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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

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

999 replies

SonorousBip · 03/01/2015 21:46

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

OP posts:

Chillaxalready · 06/02/2015 18:05

So I finally spoke to the registrar at KGS today who has no idea where our letter has got to, and offered to send another!
So it's bad news, as DD is on the reserve list, but good news in the sense that makes her decision easier and she'll be off to WHS instead (still can't quite believe she could get an outright offer at WHS but not at KGS!).
Registrar at KGS kindly offered to look into some feedback from her various interviews/auditions as there is nothing on file apparently! DD obviously failed to show her abilities in the exams and must have given a really poor impression at interviews, even though the Registrar said her results were fine. She couldn't tell me how many they had over offered by or where DD is on the waiting list either.
Ah well, clearly she is KGS's loss and WHS's gain. Can't afford to accept WHS and lose the deposit if a place does come up at KGS either!! Makes me wonder if we hadn't applied for bursary at KGS it might have tilted the balance in favour of an outright offer (no issues with paying fees!).
She was remarkably stoic about it all - it is just me who is annoyed that the process at KGS has clearly failed to pick up what a fabulous, hard working, creatively intelligent and delightfully amicable girl she is

DarkBlueEyes · 06/02/2015 18:35

I was kind of hoping to have had an offer from Surbiton by now probably massively naively! Anyone know by how much they over offer?

Chillax it does rather sound like the process this year has a lot of the random factor and I've heard nothing but good stuff about WHS so brilliantly done to you DD. For example, a girl who is below DD on SHS waiting list got an offer from putney, whereas three girls I know of got wait list at putney and an outright offer from SHS and in two cases KGS offers too! Gosh it is so random.

I'm trying to decide between two wait list places and a definite offer and am tying myself up in knots, perhaps I am counting my chickens a bit? What would you do? Think I'm going to g to have to accept the one offer I actually have!!'!

Please will someone starta new thread when this one runs out?

Waitingandhoping2015 · 06/02/2015 19:12

Thanks re Halliford amidaiwish!

Ladymuck · 06/02/2015 19:33

Are you really having to give final answers and deposits before 2 March?

Dinocroc · 06/02/2015 19:59

Oh Chillax that's a shame. That said I think they end up where they should be she says philosophically. They are both good schools. I think the odds are longer at KGS as it is quite a small year ? About 100 offers . And half of those offers go to smelly little boys. Bizarre that schools still rely on post in this modern age right?

Have a celebratory glass of wine you have an offer in the bag ! X

Dinocroc · 06/02/2015 20:08

Sorry can never marshall my thoughts all at once. I had to explain to my confused 9 year old what ' a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush' meant the other day. I think that applies as far as offers are concerned. That could be the title of our new thread.

pineapplechick · 06/02/2015 20:13

Have boys so a bit out of the loop on here but DS has friends sitting a pre-test (13+) at Halliford next week so they presumably aren't all decided yet (although may be for 11+)?

KingscoteStaff · 06/02/2015 20:46

Darkblue surely all the deadlines are after the state schools offer on March 2nd?

Once JAGS and SPGS offer next week, I'm sure waiting lists will move.

And Chillax, WHS is fantastic - well done your DD for getting in there!

Chocfinger · 06/02/2015 20:51

Dark, I think it's worth thinking it through and knowing your order to include the wait list options- esp when you know you are high on the list, even if you (and I) just go round in circles.....perhaps we will have a eureka moment!?
Also Chillax,Dark, once next Fridays results come out for LEH, Godolphin, Latymer(?), I suspect that will trigger lots of wait list movement. The question is whether registrars work over half term! Good luck to everyone still waiting....

GJHmum1 · 06/02/2015 20:51

Chillax so sorry to hear that about KGS as I know you have been so keen but so fortunate to have WHS. I have a boy so have to wait until next week. Do you mind me asking for your DD had a general interview as I am so worried about getting an offer.

Waitingandhoping2015 · 06/02/2015 21:15

Think the typical deadline day for acceptances is the 5th March.

mertonmama · 06/02/2015 22:11

Anyone off to the 'Second Sight' at Putney next week? What an excellent idea! I think we're almost certain to take PHS now and the fact they've offered one more chance to look around before we sign in the dotted line gives me a very good vibe.

AnotherNewt · 06/02/2015 22:20

I've come across other GDST schools that do that. And any school will arrange a visit for you on request during the 'make your mind up' weeks.

I'm not trying to put you off PHS, but don't base decisions on thinking they're doing something special, when it's actually routine for many schools.

mertonmama · 06/02/2015 22:48

Oh I know that! I just like the fact they've arranged it without me having to ask. Have friends at PHS who are v pleased with level of communication and engagement but it's certainly not the deciding factor - we've got a spreadsheet for that!

