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.

@daddy888 did your DS get it?

@Fullmoon99 we got to round 2 of Kings as well. Hit us hard too. SPJ isn’t for us for personal reasons.

We also got SPJS! We didn't get a second round at WUS and got through to the second round at King's, but with no offer or a waitlist. I'm over the moon!

Yes, got an offer from SPJS, time to toss a coin.

Huge congrats too all with SPJ offers!

We are very thankful for the SPJS offer, but we had really hoped for WUS for several reasons.

We could remain at our current prep school with their support for 8+, or we could join SPJS and attempt the same, as I understand some do.

I am just uncertain if he will be able to reach the academic level required for WUS, and if it is the right school for him for this reason..

It depends how strong the reasons are...? the extreme effort stress and luck required at 8+ would weigh against going again if it were me!

For 7+ offers, you have gone through both KCS and SPJ now. If you have both KCS and SPJ offers, what would be your reasons for choosing one over the other (apart from location?). We have KCS offer, and taking SPJ 8+ but thinking whether we really want a stress, and just easier to accept KCS. Indifferent location wise really.

SPS offers weekly boarding. It might not be relevant when kids are smaller, but during more senior years it might be desirable experience.

SPS ,even though is a single sex just like KCS, benefits from a strong collaboration with SPG , which is an add on in my opinion.

to mention a couple

Thank you, what are your thoughts about environment- nurturing vs more competitive. I have a feeling KCS more nurturing and softer, but I could be wrong.

Okay, so my daughter is over at the girls' school (and my son is in a co-ed school), and I have to say, the collaboration between the two schools really doesn't have to be a big factor in choosing the boys' school. My daughter and most of her friends honestly just don't care about it all that much. It's a selling point for the boys' school, but they don't really try to market it to prospective parents at the girls' school. It's kind of a bummer, but the girls there feel that a big part of the collaboration is just helping the boys learn how to interact with girls. In that aspect, King's boys do get to socialize with girls from other schools like the Study and Wimbledon High through the "collaboration", but it's not quite the same as having girls in the school. If having girls around is important to you (which it was for us, hence our son being in a co-ed school), King's is a better option because the boys see the girls all the time, and naturally the school has a more nurturing, gentle, co-ed feel to it.

My daughter is over at SPGS.

SPS have wanted to admit girls to its 6th form for some time and each time it tried and had a consultation it didn't work out. The have SPGS just over the river and no chance the girls from there would move across to SPS, as parents chose the school specifically for the single sex reason. So even SPS know that it's good to have girls (look at how many boys schools are going co-ed) in the school but this probably won't happen at SPS. So a great option if you're set on boys only environment right up to 18.

https://www.thetimes.com/article/st-pauls-school-may-finally-open-doors-to-girls-mdfwdpxk6

Win

There is very little collaboration in practice between SP girls and boys or KCS and Wimbledon High etc so don't choose either for that reason. KCS does take girls in sixth form but it still feels very much like a boys school- the girls are brought in to get good results, same as the big sixth form intake at WUS.

Sixth form in Westminster- not WUS!

We are pleased to accept St. Paul's offer. Our son was not successful in the first round of the Westminster Under School examination. One boy from his school was accepted; he was the top student in his year group, receiving individual supplemental instruction during advanced mathematics classes. While I am uncertain about previous years, this year's admissions to Westminster Under seemed exceptionally competitive and sought-after, perhaps due to its planned transition to co-education. Therefore, if you are interested in Westminster Under or Westminster, the 8+ exam next year would be the final opportunity before admission becomes significantly more challenging for boys. As you are aware, for our sons' age group, the 11+ and 13+ entrance examinations will strongly favor girls.

For those accepting St. Paul's, perhaps we could create a WhatsApp group.

Question : Do schools like SPJ, WUS, KCS look unfavourably if you change schools at 7+ (after being successful at 7+ for another school) and still apply for 8+ a year later? Surely the new school won’t provide a reference after a few weeks of data in the new school? It will also negatively impact the dynamic with the new school if they get to know you are fishing for better options? Pls advise especially if someone has had real experience witj their DS. Thank you

@FutureWestLondonMommy Good question - Not sure the answer to that. Depending on the results of the City / Highgate, we may be doing 8+, just for SPJS...he was unfortunately unwell the day before and did not perform to his best. Probably a conversation to be had with the admissions team!

Curious if anyone North of the River will be taking SPJS....looking at the coach schedule, it would be 55 mins each morning and each evening for us.

North London here (Islington). We ruled out SPJS as being too far away. Felt far even for secondary where kids start to go on their own. Anything over 45 mins was our cut-off point.

Just for your info, neither SPJS nor KCS has approached our school for any kind of reference. So nothing has been provided to them by our school. However, all the other schools have asked for references, and our current school has provided them. I am not sure why this is the case. I was curious but since my DS couldn’t pass the first round I didn’t bother much.

We are not in a prep school, so we have to pay our current school each time a reference is requested. After following up with my current school, they told me- Please ask KCS/SPJS if it is important.

@San2023 I think I can answer that. I know that KCS only request a reference if DS has cleared stage 1. If your DS didn’t the schools wouldn’t have asked for a reference!

Thats what I thought and left it there. 😀

I'm sorry your first choice didn't work out this time.. I personally know a boy who made the move at 8+ (SPJ to WUS), and the parent said that such moves do happen. Perhaps speaking with the registrar at WUS would be helpful before you decide..?

Our prep school's head shared that Westminster is now receiving applications from the typical families aiming for top-three schools, but also from lots of families who are set on co-ed schools and would not have previously applied. Bright boys from state or prep schools, who are waiting for co-ed secondary schools at ages 11 or 13, are taking the Westminster Under exam. Also, bright boys already in co-ed 4-18 schools are interested in transferring because Westminster's academically stronger than their schools. It sounds like things are just getting harder for London boys.

Does anyone know if it’s really 55min? With closed bridge and traffic it looks potentially even more?

Thank you for your thoughts. So it's only Westminster for co-ed option.