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Secondary education

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

Original poster

January Entrance Exams

164 replies

MalbecMummy · 31/12/2017 07:48

I can’t even begin to think of NYE as it just means it’s January tomorrow which mean entrance exam hell! Anyone else stressed?! Good luck everyone!

OP posts:
notanother11plusmum · 15/01/2018 12:14

Ha lotsofsighing I know what you mean re: bolshy!

I dropped DS off for an exam at a swanky school at the weekend in our battered old car I've had for 17 years (and rather love). We parked between a sea of Porsche Cayenne Turbos and honestly I am not being paranoid, you should have SEEN the look of the fur-swathed woman parked next to me as I hopped out of the car!

Cuppatea001 · 15/01/2018 12:22

I know what you mean! Same here this morning when I dropped DD off for her second exam. Many luxury cars but good to see just as many "normal" cars! What does a car tell you about the person though! It's all material and yes, if we had the money we would buy a better car but our money will go towards paying fees if DD is offered a place.

Does anyone know if we get to find out the results of the exams or is it a matter of either being made an offer - or not!

Thank you.

notanother11plusmum · 15/01/2018 12:28

I think it's interview or no interview (and scholarship/bursary or not), rather than being told a mark.

That's what I'm expecting anyway.

Cuppatea001 · 15/01/2018 12:33

Thank you for sharing that notanother11plusmum

I'm really on edge! It will be a few weeks before we hear.

Don't really want to think of option B at the moment.

notanother11plusmum · 15/01/2018 13:03

I reckon we're going to hear about interviews next week. So have told myself not to even think about it this week.

Agree the worse case scenario is too awful to contemplte!

Lotsofsighing · 15/01/2018 14:19

Ha, I'm so glad other people get stroppy when visiting schools.

So sorry Cuppa and Notanother that you don't like your option Bs. I think we're fine with our very likely state offer, though there's an outside chance that we'll get one that we might well take over privates (very oversubscribed but the banding can throw up some weird last-distance anomalies).

On the other hand if we really liked our likely state offer then we wouldn't be going through all this crap to avoid it...

Kutik73 · 15/01/2018 14:44

We secured a place at five state schools via aptitude entrances. It might sound mad but as it's aptitude that would be tested, we didn't need to prepare anything (can't really prepare) but just pop in and had a quick assessment at each school so it didn't add any weight. On top, we could see the schools outside of their normal open days!

We put one of them as our first choice so we know exactly where DS will go if he won't get an offer from private options.

I was not sure if I was doing right things at the time, but am very glad what we did. It certainly took off unpleasant pressure and stress for the exams this month.

Kutik73 · 15/01/2018 14:49

The mainly reason why we went through all those aptitude entrance processes was that our likely state school was not great for DS. Good school apparently, but we didn't like it, and didn't cater what important to DS. So I was worrying a lot before. Knowing he wouldn't need to go to that school was such a relief.

notanother11plusmum · 15/01/2018 15:11

Where I live the good state options are more oversubscribed than the private ones, not joking!

That's why we're applying to the private schools - even with the most academic, the odds are higher!

Worst case scenario is we get the seriously shite boys' school down the road - the children there are terrifying and DS is going there over my dead body!

Cuppatea001 · 15/01/2018 15:32

Option B for us an outstanding state school but we have our heart set on independent. I never knew it was so competitive - well I think deep down I did know but now that I have seen it, it actually makes me feel quite sick!

Kutik73 · 15/01/2018 15:46

DS's first choice was independent school A for a while, which changed to independent school B after visiting the school second time. He fall in love with the school. Then it changed to the outstanding state secondary where he came 1st in their aptitude test. I think he liked the fact that he came their 1st. Now he doesn't know which one is his first choice... Confused

Cuppatea001 · 15/01/2018 15:53

Kutik73 - so did you go for State in the end?

Kutik73 · 15/01/2018 16:14

I was pretty sure that DS would be happy at the state secondary so considered withdrawing our application for independent schools. But DH always preferred independent so insisted DS should have a go at least.

So that's what we did. DS took the exams at both schools this month. He also has an audition for a scholarship this week and possibly next week.

Each school has positives and negatives. None of them is 100% positive. Very hard to decide. But he may not get any offer anyway so no point of having sleepless nights at this stage...

Lotsofsighing · 16/01/2018 09:38

Kukik, your son must have a serious aptitude to get into 5 schools! Is it music? I always feel we’re a bit disadvantaged state wise by being both unmusical and irreligious.

I’m rather envious of those of you whose child expresses a preference re schools. Mine wouldn’t even visit them so I was worried about how she’d show enthusiasm on her first ever visit for the interview.

I know exactly what you mean about sleepless nights going over permutations and options. We v much did this first time round but then we actually had offers in hand it suddenly became incredibly obvious.

Kutik73 · 16/01/2018 11:59

3 x music, 1 x academic, 1 x science. It may sound he is fabulous but obviously it's a result of me selecting the areas where he would shine. He has a fair amount of struggling bits.

No news from the first school yet (the exam was a week or so ago). The audition and interview should be next week. Wondering when they are going to tell us yes or no...

Ginandtonictime · 17/01/2018 09:05

Anyone heard from St Benedicts yet? Interviews are set for next week but not heard yet if Ds is being invited to one ... exam was on the 5th ...

Ginandtonictime · 17/01/2018 17:38

Ah! Got the letter: big fat no ...

Growingboys · 17/01/2018 18:09

Oh no Gin I hope you're pouring yourself a large drink and fingers crossed others come back more positive!

Kutik73 · 17/01/2018 18:39

I'm very sorry Gin. Was it your first choice? DS's first exam was the 9th and the interview/audition are next week. I should hear from them soon. To be honest it's a bit too academic so I don't hold much hope. I just can't wait it to be finished officially!!

Lotsofsighing · 17/01/2018 20:41

Sorry from me too Gin. It's a horrible feeling that your child has been judged like this. With my older one, even when he eventually did well, I still felt embittered by the process. Which should make me question why I'm going through it all again. Argggh.

Three of the four we've applied to interview everyone and the fourth isn't very selective (so I'd be v surprised if they don't interview dd). Which takes one layer of waiting out but at the same time makes the wait for the final decision feel longer and less predictable. Ds got called for all three that he'd applied to. On the other hand, when one of them didn't offer him a place it made you wonder what it was about his personality they didn't like!

Ginandtonictime · 17/01/2018 22:38

Thanks guys - it’s ok, we’ve been here before with older dcs. Will wait until last exam is over to tell him ... out of five exams we would be happy if one comes in (ds has dyscalculia so extra challenges) ... just have to be patient WineGinCake

Puddinglane12 · 18/01/2018 02:49

I feel your angst...
DD sat 4 independents.
Most threads seem to be quiet this year.
Anyone heard about interviews from JAGS. I believe they only do academic scholarship interviews and everyone then years in Feb...
Roll on the next couple of weeks
Other schools DD already had interviews for and 1 doesn’t interview at all.
I pray we all get the news we are hoping for...

Puddinglane12 · 18/01/2018 02:54

Aww Gin.
Must be even more stressful when DC have extra needs. I wish your DS all the best with the rest of his exams. You know him best, and yes I would wait until after exams before giving DC disappointing news as well.

Love2dance · 18/01/2018 09:13

Morning all. Feeling horribly guilty. DS has heavy cold and didn't sleep well last night. Now sitting his final exam.

Love2dance · 19/01/2018 08:17

Sympathising with all who've had disappointing news.
We too have had bad news but I've held back from telling DS as the rest of the results (call back for interview) are due today. Hoping for something positive but dreading the emails...

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