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

You are right.There are fewer boys schools. If I had the money I'd invest in exactly such a boys' school with you. Maybe we could crowd fund it

I don't have any evidence, Poisonwood, but I seem to remember the endless statistical fretting we did at the time being based on 450-500. And in those days I knew no-one with a Hampton interview that didn't get a KGS interview. But I could be wrong!

The only boys in Dds school with a KGS interview also have a Hampton interview (and a lot more sat KGS)

You are so right about boys schools!

Lower down this thread someone suggested that it was harder for girls because expectations of standards are higher. I'm afraid I disagree - that may be so at the top tier academic schools, but there are just far more places out there for girls. Or it certainly seems that way when applying for boys!

Agree that no one with Hampton / LEH interviews didn't get KGS interviews in the past and that it is far harder for boys, more back ups for girls too. It is simply a numbers game on that front, fewer places means more selective.

And also whatever the numbers my feeling anecdotally is that KGS is a more popular school now, Sarah Fletcher was good for the school and just cemented a reputation for happy supported pupils. It feels, again no evidence, as though it is more likely to be a first choice as opposed to a back up. Even so 7 years ago at 11.30 am on the day we had to get acceptances / rejections in I met several other parents commuting at the very last moment between KGS and Hanworth Road with their slips having prevaricated on the decision to the wire.

Poisonwood SPGS now holds summer camps to which local state schools are invited as well as holding other outreach activities. Things have changed over the 8-10 years since your daughters sat the 11+, hopefully for the better. I think when dd1 joined there were pupils from around 55 schools. There were a lot in her year from Bute (15) but a lot of girls were the only pupils from their schools. The same applies to dd2's year, but there were more pupils from Bute in her year (23 or so).

Poisonwood agree again I think it is becoming more of a first choice school. It was our first choice with DS1 rather than Hampton partly because it was much nearer home and well supplied with buses. And will be for DS2 if he gets an offer (despite having a Hampton 10+ offer)That has proved to be important now the day is lengthened by football , hockey, clubs etc after school.Also they now put on free buses back to the school after all sport lessons and after school clubs. I know the distant sport fields can be a negative but that has made life much easier

We should crowd fund a non selective secondary school in SW London.

Entrance based on interview with mothers.

Blank looks when discussing 'naice ham, elderly Korean lady and lemon drizzle cake' will be a no thank you...

So perhaps the biggest factor making KGS harder to get into now is fewer offers because more people tend to accept?

You might be right Being...wonder if Emanuel will be similar in the coming years.

Love it wheresthebeach

Wondering if we missed a call from Alleyns early evening. DD picked up the phone and when the last asked for Mr or Mrs Emo she said hello granny. Lady said she'd call back. DD didn't ask who was calling or take a message. Aargh!

Can you 1471 Emo...check the number that called?

Argh DH called just after I got in and I think I was too tight to get the call register function. But will look. Good thinking. Likelihood is that it was someone chasing a bill or selling double glazing of course!

Has anyone had a kgs 10 plus rejection yet? Still waiting..

Anyone hear from kgs by email or is it letter and phone?

Afaik calls for interview are by phone
Offers and no's are by letter

The waiting is killing me...
At least before the exams I was kept busy prepping DD.

My waiting doesn't feel quite so bad as we are at different stages of the cycle with different schools, with variously no interviews required/every one getting an interview/selective interviews and three different offer dates for four schools. When I did it with DS all of the schools we applied to had a v similar timetable and all released offers on the same day other obviously than the ones who turned us down before interview. So you were building up to a real crechendo, with everything hingeing on what came through the letterbox on one morning. I found that much more stressful.

I know. I see some people have Kgs 10 plus interviews already,am guessing it is bad news that haven't heard yet.

Carlisle1 why don't you phone KGS - they're very nice!?

Hi Carlisle, i believe all 10+ candidates were telephoned yesterday. We didn't get a call so asked and it's a no.
Dinocroc - best of luck for your son's interview tomorrow. Sounds like you're coming from a similar context to us (not amazing state primary, no prior knowledge of private education etc) so heartening to hear that their intake is fairly 'normal'! I will keep fingers crossed that my DC is in better health for 11+...!!

Sonourous I agree that it's easier with different time scales.

My problem now is that I'm not sure whether I should be prepping her on academic stuff for Ibstock on Saturday, current affairs for Roedean interview next Thursday or swimming and hockey for JAGS on Saturday week.

I have a nasty feeling that she may excel at the wrong thing on the wrong day and doggy paddle down the JAGS pool while talking about Syria and chanting times tables...

You made me laugh, KingscoteStaff. I don't know whether I should be prepping my DD for an English oral text analysis (which the poor child has never seen before - at this stage, if she is asked to prepare a text for 20 minutes, she will just stare at it), reviewing grammar jargon terminology so she knows what to do with the questions (the content is entirely mastered) or revising French conjugation and doing intensive dictation practice.

Does anyone have any KCS 11-plus interview experience? Just need a feel for what kind of thing DS can expect.

KingscoteStaff What a mental picture!