SW/W London Independent Schools thread part two

[Chillaxalready]

There. I've done it and started one.
1001 messages and counting!

Thanks. Big vote for KGS there. We have been leaning that way, or Tiffin, though we had heard that Hampton, despite the alpha-boy reputation, does really get to understand DSs well and all sorts can thrive. We will probably go back for another look at both. Good luck all.

Hampton IS an amazing school.
Don't listen to me
Go with your gut
I feel very calm, almost serene now the decision is made. No what if or pangs of regret for not applying to LEH as the offers came in this week.

Yes yes it is so is Tiffin . I have a friend who does lots of work there and loves 'her boys' and the school and know someone with a boy with Aspergers who does well there too. Absolutely go with your gut ( as with all things right ? )

DD has full fees place at JAGS and academic scholarship at Roedean! She is delighted and has just made us all pizza to celebrate!

Well done all others - and hang in there for those still waiting. Ibstock tomorrow...

emptycoffeepot
Sorry for being ignorant but what does likely to get into Tiffins mean? Wait list?

Juliet - for Tiffin Boys you already know the test score achieved. It's possible to look at the cut off scores from previous years and if DS achieved, say 230+ you'd be fairly confident of getting a place. Some DS will have scored 240+ and would therefore be practically certain of getting a place in March.

Yes, based on past years' scores. If DS clears by a comfortable margin the previous pass marks - which creep up a but each year - it's likely he will get in. The Tiffin scores are standardised around an average mark so it's all about relative performance. This means that the only reason that "pass" mark might jump sharply is if hundreds more enter, which is possible though this year they enlarged the year 7 intake. They tell parents the score DSs get but you don't know if you have a place till March 2.

So many congrats to all for getting through the whole tortuous process! I wondered how people got on with francis holland sloane sq this year as I heard there were huge numbers applying and was no longer one of the easier options for girls?

Thought it could be useful to introduce a little perspective here.

We went through all this angst with DD. She's quite shy and was, ermm, a bit too honest in her interviews about where she actually wanted to go, and only had an offer from St Catherine's. She duly went there and blossomed with the small classes; in particular they discovered and fostered a talent in singing where she would never have been able to sing in public in a large school. She ended up with excellent results. Out of morbid curiosity I looked up the results for the schools who had rejected her which, that year, weren't that great. I had a lovely time exercising a bit of schadenfreude about how it would have affected their respective league table standings if they had taken DD and rejected one of those who did worse than her - it would actually have made a real difference. I was heavily tempted to tell the rejecters, after all, surely they want to look into how their admissions process went so badly wrong ?

Well done to everyone, it sounds like some amazing outcomes.

Sadly the post for us brought a no and yet another waiting list. My DD is really upset)-: having been pretty nonchalant about it the whole time. Still we have fabulous options in Surbiton and KGS and can cross everything for the waiting lists. I hear that the private school heads will phone up to lobby on their waitlisted students' behalf. Do you think this is effective - and to cost of state school students? There is just no way our head would do this. Anyone have any tips on how I can possibly help her chances?
I think she would LOVE KGS but our tour guide didn't float her boat (lovely über studious chap) - she is miss sporty, and having seen so many lovely looking teachers on interview day her interviewer was the exception- didn't smile at any point and was on her blackberry. DD named her miss sour puss and said she wouldn't want her as a teacher! Such a pity these deep impressions one or two contacts can make!

Icimoi you have cheered me up! Thank you!

Last year my sons envelopes from Emanuel and Ibstock were in his name.

Maybe the envelopes are addressed to the children if the outcome is positive, and the parents if it is not straight forward?

He struggled a bit settling in to year 7, but is having a really good year 8, academically and socially. We are however considering RPA as a good back up for DS2.

Oh and well done. Must be good to see light at the end of this long tortuous tunnel.

Still no post for us since Thursday. By 4pm yesterday we phoned the schools we were expecting, and got an offer and a waiting list for twin 1. The school we are waiting for for twin 2 was due today, and this is agony. We can't even phone the school today if still no post.

Can Royal Mail do this - I know there was no delivery in our road yesterday, and I know a few others nearby in same boat. It's outrageous!

That is rubbish Beingfrank. I hope you hear soon and don't have to wait until after half-term.

On a similar note, my DS had to sit the 13+ exam for the school he already has a place at. The Registrar rang yesterday at 3.45 to discuss his results. I called her back 20 minutes later and she'd gone home as confirmed by her out of office email and not contactable until 23rd. Not impressed. Although it makes the decision we have to make about our future a little bit easier.

castles - does your DS already have a place based on his 11+ acceptance at that school and the fact that he couldn't take it up because you went to live overseas?

Yes Bonsoir. They have deferred the place for 2 years so he has to take it by September. Did you manage to get the Sevres site changed?

We have verbal assurance but need to wait for the next Jury des Admissions for written confirmation.

I think it's pretty much like London - there isn't 100% take-up of offers because DC also sit for competing schools (Saint Germain, EJM etc) and final take up isn't known until quite late on when all offers are out from all schools.

Post finally arrived and twin 2 has the news he wanted. Thank goodness!

Castles that's rubbish! There is a lot of love for KGS on this thread but not from me!

Hurrah Beingfrank! Great news. My love is fading rather rapidly for that place too.

Bonsoir, I'm pleased I didn't go down the Paris route as well now. I don't think my nerves could have stood it twice over.

Ibstock has just arrived - A4 addressed to parents with A5 addressed to DD inside.

Beingfrank that's great news for your boys!

Beingfrank what an enormous relief! Sorry to hear you and castles are not overly fond of kgs??

DD has asked to go check out sports fields of Surbiton and KGS this afternoon, hopefully this will cheer her up!

Beingfrank I'm so very pleased. I think doing this with with twins must be more than double the stress. Does this mean they'll go to different schools?

Yes I'm afraid it has definitely been more than double the stress. Yes, farewell, they will go to different schools but to be honest, that is what we wanted - i think they need space and their own "thing". Were our eldest not finishing this summer, it would be 4 children at 4 different schools!