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Secondary education

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Original poster

Emanuel School entrance exam today

112 replies

Ginandtonictime · 13/01/2018 16:59

Anyone have a dc who did the 11+ entrance exam today? How did it go? Getting the impression that the current exam season is harder than ever this year ...

OP posts:
sakurabashi · 08/02/2018 10:46

Sorry, I meant 'posted' today. Do you have any idea of the envelop size...?

SugarRush123 · 08/02/2018 10:48

Oh and we’ve had one rejection letter in an A5 envelope and one in a DL size one so you can’t read too much into it. I guess a thick one means an offer though...

sakurabashi · 08/02/2018 10:48

DS did only Emanuel so no back-up other than good state school for us. I'm supposed to be busy today but can't focus and keep thinking of the envelop size!

sakurabashi · 08/02/2018 10:50

Oh I see... So the thickness is the key rather than the size...

sh1111 · 08/02/2018 11:08

Sakurabashi, yes we do have siblings at ES, however as SugarRush123 says - mine too are all very different... DC3 did not make it through 10+. So you could see why I would be still (very) worried...Hmm
Not long though before we find out Cake eat cake either way!

SugarRush123 · 08/02/2018 11:20

Sakurabashi, we don’t have a good state school alternative :(

SugarRush123 · 08/02/2018 11:21

Fingers crossed for us all, not long to go now!

sakurabashi · 08/02/2018 11:25

Yes fingers crossed for us all. I hear Emanuel being used as a backup for many families. I am hoping all those high flyers get their first or second choices so there will be more places for those seriously disparately want it!

sh1111 · 08/02/2018 13:17

I believe ES used to be a back up choice for many; however increasingly making it to the preferred choice as there aren’t many other central London coed indies, and the results (not that we chose it for) are on the up.

sakurabashi · 08/02/2018 13:33

I hear that story too... We are fortunately to have a good state option. Though we really like Emanuel. Wish DS was born a couple of years earlier. The competition this year is just so unexpected..

jeanne16 · 09/02/2018 06:44

Why do you believe the reality is so much worse this year? I suspect it is really no different from every other year. I went through all of this 8 years ago and was just as stressed as all of you. There is so much hype about these entrance exams.

ConnieUK74 · 09/02/2018 07:03

jeanne16 in our experience both the preps and the destination schools are saying it's harder than ever. Too much tutoring etc, the bar is being constantly raised.

AnotherNewt · 09/02/2018 07:05

"Do they still have a sibling policy?"

Yes, and will continue to do so. And siblings just need a basic pass at exam. The pass mark has however risen recently. And yes, occasionally a sibling will not make the grade.

They're moving to an applications window system from 2019 joiners, but no longer guaranteeing to interview every candidate (which by Herculean effort they say they did this year even with the higher number sitting). I don't know for sure, but I think they may have decided to go beyond previous guillotine number of 600/650ish because otherwise their lists would have closed so very ridiculously early.

HIll Form (year6) has been two form entry since Sept 15

I don't know how many offers they make compared to places - they certainly had a spot of difficulty a couple of years ago when they did not get as many turning down as they expected, though they did tell prospective parents that all offers would be honoured even if they had to fit in an extra class somehow. It all boils down to more parents seeing Emanuel as a positive choice for what the school offers - reputation for slightly thuggish slightly thick boys has been wrong for a little while now.

SugarRush123 · 09/02/2018 07:37

jeanne16 of course it was also stressful a few years ago (we went through it too) but the fact is that there are a LOT more children sitting everywhere this year. At Emmanuel, which this thread is about, there were over 1,000 children versus 600 in previous years. Kingston Grammar reported an unprecedented 800 candidates. Other schools were similar.

And it doesn’t seem to be only because each child is sitting more schools (I haven’t yet met anyone sitting for more than 4). It seems that with the state system struggling, more parents than ever are choosing private. Also, fewer parents can afford boarding and that’s putting pressure on London day school places.

sakurabashi · 09/02/2018 09:26

I need someone to hold my hand.

sh1111 · 09/02/2018 09:28

We had a thin envelope arriving from Emanuel yesterday... it was my DC2 6th Form offer though Smile

sakurabashi · 09/02/2018 09:29

I avoided HT yesterday. I didn't want to have any hint from her. I woke up a lot during the night. I want this to end, but at the same time I don't want to know the result.

sakurabashi · 09/02/2018 09:30

sh1111, wonderful news. Congrats to your DC2.

EducatingWandsworth · 09/02/2018 10:06

Good luck everyone! I have a DC at Emanuel. It is a lovely school.

sakurabashi · 09/02/2018 10:07

I'm so envious with you Educating!

sh1111 · 09/02/2018 10:27

Thank you Sakurabashi; in a way we were taking that one for granted (though it should not be, still very deserving!).

sakurabashi · 09/02/2018 10:49

Please tell me anyone! No envelope yet? Something came through the letter box. It was a leaflet of a cleaning company...

itschilly · 09/02/2018 10:52

Offers are in a big fat A4 envelope! Grin
I was on this thread but have namechanged!

sakurabashi · 09/02/2018 10:56

itschilly, have you received the big fat A4?

itschilly · 09/02/2018 10:58

We have!