11+ support thread for year 7 starting 2026

[NookAndCrannying]

Just wandering if anyone else is in the final throws of indie prep for 11+ with their dcs? Last furlong now it seems on what feels like an incredibly long race!

Just wondering — have your children only applied to Highgate, or are you also looking at other schools such as City, St Paul’s or Westminster，NLC etc...? @Lindalove@Reallyareyoukiddingme @NookAndCrannying

Only Highgate as she is already at a good through school so we’re happy to leave her there if she doesn’t get an offer to Highgate.

Yes we’ve applied to other schools too though not those ones, as we’re more North East London way.

Yeah we’ve applied to CLS, Highgate and UCS.
Currently at an academically below average state school.
regretting UCS now as the exam is after the hols…

How about you?

I only applied Highgate as my son’s favourite school. We are in state school as well.

How did your child find the CLS exam? I’ve heard that the school’s exams quite hard.

Yeah, even though my kid enjoys the computer based tests, it definitely felt the hardest and it’s a lot of quite varied prep on the widest range of topics we had to do (7 in total). And there’s little time for detailed thinking, just do you know the answer or not…

I think UCS is good school as well. the ranking higher than Highgate.

Hello,

My daughter has an offer from her current all-through school but is also applying to highly academic schools such as St Paul’s and City of London School for Girls. She also considered two local schools but does not intend to attend them and only wanted to sit the exams to see how she would perform.

She has Stage 2 assessments in January and would have exams on three consecutive days, which feels quite demanding. I feel it may be more sensible for her to only sit the exams she has been invited to for Stage 2.

Do you think taking exams on three consecutive days could affect her performance?

Yeah it wasnt a criticism of UCS. More about wanting the exams to be over!

Ooh I don’t know. I def know a kid who had 5 exams in 6 days which felt like a lot but the kids seemed to do alright..
how does seem? Stressed or taking it in her stride?

Does anyone have any experience with Francis Holland SS and NHEHS interviews? Are they group or one on one and what sort of questions are usually asked? I do not want to prep my daughter too much but would be great to have an idea of which topics she should have front of mind if needed :) thanks and Happy New Year all!

Anyone get highgate interview day now? I am quite interesting how many child they will put for a day..

How did everyone’s boys find the UCS Maths and English papers today?

DS and his friend said ok- not easy but not too difficult. He finished the maths but didn’t have time to check it. He said he found it easier than Habs. What was your feedback?

DS said he found English hard. Maths he said was okay. I can never figure out how he has really done.

NHEHS two years ago was just an interview - ranging from 5 mins to 25 mins (I know this because I was sitting there for a while watching all the girls go in). Lots of standard interview questions.

FHSS two years ago had a group activity and then also an interview and I remember my daughter saying they showed her a pic and asked her to describe.

Has anyone got any advice for Guildford High assessment day and interview? Thanks

Thank you! Very helpful!

Yeah we got Monday

@SunshineMum3 @jdr1234 - ds said it went maths was ok, but he English was hard.
he also said there were two maths questions that didn’t seem possible and the kids were talking it in the breaks. In reality how he thinks he’s done and how he does rarely align! Glad the exams are over though.
just interviews and then lifelong therapy(!)

@NookAndCrannying yes apparently there was a question that didn’t make any sense. Was either a trick or an error but either way seems odd! Do we know when we hear back re ucs interview?

@jdr1234 No idea when we’ll find out.
I’ve put 24th Jan in diary as a hold for the UCS interview if he gets through but not sure where I got this date from?!

Yeah 24th or the following Saturday were the dates we were given for the interviews….assume we will hear end of this week.

We did a couple of school specific interview tutor sessions with my child after we got 2nd round invites. It was extremely helpful as we had no idea what was involved and it helped a lot. Happy to share his details please PM me x