Trinity/Whitgift 2019 thread

[enterparentone]

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!

I've got into Whitgift Firefly but very little to see there at the moment.

Re rugby: I believe there were trials on Thursday and those who were selected, (presumably everyone) were expected yesterday.

DS has zero interest in rugby, didn't go tot the trials and therefore wasn't selected, so no absence note from me. He's hoping not to have to make up the numbers of the lowest team (me too!)

Hi all ,

We are going to do the 10 plus exam at Trinity his year and hoping for some useful hints from you old hands !
Is a tutor really necessary or would working through Bond books etc and lots of practice be enough ? I know every child is different but everyone I know doing the exam 11plus for W and Trinity or grammar seems to be tutored !

And how much work should we be doing at this stage on top of school work !

Any advice much welcomed !

Hi Jasmine,
we got through last year just doing a few bond books and past papers. I think I got him to do his first Whitgift/Trinity past paper in Nov and he got around 50% or so. That focused his mind, and in the cold winter weeks, he worked quite well to sharpen up and, most importantly, improve exam technique. He passed both Trinity & Whitgift, middle of the pack, I assume. Don't spend time on non-verbal reasoning, neither of the schools test on that. It's about as low-stress an option as possible, because it's only 10+ so not the end of the world if it doesn't work out. Good luck to him!

I think it really depends on how oyur sons works.

My Ds wouldn't have done the necessary work if I was the one telling him. I wasn't a proper teacher anyway. He did brilliantly with a tutor. Just an hour a week. She was able to concentrate on his weak points, and set him a bit of work to do.

My DD would have been quite happy to have worked with just me, but we did use hte same tutor to be fair.

I think it is helpful to use a tutor who is familiar with the individual schools, and who has been successful in the past. they know what the schools are looking for.

Thank you for your responses . Well there’s always the reluctance to do the work as something else always more
Important but he will do it .
Will see how we get on but also keep an eye out for tutor as well . Any recommendations ?

We only have the sample papers from the open day or website . Where can we get other past papers from ?

We got a few from nickdale.me as he sells them. You can find a few on various school websites though. Try girls' schools as well as boys'.
I always thought that we'd get a tutor for the following year if he fluffed 10+.

No tutor, Bond books , bright not genius 11y old , one practice test 11+ in Kent just to get used to exam conditions. Geared up from some point term before. Good luck - bond are great - do lots of their tests

My DS is currently on the Reeds waitlist for yr 9 entry - just wondering how likely it is that he will get a place??

i'm a while away but considering 10+ entrance in Jan 2022. How big is the 10+ intake? Is there any consideration for summer born - DS is the runt of the litter.

Also have to think about my younger girl - what schools do sisters of Trinity boys tend to consider? I imagine Croydon High, but I'm nearer to Bromley High... any others to think about?

At Trinity, 10+ intake is 3 forms of around 16-19 boys in each (it varies year on year). The classes increase in size a bit for year 7 (first form), and it goes to 6 forms per year.

Plenty of sisters at Croydon High, Old Palace (also Whitgift Foundation), Wally girls. Not sure what's in Bromley I'm afraid! Sixth form is co-ed, so lots join Trinity at that point.

Thank you OP! Very helpful.

My DS has just finished at T and DD went to CHS (just started T for 6th form). She knew lots of girls with brothers at T. But equally lots of my DSs friends came from the Bromley area, and I'm sure some of them had sisters that went to schools local to them. There definitely isn't a 'favoured' sister school.