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Secondary education

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

Original poster

St Johns Leatherhead 11+ 2018

26 replies

Littletonoidea · 07/02/2018 21:53

Has anyone had experience of being on the Heads list for St Johns Leatherhead? Our son is on this list post his 11+ and am interested if it actually moves, if people on it do get offered places or if its a polite way of saying thanks but no thanks. We were told not to expect that there would be any movement before the cut off time for acceptances (4th March), we'd expected that there would be people moving off the list before that though. Any feedback/advice gratefully received

OP posts:
Leeds2 · 07/02/2018 21:55

My friend's DS got a place from the waiting list. He is in Year 8 now.

Sunshine5050 · 07/02/2018 22:32

It's hard to gauge because St J's have moved the goal posts this year with more dc sitting and a higher overall level needed to get in. A lot depends on how many dc with St J's offers get RGS, Hampton, KGS, Wimbledon High plus more on Friday. Epsom was out today.
But a ds from my ds's Prep got in last year via the list - it has moved in the past. You need your school head to make the call & put pressure on.

Bthewoofwoof · 08/02/2018 11:26

My son was on it last year & didn’t get in, despite them saying he had a really good chance blah blah.
At least 2 boys got in who didn’t even sit the Jan entrance exam because they thought they’d get RGS. They did the exam for St Js in Feb. I thought that was a tad unfair.

Original poster
Littletonoidea · 08/02/2018 19:50

Okay thanks for the info, doesn't sound massively positive being on the list then! Better to know though

OP posts:
trojanhorse2 · 08/02/2018 22:06

As posters have said there will be movement at some point. People do even relinquish places after they have paid deposits, if their 1st choice offers off the waiting list.
Did St J's give you any indication how high up the list your son is? If your son is at prep can they advise? It all depends how much they over offer i.e. 90 for 60 places etc. and how many offers are rejected. They may not offer a rejected place if there are still 70 odd offers in play. Surbiton High were massively caught out about 5 years ago and ended up having to have an extra form!

tink07 · 08/02/2018 22:56

Is it 11+ or 13+ entry you are looking at? Boy v Girl? There are many more places available at 11+ (since the lower school opened) compared to 13+ and generally easier for a girl v boy.

Agree in terms of it depends on how many offers the school makes, how many get offered another school, likelihood of acceptance and gender ratio?

I do think St.J at the moment is in a rather tricky situation. They are attracting a lot of well rounded academic children who historically would have had St. J as a back up and then gone to a more well known academic school.... but they are offering great pastoral care, lovely leafy facilities and a new head/deputy head and growing academics.. and they have opened up the London bus routes, combined with a flexi-boarding offering.... .

I feel sorry for admissions as they try and second guess parents aspirations/sensibilities especially in a situation of an up and coming school.

Unsure if they have over offered, or if they rely on offers to those they want and then will 'work' the waiting list.

pringles999 · 09/02/2018 16:33

I had a similar experience as woofwoof last year, I have to say I found their wait list very opaque. I suspect that they also face difficulty of maintaining relationship with prep heads who have for years sent on pupils and now being faced with applicants from far afield.

Good luck ...it's a tough time, but soon a distant memory...!

Sunshine5050 · 09/02/2018 18:01

In the case of the dc who got in from my ds's Prep it was the Prep head who got him the place. I don't know how much St J's over offered but I will be giving up a place plus another dc I know. We were at the open day for offers this week and it wasn't over-run with dc, either those who wanted it didn't need to re-visit ie siblings or many waiting for other places and didn't want to revisit.

Original poster
Littletonoidea · 10/02/2018 07:31

Marvellous thanks for the insight, fingers crossed there are more like yours out there who got offered another school that they preferred as well. Plus congrats to your ds, must have been a lot of hard work so hopefully they feel pretty proud of how well they've done

OP posts:
user1488362582 · 15/02/2018 14:04

We too were at offers morning last week and was surprised to see the number of new bus routes on offer, including mortlake and richmond etc .Perhaps an indication of the schools increasing popularity ? Does anyone have a child already at the school who can give some feedback on the school and perhaps some insight into how things might be changing (if at all) under new head and deputy head.

