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

We should expect to hear on LU on Weds 28 Jan, by post GJH. My DD thought it was relatively tougher than others, forgot the last page on the maths (even though the instructions told them there were questions on the back page!).

Guess that was a fail on reading skills then...

Thanks ealingwestmum - so long away! I don't think I'll ask my DS about the last page of maths just in case he missed it too - a depressing thought and too late to do anything about it now!!

Darkblue - sorry to hear you were so upset this morning. This whole process is so emotional and I rather think our OHs don't really get it - that's why it's so good to be able to chat here.

All credit to LEH though for being willing to share information with you, I'm not sure all other schools would have been so helpful.

Try and take heart that it was just one exam. We didn't do it (too far) but LEH sounds really tough and maybe your DD just had an off day?

Any views on The Harrodian?

Or other school which is great for a highly creative and imaginative boy?

Sorry about your bad news DarkBlueeyes. If it's any consolation DD has fully recovered from her knock back last week (took her about 3 hours to get over actually ). DH and I are still smarting a bit and it has actually made us consider whether we actually want to come back to UK/the area. Much as we love it, the whole school thing is crazy. Totally agree with minoula - the standard is incredibly high.

Castles - the standard is incredibly high. I also think there is a gap between what is expected of DS and DD. So if you have a DS go through the process then a DD you may not appreciate that the girls are expected to do be able to do more.

I know that DD is producing stuff if a maturity that DS1 still couldn't do - even though he is 2 school years above and at a v academic school.

Quint, I have heard good things about Harrodian. Much better than a few years ago. I think if I had been better prepared for the whole 11+ this time I would have sat my DD for it (only sat her for one school, and one for practice). DD is bright but far more focussed on the creative side of life.

I would love to know about other schools if others have views ... Have you thought about Hampton Court? Highly alternative apparently but I'd still like to take a look. Emanuel had an impressive DT/art department from what I can remember (may well have it muddled up with somewhere else).

I am really taken with Emanuel - and I have registered ds2 already for Sept 16 entry. We still have time. Ds1 is in Ibstock, happy and doing well, but I am not sure it is right for ds2, not sure he would thrive in such a pressured environment. I am trying to think of alternatives which are not a million miles away....

That is so interesting Mertonmama and something I had not thought about. Thank you! We were wracking our brains last week wondering how DS apparently waltzed into KGS (and a few other places if he'd wanted to) 2 years ago with hardly any preparation either. There really wasn't much difference between them. Although now DS has rocketed.

Pineapplechick and emptycoffeepot yes it was the 11+ at KCS. DS did not elaborate on how it went. I am not too optimistic due to the small intake at 11+.

Castles I know loads of people with children at Harrodian, and they all love it. They can cater for all types of children there -including the super academic (my friend's son is one of them)! Very European and lots of expats mean that places come up regularly, so worth an enquiry? It is difficult to get in at 11 plus though as about 300 go for 20-30 places, I believe. ( Shame as it would be great for one of my twins next year, but I doubt she would get in). But maybe you could try for an occasional place later. People move all the time.

Don't know too much about Hampton Court House , except that their 6th Form is opening in Sept and the hours will be 1.30 to 7pm (!?!)

Glad to hear your dd has bounced back - and so she should! Good luck!

castles, it does seem that you DD is bright and it was lack of preparation that let her down. Sitting for too few schools doesn't give you a buffer for an "off" days so may be she just go unlucky. Have you thought about putting your DD into a 13+ school like Thomas's or Broomwood (I think Fulham Prep is also until 13+) and then trying at 13+. That would give her plenty of time to prepare and ease into the system and my understanding is that 13+ is a lot less competitive and it's more about whether you achieve a standard rather than whether you do better than 10 other girls.

I know plenty of bright kids who didn't pass 11+ due to lack of preparation ("they are bright so should do well anyway") and belief that they will follow siblings into less competitive schools such as Emanuel or Streatham and Clapham and are now planning to sit 13+ so it's one strategy...

A friend of mine has sat her daughter for Hampton Court House (if that's the right name). She's French, daughter is bilingual. She seems to really like it if that is any help.

You're all so kind - I feel a bit watery eyed! Just seen my DD's report which her teacher "wrote". It's 8 pages of statistics all in french which will mean nothing to KGS. The registrar told me they had to use Google translate to decipher a short email from my son's school! I'm starting wonder why I bothered at all now

irisha, thank you for the 13+ tip, it's not something I have thought about but certainly worth considering. Also minoula and DarkBlueEyes, thanks for thoughts on Harrodian and Hampton Court. We are over in Feb I think so might see if I can visit. Also some preps. Thank you!

My boy off at his first interview. Terribly nervous. I'm slightly worried about the fact that they eat lunch there as part of it as he seems incapable of using a knife and fork (or peeing accurately into a toilet, but presumably this won't be under scrutiny).

Oh well, almost there (bar the other two children).

Castles - I know it's difficult because you're abroad but are states off the table? I'm in a bit of London famous for terrible schools and yet when we looked round them we were really impressed. I would be sad for my son if he didn't get into these schools but I'm not sad about him going to a nice local school he can walk to.

Farewelltoarms, state schools not out at all. An over-subscribed all girls secondary is our favourite currently. The problem being we can't apply until we are back in UK and even then we have a snowballs chance even if we move into the house next door.

More stress. Currently looking at schools down south to help alleviate/add to it

Good luck to your DS today. He will be fine. My quirky DS was always very popular at interview.

