RGS Guildford

[Slideraft]

Has anybody had a second interview letter yet?

Slideraft how lovely that they sent him a certificate. He'll thrive. That sounds like a great school. (Which one is it? I'm intrigued...)

Hi all - I have a query on the RGS 13+ CE condition of 70% average. Is this something to be particularly worried about? Does anyone out there know of a poor soul who didn't get that and lost their place? My question is slightly self-serving because I know in the lucky event of an offer, I will have to break joyful news of 70% CE condition to him and I doubt he will whoop with delight! Especially as he is 11+ offer from Reeds with no CE at all. He average 78% across his term end exams, so perhaps I'm worrying. Can't really trust our schools opinion as not many go to RGS. Any help much appreciate all. Thanks!

Is anyone else out there feeling peeed off with this waiting? Read last years RGS entry thread last night - a DS got the 12+ invite, she sounded very depressed. I wonder why they can't feasibly get those 12+ letters out earlier with the 'Nos'...? It does seem a bit sadistic to leave it to the very end. My mind is now saying that I want the 12+, then we can say 'No'. Thinking the 70% CE seems tortuous in every way. Would be nice for poor DS to just be a kid for a few years pre-GCSE rather than slogging his guts over some archaic system. Humph!!

To top it all, husband had a 'wobble' last night over fee planning next few years. Felt like strangling after all DS effort. "How much.??!!" ....followed by much sucking of cheeks and finally "right well...we'll have to find it!" - he gets a cold sandwich for dinner tonight! Grrrr!

Oh poor you!
I can't tell you how good it feels to be out of the game! I think that if any boy is clever enough to pass the RGS entrance exam, then common entrance will not be a problem. (Even to guildfords standards)
Why don't you give Mrs Sweet a ring.....she's lovely & I'm sure can reassure you.
Hang on in there, 1 week to go! ??????

Thanks Slideraft...you are lucky to have it sorted,well done! Wouldn't want to ring Mrs Sweet, she might think I'm trying to pressure her for a thumbs up on the results. Just gotta wait. Discussions on cash late at night make for very bad karma. )-:

Agree with you long suffering - I'm in a panic mode too, having offer from Reeds makes it feel safer but on a like to like basis Reeds seems much more expensive for what they can offer.. Has anyone sit Reigate this year? No letters from them either, assume we have to blame Trinity agreement for all this ..

Thanks htpt11 - really pooped by whole thing now. I don't want money to be a major factor but husband not so.....Reeds is a delightful school but fees are eye watering. Plus you always have to fund trips etc which adds more cost. I just want DS to be happy. Not too bothered about kudos etc. DD trips have ratcheted up an extra £2000 this year. )-:

Actually gleaned an interesting snippet today (can't divulge sources but can state it was solid) for anyone else out there who might be panicking about RGS Common Entrance conditions.....Reeds average CE mark last year was 70% (they require 55) minimum. The highest CE mark received by Reeds was 87%. So, RGS requiring 70% very attainable - and very fair actually.

You may not be comparing apples to apples Longsuffering -

Reeds talks about "qualifying"papers whereas RGS talks about sitting the 'highest tier" CE in English, French and Maths (Reeds don't mention that they have to be highest tier levels) . Having said that a boy that gets into RGS should be able to achieve 70% at CE as it is an average. I think they set it at that % (it used to be 65%) so prep boys don't simply get complacent and coast for 2 years before they join at 13 after succeeding at the 11+ pre-test .

Reeds say:

Following the Pre-Test offers of a place will be made which will be conditional upon a pass at Common Entrance. We require a minimum of 55% average on the ‘qualifying papers’ – Maths, English, a Modern Foreign Language and Science. A similar quality is expected from the other C.E. papers in Geography, History and R.S.; Latin is optional.

RGS say need 70% average:
Candidates must sit the Highest Tier Common Entrance papers in English, French and Mathematics together with papers in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. The RGS would expect the majority of boys to offer Geography, History and Religious Studies and would welcome Classical Greek, German, Latin and Spanish. Candidates choosing to offer these must sit the Highest Tier papers available.

glad you've moved on so quickly slideraft and good luck to your boy ...people who succeed in the long run are often those that can bounce back quickly after setbacks, so well done to your DS for that

Thanks for raising note of caution on CE papers Ballylee.....the CE papers sat/marked for Reeds are the same papers sat/marked for RGS - this is the case at our Prep, can't comment on others.

