Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

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

Original poster

Dulwich College 11+ 2017 Entry

51 replies

MrsPatmore · 10/11/2016 15:02

I think we have narrowed down our Indie applications to Dulwich College and Alleyns. Ds did very well in the recent grammar school tests in another area. Is this an indication that he would be of the right academic standard for these schools? Ds is quite sporty and also plays a slightly unusual orchestral instrument to Grade 4. He is very shy so I'm worried about the interviews should he get through as we'll need financial support for him to go and he is not the sort of boy to 'sell himself' despite his achievements.
We also liked one SS grammar but won't find out the results until March. If Ds is lucky enough to be offered one of the coveted places, can an indie financial support offer be improved/negotiated?
There is some recent info on here about Alleyns but can anyone update on what DC is like. It seemed to have some very confident boys when we looked around on the Open day.

OP posts:
AnotherNewt · 18/01/2017 19:53

Yes, it could have changed. Can do any time; so info direct from the school for the current year is always best.

I agree that 90 for 75 seems low, but my guess is that their turn-down rate is pretty low at the moment.

jimmyo · 18/01/2017 20:52

Think they have always offered between 15-20 over the 75 places, so sounds spot on

Original poster
MrsPatmore · 20/01/2017 10:07

Has anyone heard anything from Alleyns yet? I think the interviews start next week.

OP posts:
fleurdelacourt · 20/01/2017 10:23

OP - those DC stats are exactly the same as last year. An interview means you have reached the right standard - and that they hope they will be able to give a place to everyone who wants it. But in the last few years offers to waiting place candidates have been v rare so in reality not all the interviewees will get an offer.

Alleyns interview letters being sent out on Tuesday next week. Scholarship interviews are Thurs and Fri and standard interviews are Sat 28th. An email with all that info came out on the afternoon of the exam I think?

Original poster
MrsPatmore · 20/01/2017 12:11

Thanks Fleur, I can't find that email but the original letter had those details in. I'm aware that sometimes they call too. The waiting is very hard and there were so many children there! Not hopeful for this one due to sheer volume of candidates - I'm pretty sure they can cherry pick.

OP posts:
fleurdelacourt · 20/01/2017 13:05

yes - 750 candidates apparently. they invite the top 30 or so for scholarship interviews - so they may end up calling for those as it's a bit too tight to write a letter if they have the Thurs interview date?

I don't get any of the emails - they all go to my other half which is a very risky communications strategy for any school to adopt - reckon I get about one in every 3 forwarded to me!!!

AnotherNewt · 24/01/2017 07:57

I've always been rung up for invitation to interview.

You don't get much say in the timing though - they're fitting a lot of people in to a limited number of slots and and you're pretty much expected to take the time you're given. There's usually a small amount of wiggle room for those who really need a different time, but there may not be much (especially as they work their way towards the bottom of the list if those they are calling)

mrschandlerbing · 24/01/2017 08:39

Anothernewt - were they scholarship interviews? It is tight for Alleyns - letters coming out today but first scholarship interview is on Thursday so they may ring those candidates to make sure they've received the invitation. That's only going to be about 15 kids though - the rest of us will make do with a yes or no via snailmail!

No wiggle room at all for Alleyns. Never has been.

mrschandlerbing · 25/01/2017 09:05

Alleyns sent letters out on Monday. A day ahead of the published schedule. Wish they did that for the results!

expat1407 · 28/01/2017 10:54

Does anyone have experience of Full boarding at Dulwich college?

Original poster
MrsPatmore · 28/01/2017 17:44

Do Alleyns and Dulwich talk to each other? I don't think I've ever heard of a boy with an offer for both?

OP posts:
AnotherNewt · 28/01/2017 18:25

"Do Alleyns and Dulwich talk to each other? I don't think I've ever heard of a boy with an offer for both?"

Yes they do. And to other schools. The registrars and heads all know each other.

And I've known quite a few boys getting offers for both DC and Alleyns (and girls Alleyns and JAGS)

Ladydepp · 28/01/2017 22:15

I know lots of boys who've had offers to both.

Abetes · 29/01/2017 08:12

I'm sure that they talk to each other to get a better idea of who is likely to accept which school and to help with making the right number of offers but I've heard if lots of boys with offers from both and girls with offers from Alleyn's/JAGS.

fleurdelacourt · 30/01/2017 10:10

The registrars definitely talk to each other and there are definitely lots of kids who get offers to both schools.

