sutton schools selective test today

[Lily99]

My DS sat the eligibility test today for the Sutton schools and didn't finish the English - should we prepare him now for bad news or did many children find this one tough?

[Ladymuck]

My last post was meant to be tongue in cheek, but actually, yes, I would expect them to anticipate that the paper would be discussed in online forums. And clearly "admissionslady" did, hence my surprise. I assumed all educational establishments would be fairly aware of forums/social media etc, especially those whose pupils have to do public exams. Or do they isolate pupils who have clashes of GCSE papers, but still let them have broadband access to The Student Room?

[gazzalw]

One could be truly cruelanarchic and suggest that those who are ill (whether genuinely or not) don't get a second bite at the cherry! Harsh but fair.....

DS wasn't at all well when he took his KS2 Maths Level 6 (he had the slapped cheek virus) but we sent him in anyway because the school had basically been raising children from their sick beds to go in and do all the tests, ill or not.... He didn't pass it (because he wasn't feeling well) but that's life...I'm sure some parents would have canvassed for a resit....

[Ladymuck]

Wilsons results are out. Only 704 sat the 2nd stage, with 424 passing.

[Xoanon]

Do you get an indication of where in the ranking you come? Otherwise that's not terribly helpful, is it? I thought the change in the rules was supposed to make things more helpful...

The GS my DD1 goes to (and DD2 will go to) sets out 3 categories - passed all 3 elements (category A) passed 2 (category B) the rest (category C). Places are filled from Cat A first then Cat B. So long as Cat A is smaller than total number of places, if you're there, then you will get a place (failing catastrophic messing up of completing the CAF). Which is rather more helpful than before the system changed.

[Ladymuck]

No, they only give out scores if you don't pass.

That said there are 3 Sutton grammar schools with a total of 420 spaces, and Wallington doesn't pass more than 450 odd. Many of those sitting will have sat for Kent, St Olaves, Tiffins or QE depending on where they live, and of course Trinity and Whitgift have very generous scholarship and bursary funds.

[shaq]

Well, DS has cleared that hurdle...

Will have a hard time to convince him that he still needs to focus for the Sutton test, and that passing the exam doesn't mean he is in!

If he was as worried as me, everything would be fine!

[Dibbleofficer]

Wilson vs St olaves , any thoughts or experience . Many thanks

[Ladymuck]

St Olaves, without a doubt.

[Dibbleofficer]

I am going to start sounding like my old friend Parent2013 but academically the 2 schools seem on a par. Differences in culture are very important to me , if there are any?

[Ladymuck]

Not sure, as we didn't look at St Olave's.

The one thing that I would look at very carefully is the commute involved, both in terms of duration, cost and complexity (more bus changes means bigger chance of delay or bag going to totally the wrong area). Given that they are both superselectives (with the pros and cons that brings), don't make an 11 yearold's day harder than necessary, and remember by years 10 and 11 they will resent the commute especially with the amount of homework!

[Dibbleofficer]

Fair comments all. Commute is one train ride luckily from Forest Hill. So it's in the mix.