Chillaxalready · 06/02/2015 23:09

Sorry if it appears ungrateful to be moaning about KGS when DD is so fortunate to have been offered WHS! We were very picky about where to apply and wouldn't have chosen either if we didn't feel she'd be happy. WHS is my personal preference, but not DDs so I am upset for her to be 'rejected' by her favourite school especially when she has so much to offer them and is so enthusiastic.

I wonder if we had organised for her to have tutoring whether the result would be different? Clearly there is very little between a wait list offer and an actual place, so maybe tutoring would have given her those few extra marks she might have needed? Or maybe it was her personality they didn't like?!
At the risk of sounding like I have an overinflated opinion of her abilities, I am genuinely surprised - but it certainly sounds like I am not the only one who has received surprising news! e.g Dark I would have thought anyone accepted by PHS, for example, would be a 'shoe in' for SHS and KGS.

wheresthebeach · 06/02/2015 23:37

Chillax sorry to about KGS - very odd. WHS is wonderful and she should be very proud to have gotten an offer.

It's been a weird year - very few kids seem to have had offers from all the schools they've sat - a real mix. Maybe its a good thing - that they are looking for different types of kids so its not all the same ones getting offers? Who knows.

Hey Dark - I guess you can leave it til the last moment before deciding which gives you a couple of weeks for movement. Can't believe there won't be movement on the Surbiton list soon.

jeanne16 · 07/02/2015 08:11

I teach in one of these London private secondaries and contrary to what people think, these entrance exams are not an exact science. We get some very strange results. We used to set pupils for maths straight away based on their entrance exam results but found the sets were generally inaccurate and needed to be reset by the Oct half term. We now wait until we know the pupils better as some of them are far better and some far worse than the entrance exams would indicate.

Beingfrank · 07/02/2015 09:00

Interesting Jeanne. It really shouldn't be a surprise though as tests like this are a very blunt instrument, a snapshot. My ID twins are very similar on paper and in terms of intellect. Their school reports and references are very similar. One has had two interviews at very selective schools, the other none. He has just not done well enough on the day I'm afraid. The outcome in 7 years time will be fascinating.

Chillaxalready · 07/02/2015 09:38

Must be tough to manage that outcome, BeingFrank -
And I am sure the results in 7 years will be equally good for both your DC!

Interestingly jeanne, it was maths that seemed to be DD's weaker result (she had a maths interview) but it has been an unfortunate pattern throughout her school career that she underperforms in maths assessments (teacher assessment based on class work is always higher, whereas her friends' teacher assessment is either inline with their results or lower, so I don't think teachers are off the mark). Clearly something she will need to work on by the time for GCSEs and A Levels, though I can't imagine she will be choosing maths as a subject in 6th Form!

Anyway, I am actually delighted she can go to WHS which is easier to get to, less expensive and gave me such a great feeling about being there when we looked around! And their sport facilities are a heck of a lot closer than those at KGS.

Beingfrank · 07/02/2015 10:01

Have heard the new WHS head is going down very well too, Chillax!

castlesintheair · 07/02/2015 10:11

I am sure you get some very strange results jeanne16 just as I am sure the process means that you miss out on some very talented children who have not been tutored to the max in maths and/or may not be very good at "performing" in exams aged 10!

chillax, one school's loss is another school's gain and I for one really like the school your DD is going to, in fact it's the only all girls I liked. Congrats to your DD - I am sure she will thrive there.

castlesintheair · 07/02/2015 10:19

Oh and Beingfrank, that is tough. I hope your twins end up somewhere where they are both appreciated for their uniqueness.

Very good luck to everyone in these last few days. I am grateful for the advice and support I have received on this thread. With parents like you all I sure your children will be happy wherever they go.

Bonsoir · 07/02/2015 10:35

Success in examinations is always somewhat dependent on how much training and preparation has been done for the particular format and question type.

My DD took an entrance exam yesterday that involved quite a lot of Cloze exercises. DC who aren't used to Cloze tests are quickly flummoxed by them.

zumbaqueen · 07/02/2015 11:37

I really don't know how you all do it. The waiting for an offer(s) is such a stressful period. To anyone whose DS or DD got a 10+interview-were they all general. I can't imagine that at this stage for KGD they would be subject specific?

Dinocroc · 07/02/2015 14:12

Maths is an interesting one. DS2 is really really good at maths and his brother nowhere near as good but they seem to come out with the same marks from teachers. In his current primary class lots of girls sit with DS2 and he 'shows them' when they ask and 'helps them' and they 'copy his' work. It's often a right or wrong answer and all too tempting to work as a group when you are on a table if eight in a busy primary class of 30 . If one of the table works it out they all put it down. I think that makes it harder for teachers to assess individual ability and makes exams on their own more telling than teacher assessments. DS1 has been tested alone since starting secondary and is now bang in the middle group. Which is where he should be. I wonder if its your school Jeanne?

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