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Secondary education

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Original poster

Whitgift and Trinity 11+ exams and Interviews

999 replies

mummax · 11/01/2011 23:16

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.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 29/01/2012 13:06

When DS2 arrives home from rugby I will ask him what his favourite word is.

kravings · 29/01/2012 13:25

ha ha ha...thank you so much to all of you...finally...I have had a good laugh after reading your comments.
@beanie, havinganightmare,stresscity,soupy,frankie,ladymuck - thank you for the reassuring words, though kerfufle really toppled me off my chair. I though my DS was the only one who came out with such extraordinary ideas and words, its good to know I am not the only one in this process Grin.

Ok - the party is on again Smile

stresscity · 29/01/2012 14:01

Thanks for the info-not sure whether I feel better or worse Confused Still, Wine still chilling ( if theres any left) and car engine reving!! Im too going to ask my lad once back from footie what his favourite word is and also if made PM what would he change. Im wincing at his possible answers already!!!
Thank goodness for you guys-you do make me Smile

kravings · 29/01/2012 14:10

lets have all Wine while we can before my DS (when made PM) will ban alcohol in the country Wink Grin

SoupDragon · 29/01/2012 14:21

DS2's favourite word : Bobman. I don't know. Why?

DS1: hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia

FFS.

SoupDragon · 29/01/2012 14:22

DD (nearly 6) went for Kittycat.

SoupDragon · 29/01/2012 14:22

DS2 would like to to change his word to "epic"

kravings · 29/01/2012 14:26

@soupy - do ask them what they would do if made PM Wink

SoupDragon · 29/01/2012 14:27

Hang on...

DS1: Ban smoking and build bigger jail cells due to rising crime
DS2: Kill DS1

frankies69 · 29/01/2012 14:48

DH just said he would say bamboozled...Ds just said melancholy...strange boy Confused

beanie34 · 29/01/2012 20:50

I'm now :) again, perhaps I could blame these mood swings on the menopause!?
You have all made me smile, thank you. Have also asked DS what he would do if he were PM.....wait for it. "Well Mum I'd probably resign, can't say it's a job I'd really want, no one really likes you much and you can't please all of the people all of the time, there are other jobs which I'd prefer" (like his great big science lab. where he can experiment and blow things up!)
Keep smiling everyone we all have wonderful children.

kravings · 29/01/2012 21:10

@beanie - hear hear! we do have great kids

stresscity · 29/01/2012 21:44

Soup-love the boys replys Smile Well as I said, dread my ds reply and yes it was wasa dreadful. Favourite words Awesome/Epic. PM answer, quote ' I dunno'-Masterpiece! Ive now resulted to comfort eating as well as Wine so bring on the Biscuit and thank god he was never asked those questions.

SoupDragon · 29/01/2012 21:53

Stresscity - you will notice that DS2 changed his word to "epic" after giving it some thought. But clearly not a lot of thought Hmm

All I can say is thank god he wasn't actually asked those questions in an interview. Although I like to think he would have risen to the occasion and come up with something slightly more intelligent.

kjartanette · 29/01/2012 23:13

Sorry to barge in out of nowhere - am a new member, previously lurking. I've been reading all the marvellous comments about T and W with increasing interest and also angst. I've no idea what to think about DS's interviews at T and W. Faffing around with dice at T? DS seemed to think it was fun, but he didn't seem to do much else. At W he just had a nice chat ... at neither was he asked for his favourite words, or to do any work. Or maybe he's got no short-term memory, and it all goes by in a blur, and, as usual, can tell me nothing.
At any rate, we'd love to be offered a place at T, its only downside being its quite distant location from where we are. Having seen a number of heads over two years (DD having gone through all this last year), I feel that the HM of T is the best of the bunch.

Ladymuck · 29/01/2012 23:15

Is your son going for 10+ or 11+ entry out of interest?

kjartanette · 29/01/2012 23:31

11+. I had no idea about the existence of 10+ till well after the event.

Ladymuck · 29/01/2012 23:54

To be honest I've never come across anyone who had interviews at both and didn't get at least an offer from one. Though another poster is already preparing themselves to be the first! That said, it is such a nerve wracking process that even where interviewers are almost direct in indicating an offer will be made, parents will usually prepare themselves for the worst.

I wonder if the schools can do anything to alleviate the stress? They're obviously stuck with the same 16th February deadline as all the other London indies. They do send out rejection letters once they have marked all the papers. Would it be helpful if the schools let parents know the rough statistics eg in a typical year we interview 250 boys and make offers to 200? Or would parents still stress that it was their children in that 20% or so who are interviewed but not offered?

At the end of the day I don't think that the schools want to process to be any more stressful to candidates than is necessary.

SoupDragon · 30/01/2012 07:36

The process is inherently stressful - there is nothing they can really do unless they can tell you the second your son has sat the exam whether he has a place. Which, obviously, isn't going to happen.

Seeline · 30/01/2012 09:10

Hi all - my you've all been busy over the weekend - lots of catching up!!
DS had his 10+ interview at T on saturday - no questions on favourite words or what would he do if PM - thank goodness. He was asked if he could go back in time where would he go and why. His reply - ancient Greeece because there were lots of clever people Grin. He wasn't asked anything academic at this one and was interviewed by a science teacher - don't know how that fits in with some of the theories on here Confused

LadyMuck - things would be less stressful if schools ssent letters out when they said they would rather than a week and a half later (a day before the interview) - not that we were counting or anything! Seriously though couldn't more modern techniques be employed rather than having to wait on the Royal Mail.....

SoupDragon · 30/01/2012 09:56

"Modern techniques" are really no more reliable than Royal Mail TBH.

frankies69 · 30/01/2012 10:58

I know a better way of telling us all ...... JUST POST IT ON MN Wink

kravings · 30/01/2012 11:23

My DS's school sends us all communication by email or sms - T and W could just email us the letters, but I like frankies idea of posting it on MN Grin

frankies69 · 30/01/2012 12:00

It was one of my better ones Wink Given up on the countdown until the week before as I was giving myself grey hairs!!!Shock

Ladymuck · 30/01/2012 12:06

I think that the prep schools are getting grey hairs too. The selection process is dragging on this year so on some days there are barely half the boys in class. There are a fair number of boys going for sport and music or art, so some boys are getting called back 4 times for T.