I'm a weeny bit cross that there hasn't been a SW/W London Independent schools thread this yr.

[SonorousBip]

Every blinking year there is one - and I read, and nod, and note. Sometimes they go on for months and pages. But this year, when I'm actually doing it - pah, not a sausage.

If anyone wants to do a last minute SPGS/Latymer/Godolphin/ KGS/LEH/WHS/PHS thread, please do! (disclaimer - I'm not doing all of those.). But views welcome. Because I've got several days to form my final views

So sorry for those riding the roller coaster the last few days...

Question was asked on Group 1 Consortium earlier - I think (but not 100%) that there was circa 350 - 400 sitting at NH today. Apparently (according to my DD so purely anecdotal) she felt the paper was much tougher than Group 2, especially the comprehension, maths also harder. They'll be around 50 - 55 places for external as rest are taken up by the juniors staying on.

Sweet mother of all that is holy!!! 50 places for 400 applicants?

DD agrees and her friend too (friend much stronger in maths). Said the paper was hard, like LEH. DD didn't finish. Again. (Maths) and said not much scope for creative writing so not really an opportunity to shine.

Was totally impressed though - the head was out front, shaking all the girls hands and wishing them luck. I have a girl crush on her and of course this makes me want it even more but I have to accept that DD might not make the grade. Should have done more tutoring I guess.

Sorry to all who have had Nos and congratulations to those with interviews. On rejections I think it definitely a case of "their loss, not the right school" and then only responding to their concerns / helping them deal with the playground. It is hard to get a No for our children still nursing a grievance against Putney High Junior School for rejecting my child at 4, and occasionally wish I could send them her subsequent CV but really it does seem to work out for everyone.

Castles I would definitely talk to KGS given that a sibling has a deferred place and the circumstances the test were sat in. Our International School provided a room in which to sit the exams on her own without distraction but not an invigilator so we had to find and pay for one, a parent / teacher who did supply for the school was acceptable to the schools. I wonder if the new Head has a new approach to admissions coming from a state Grammar background, but maybe if a specific case crossed his desk it might educate him a bit? (we had a very weird experience with Godolphin where it turned out that the Bursar sent out a sample paper by mistake, she tried to blame the school and say the application could not proceed but I managed to get a message over her head to the Head. She then had to convey the message between gritted teeth that the Head wanted to see DD, not that DD wanted to go there after spending three hours doing the wrong paper) The Head before Sarah Fletcher was very lacking in understanding of overseas applicants, wouldn't even let us visit when over.

Surbiton has a track record of taking overseas applicants who apply out of time.

On state school applicants I hear LBRUT are these days a bit more flexible about taking applications from those returning from overseas, providing you can provide proof of the address you will be living at. This year there will be more applicants than places, in fact last year there were, they fudged it by over offering. This year though they have bulge classes lined up in case Turing does not come onstream but it appears that whatever there will be 16 extra places at Waldegrave, so depending on where you are a better chance. Offers will be emailed w/c 2 March. The secondary school thread on the local there is very good and Bayjay one of the parents who founded Turing, and is also very involved with keeping up with the Council's schools strategy looks in regularly to answer queries and give advice.

Anyone else doing Ibstock Sports Scholarship tomorrow?

Snow and sleet forecast...

Well, the exam results for SWPS, (Sir William Perkins) should arrive tomorrow and I wonder how the waiting lists work. Don't schools over-offer anyway sompresumably the wait list only get offered once everyone has acceptd or turned down their offers? Is it likely you would wait for weeks in that case? As you can see, we are not very confident of getting a space!!

Darkblueeyes my DD sat FRancis Holland Sloane square today and the head was there doing the same (or does NH mean FH? Sorry, new to thread). It was her last exam thankfully. She said the maths was harder than she expected. Really like FH. DD has done Jags, Alleyns and Putney too. Hope she gets in to one of them.

I disagree with the shaking hands thing as I'm sure it would be a bit in your face for some girls. I preferred the low key approach

My sympathy for those who have not been successful.Parents do not blame yourselves.The problem lies with the sheer number of applicants.Read previous threads, 4-5 years ago and with 10+ KGS,there were 25 places with 80 applicants,today there were 220.It is now a lottery and most parents will have prepped DC and a lot depends on the performance of the day hence the anomalies.11+ is not the end all or be all we will all be posting about GCSE in a few years.It is a marathon and not a sprint.

FH definitely wouldn't have meant it to be unpleasantly 'in your face' as their whole ethos is against stress, including entrance exam stress. Newish head (from outside London) amazed and aghast at what London DC are put through.

For those who were there, what did your DD's make of it? I cannot imagine the head at that school being scary.

Dear friend has received nothing from KGS- neither small envelope nor email and both she and her child are understandably anxious. She tried calling yesterday but couldn't get through. Has anyone else had the same experience?

Has anyone heard from KGS about 10+ yet? So sorry for all of you with bad news [Sad]. It's a harrowing process.

