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Secondary education

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

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:
orangetiger · 19/02/2018 18:11

good question lea8lan does anyone know how much sport Y6 boys do at W? I hope it's more than 1 sports & 1 PE pet week - my son does more than that at his state school ...

spacecadet48 · 19/02/2018 21:02

orangetiger there is alot of sport at W. You have your whole class sport which is games and PE. However when you start at W you can do trials for all the sports you want to get involved with and DS are streamed into A- D teams. The DS then join the training available for those which can be after school and as part of the extra curricular at lunchtime

Jige · 19/02/2018 21:12

lea8Ian and orangetiger my DS1 is at W Y6. With regards to sports on Monday morning 2 periods that's 90 mins of PE and on Fridays last 2 periods again 90 mins of games and quite the same sports as mention by meet at T. It may not sound like a lot of sport but the boys both at W & T are encouraged to do as many activities during lunchtime and after school where you get a chance to really get involved in quite a few different sports. My DS really loves fencing and he does that twice a week (2hrs in total).
Believe me when I say that the boys are very busy in whatever co- curricular activity they choose to do whether academic or non- academic. Boys who like sport get a chance to try out for teams and that's ongoing. They really challenge them but at the same time very encouraging.
lea8Ian I can't remember whether you said you haven't visited W or T as you're abroad, academically they're the same, but they are very different schools, and you only get to know this when you have visited both. We were very fortunate that DS got an offer from both W and T for 10+ we love both the schools but DS really wanted W. We have no regrets, they do throw the boys in at the deep end but they soon learn the ropes quickly. W is a big school, but most high schools are and they soon find their way around, make friends and settle down.
Take your time in deciding, if certain GCSE or A-levels you want your DS to do then it's best you speak direct to the schools, they are both very helpful and that might sway your decision as to which one is best for your DS.
Good luck to you and everyone else who are undecided or are yet to hear if your on the waiting list!

orangetiger · 19/02/2018 21:20

ah ok got it, sounds good thanks jige and space

lea8lan · 20/02/2018 00:03

Thanks a lot Seeline Meetie, space and, Jige too for the deep end metaphor : )Flowers

Wobblypig · 21/02/2018 13:08

Hi confirmed at offers tour today at Trinity that computing will be offered at A level .

KingscoteStaff · 21/02/2018 13:22

just a word of cheer to the waiting list chaps - one of my Year 6 boys has accepted KCS today and handed back places at Alleyns, DC and Whitgift. So good news for someone!

spacecadet48 · 21/02/2018 13:30

It was always W for us and offer accepted and cheque sent the day after it was received. Good Luck to everyone still waiting or still not sure.

lea8lan · 21/02/2018 14:51

Wooblypig, thank you for confirming the offer of computing at A-level. That is a good news. My husband visited Trinity this morning, we might go for Trinity instead of W scholarship. I am happy that the struggling of choices will come to the end. Grateful for the parents that helped me in sharing your experience. Good luck to everyone.

Sciencetech · 21/02/2018 15:59

Anyone applied to The Cedars this year?

Astromommy · 21/02/2018 17:45

Hi, does anyone know what the scholarships for trinity were in terms of percentages? Were there any 50 percent academic scholarships?

MeetieVonWrinkleSqueak · 21/02/2018 18:00

50% would be quite unusual. I’ve heard of a few 40% (but not this year).

DS2 got a 20% academic.

Astromommy · 21/02/2018 18:04

Thank you MeetieVonWrinkleSqueak :-)
I believe atleast at 10+ that the top ten from the test were invited for the academic scholarship interviews, wonder how many of the ten actually got a scholarship.
And congratulations to your DS, very well done to him.

Wobblypig · 21/02/2018 18:06

We got 30% from Trinity for academics and a friend got 25% for sport

Astromommy · 21/02/2018 18:36

Thanks, we know someone who got a 25% academic and a music scholarship in addition that covers music tuition for two instruments (around 1500 pounds a year)

lea8lan · 22/02/2018 11:21

Congratulations to the boys who received good amount of scholarship! Well done to the boys and the mums!

lea8lan · 22/02/2018 11:24

I heard a friend of mine got 50% whitgift academic scholarship 8 years ago, she told me that it has never happened in the past. SO I imagine 50% scholarship is exceptional at W, as well as at T.

Wimbles101 · 22/02/2018 18:19

I know of a boy last year who got a 50% scholarship for music.

We received a much smaller academic scholarship and a music award which covers piano and clarinet lessons. It's not the same as a scholarship though.

Firework8 · 22/02/2018 23:24

Hi, we have also been offered W&T both with scholarships - W with higher % than T but my DS wants T and we feel T is more suited to him. However, we still feel little undecided because W's offer is too generous to turn down. Any advice?

Schoolmum77 · 23/02/2018 00:22

@firework8 unless the scholarship discount makes a huge difference to you then I would go with where your son chooses.

Schoolmum77 · 23/02/2018 00:48

Hi everyone, a parent has kindly sent me a link to this forum, my son is holding a variety of offers with an all rounder and one co curricular scholarship and we are undecided between 2 schools. Whitgift and Trinity. Could any Trinity parents tell me whether the boys are steamed from the beginning? I know that at Whitgift, the boys are already grouped into classes by ability based on their exam results. If they miss lessons because of co curricular activities such as music or sport, are they able to email the teacher for catch up work? Do they arrange talks and lectures with guest speakers? If so, are they interesting and inspiring? Do most of the boys stay on for 6th form? I ask this because I assume some leave in order for there to have space for girls to join? How much support is there for the boys with their university choices? I'm finding it difficult to choose between the two as financially, there is little difference with fees after the scholarship discounts. My son likes them both and doesn't have a preference. I am edging slightly towards Whitgift as I feel that as a school, they offer more, more language and GCSE choices, better facilities, I found all the teachers that I have met fun and engaging with the boys, there seem to be more clubs and more opportunities. I want my son to be in a school where he will be nurtured and cared for, I feel that he will get lost at Whitgift. Any advice from parents of boys at these schools would be appreciated. Thank you.

Firefox1066 · 23/02/2018 04:23

firework8 although my DS1 is at W and DS2 will start in September, if both you and your DS prefer T, I would go for it. They are both excellent schools and hence you should go with your gut imo.

Firefox1066 · 23/02/2018 04:50

schoolmum W boys are not put into classes based on exam results. Not sure where you got that from?

My experience of W thus far have been very positive. I would say that while it IS caring and nuturing, the boys are expected to throw themselves into whatever their passions are. I'd say academic expectations are very high but the pathways programme allows significantly more tailoring to individual needs than most school I know of.

I've heard a couple of times that parents may be afraid their DS will get "lost" in such a big school but my experience has been to the contrary. There are millions of pursuits and challenges for your DS to get his teeth into and the timetabling allows for an eclectic mix.

Whichever school you choose, your DS will have an excellent education imo.

Wobblypig · 23/02/2018 07:32

Firework we have the opposite way round. 25% from W and 30% from T. The difference is about 4K. I would prefer W but T is less than a prep school with scholarship so hard to turn down

MeetieVonWrinkleSqueak · 23/02/2018 08:08

wobbly, I’m sure that whichever you go with, you’ll be very happy with. We went for T, because DS1 preferred it (but couldn’t vocalise quite why) but I’m sure he would have been equally happy at W had he gone there. They are both excellent schools.

Sorry, that doesn’t really help, does it!

Could you go back to W and try to bargain them up on the scholarship? You might be able to, given that you are holding a stronger offer from T. It’s worth a try if that’s the school that you feel you really want.