Alleyn's 11+ 2019

[Vargas]

I have seen threads for Whitgift/Trinity, Dulwich College and others but I haven't seen much about Alleyn's.

My dd sat the exam last Tuesday. She found it "not too bad" but definitely got one of the later Maths questions wrong.

Just wondering if anyone else on MN waiting to hear about interviews?

Hello All. Lots of great thoughts here, so thank you all for your messages. My DD would like to go Alleyn’s next year, but we also consider CLSG as option. However, both schools have exams on the same day. Does anyone know how the schools deal with these situations? Appreciate any help/advice. Moni

@Moni5 - many schools have clashing exam dates, sometimes on purpose to force parents into making decisions. Nearer the time ie late November ring 1 of the schools & ask for your ds to be allocated the back up date instead. In some instances but perhaps not for these 2 choices it might mean you are no longer eligible for a scholarship if you select the back up date.

Sorry dd not ds!

Thank you Gingercat1223. It’s unfortunate that they do that. :-(

to be honest thought they are quite different schools - I'm not sure either school could have anticipated someone would apply to both?

Alleyns specifically say "All candidates are expected to sit the entrance examinations on the published date and it is not possible to offer alternative arrangements. Please inform the Registrar of any examination clashes"

City say "Please note our exam date is set by liaising with other London schools, so there should not be any clashes."

so doesn't sound like there's any wriggle room there? Maybe work out whether you prefer co-ed/single sex and larger campus vs city location and then apply accordingly?

We may have a similar issue with Latymer this year. I've just checked and they also have their exam on the same day as Alleyn's....

Has anyone had this experience in previous years?

It depends on schools. You need to call the school and see if they can arrange another date. Of course, only call the least preference school.

Last year, SPS & Dulwich College have the 11+ exam at the same day. I called DC to see if they are able to reschedule the exam and they did. On the exam day, there are about 25 children and most of them were on SPS exam as well.

Hope that helps.

Hope everyone had some good news from Alleyn's yesterday. We have a Saturday interview here - reading through the thread it seems fairly relaxed. How is everyone else feeling? It felt like there were more than 900 kids taking the exam this year.

Last year there was an alternative exam date for Alleyns which they didn’t reveal but it obviously existed as quite a few sat on the alternative date so you may find the total numbers sitting the exam were more than you thought! Good luck for the interview. Your DC has done well!

Trying to revive this thread and see what comes out of it. I see a lot of post from parentsr of dauthers going to Alleyns but I am interested in views of parents of sons. We are in the fortunate position of having an offer from Alleyns and DC. Both local school with A slightly further away but that is not a deal breaker. Son from state school with no streaming and no topsets/extra work for more able also no homework- big achievement for him to get offers with no support from the school. He is also very sporty. As Alleyns is CoEd I guess in a class of 10/11 boys with mostly coming from the junior school and others from prep schools, he might be the only one or maybe one of two from state? While in a classof 20 boys at DC there should be a bit more mix? I would be interested in views from parenst of sons from state that joined Alleyns ( as it seems they mstly prefer DC while girls might choose A over Jags?) as I might have the wrong impression- also intersted in their sport dept. Thank you

might be worth posting anew thread for this one?

DC - the junior school kids don't seem quite as dominant in Y7 as at Alleyns. DS definitely wasn't aware who was new and who wasn't. The intake is v diverse with lots of scholarships and bursaries helping that. The sport provision is amazing. They have to do Saturday sport in Y7 (rugby/football/cricket in that order) and it definitely helps them all settle in. As they move further up the school, athletics/golf/skiing/rowing/badminton/fencing all become options which is great for the sporty boy (and also good to get the non sporty like DS off their bums!)

Alleyns is smaller and the sport is not quite so democratic. Team selection was initially v junior school biased and they generally run fewer teams. No rugby - as I'm sure you know?

