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

Anyone's DC do the Latymer Upper exam today?

36 replies

notanother11plusmum · 09/01/2018 13:51

My DC found it really hard, particularly the maths. It's unlike him to be so upset, so I'm wondering what others made of it?

looks forward to drinks time

OP posts:
g1itterati · 09/01/2018 18:16

I think the maths is meant to be particularly "stretching" so don't worry if he didn't finish. I don't think many do. What are his other choices?

NWgirls · 09/01/2018 18:42

My DD attempted less than 2/3 of it, but then this was always a probably hopeless stretch for her.

We celebrated her hard work (during the test, at least!) with lunch, bookshop, phone games and good spirits. She was happy to have met and chatted with a very nice girl there, so no lasting damage here...

So I think DC who are used to finishing everything and getting it right (not my DD!) may well have done very well relative to others, even if they agonise over multiple unanswered or wrong questions.

testbunny · 09/01/2018 19:20

Thank you for starting the post!

DD also found the maths difficult (she as sat 3 exams so far, and this was the hardest by far, so she says). She said 'Mummy, I don't think I've got into that school' - she did t say that about the other two. Hey go. Onto the next! 😱

MMmomDD · 09/01/2018 20:02

Latymer’s Math is pitched far higher than the Consortuim papers.
The only harder math papers are St.Pauls.
This is all for girls schools as I have no idea about the levels for the boys schools papers.

I found it funny that they had a question about rugby - something about runs and trials and scores.
She said - so confusing 😂😂😂
I reassured her that most girls would find it confusing too!

orangina · 09/01/2018 20:30

So glad someone started this thread, as I was wondering whether I should....

Yes, DS sat it today, and found the maths very difficult, and he is normally pretty good at maths. He was pretty low when he came out, despite being generally laid-back about things, the horror of the 11+ included. He came out of Dulwich yesterday full of beans and declaring it to be "easy" (not necessarily a good sign...), so today was a bit of an eye opener for him.

Not holding out a lot of hope re: the chances of an interview to be honest. Latymer was always the option that we only stood a chance at if he was having a good day.... and I'm not sure today was a good day!

Original poster
notanother11plusmum · 09/01/2018 21:40

Thank you all for heartening replies. We have tried for other schools and this is one of the harder ones, but like orangina I thought if he had a good day, he had a decent chance.

Now I think there's no chance.

Oh well. We had a good lunch afterwards and a trip to the bookshop to buy some light relief (snap NWgirls !) so it wasn't all bad, but I just felt sorry for him that he was so upset.

OP posts:
Tolacar · 10/01/2018 10:05

My son sat the latymer Upper and seemed fairly content. Maths is his forte but he said the English comp was a little tricky regarding the wording. Strangely he said he found it less tough than Dulwich the day before! I don't think he had a good day at Dulwich, said the English Paper was really hard. I guess they will have good days and bad.

g1itterati · 10/01/2018 10:56

If it's any consolation, I have DC at LU and neither of them finished the maths papers at 11 plus. Please remember there is no extra scholarship exam at LU, so the paper is designed to be "extended" to identify potential scholarship candidates. Also, they seem to build NVR into the paper as there is no separate reasoning exam. The format may not be that familiar / practised so they have to think in their feet.
They interview about a third of candidates and they put more store on the interview than being a maths genius, I would say, so good luck!

WestLondon2 · 12/01/2018 21:42

DD also sat the exam this week and found maths far easier, though maths is her forte. She wasn't very happy with the English paper 😔 but we are not English speakers at home so we kind of expected that.

Does anyone know how many are called for interview? I heard 400 (?).
Any idea how many offers they make? Most DDs I know have St Paul's or G&L as their first choice but also sat LU as second or third choice, so I guess I am hoping they will either over offer or go to waiting list ( LU is our first choice)

mihoney2018 · 12/01/2018 22:07

can people help me remember what are the next steps? When should we hear back from the school? I know the interview is on 27th, but I cannot find any further info.

WestLondon2 · 13/01/2018 17:33

I believe they will send letters to those invited to interviews around 24-25th Jan

NWgirls · 18/01/2018 12:37

We received the expected "no interview" message just now - not a surprise, as we had already written off our chances.

So check your email - and good luck!

Original poster
notanother11plusmum · 18/01/2018 12:46

It's a no here too - we were definitely expecting that too and I'm now not really upset to have it confirmed.

OP posts:
Tolacar · 18/01/2018 13:17

We have an interview...sorry your news was not the same. Wasn't expecting to hear today at all!

jamesforsythe · 18/01/2018 15:11

Congratulations thus far Tolcar, my youngest (DS) has interview too.

Do you /does anyone know anything about
Latymer interviews - please?

(We are waiting on Westminster & St Pauls, but (DS) liked Latymer exams and must stay realistic ...)

Thank you & very best!

Tolacar · 18/01/2018 15:58

No I haven't got a clue although will ask my neighbour as her son did the interview last year and was offered a place. Will share once I know! DS didn't do Westminster but we have the St Paul's exam next Friday. And that's the last! Phew!

Tolacar · 18/01/2018 16:03

No I haven't got a clue although will ask my neighbour as her son did the interview last year and was offered a place. Will share once I know! DS didn't do Westminster but we have the St Paul's exam next Friday. And that's the last! Phew!

jamesforsythe · 18/01/2018 16:03

Thank you very much Tolcar; any intel is much appreciated!

Very best to you & your DS with all his exams & interviews

Tolacar · 18/01/2018 16:16

Thank you jamesforsythe
I found this info, but you may have seen this already.

Interviews are all held on the same Saturday. We do not interview parents but they do come along on the day and there will be staff, parents and pupils to chat to you. Children are interviewed by one member of staff and the interviews contain some general questions about the child as well as academic questions – English, Maths and Science. We do not encourage children to prepare for interview but we do expect those we call back to be able to answer the academic questions with ease. This is a very informal day and we ask children to come in their own clothes to help them relax.

Tolacar · 18/01/2018 16:22

Thank you jamesforsythe
I found this info, but you may have seen this already.

Interviews are all held on the same Saturday. We do not interview parents but they do come along on the day and there will be staff, parents and pupils to chat to you. Children are interviewed by one member of staff and the interviews contain some general questions about the child as well as academic questions – English, Maths and Science. We do not encourage children to prepare for interview but we do expect those we call back to be able to answer the academic questions with ease. This is a very informal day and we ask children to come in their own clothes to help them relax.

jamesforsythe · 18/01/2018 23:03

I had seen that, but thank you for your consideration Tolcar.

Best wishes

testbunny · 24/01/2018 15:45

Has anyone had more info from the school about the interview yet?

Tolacar · 25/01/2018 14:16

Yes but I had to ring them this morning. Apparently they sent out the emails yesterday but I didn't get mine. I only knew because my neighbours son got an email yesterday.

JufusMum · 25/01/2018 23:18

Latimer Upper neat White City? I go to hospital near there and some kids from that school got on the bus, they were rude and obnoxious and their language was vile. I would not consider sending my child there! I may have the wrong school though. I'm not from London.

Apricotjamsndwich · 26/01/2018 11:59

I think you might have the wrong school-there are one or two secondary schools nearer to White City than Latymer Upper.