Whitgift and Trinity 11+ exams and Interviews

[mummax]

Hi all
I am new to this. I am loving this site.
Has anyone's DS taken an 11+ exam at Whitgift or Trinity this year. We have taken both and have an interview at Whitgift.
Any tips for a first timer.

@ stresscity and Soup - thanks for the reassurance. I wouldn't be worried normally but DH took the original call and I am really concerned that he missed the vital detail
@Stress - we too don't know whether to 'volunteer' for the interview with the HM. It's partly why I want the letter - to see exactly how it's worded! Orginally, I couldn't see the point, but having been to the W interview on Friday, I can see that we were able to clarify several points with the Master who spoke to us which I think helped with their assessment of DS, so now wondering whether we ought to request it? Arrgh!!!!

Hi does anyone know when Whitgift send out rejection letters or when the interviews finish?

@caoimhe..no not Oasis but that looked better than my local one!!! AH initials hated it on sight!!!!

@yr6mum all letters are sent 16th Feb to arrive on 17th...fingers crossed for us all

Oh god, frankie, I feel your pain!

What state schools did you apply for? Obviously not your nearest if it is that one!

Hope W come through with good news in Feb.

yr6mum - have you had your interview at W?

We done Shirley High, Hayes, Edenham and Oasis as a complete final result!!!! Yes it is THAT one!!! My husband went there years before it changed its name and that is all they have changed in over 30years!!! Depressing!!!!
If he is put there I am not sending him!!! !!!!

frankies/Caoimhe - I am not familiar with your area, but from the sounds of it looks like your local comp is as bad as my local comp . Just pray for both of our DS's future that W comes.

...through.

Some good choices there, frankie!

I give you: Quest Academy, Selsdon.
Over
my
dead
body.

Thankfully, DS2 is at least guaranteed a place at Riddlesdown if all else fails! He will just need constant prodding to ensure he doesn't coast.

oh dear! so grim :( and depressing :(

when all other choices gone Soup, our DS is gonna have to go there it is better than our other local option!!! We are in the catchment area for Hayes so fingers crossed if W and Shirley don't come through!!!
@Caoimhe they are the best we got really so doing what we can...he sat the academic test at Shirley so hopefully as he passed for W then he will have passed that too
But W is ALWAYS gonna be first choice!!!!

no and really no idea of what to do!

yr6mum, have you rung W to see what is happening?? Feel for you this is exactly the position we were in last week with T. Got letter saying no thanks thankfully so all our worries about that are gone. Fingers crossed for you

@frankies69
I think i may call tomorrow. Just worried what i will hear. Has anyone been given information over the phone from W.

no info is given but they will tell you if they have finished contacting peops, you could say you haven't heard and can they check if you should have been sent a letter...worth a try...keeping all crossed for you

@frankies69 Thanks I will call tomorrow. Feel so anxious. Poor son is finding it hard as W is the school he wants.

Oh dear to the Quest Academy too! I'm sure it won't come to that, SoupDragon!!!

Frankie, Shirley is my closest non faith school so I know it well. I know children at Hayes as well - either would be a good choice. Fingers (and toes!) still crossed for W for your Ds, though!

I've been following the nail-biting journey of not only yourselves, but the children at the dcs prep schools. Can I offer some unsolicited advice, being part of the unwritten rules that the prep school parents are briefed on:

In answer to the question should I ask for an interview with the HM, unless you would need a translator, or you are aware that you don't come across well at interview yourself, then the answer would always be yes, take every opportunity to meet and talk to the HM.

In answer to what happens at offer day? It depends on which private schools you have applied too. T & W obviously have 13+ and 12+ entrance. Equally there are other schools in reasonable commuting distance to which you might not have applied in the first instance (eg Dulwich, Reigate Grammar, Royal Russell and Caterham). Both W&T as well as these other schools will often consider late applications (from memory W in particular has a date in the school diary for late entrance exams). In particular if you have a child who passed at least one of the grammars, do make sure that you phone around after offers day. I know one boy who didn't apply to Whitgift until June 9late change of heart by parents) and still got a sports scholarship.

Caoimhe, it won't come to Quest (although I used to threaten DS2 with it) as he passed the academic exam for Riddlesdown and is thus guaranteed a place, regardless of distance.

WRT the HM "chat" at Trinity, I would take it - I wasn't given the option with DS1, it was compulsory and it was a very nice chat. Not at all like an interview. I won't bother this year though as, obviously, I already have DS1 there and it seems a waste of time for all concerned.

Hmmm, can this be true? I heard over the weekend that a DS interviewed on Friday was actually told in the interview that an offer of a place will be made. Can this be true? I do not know the boy, but naturally wish him well but I just cannot imagine W telling parents them in the interview. Mean while, Feb 17th is a long way off for me and I might have to hibernate till then otherwise the stress will do some harm. I have never been through this before and thought getting to the interview stage would be a relief, but this state of limbo is awful. Sorry to rant, no one else to confide in :(

apologies for typo's, brain and fingers seizing up

Keepingittogether, it is certainly not uncommon for parents of v bright boys (the ones who will get offers, and probably scholarships from all of their schools) to come away from the interview confident of an offer. One of my friends posted on how proud she was of her son's scholarship on FB before the end of Jan (he did get scholarships to both T & W, and frankly this was no surprise as he is top of the class academically as well as a county level sportsman). I don't think that it is the norm however.