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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Trinity/Whitgift 2019 thread

862 replies

enterparentone · 14/12/2018 17:04

Is there a thread yet for parents with kids doing entrance exams in Jan? It's been so helpful looking through previous years threads and now we're going through it I'd love a hand-hold and any advice on what to expect!

OP posts:
ladygaga01 · 06/02/2019 18:05

Hi all, we were interviewed by neither Mr Yeo or Mr B at W. Is that a bad sign?
Thank you

walkingtheplank · 06/02/2019 19:31

Previously it has been a good indication that your child has done well in the exams if interviewed by Mr Yeo. However, this year there were several academic scholarship assessment mornings (which itself would be the indicator of a good exam) during which parents were interviewed - so I'd guess that at least 3-4 masters must have been interviewing in order to process so many parents in such a small amount of time. 2nd Master and Assistant Head were part of that.
It's very tempting to look for signs - I was disappointed that DS only had a Saturday interview at T - but I'm sure that there are quite a few red herrings along the way!

Nonie0509 · 06/02/2019 21:28

So my ds was interviewed by Mr Yeo at W (10+) and us afterwards. He very much encouraged us to have another full tour of the school.... we’ve been in touch and they have suggested the afternoon of Fri, 15 Feb..... why would they suggest that date if no offer??? Whereas at T he had a Sat interview with one of the Maths teachers... Mr Baggs I think his name was. Felt a totally different experience. Anyway, only 10 days to go. Good luck everyone. Just want this to be over!!

Yey22 · 06/02/2019 21:47

I think there are two different thread 11+ and 10+.

As mentioned in an earlier thread. At W 11+ some children attended academic scholarship morning, where the children didn’t have an interviewed but spend the time doing different task and lessons and as someone has said they didn’t have these for 10+, it was was an interview.

Anyone Goodluck to everyone x

Jige · 08/02/2019 09:01

Yep22 I may have sounded a little harsh. Places at 11+ are 120, but that’s not a fixed amount. Quite a few changes this year with W, and you may have not misheard, but rather then 150 places, they would be looking closer to 120. If they see more boys with potential and that they want, they will make the decision to have a few extra. W have the space as they are a bigger school compared to T.

Jige · 08/02/2019 09:11

Morning peeps! How are we all feeling?
My DS is counting down the days and is very excited...........

I feel rather sick!

My eldest didn’t do a count down or talk about it, so I didn’t have the pressure of reassuring him or thinking about it, I could sort of forget 😳

MotherofPirates · 08/02/2019 09:32

Ha Jige you just posted my status! Feeling v nervous today and plotting ways of hunting down the post man next week (post doesn't normally arrive till 2pm Shock)

walkingtheplank · 08/02/2019 10:42

2pm? That's harsh!
We have a new postman who delivers c.11.30 most days which I thought was late enough.

walkingtheplank · 08/02/2019 10:44

Jige - I'm interested in your comment about 'quite a few changes at Whitgift this year'. What does that mean?

gambaspilpil · 08/02/2019 11:31

My DS is in yr 7 at W and there are approx 125 boys. Some of those 125 are boys who were there in yr 6. Not aware of any changes so not sure what Jige is referring to.

Jige · 08/02/2019 15:12

MotherofPirates lol, feeling the same at that precise moment! Post arriving at 2pm, oh no 😕

walkingtheokank are post recently has been arriving between 10-12 in the morning for the last few weeks. But I bet next week, just when you want the post to arrive early it probably won’t.

Jige · 08/02/2019 15:25

walkingtheplank regards changes I was just referring to the academic assessments days, new thing this year.
And yes there are changes made at W but small things eg house names have changed, the way that reports are now graded since the new head had started.
I guess with a new head (Mr Ramsey) putting his own stamp on things which is expected.

Jige · 08/02/2019 15:50

gambaspilpil my DS1 is also at W went in at 10+ Lower First, and like your DS, is now in Y7 this year.

May I ask where you got the 125 figure from? Only asking as at 10+ they have 3 classes of approx 20 in each, total 60 boys in Y6 Lower First. In 2017 there were 69 who started in Y6 at W.

11+ W will be looking to take in approx 120 boys give or take a few. At W Y7 they have 9 classes of approx 20 in each, so the total is around 180 boys, this includes boys from prev Y6. Now I say approx loosely, because I mentioned before this is not fixed. I know That currently Y7 boys stand at 198 in total. Sometimes it goes over their threshold of 180, if they see potential in a boy/s then that total will increase, they don’t have to stick to their 120 intake for Y7 and they have the space to manage this. And this goes for T as well.

Trinity 10+ 45-50 boys they like to have, consists of 3 classes.
For 11+ 120 boys, consists of 6 classes (the 120 includes boys from prev Y6).

gambaspilpil · 08/02/2019 19:15

jige that is likely my mistake. I thought there were only around 170 boys in lower first which includes the y6s. My DS told me there was only 125 ( not sure why I thought he would know )When my eldest was there it was before boarders and i don't remember there being so many boys! Clearly expanded....

gambaspilpil · 08/02/2019 19:20

jige just checked the whole year 7 class list and there is 123 which was shared last week.

Jige · 08/02/2019 20:08

gambaspilpil I assume you’re referring to the year/class reps list sent last week. This is not a complete list of all the boys. It’s up to the parents if they want to be on that list.

MotherofPirates · 09/02/2019 12:20

Quick poll!

DS thinks I should wait till he gets home and he opens the letters. I obviously think I should open them first. What are you doing in your house?

Dubai113 · 09/02/2019 13:04

Been a long time lurker and first time poster - this is the most agonising wait we have ever been through. Is it me or are the days and weeks getting LONGER?!
As a result of this, I will be stalking the postman/ woman and ripping open the letter as soon as it lands on the matSmile. We are hoping for an offer from W.

Pickofthepops · 09/02/2019 13:10

It's a long old wait. My son wants me to wait and let him open letter. Hoping for a W offer.

Vargas · 09/02/2019 13:17

MotherofPirates - I have to open them first! Couldn't bear the suspense, plus need to rehearse what to say to child if bad news...

ladygaga01 · 09/02/2019 13:49

MotherOfPirates

You do not need to open to know the reply: small envelope is a 'no', large (A4) envelope means your child got thorugh. The school would add the terms, offer letter, fees etc

Jige · 09/02/2019 13:53

Funny, we’ve not had the conversation as to when and who should open the envelope, thank god.
So for me it’s an easy decision, personally I would want to know before DS, so whatever the outcome, I’m well composed in handling the situation.

MotherofPirates · 09/02/2019 14:11

ladygaga I'm fairly confident of at least two offers (given very strong hints at interviews) but we are holding out for scholarship so the fat/thin envelope isn't enough!

I had totally planned on opening before DS got home but he has suddenly decided it's morally wrong for me to know first Hmm

walkingtheplank · 09/02/2019 16:00

You could steam it open and reseal... Wink

Dubai113 · 09/02/2019 16:12

It seems quite a number of DSs and their parents had strong hints of an offer during their interviews at W. Does anyone know whether they have given such hints in the past and then not followed through with an actual offer?