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Secondary education

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Original poster

So where's this years Trinity/Whitgift/Dulwich/Alleyns thread

999 replies

soooooooknowwhat · 05/01/2018 21:18

And any other schools you may wish to add... Have used threads from the previous few years as part of my research and ds sat Trinity today! I'm more of a lurker than a thread starter but decided to bite the bullet and offer a hand to hold. Good luck to all dc's sitting exams over the next few weeks! Grin

OP posts:
user1475317873 · 30/01/2018 18:39

The thread has now been diverted to a different subject now but thank you for the information regarding over offers for St Dustans and other schools.

Seeline · 30/01/2018 22:27

Jasmine - I don't know anything about City, but the music facilities and opportunities at T are amazing.

spacecadet48 · 30/01/2018 23:17

user147 I dont know how many St D offer. There is mixed opinions on how many places they actually have. My DD is there and there are approx 120 in each year. They have a number that will move from the junior school but I am aware of a number from that cohort who have applied to other schools too. I would imagine that St D is still not number 1 choice for lots of parents so they would over offer, although I do know a few where it is 1st choice too. However will wait and see!

JasmineJasmine · 30/01/2018 23:19

Hi, everyone. Thank you so much for your comments! It's very useful.
I thought giving up very popular City may be stupid thing thinking my knowledge towards the school league may still be ignorant. Because this is my first time 11+, I only started to research and prepare 11+ from last summer, I didn't even know about Trinity! After visiting T, my feeling is very positive towards T. I thought choosing T is an adventure, but may be not!

My target was to send DS to good university first, but this school is the first one which made me think more, that's the quality of spending time at school.

Soooo
Seeline
Firefox
AveEldon
Time to get to T is about 40 minutes to Sandilands tram stop, only we choose the right train, and he needs to walk a bit, or take a bus.(Or scooter, possibly) So less than 1 hour while City is only 30-35 minutes. DS says it's OK, but may be an issue for long term.........

Pillarandpo
Thank you for leaving your comment as the first time, not only passing by! I'm very encouraged by the same issue we are facing. Pleased to know that your DS and you are very happy!! Please allow me to send PM to you, if you don't mind.

-
If any other comments, I would very appreciate!

spacecadet48 · 31/01/2018 08:48

jasmine I was going to apply to city for my DS, the only thing that put me off is they don't play Rugby. Sorry may be stupid but we are a big rugby family! My nephew travels to Westminster on the tube everyday. Travelling isn't an issue, DC meet other friends very quickly that do the same journey. My eldest had to get up at 6 everyday to get to W. City is a fantastic school and so is T. You have to choose the best school that suits your DC! Good luck

Seeline · 31/01/2018 09:41

Jasmine I don't know where you are but T has a lot of school bus routes which may help you - even if you just use one for am or pm or just the first term/year until Ds has settled?
details here

If you come by train to East Croydon, most boys get one of the 4 (?) buses that run from there to T, but some use the tram. It is particularly useful if they have sport at the Sandilands site.

MeetieVonWrinkleSqueak · 31/01/2018 11:26

jasmine, also, to add to seeline’s comment, T tailor the bus routes a bit depending on who is using them. DS1 gets picked up outside our front door! (Although that is probably unusual...)

MeetieVonWrinkleSqueak · 31/01/2018 11:29

I think as has been said upthread, at the end of the day all these schools have very similar offerings in terms of range of academic subjects, co-curricular activities, exam results etc. No one school is “better” than another, and at the end of the day the choice is really a combination of which school feels best for your son, distance, and that all-important gut-feeling!

Flippershex · 31/01/2018 15:41

Long time lurker here! Firstly thank you all for your wisdom, it has been so helpful! I have a ds applying to Dulwich, St Ds and Alleyn's. Does anyone know how many were called for interview and how many offers Alleyn's are making this year? It is ds's first choice so we are trying to figure out the odds while we wait for the much anticipated/dreaded letter!

LondonUSAmum · 31/01/2018 16:39

On Saturday we were told Alleyn's was interviewing 200, my friend said they told they were interviewing 39 for the 20 academic scholarships, so around 239 being interviewed? I'm not sure how many spots are being offered this year.

