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Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Secondary education

RGS Guildford

158 replies

Slideraft · 17/01/2014 09:01

Has anybody had a second interview letter yet?

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wishitweredone · 03/02/2014 08:14

Hopefully no news today for people today. Slideraft, with dd previously I found myself finding out as much as possible for other very good 'yes please' school, searching their website for all the great things they do. Am sure this was actually more about convincing me rather than her as she recovered from all this much quicker than I did. On all these threads (they have been a lifeline) the common theme is that we find it worse than the dc. Am aware how ridiculous that must sound but ... For anyone who did grammars it has been a very long process.Does your yes please school have an offers day you can take him to?I do think it is very mean not to send all the no answers for those interviewed at this time but maybe they then operate a waiting list. My ds said he saw quite a few boys he had seen at other schools. Does anyone know how many sat 11 plus as opposed to 13 plus.

ballylee · 03/02/2014 08:52

yes awfully long process if you have sat for grammar(s) back in October and won't hear if you are in for sure til beginning of March and then sat a bunch of indie entrance exams in January .....not sure how it benefits children to have this hanging over them for so long...at least it's all coming to a conclusion this week/next week...i don't understand why RGS don't send all the results letters out on the same day or at least can't tell the Nos sooner (especially those not invited for 2nd interview who are a straight no.) ...there does seem to be a lot of speculation dependent on the postman not arriving ...

Longsuffering2 · 03/02/2014 12:06

Post has been. No 'no' letter here today.......not sure what to think yet. Bit early to start getting excited.

woodrunner · 03/02/2014 12:45

Slideraft - so sorry to hear that - all the more so as he had his heart set on the school. But brilliant news that you have a really good acceptance already. Help him focus on that and all the brilliant things the yes school offers. Lots of schools have better grounds/on site facilities than RGS so you can maybe focus on those?

paranoidmum123 · 03/02/2014 13:08

Slideraft, really disappointed for you, but I guess we need to have faith in their system. My son didn't get into the grammar school that he wanted to, and I was gutted then but now I know he would have been very unhappy in such an academic environment, and he is better suited for a school that gives sport as much importance.
All the best!! I am sure he'll be very very happy in the school he has an offer for.

HugoPepper · 03/02/2014 13:41

I am new to this thread - my son will be trying for RGS in 2 years. Can you please share what text they used in the English paper for comprehension this year and what the prompts were for creative writing. X

Longsuffering2 · 03/02/2014 14:15

Just spoke to Mrs Sweet in Admissions. 13+ Entry 'No' letters were definitely POSTED last Friday so should have been received Saturday or today in normal post conditions - floods may cause a delay in receipt. 12+ invite letters will be posted out on the same day as offers - 13th February. Hope this is useful. She was very kind on the phone.

htpt11 · 03/02/2014 15:36

ohh.. what about 11+ lettres? have they been posted on Friday too?

Longsuffering2 · 03/02/2014 16:41

Yes 11 and 13 plus nos are out now.

wishitweredone · 03/02/2014 18:32

That's kind of you to let people know Longsuffering. On last year's thread someone did the same and at least it makes it clearer and people can hope to start to plan, unless sure that their postbag has floated off down to the ocean. This said won't be down to second hand uniform supplier (is there one?) just yet! Cross with myself for wishing his life away but whatever and wherever it has been tough but we have all learnt quite a bit along the way

Longsuffering2 · 03/02/2014 19:40

.....Ha ha, have just asked DS how he would feel about possibility of re-sitting RGS for 12+ next year - look on his face was like I'd boiled pet bunny! I realise many would be delighted for that opportunity but can't help feeling it would be the wooden spoon for us. )-:

ballylee · 03/02/2014 20:21

More idle speculation while waiting ....but I wonder if the "come back at 12+ because we are uncertain" is going to be limited to a portion of those who were interviewed rather than those who were not invited for second interview and also have not had a no letter ...

Alternatively, the ranking might have been simply sorted after the exam of:

those who get a yes
those who get a second interview
those who will be invited back at 12+ and
4)those who get a no...

where 3) and 4) will consist of some of those in 2), but not all of 3) would have been in 2)?