As a final point, having a DS who is now desperately wishing he was in a coed school (to meet girls.....) I have no regrets about choosing DC at 11. The teaching, the sport, the music, the non curriculum opportunities. For him, they've been brilliant. The ethos of the place has made him the confident], inquisitive sixth former he now is, and I wouoldn't change the decision if I had to make it again.

I would agree with ChandlerBong. I absolutely wouldn't worry about state versus private intake at either of these schools.

I am a state primary school teacher who has seen my own pupils go off to these schools and then parents with younger kids still at the school feed back. The philosophies of the 2 schools are quite different. Alleyn's tend to check-in and extend their scholars more, but leave others to find their own way. This has often resulted in parents finding out quite late their kids haven't been handing in work etc. At Alleyn's the parent - home communication is very good and those children who do fall behind (which is quite normal btw) are supported at school and home with catchup before it becomes more of an issue.

Re: Sport - again I have had parents with very sporty boys go to Alleyns and be very disappointed with the offering.

DC is hard to beat in my view. An amazing school catering for all types of boys.

@dinosaurinmybelly

I would agree with ChandlerBong. I absolutely wouldn't worry about state versus private intake at either of these schools.

I am a state primary school teacher who has seen my own pupils go off to these schools and then parents with younger kids still at the school feed back. The philosophies of the 2 schools are quite different. Alleyn's tend to check-in and extend their scholars more, but leave others to find their own way. This has often resulted in parents finding out quite late their kids haven't been handing in work etc. At Alleyn's the parent - home communication is very good and those children who do fall behind (which is quite normal btw) are supported at school and home with catchup before it becomes more of an issue.

Re: Sport - again I have had parents with very sporty boys go to Alleyns and be very disappointed with the offering.

DC is hard to beat in my view. An amazing school catering for all types of boys.

Interesting, thank you for sharing. I also have the impression that the scholars mostly come from their Jr school. Even in terms of sports my DS got an academic and sports scholarship- even if small- at a much more sporty school and did not pass stage one of the assessment at A. In general these assessments favour kids who have experience in many sports including cricket and rugby and these are played only in private schools, so there is already an advantage there- but the other school saw the poitential and the attitude and rewarded it. When you talk about the parent- -home communucation do you mean DC? Thanks for your input.

Yes, so sorry - parent/home communication is better at DC.

I have also heard that Alleyn's favour their junior school when they award scholarships. Have heard that in the context of music.

Thank you. It does feel more elitist. The fact that kids who have connections with the school ( parents or grandparents who attended) is another sign of this. Sure it is an amazing school but probably fits better those "lucky" ones who jave been there since the very beginning.

My DS was offered a place at A a few years ago, and didn’t want to take it. I think what shifted him is the sports scholarship assessment day as he said he would go to any of the other boys’ schools he had offers from.
BTW I have also observed that boys will choose DC over A (or another boys school), and girls will tend go to A over JAGS.
A works for children who know what they want and are self starters, as the school tends to let them find their own feet (which means some might not do no clubs unless told and other will embrace it all!). The touch is very soft at A.
If you would rather have a more prescriptive school, with more obvious added value then go for DC as they provide more of a frame, guidance and direction. Sports also will be better at DC, it’s very much optional at A.
On the communication to parents (I have a nephew in both), A’s is not as good as DC, at least in the lower /middle school, at A you can go on months on before getting a grades sheet or school report, again that softer touch might work for certain families. Good luck, they are both great schools, just depends what you are looking for.

@Iamsodone thanks.I had the same impression about boys choosing other schools vs girls chosing Alleyns.
Now the decision will be wther to go local with n scholarshipo or further away with scholarship ( Whitgif and Trinity)

I am just pm you as I have DC in one of those schools ! And another DC on local walking distance school!