Lentils · 31/01/2018 17:13

I thought the total number is 144...1/2 to their own junior school, so 72 slots divided between girls and boys?

Abetes · 31/01/2018 17:55

There definitely aren’t 72 children coming from the junior school.

Lentils · 31/01/2018 18:04

Sorry - just saw on their own web site jr school is expected to make 1/3 of the total slots. So I'm guessing its 96 slots divided between girls and boys.

spacecadet48 · 31/01/2018 19:13

For A it was always around 45 boys and 45 girls for 11+ places. Not sure if they are strict with the gender division. But its roughly that...

Abetes · 31/01/2018 22:48

I think they are aiming for abt 135, 45 from junior school, then 45 boys and 45 girls. They aim for 50:50 and are usually pretty close.

fleurdelacourt · 01/02/2018 10:31

240 being interviewed for 135 spots seems low? Wonder what the take up rate is on the offers?

I don't know anyone who's been turned down outright after interview- I only know of people going to wait list - that can't be right though?

fleurdelacourt · 01/02/2018 10:32

138 in this year's Y7

audrey01 · 01/02/2018 10:54

Hi everyone - newbie here to the 11+ process.

Fleurdelacourt - if Alleyn’s Senior take 45 children from their own Junior school, are you saying that those children will also be interviewed? I would have thought those children only need to do the exam to make sure they are at the same standard as required from the external candidates (or perhaps an even lower pass rate needed? don’t know), but not also to interview with Senior School, etc.

So if they are interviewing around 200, it would be for the remainder of the 90 external places. Or do I have this completely wrong?

Abetes · 01/02/2018 11:00

The junior school children are not interviewed.

LondonUSAmum · 01/02/2018 11:41

Taking in account the above information it seems the 200 interviewed last Saturday are vying for 50 ish places if you assume the 39 interviewed for academic scholarships are basically guaranteed an a offer.

But I assume the junior school students could have been among the 39 interviewed for academic scholarships? Which would increase spots available for the 200 slightly...

fleurdelacourt · 01/02/2018 15:04

Ah yes sorry so 239 being interviewed plus 45 not being interviewed but guaranteed a place.

And 90-95 places available for external candidates.

Question is - how many offers do they make to fill those spots? 120? 150? 200? If we assume all scholarship kids get an offer, then the 200 others are competing for 80+ initial offers? So once you've got an interview, your odds are at least even (ish) given that they also maintain a decent waiting list.

tinkerella1 · 01/02/2018 15:53

Do you get there feeling there's nearly enough information to turn this into a scholarship style maths question? Hmm

"There are 138 spaces. 45 of these spaces have already been taken .....etc etc etc ."

Wimbles101 · 01/02/2018 17:50

Jasmine I would add go with the school that is closest. Trinity is anything from 35-50mins for us, depending on transport running on time/time of day etc. Definitely helps to be close to the school.

My DS' commute on the tram is generally fine and not too busy. I would not have felt
comfortable sending him into central London on a packed train at rush hour. Just a personal choice, I was always looking at schools going out rather than in. But I can see why City might appeal.

ChocolateWombat · 01/02/2018 17:51

All schools have to over offer by a decent amount. Lots will have sat Alleyns for whom it's not their top choice and they will get offers from there and elsewhere and some will take up the other offer. People often forget that many kids sit 3 or 4 and get offers from all of them - and all of them are great schools which are highly sought after and high in the league tables. Each child can only attend one school which means over offering, especially in urban areas where kids sit many exams is vitally necessary for all schools.

soooooooonowwhat · 01/02/2018 18:52

Crikey I have got lost in the maths of it! (Thank goodness I'm not sitting any exams any time soon!) Sounds like fairly decent odds for Alleyn's however you look at it, although agree with pp that Alleyn's seems a first choice for many. Trying to figure out the odds gives us all something to do until the 8th of Feb! ds seems to have completely lost interest now that it's all done which is great actually as he is quite relaxed.