Sorry.....this is another idle question whilst waiting for the letter........does anyone have a view on the important question of 'encouragement of all' at RGS? Our DS is smart but not Einstein, he thrives on accolades as a bit insecure. Gets lots of these at prep school. Am worried that being a small fish in a very big and clever pond might not be the best. Do RGS only applaud the best? What about your average solid student?

longsuffering2, you are going to have that issue with any highly selective school coming from a non-selective ... a child at top of top set may have to get used to being perhaps half way down but I imagine it's in the school's interest to get the best out of all boys though there will be a large number (half?) who are accelerated in maths and do the IGCSE a year early ...not sure how or when they set the rest of the subjects. Curious to know when and how they start to identify and the "honorary scholars" (eg is it based on end of year exams?) being who those who did not qualify or enter for scholarship at 11+ or 13+ but are subsequently given the scholarship in name but no money and what are the extras that that brings.

I do take your point Barbour, but just wonder if some better than others at nurturing all and where RGS stacked up....do we know if only attainment publically applauded or effort also? Was saddened to read older thread of leaver saying her older RGS DS got GCSE 6A* and 4A's but felt very average within the school. Sure, there's got to some nature / nuture at play but being humble comp educated myself, had hoped one thing indie education would give would be a bit of shelf confidence?

Sorry...that's 'self-confidence' (without a lisshp!)

hmm...I think that's always the risk with going to any very academically selective school though...feeling average even when in the grand scheme of things, one is not at all...

Just to wish you all luck for results (hopefully) this week. I'm watching this thread with a similar decision point next year.

My dilema is - would ds be happy where he was no longer top of the class with increased academic pressure or whether, if he is smart enough to get into RGS, am I short changing him by sending him somewhere where he gets an easier life, still swans about at top of the class but has less academic doors opened.

I still have to persuade him that the football issue is one we could manage outside of school.

I don't know ...there is an argument that if you have a clustered clever cohort of boys around you, where it is cool to be smart ...then "all boats rise"

Ozboz, I used to worry that, until my DM pointed out that it was quite good for DC, who were effortlessly top of class in state primary, to need to put some effort into things and still not come top. Confidence is crucial but a bit of humility and the need to knuckle down and really apply yourself are also vital qualities that the brightest might not learn in a less selective school.

It's a tricky one Ozboz....to be within a school where DS is king of the castle might be nice, but a bit of a false reality. He will encounter gifted and talented others at some point - university, employment. But then he will glean benefits from being with those folks and raise his own game. I say all this, but a mum's instinct is also to protect.

Good points all. He is smart but quite lazy. He likes the adulation of being smart- which is good because it motivates him to stay there, but not enough to come home and do homework without being told.

He is not a genius, unless it is in charming those around him, but he is at the top of his year, he is a fab piano player but only because I insist, not because he loves it (trying to keep his options open in case he doesn't get the England football team job). He was school chess champion even when in year 3 but has given it up because it clashes with football........he doesn't seem to be the boy that everyone describes here. He isn't quirky with thirst for knowledge unless it is about sporting results. He doesn't read unless it is football magazines. But give him a verbal reasoning and he gets 100%. I maybe need to look at quasi academic but with lots of sport schools. I am disappointed that so many eg RGS, Churchers, Lord Wandsworth do not do football. How to motivate a 10 year old boy about schools........

As you all say, at some point he needs to reach a point where he finds life a little bit harder and realises that it so doesn't all come that easy....

So, do we think THE letters will be posted tomorrow?

Yes they are being posted 1st class Thursday. Not much longer - bit grrrr that RGS is one of the first indies to test yet one of the last to dish results. Ozboz my DD couple of years ago was languishing at top of class without breaking a sweat....bit of a loafer at heart and always will be. Decided to put her in GHS at 11+.....first 3 months had melt-down "everyone's amazing, I'm totally crap....blah blah blah". Year and a half on things have settled. She's a solid, middle of the pack student within GHS - not Einstein but certainly has much more to give. Lovely friends. Loves the school. Will always be someone who needs the occasional whip crack. We are all glad that she is where she is. Hope that helps!!

Ozboz, sounds to me like your DS would suit Reeds or Hampton, both near RGS but in the direction of London. Both sportier than RGS in many ways. Hampton does football. I know this because it was the decider for the son of a friend of mine. It is a very sporty, academic school. Brilliant in many ways. My DC are a bit geekier by nature so RGS suits them better. But I don't want to give the impression RGS is only geeky. It's..quirky. Lots of the boys are slightly eccentric in an absent minded professor sort of way. But not all. DS1 is rugby mad and was rugby captain. He too used to be a chess champion - all those day-long Megas but gave it up because he preferred to be outdoors, and he is extremely happy at RGS. Thriving there.