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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Emanuel School

43 replies

Mumster40 · 10/01/2019 08:42

Hello there, I wonder if anyone can give me an insight into Emanuel School? My DD is sitting the entrance exam and I’m looking for reassurance that this is a good fit for her. The fees would be a huge stretch for us so this is not a decision I can afford to take lightly. That is - if she even gets a place! DD is very creative - into drama and the arts but also enjoys her academic studies. She’s not sporty. I’d love to hear from parents with children already at the school. Thank you so much.

OP posts:
trulymadlykids123 · 12/01/2019 21:38

I have a daughter here. She happens to be quite sporty and really enjoys the sport there (particularly netball and x country) however, the drama is second to none: Fantastic plays with high production values and a brilliant standard, I feel she's learnt a lot about performing just from a couple of years there. I hope that helps and let me know if you have any more questions x

Original poster
Mumster40 · 13/01/2019 10:04

Thank you so much for replying. I really appreciate it. Is your daughter happy at Emanuel? I’m keen for mine to have a well rounded, balanced education. I don’t particularly want her to be under too much pressure, I want her to enjoy school life. How many children are in a class? Is there a provision for after school care for working parents? So kind of you to answer my questions.

OP posts:
sanam2010 · 13/01/2019 11:44

trulymadlykids123, I am also very interested in Emanuel so thank you for answering. Not sure if you have looked into this in more detail, but what do you think about the Maths programme at Emanuel? Do they stream them from Year 7? Would you say the top stream is very strong? Also, are most kids local from Clapham / Wandsworth or are there many kids from Fulham / Wimbledon etc?? Thanks so much!

trulymadlykids123 · 13/01/2019 16:54

My daughter is VERY happy at Emanuel. Although bright, I wouldn't say she's academic, if that makes sense, so I was keen for her to go to a school where she school was 'fun' to go to. I want her to pass her exams, obviously, but I want her to enjoy her time there with the co-curric stuff and she really does. There are chances to shine at Emanuel that aren't just being academic.

Maths is quite rigorous. They are streamed from y8. The standard seems quite high, and from the y7 exam they expect a fair bit from them.

The kids are from everywhere mainly the local Wandsworth / Balham / tooting / Battersea area but still a lot in fulham / Wimbledon, Barnes, putney, west and north west London.

Do feel free to ask more!

Original poster
Mumster40 · 13/01/2019 19:28

Great to hear how happy your daughter is. That’s really encouraging so thanks again for responding. I’m just curious about class sizes in the lower school really. And if there is provision for after school prep/ clubs. I work so wouldn’t be able to collect until 6ish.... Obviously she will be able to get home in her own when she’s a bit older.

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trulymadlykids123 · 13/01/2019 21:47

My daughter's class is 23. There are plenty of after school clubs depended on what s/he wants to do and the library is open until at least 5 if not longer ...

tempo · 16/01/2019 11:20

my ds is at Emanuel heading towards GCSEs. He has made a huge number of friends, I have got to know a lot of parents who are now good friends too. Happy, kind boys. Pastoral care is exceptional. Lots for all - bright kids are pushed, good SEN department, lots of sport (improving with wider choices) and art, drama and music excellent. Simply put, a good school that seems to have worked out the crucial balance for encouraging kids to be all-rounders. Have not been aware of massive pressure, but results are good - I admit not on a par with some of the "top" London schools, but I prefer a more down-to-earth, non hot-house attitude anyway.
Relatively new head was a bit marmite on arrival but seems to be doing good things.
Kids come from all corners - mainly south London (Richmond, Twickenham, Wimbledon, Earlsfield, Clapham, Balham, Putney) but quite a few friends in Fulham and Shepherds Bush too.
Can't recommend it enough.

Original poster
Mumster40 · 16/01/2019 12:08

Thank you for taking the time to write this. It’s really encouraging to read such a positive view.

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tempo · 16/01/2019 13:02

mumster, they do have a semblance of a homework club til 5pm but it seems quite hit and miss as to who it is for. I work full time and I admit (not without a huge sense of guilt) that my ds was a latch-key kid from year 7. They do have after school sports training one or two days a week as well as music & drama rehearsals.. All til about 5pm. And there are some after school clubs (my only bone of contention with the school - club participation is entirely voluntary - often with teens it's not "cool" to go to clubs so my ds doesn't get involved in all the extra-curricular stuff I would love him to do).

Original poster
Mumster40 · 21/01/2019 09:01

Anyone else’s DC sit the entrance exam? My DD seemed to think it went ok but didn’t really elaborate much. I’m keeping everything crossed as there seemed to be a LOT of DCs leaving the exam....

