn as to what to do. Would love to know others’ thoughts.

BubbleTe · 08/12/2023 18:53

@Mummymummy89 i also took my then 3/4 month old on school tours. I had to feed my baby a couple of times and the schools were happy to find me a room to feed my baby. The schools just asked me beforehand to step aside if she started fussing.

Mummymummy89 · 08/12/2023 19:39

Thank you @BubbleTe !

Does anyone have any specific tips for the parents' interview?

It looks like I'll be bringing my baby to that so at least we'll be memorable parents lol

tiktokontheclock · 09/12/2023 14:34

At what school?

ShrutiG · 10/12/2023 20:43

Hi, I have a query about Radlett , Is it possible to get admission in Radlett after Feb, I would like to wait for results of all the schools before confirming to Radlett

Labradoodlie · 19/12/2023 19:25

How’s everyone doing? We’ve just done our state school application. We probably won’t take up a state place, but it seems sensible insurance to have.

Bertie1812 · 19/12/2023 21:50

Has anyone heard back from Habs boys yet?

MatchaMama · 19/12/2023 22:43

How did the habs assessments go in the end for everyone, heard the boys had lots of role play name writing , playing with modes of transport.... any ideas what the girls did or draw ... no news on hats boys bit some have heard from girls

ShrutiG · 19/12/2023 22:51

My son also told he had to draw a Christmas Tree and write his name , also was an hopping game , to hop on shapes in pretend water , he gave a very vague description and also said they were asked to say ' We are at Habs today ' but yes no response yet

Bertie1812 · 20/12/2023 16:10

Habs boys second round are out

ShrutiG · 20/12/2023 16:42

Any idea what Habs expect in second round ?

MatchaMama · 20/12/2023 19:48

Ahh @ShrutiG congratulations hunny , I know how stressed you were after Highgate, I think from hear say second round is another play based assesment with a little more 1 to 1 . But congrats again 👏

ShrutiG · 20/12/2023 19:51

@MatchaMama can't thank you enough for kind words, yes was really depressed that day. This time we made sure that he goes in happy , he went in happy and came out happy so I guess it matters a lot.

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