JaneyPal · 03/02/2014 21:00

Unless it's changed since last year ballylee, you can't be second interviewed now and be invited back at 12+.

Latter is only for those who went for 13+ entry - school see no need to interview them so quickly as they can let them develop for another year, ten check again.

So, distinct interview paths for 11 and 13+ entry routes.

ballylee · 03/02/2014 22:23

ah I see...that makes perfect sense then JaneyPal...

nodumbblonde · 03/02/2014 23:12

Had such lovely feedback from two other schools ds applied to it starts to make you think...

Longsuffering2 · 04/02/2014 11:46

Would anyone out there happen to know (or dare to ask!) how many offers are made versus invites to sit 12+?......I've a feeling that's where we may be at now. Of course, it is what it is....but I just can't resist doing the probability calculation. Got to wait til the 13/14th now. )-:

ballylee · 04/02/2014 12:22

You'll have no nails left by then Longsuffering! Think optimistically, I imagine the invites to try again at 12+ are a small number - can't imagine they'd want to leave that many hanging out there and also because they may have offers from other schools to decide on

Longsuffering2 · 04/02/2014 12:48

I'm not Longsuffering without reason - cant be optimistic or I'll end up jinxing the thing. Tbh even if gets 12+ invite then, I'm a really proud mum as he'd made a good job of a hard exam. Ps have never had nails to chew! X

paranoidmum123 · 04/02/2014 13:18

The head at my son's school said that the number of boys called back to take the 12+ is very small.
But sadly, the way I understand it is that those children will only be given places if they have any vacancies and not enough children take up the place after the year 7 intake.

ballylee · 04/02/2014 13:23

Interesting, so are there also wait list boys ahead of the "come back and try again at 12+ boys", or no wait list at all? I mean at some point there must be some who make would suit but the school is just too oversubscribed

Longsuffering2 · 04/02/2014 15:37

You've lost me a little Ballylee.....I would imagine the only waitlist folks would be 12+ boys waiting for ad-hoc vacancies. Headmaster made no mention of any waitlist on speech morning. I'm a little twitchy on the 12+ thing as our school enters very few boys to RGS as a whole. Last year a lovely lad got the 12+ invite which they declined to take up. To accept 12+ invite would mean declining a firm offer from elsewhere or taking up another offer and putting deposits down.....I know some folks do that but its messy and stressful, surely?

ballylee · 04/02/2014 17:01

Longsuffering

"Invite to try again at 12+" is not a waiting list as such, it's just an invite to sit the exam and interview again in a year's time - and in the Admission Supplement they also allow boys who have not sat the 11+ to try at 12+ assume this will be for a very few places that may still be available for year 3 entry at that stage and it would still be conditional on getting 70% at CE if from a prep school.

I was wondering if they had an actual wait list at all for those who pre-tested at 11+ (which would mean you may get a conditional offer if someone drops out) without having to sit the 12+.

Chances are if you have not been rejected as yet, as the number for invites to sit again at 12+ are v small, you will get a yes in mid Feb.

I don't think you have to decline any firm offers at all if one gets a "No but try again at 12+" letter - but you will of course have to pay the other school's acceptance deposit and risk losing that if you later get an offer and accept for RGS after sitting the 12+.

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Slideraft · 04/02/2014 18:27

Delighted to see so many still holding hands & supporting each other!
A huge thank you for all the kind words.
DS was shocked & upset, but it didn't really last long.
We have made our decision, paid our deposit and I can't tell you how good that feels! I am sure he is going to the right school for him, we got lovely feedback from the head & received a certificate telling him he was comfortably in the top 25% of candidates. Made him feel so much better.
I wish you all a very happy 15th Feb.
Jx

OP posts:

Longsuffering2 · 04/02/2014 19:08

That's a heart-warming and happy end to your story Slideraft! Hopefully he will trot into his new school full of confidence and excitement. Well done and very best wishes!!!!

nodumbblonde · 04/02/2014 22:50

Brilliant news slideraft, so pleased for you and your ds, so lovely that you have had such positive feedback - the best motivation any child could have!

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