JessyJames · 17/02/2018 22:37

I have a child at St John's. Very little change since new head started. Deputy has only been in post for half a term.
I'm sure there will be changes once the head has settled and has made a plan.
I'd like to see a shorter day and no compulsory chapel on the allocated Sunday evening!

user1488362582 · 20/02/2018 11:37

Is your child happy ? are you pleased with your choice ?

wifeywish1 · 20/02/2018 19:31

I have two children at St Johns and am very pleased with the school and think the new Head is quietly impressive. She is only 1.5 terms into Headship so early days and suspect changes may come in due course. The school is just about to invest in a new sports hall / swimming pool / dance studio which will bring these facilities up to a level with e.g. Epsom College.

JessyJames · 20/02/2018 20:46

It took a year to settle, but now they're very happy. Mainly due to all their friends going to different schools.
It was the right choice.

snoopy999 · 01/03/2018 20:25

We've just committed to taking the year 7 place at St. J for our DS and now feel very happy and
excited. We turned down offers from three other good private schools.

user1488362582 · 07/03/2018 09:41

yep after agonising over several schools we have also accepted a place for our daughter entering year 7. As many have pointed out it may not quite hit the academic heights of some others but there is definitely a positive, forward thinking, ultimately happy vibe and that feels equally as important.

Original poster
Littletonoidea · 07/03/2018 20:36

Hi, we were offered a place and accepted, since our son is the only boy from his school going to St Johns it would be awesome if he could get to know someone else going in advance. If there is anyone in/around the Claygate area who has a son going it would great to organise a playdate (ours is mad on the three F's - Football/Forza/Fortnite).

OP posts:
LouisSurrey · 01/04/2018 09:38

My son started St Johns last September in year 9 , he went to a local prep School and most of the Scholarship class went to St Johns this year despite being offered RGS , Freemens and Hampton . It is really on the up academically but more importantly it is not an exam factory and they really do seem to care about each individual child and find their strengths . Most of my friends with older children all absolutely love it and the kids seem to make close friends for life.

Poss123 · 11/10/2018 15:50

Hi, I am looking at St Johns for our daughter and while know a lot of boys that have gone there don't know any girls and wondered if anyone can tell me how the school experience is for the girls. Weighing up co-ed vs all girls.

Teacakesandcoffee01 · 11/10/2018 19:55

They try and keep the numbers of boys and girls equal at age 11 entry and for this Sept 18 Rowan Prep school sent more girls to St J's than any other school including SHS & Tormead. Parents really buy into the ethos and everyone gets a chance so your dd will play sport on a Saturday if she wants but at SHS it's only the A, B, C team etc.

iwanttoescape · 11/10/2018 20:38

Blimey. The fees for St John's jump from £6.4k a term in Years 7&9 to £8.1k! Is that normal??

Teacakesandcoffee01 · 11/10/2018 22:07

They are on the same fees structure as Epsom College and Reeds. St J's and Epsom introduced the 11-13 intake in 2016 and so peg the fees near competing schools at 11 and then make the jump to be on par with other 13plus schools ie Charterhouse. It's a different ethos and package to Hampton, RGS, KGS, SHS, Whitgift, etc, the differences are apparent when you visit.

iwanttoescape · 11/10/2018 22:16

Ah, ok. That's good to know. Thanks

Frazzledmumofboys · 14/01/2019 19:07

Hello, have just found this thread. We really like St John’s and would like our son to sit the exams. I wondered what academic ability the school was looking for? My son is currently at a state school and is at ‘average’ level for English, but ‘above average’ for Maths. Do you think this is enough? The admissions dept was very vague when I pressed them! Also can anyone advise what the interview part is like? My son is very shy, so slightly concerned about it! Thanks in advance for any help!

Poppyred25 · 14/01/2019 19:55

St Johns is really popular and it's impossible to tell. The 11plus entrance exams start today for 3 days. Until the offers are made in Feb it's difficult to know what ability level they are now looking for but I would add that the number of siblings sitting 11plus must be increasing year on year as the new first intake for age 11/12 in 2016 now have younger siblings sitting etc.