@effemme

Trying to revive this thread and see what comes out of it. I see a lot of post from parentsr of dauthers going to Alleyns but I am interested in views of parents of sons. We are in the fortunate position of having an offer from Alleyns and DC. Both local school with A slightly further away but that is not a deal breaker. Son from state school with no streaming and no topsets/extra work for more able also no homework- big achievement for him to get offers with no support from the school. He is also very sporty. As Alleyns is CoEd I guess in a class of 10/11 boys with mostly coming from the junior school and others from prep schools, he might be the only one or maybe one of two from state? While in a classof 20 boys at DC there should be a bit more mix? I would be interested in views from parenst of sons from state that joined Alleyns ( as it seems they mstly prefer DC while girls might choose A over Jags?) as I might have the wrong impression- also intersted in their sport dept. Thank you

Hi Effe we chose A from state primary and no heavy tutoring, just past papers

We did t actually apply to DC as would have used the outstanding ED state if not A but I actually regretted that decision after the date had passed

But I’d always thought state or Alleyn’s so I guess it worked out

Music and academics are good, dc does many clubs which are great, but I get the sense sport might be better at DD - hard to know without trying both

The school fits Ds though so far, and we have got a grades card recently - so a term in

I think you can’t go wrong really with either for sporty, academic dc so tough call

Didn’t..

One factor for me was wanting co-ed but maybe because I’m more used to that, I wanted a mix of types there but I assume DC has that still

just on the parent comms. Waaaay stronger at DC - we had emails about missing/poor quality homework right from the off which meant ds was very quickly encouraged to focus! He's also always had reports for the extracurricular activities so we can see what he's been doing. Don't think we've ever had that from A apart rom for the paid for music lessons.

Name changed so past posts are not potentially linked with my kids.

Curious about DC v Alleyn’s as we will be considering the two for DC next year.
I am trying see behind the “stats”and experiences to figure out which would be better for our son. So my comments are not intended to discredit anyone’s experience.

I know a massive cohort of boys moved from Dulwich Prep to DC at 13+/11+ and I presumed this was partly due to the traditional end point of DPL and start point of DC. Previously for a boy to go to Alleyn’s they would have to self prepare and leave at a non-traditional point. Although I think DPL now prep at 11+.

Parent comms - as a parent I would LOVE detailed info from the schools esp as teenagers rarely divulge much of their day. However, part of me thinks that this is doing a disservice to the pupils who should be managing and figuring their way through the complexities of a secondary school timetable and homework. As much as I want to oversee their work, I need to let go and they need to develop independence. I suppose the league tables (a very blunt tool) show that at the results are achieved, somehow.

Interesting insight re: sport. I will need to have a think and a discussion with DH and DS about this. He is not very sporty but may love being part of the D team or hate that he will take part regardless.

I also met a DC teacher who said that they would chose co-Ed for boys and single sex for girls and this has been playing on my mind as there was no reason for him to lie to me (unlikely I will ever see him again, unless DS goes to DC!).

I appreciate this is only one person’s view but I have only spoken to teachers of these schools in an open day setting and they naturally spin the advantage of co-Ed/ss to suit the school they are trying to “sell”.

Any more feedback on these schools from current parents? Went to DC again yesterday I was impressed by receiving a private tour without having asked for one (I just wanted to ask some questions) We went ti another tour at A today and ahd better impressions taht yhe fitrs time round. Still very unsure. Going back to Whigift and T next week

@coffeewinecake just wanted to say that we chose single sex for ds and coed for dd - at the 2 schools we are discussing - in direct contravention of the advice you've been given! (and would make the same decision again...)

For us, a big all boys school offered ds the possibility to sing in the chapel choir, participate in D team rugby, F team football, E teacm cricket and fencing - none of which are on the table at A. It has also meant he has always been comfortably in the top 25% and has the kudos and confidence that comes from that - at A he would have been in direct competition with the hardworking girls. IN the Upper school, the close pastoral and liberal studies links with Jags have also been great.

Alleyns used to offer a 13+entry so some DPL kids went each year at that stage, but it has now been scrapped so no parent aiming for Alleyns would put their kid into DPL now really?

My advice? go for another private tour. The schools want you and it's a big commitment. Don't make any decision until you have the info you need. And by 'info' I can only mean confirmation that the vibe of the place might suit your child.

No bad choices here.