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HappyMamma · 21/01/2019 10:00

Hi Mumster, my DS day the exam too. He also said he found it ok but am starting to lose hope as I heard from an Emanuel parent that this year they reached the 1,000 cap for kids sitting the entrance exam for 96 places ! (This info is also on their website). Siblings get preference and have a lower pass rate and the mum I was speaking to told me she knows of 23 siblings that sat the exam. That’s only the ones she knows of....Doesn’t leave a lot of places for non siblings DC!! This is my third 11+ process and I honestly think it’s been worst this year than with my previous two DC... Confused

winterishereithink · 21/01/2019 10:39

I'm sure it was the same number of children that sat it last year as well- don't panic!
Remember not all the siblings will reach the pass mark- I know plenty that haven't- and not all siblings will actually go there if they do get an offer. Even though Emanuel is getting harder to get into every year I still think they have to significantly over offer. You only have to look at prep school leaver destination tables to see that they sometimes get 20 offers and send 1 or 2 there and certainly most of the state primary pupils in SW London seem to apply as well. At ours usually about 8 or 9 get offers and rarely more than 1 or 2 go as there are so many options , for girls in particular.

HappyMamma · 21/01/2019 11:07

Thank you winterishereithink ! I think am starting to overthink about everything over here. For some reason I am finding it all really stressful this year !

Original poster
Mumster40 · 21/01/2019 13:08

My DD sat the 10+ exam. I’ve not been through this process before but have plenty of friends who have. I thought the 10+ might be a way of avoiding the craziness of 11+. All well and good in theory but I’ll the reality is that I’ll have to do it all again next year anyway....

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Icouldprobablygetaplace · 21/01/2019 15:11

Exactly what everyone says above. The numbers entering are a false positive, those kids are applying all over the shop and Emanuel could possibly not be their first offer. They don't do 'exploding offers' either.

MGMidget · 24/01/2019 12:04

I thought the cap last year was 600 and this was the first year with a cap of 1000? (Next year there will be no cap at all). If I am right about the increased number of applicants this year then I am wondering how that may affect the minimum standard needed for an offer. There seem to be higher than usual numbers of applicants at all the schools we applied for this year so Emanuel may be a beneficiary of that by having a higher number of the more academic children accepting its offers as well as having a bigger pool of 1000 applicants to chose from.

Original poster
Mumster40 · 24/01/2019 16:14

Historically, would you say that it was easier to get a place at Emanuel than other private selectives in SW London? I’m new to this whole process as you can tell.....

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MGMidget · 24/01/2019 19:21

My view....historically yes but it has been getting harder. Emanuel has not been regarded as first choice for quite a few of those sitting the exam but competition for all schools around the area seems to be increasing and the school also seems to be perceived as improving so it is probably one to watch.

I would love to know what parents with children in the school think though of whether steps are being taken to raise the academic standards. Its A level results are lower than all the other schools we are considering (in terms of proportion getting top grades and proportion going to top universities) but children who sat the most recent A levels obviously entered the school many years ago so things might be changing lower down the school. They are not bad of course, just not as good as some of the other private schools! And, of course results depend partly on the academic ability of the cohort entering the school.

lottiebear69 · 24/01/2019 19:24

For OP I have sons at the school and they like it, the main thing I like is that they keep on top of the kids and will contact you with any issues in performance. It is hard to get in now and I thought the sibling policy had been scrapped because with my ds friends none of the siblings got offered even a wait list place last year, new head is hot onthe academic side and has tightened things up which parents like in the main and kids don’t ! Drama there is great and lots of sport. No clubs that run til 6 as most pupils travel independantly from yr 7 which is normal after first week or so. Transport links are good

MGMidget · 24/01/2019 19:30

Lottiebear, thanks, although your answer isn't directed at me you have certainly helped answer my question too!

lottiebear69 · 24/01/2019 20:11

Glad to have helped !

Original poster
Mumster40 · 24/01/2019 20:40

Really appreciate everyone who has taken the trouble to post.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mumster40 · 10/02/2019 08:53

I'm counting down the days until we hear back from Emanuel. My DD sat the 10+ exam. We loved the school and think it would be a great fit for my DD. Part of my reasoning for applying for a 10+ place was to try and avoid the craziness/ stress of the 11+. But I'm starting to worry that this wasn't the right decision as I'm (potentially) limiting my DD's options. I know that she may not be lucky enough to get a place at all! Has anyone else been in this position? Made the choice to enter at 10+? How have you found it? Also, from reading this forum Emanuel isn't really mentioned very much. Is there a reason for this? WHS, SHS, LEH, G&L, SPGS, PHS all get talked about a lot. So much so I've had to learn all the abbreviations..... Am I missing a trick? Please can anyone at the school reassure me I'm doing the right thing? Gosh. This is rambling. Apologies.

OP posts:
Testbunny · 10/02/2019 12:03

Hold your nerve! There are more girls only options, hence more discussion, maybe. I don't believe there are girls' schools that do 10+, either. You and your DD loved Emanuel, remember that. In my DC's class last year 9 sat the 11+ at Emanuel, 3 got offers and 1 went. One of those offered got a sports scholarship elsewhere and the other went all girls. I don't know any children who have taken the 10+, however. Don't worry about what's going on on Mumsnet, addictive though it is 😉.

AbstractNoun · 10/02/2019 12:05

Don't worry. It's a fantastic school. Just a little less academic than the other schools whose abbreviations you mention. And for many, that's not a bad thing.