In a weird way you might be not be disadvantaged by not having an address. There is such a runaround in the first term of y7 with offers cascading all over the place. A girl I know wasn't happy with where she was so rung (the over-subscribed girls) school that she preferred, in another borough, every week and then got a place by half term. It wasn't the ringing, obviously, that worked, but the willingness to move when most pupils were too settled. It was, an aside, very impressive on her part I thought.

Even the worst 'over my dead body' secondary in our borough now has its fans.

Anyway, it does nothing to settle the nerves.

Castles, beware. The Harrodian is small, has a junior school and really appeals to a significant number looking for something not hot-house.

Irisha is right. A 13+ prep provides a good back up and time to think. Add Newton Prep to your list. Its easily reachable by train from quite large areas on SW London.

I would also email Registrars of a number of schools you might consider, saying you plan to reutrn to the UK, and that you realise you have missed 11+ deadlines. Say your daughter has been educated in the French system but is bright (top thrid of her class or whatever) and should be able to transfer to the UK system relatively easily. If there is any chance of a place you can come over in February.

Then wait till the 11+ deadlines are over. One or two schools will have got it wrong, and will be going through their wait lists faster than expected. I am almost certain that if you spread your net wide enough, something will come up, either soon after the deadline for state school acceptances, or at the start of the summer term, when people stand to lose a terms fees. Reshuffleing then goes on through the summer. One person relocates, frees up a place at, say, SPGS, which then frees up a place at G&L, which in turn frees up a place somewhere else. Registrars will only know how their wait lists stand after the state school acceptance deadline. Ones who are in danger of running out of wait list will be encouraging. As long as your daughter fits within their academic range, they will be interested in adding her to their wait list. An additonal child is pure profit, plus fillng a late place with someone who does not have one offers more chance of acceptance than approaching someone who has paid a deposit, or bought uniform, elsewhere.

I would not mention KGS. Just say you are a returning expatriate. My guess is that you should be OK for Surbiton, which is used by a lot of people as a fall back and so will have more movement. It has also recently expanded. Girls there that DD knows seem to be happy and they seem to have girls from across the academic range. However you may be surprised at what does come up. I know people who have got last minute places at JAGS, Ibstock, and KGS to name but three. None obviously heading for the top half of the year group academically.

just to reiterate surbiton. it has a wide academic range, certainly some very bright DDs from our school went last year who didn't fancy LEH. Just because there are more spaces and it is seen as a banker for many do not get the impression it is a second choice for the brightest.

The sport is amazing and much more opportunities than many schools. There are dedicated school coaches from everywhere.

If my dd didn't want co-ed it is where i would send her.
good luck!! some great advice there from needmoresleep.

Oh, and I assume the problem with KGS is that 10+ pre-testing means that the academic bar has been raised (probably as the school intended.)

Also don't be disappointed if you get a "no chance" respoonse from some schools. Popularity of different schools seems to vary year by year. When DD was doing 11+ lots suddenly turned down Putney in favour of Wimbledon, who then had to add a bulge class. Another Head of a well known and academic school was inviting in parents from the wait list and selling the school to them. FWIW KGS seems to be the ecole du jour this year. D says if she were 11 now, and based on what friends have said about it, this is the school she would want to go to. Not even on our radar six years ago.

Is St Benedicts a possibility. Again I would think you had a reasonable chance.

Castles, I absolutely second everything Needsmore has said, particularly this year when new state senior schools are opening in the area. This will affect KGS much more than any other senior school because of it's appeal to state school primary parents. They may well end up under offering, it does happen, Kings College under offered for current Y10 and had to advertise for places 6 months before the start.
Not sure about Surbiton, DD did juniors and still in contact with lots of Y7 parents, there's been a lot of problems and complaints that the year size is too big. Also 2 separate neighbour's girls removed from Y8 last year because of problems, as was a now Y10 girl from DS's tennis group. Apparently 5 were moved for Y10 last year, that's not a good time to leave. I am local and I am hearing far too many stories of pastoral problems and the school becoming too big to handle them.

Did you get hold of the registrar at KGS yet Castles?

Wow thanks for the response. Great advice and it has given me a lot to think about.

CountessD, we did speak to the Registrar. She was initially reticent and then fairly negative so I really don't think DD stands a chance unless they have under-offered and the waiting-list moves like crazy. Of the 20 approx sitting from DD's old state primary only 2 or 3 were allegedly really keen and 2 of those have now got probable offers from Hampton and LEH and likely Tiffin which I suspect they will take. Makes me wonder. I might email her to say we are ready to be reconsidered (retested) if a situation arises. Also interesting comment about the opening of more state secondaries having an effect. Hasn't the Teddington link school thing been scrapped too?

yes no more link schools in LBRUT. All based on distance. (+ gender/religion)

Yes, put together an email that explains your situation, describes your daughter positively but not over enthusiastically, explains why the school appeals (your daughter is dying to start playing hockey!) and tell her that given your son will be going there you will be interested in being reconsider at ANY point, even if it means losing a deposit elsewhere.

Then don't expect to hear anything till after the start of the summer term. If you have not got a straight no, it may be worth the occassional opolite reminder that you are still interested, eg "we have been offered a place at Surbiton but would obviously still prefer KGS. Has anything come up? Otherwise still keep us in mind as we would be willing to lose deposit etc.?"

It then depends entirely on what other other people do, and how many remain on the await list. Its nothing personal.

(My own theory is that schools like sensible straightforward and supportive parents and their sensible straightforward children, so if they have a place they may reconsider you. The big thing is IF.)