Interestingly though ds only got a DC offer and his friend only got an Alleyns offer - which was exactly what the boys wanted! So the schools are quite good at picking up on any strong preferences I would say?

expat1407 · 02/02/2017 09:29

Hi everyone,
I am overseas mom. We are looking at DC as full boarding option this year (Y9, 2017)
DS has taken his test and done his interview. We had a visit of Boarding school and it was all impressive ( a lot of it is under renovation and would be ready before son joins)
Now its a long wait till 16th Feb to get results. Does anyone have an idea about cutoff percentage in written exam?
Lastly, any comments on full boarding at DC? My son is non sporty, high in academics, likes music and bit quirky.
Thanks

Ladydepp · 03/02/2017 18:45

Hi expat, I don't know anything about DC boarding but if your son is academic and musical then DC will definitely suit him. There are around 200 boys from Y9 upwards so lots of different interests, and lots of quirky boys!

Don't worry about the non sportiness, only the ones who are keen have to do rugby and the like from 13+.

Original poster
MrsPatmore · 11/02/2017 07:22

Ds has been lucky enough to receive scholarship offers from both Dulwich and Alleyns. We're also waiting on the grammar school allocations. Any views on Alleyns vs Dulwich please (aside from co-ed)? Is one more 'gentle' than the other? I have a shy, slightly quirky boy who is sometimes excluded by the stronger characters in his school. I'm thinking an all boys environment might not be great for him.

OP posts:
fingles · 11/02/2017 12:18

Definitely Alleyn's. All dc, boys and girls, find their niche (and lifelong friends, judging by social media, Founder's Day, visiting alumni, etc). Slightly smaller than DC, and music and drama and charity work just as valued as sports. Small, slightly withdrawn, and quirky boys come out of their time there confident in their own skins.

jimmyo · 11/02/2017 13:22

Can't tell you which to choose, both schools are really great so I don't think you can go wrong, but can tell you our experience of Dulwich. Like you we had a scholarship offer from both Alleyn's and Dulwich. We went for Dulwich in the end for the exact reasons you state above. It seemed to us that Dulwich had a very gentle nurturing and warm atmosphere and their pastoral care was very highly thought of. It's turned out to be just the case, they have gone out of their way to make the transition to secondary school as easy on the boys as possible and have found and nurtured talents that neither us or my son realised he had. The boys there are very down to earth, nice kids, even the uber sporty ones who are by no means the majority – it is pretty much a quirky geekfest. The no girls thing really helps my son to just be himself and removed any self-consciousness/social pressure. To sum it up, they really get boys – whatever type of boys they are. I'd say visit both schools again with your son and go for the one you both feels right.

AnotherNewt · 11/02/2017 13:26

Lots of quirky boys at DC, and it's nowhere near as socially sophisticated as Alleyns.

Agree you need to visit them again with him.

citykat · 11/02/2017 18:52

DC were v happy to do another visit and a personalised tour- it was v impressive. Alleyn's had a group event to meet staff and tour again. So do go back. We chose DC, v happy. Non rugby playing son, plenty of like minded boys. Agree it seems more varied and less concerned about being cool than Alleyn's - but they are both great schools do well done your DS.

Noitsnotteatimeyet · 11/02/2017 21:17

Plenty of extremely uncool children at Alleyn's Wink - the boys from my dc's prep who chose Alleyn's over Dulwich tended to be the slightly quieter, more thoughtful ones who weren't that bothered about sport. I would say Dulwich definitely has the edge over Alleyn's as far as sport is concerned - the school does very well in some sports but the emphasis is on finding something you enjoy and taking part

fleurdelacourt · 13/02/2017 09:14

sounds like the advice is splitting down very partisan lines! like others with kids at DC, I can confirm it is fine for slightly quirky, non sporty boys. It's big enough to meet everyone's needs.

FWIW we chose it because ds is quite insecure about his own academic ability - and being in an all boys environment means he is squarely in the upper sets - whereas in a mixed school he might have been pedalling fast just to keep up with the girls.

The pastoral care has been excellent too.

But it's horses for courses - Alleyns is clearly an excellent school. There is no bad decision here - congratulations to your ds!

Original poster
MrsPatmore · 13/02/2017 17:22

Thanks Fleur. Good point about girls in the top sets. When I look at Alleyns academic results they compare very favourably over DC but my worry is that the girls may be picking up the top grades. At least with DC you know the grades are all the boys results.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread