7+ 2024/25

[Caps0218]

I haven't seen another thread similar to previous years, so thought it would be beneficial to start one as exams are now 1 month away.
I think SHHS, UCS, KCJS and WUS are all in October.

Also - Curious to see if number of applicants are down this year, with Labour's VAT raid.

@Caps0218 Thank you. I was looking at the Times League table. Is it reliable? Can I pls ask why you would rate City, Highgate and UCS ahead of Latymer? I can’t remember but thought MT had a high rating…

@FutureWestLondonMommy City probably our favourite.
Habs - don’t have strong views; haven’t visited it, too far from us. I’m sure facilities are great. Did the test as practice run.

Habs, City, Highgate get roughly the same % into Oxbridge.
We would prefer a more campus feel for a school. You don’t really get that with City.
But we may still choose it, we will find out where we are in January.

Hi @Caps0218 Where did you get the Oxbridge stats? Thanks so much

@FutureWestLondonMommy On the schools website, sometimes you have to count yourself :)

How are parents finding out their kids’ scores for these tests? Do you email the school and ask? Phone call? I had no idea it’s possible to get them.

@RoseandLincoln Yes - Email. We wrote that it would help our DS with preparing for future tests etc...

Just a quick one re cjs. I overheard yesterday that due to having to do additional assessments for sick children, results will be sent by end of term; 13 December, not next week. The results are sent in one big batch.

They need to email, as last email was 6th….otherwise they will be getting 300 phone calls !

Also I really hope they use a different paper.

Did anyone sit the Dulwich assessment this morning? How did it go?

Evening! Any other Latymer Prep parents here or others who went through LP process previously? Does the parent interview bit still happen at this school or is it a strict drop off and pick up situation for DC - at both exam stage and second stage/call back? I can’t remember where I read something that said they stopped doing this but would like to make hubby and I are ready if it’s still the case. Thank you :)

Hi @LavenderPaisley I thought SPJS was the only one that interviewed parents but again we are new to this system so not sure. Can I please ask how you rate LP and what you like about it? Thank you

@FutureWestLondonMommy hi! Latymer would be a wonderful choice due to location, it’s co-ed and I enjoyed the arts and recreational resources.

Also with there being an upper school connected, we’re trying to avoid the stress of 11+ wherever possible.

Sorry if it’s written as if i have another child that already attends, English is not my first language. I meant just to ask if other latymer prep parent applicants had any info on if there’s a parent interview. If it’s any help, my best friend’s child is in year 5 and loves the school (as do the parents!). I fell in love with the resources from seeing it in person.

FYI we (the parents) weren’t interviewed at SPJS this year.

Thanks for sharing. It seems to be happening less and more so for 7+ assessments for prep schools outside of London. Perhaps due to sheer volume of children asked back at second stage it would be hard to interview them all? I don’t know…

@flusteredswmum DC sat Dulwich today.
Couldn’t get much out of him but said it was ok!

What about your DC?

SPJS process was strange this year.
1 - very late email for 1st round results.
2 - no feedback unlike previous years
3 - no meeting with head
4 - Also heard not much academic work in 2nd round and no writing!

@Holidayissues ha same! He said it was ok too but couldn't get anything meaningful out of him.

I think even when SPJS “interviewing” parents it was just a relaxed chat. I was not asked a single question about my job or anything about me really. The head just told me about her impressions of how my son performed at the exams.

we had meeting with head in R2

Seems some did and some didn’t. Totally random.

@JadeDeer that’s interesting, did you request this? Did you also have a group Q&A session? We left our Q&A session fairly promptly but noticed that some parents stayed back to speak to the head further.
I wonder if interim feedback was offered to those who asked (like in previous years)?
I probably should have asked.

@Caps0218 will you consider 8+ at King’s/SPJ/WUS even if your DS receives other offers? 90% on maths is impressive