13+ boarding SOS

[firstboard]

Dear moms,
My DS will got to Year 6 in Sept . My husband is being transferred to Switzerland and we may be moving countries frequently. We have decided to take DS to Swiss for 2 years and then send him to UK boarding schools from 13+ age.
I live in Manchester, so we don't have local boarding options. I have been franatically searching internet and have managed to register DS for Winchester, Westminster, Eton, Kings, Tonbridge, Harrow and Whitgrift ( Yes, I am paranoid !!) .
DS is very bright, managed to get through Manchester Grammar for Boys here. His maths is good and English is also above average.
I have received test dates of Eton and Tonbridge. Where should we begin preparation.
Getting registered and getting a test date all happend in span of 15 days and I am now wondering if I should prepare DS or leave everything to his potential because there is not much time left to shift gears.
We will be doing 11+ English, VR, NVR and maths - GL assessments . What else should I do?
Thanks for your replies .

[pusspusslet]

Zero - did u see that brilliant BBC adaptation back in the (I think) early 80s? That's where I first encountered it. Couldn't believe it when I then found it in the school library! Have spent the rest of my life hoping the BBC might repeat it, but I think they must have deleted it :( Will soon be time to re-read the book, I think.

[ZeroFunDame]

That must be the serial IndridCold referred to upthread. I'll get round to it eventually.

[firstboard]

What subjects do Overseas candidates do in Winchester exam? I presume Maths, English, Science, French, German will be there. Latin can be swapped with German. What about History and Geography?

[happygardening]

I think they do English Science math geography history French including an oral and Latin/Ancient Greek is optional. There is no pass mark the papers are graded A -D most get a mixture of B's C's and D's with the odd A.

[happygardening]

The history is very general e.g. Great men don't always make great leaders discuss with examples from history, the geography is international for those outside of the UK.
The admission dept will happily send you past papers.

[firstboard]

Thanks HG. I have ordered CEM history and geography books. Still waiting for Registrar call. I guess he has to speak to this year's pupils first, so we are not a priority.
Had some good news from DS's Ch school. They have sent pupils in past to UK boarding schools and will find out if they have sent to Winchester. So we won't be the first experimental ones.
My next stop is admissions department !!
Ta

[firstboard]

Hi all,
Hope you remember me.
I am still sitting on Reserve list of Winchester. There is no moviement on this list!! Being not in a feeder school and being outside England doesn't help much :(
Got a firm place in Whitgift , this is our backup plan.
Hope someone sees this post . Has anyone done a mock test in November for Winchester. Any clue what it is and is it good idea to take it.
Thanks

[EleanorRigby123]

I hope you get your place at Winchester - though I imagine there are not many who do not take up their offers.
Just a bit surprised that your back up is Whitgift. As a parent of overseas boarders I think you really need a full boarding school, particularly at 13. Otherwise your DS will find himself one of a very small group in the boarding house at the weekend and that can be a really miserable experience.
Did you look at King's Canterbury, St Edward's Oxford, Oundle or Uppingham?

[firstboard]

Hello everyone, I still have no news from Win Coll. Does anyone know when do they get in touch with Reserve list candidates?
The school tells me that there is no movement on the list yet.
Thanks

[happygardening]

I think there's most movement after Elections been sat at the beginning of May as most if not all successful scholars will already have a place in one of the commoners boarding houses.

[Michaelahpurple]

But how does places coming up after election work for waitlist as don't the CE-equivalent boys take their exams around the same time i.e. Late April?

[happygardeing]

Election is at the beginning of May, Win Coll entrance exam for commoners is about 2nd week of May CE is in June. Thinking about it they might contact you at the beginning of the summer term as they know 14 boys will give up their places in houses but might not offer you a house till after Election has been sat.
firstboard contact the admission dept they were always very helpful whenever I called.

[firstboard]

Happy - I have contacted Admissions, their standard reply is that they have no answers as in this year there is no movement in the list and they won't be able to tell us anything !! We have to be patient.
There is a General List before Waiting List, so I presume we will have to wait till June end.
I presume there would be some people who would be keep their Eton and Harrow applications parallel to Win Coll.

[happygardening]

How frustrating for you.
As you probably know the Win Coll entrance exam is in May if your DS passes (which I was told everyone bar 1-2 max do) your have to pay the deposit securing the place before CE results are out, least you did when my DS sat. I would also have thought that a reputable prep school would strongly discourage a boy from holding onto three places and don't you have to say which school you definitely want about now if you sitting sitting CE in June.
Maybe boys will have a place a Win Coll but will get a scholarship at a less academic school and give up the place. I know of one that did that the year DS went.

[wangxiaosara]

I know Lancaster Royal Grammar do admit boys for boarding from year 7. It is a state school, the GCSE results are good.

[happygardening]

wang firstboard's DS would be going into yr 9.

[firstboard]

Hello everyone,
Hope you remember me. I just wanted to update you all helpful people about my final destination of Boarding School. We settled for Dulwich College London.
Winchester Reserve list wasn't moving at all and with our online tutions, it was clear that DS won't perform well in History and Geography. Only Science and Maths were looking good, English and French were also going to be average affair.
When we had a firm offer from Dulwich, we had to pay one full term Tution fee in advance ( being international ). I had a chat with DS's online tutors and also WinColl Registrar.
Looking at the situation of Reserve List, we took decision to withdraw from Wincoll and go ahead with Dulwich.

To all parents who want to prepare at home for Win Coll entrance exam, my advice is to do online tutions for ALL subjects for 2 years. I left History , Geography and French for last 6 months and that affected our chances to perform well in exam.

Thank you everyone who suggested me names of Schools and gave practical tips on everything.

[leftandaright]

Great thread! Felt like a little novel to while away a morning at work ;-)
So glad you have found a school for your DS.