To anyone reading this thread for information (as I was, don't know anyone else doing this, no one at school applying) don't be scared! . As I see it is is a bit of a vicious cycle. People look at the shiny schools and the ones with the best results and apply for these. They then think hmmm better put some more down so apply for some more (all selective). The schools are businesses at the end of the day and want the smartest possible kids who will get lots of good grades with (relatively) less effort, give the school an a amazing set of results and therefore be the shiny school everyone applies to. So they pick the very top marks from the crowd of clever children, putting in left field tests to pick out the genuine super bright from the tutored. The same children therefore probably get offers from a number of schools and the rest not. Those rejected pass on their stories and people then apply to more and more schools. And so it goes.

The answer ? Other than setting up a new school in SW London that is non selective ( which my DH reckons could make our fortune!). Get a genuine honest opinion on how exam smart your child is from someone - a blunt friend or family member, a reasoning test from a book. Apply to realistic schools for their ability and ones that you have visited and think are a good fit for them as an individual. Use the Internet, mumsnet, forums (with a pinch of salt ). Do a 10+ for practice and feedback to help you work out where they are in this crazy pecking order. And in the long run don't worry, as I understand it all studies show that the truth will out , children develop at different rates and a good work ethic and supportive family is most important to their long term success anyway

Back to 'uniform gate' one poor lad in hideous blue blazer uniform for Art assessment this morning. It's Saturday - WHY??????
All other DC in comfy civvies.

Spoke to KGS yesterday and I can tell you that 700 sat the 11+ exam. They selected the top 300 (or more, she wasn't specific) on marks alone, nothing else. So if you haven't received your rejection by now I suspect you will be called for interview and could stand a very good chance. Don't take this last bit as fact, it is what I deduce from experience.

As I've said before we didn't tutor or prepare our DC for the exams (which I regret now as far as DD1 is concerned) but I did have DD1 assessed in October and she scored in the top 5% for her age group. So she certainly isn't stupid(!), just not prepared enough (by us ) to do well enough against such stiff competition. Very good luck to all your DC.

Thanks castles, I think they may have put the 10+ on the back burner, fair enough. I didn't mean to suggest anyone's kids were stupid not getting offers , far from it. Dont beat yourself up about prep. It's the maths unfortunately. Top 5% means one or two kids in each state primary class of 30 ( 3 such classes in my sons year so 5 or 6 kids in every primary) . These in my experience are the only ones who even try for these schools, then the prep school kids with added value ( probably). Makes it very very competitive .

Chocfinger I would have your friend call KGS, as it's possible that the letter has got lost in the post. Certainly we know of applications that got lost in the post so it can happen the other way round. Very stiff competition so fingers crossed.

I feel I have badly let my DD down by not preparing her enough. A few Bond books and half s dozen past papers isn't enough and I feel,incredibly guilty. We didn't do nearly enough NVR in fact she'd done none for months and this is entirely my fault. I won't make that mistake again.

As far as I remember from the last year KGS deals with 11+ first and later with 10+.

I think somewhere back in the depths of this thread are some comments about people not hearing about 10+ last year until really late and actually after the cut off date that had been specified.

Thanks all. Yes I think we'll just forget about it and go about our business. If the land line ever rings it makes us jump now anyway

Last year they ended up sending out emails telling people answers were delayed (caused by so many parents phoning as the deadline was past and there had been no contact). It rather annoyed a fair few folks.

Email the registrar at KGS, they are very quick on email ime

Re 10+ you could be waiting well into February if last year is anything to go by. They focus on 11+ first.

They seemed pretty disorganised on exam day at pickup so not too surprised if they can't get their act together.

Yes 10+ was really late last year. We actually got an email saying what to do in the event of failure before we got the actual rejection letter!! It was talked about on here and put a lot of people off, albeit temporarily.

As I wrote at 10:21 I suspect you should hear from them soon 're interviews but it can be slow (as explained above).

Darkblueeyes, you have my sympathy. I am full of so much regret at the moment. Good luck to your DD and courage to you.

DS did KGS 10 plus last year. There was a delay in part because so many children couldn't make it because of bad weather and illness so they had second exam. We waited quite a while, till well into Feb. 11 plus seems to be quicker. Got an interview email yesterday, though chit chat is not DS strong point. Any advice on interviews - KGS and Hampton - welcome. Not done this before and state primary DS is at doesn't really do the indie thing.

If it's a general interview at KGS don't worry it's just a formality imvho - hobbies, which is preferred school etc. For Hampton see the other thread in this section - people have been posting their interview experiences.

Last year at KGS, they called /interviewed all the scholarship children first, then contacted all the girls and then all the boys. I think it took about 2 weeks at least for some boys to hear they would get an interview, during which time most of the girls at our school had already been interviewed. Also, being called late is not an indication of whether you are "borderline" or not. Maybe they do it based on alphabetical order, candidate number, age -who knows?

Best of luck to everyone in this hideous process.