Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Secondary education

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

Flip

Original poster

Help ! DC let slip wrong answer when asked to choose btw schools interview

21 replies

Baba80 · 06/02/2019 18:53

Hi everyone, am really confused now . I dint know if anybody has experienced this scenario. DC was asked which school will he prefer to out of all his choices 11+ he answered Dulwich bearing in mind he’s been interviewed by another independent school( Westminster) . What do you think ? Is that not a put off for the panel . I don’t understand this children sometimes .

OP posts:

TeenTimesTwo · 06/02/2019 19:22

He'll get marks for honesty!

Original poster

Baba80 · 06/02/2019 19:32

Thank you TeenTimesTwo, I hope so

OP posts:

LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 06/02/2019 19:35

It will be fine. DS quite honestly told one deputy head that he’d rather go to XX school that their one (god that kid). I mentally crossed us off their list but he got a place there (and others - one being the one he mentioned).

Does the current school go to 13+?

Youwhat123 · 06/02/2019 19:37

He was at a Westminster interview and he said he preferred Dulwich? Is that because it is the truth or he was just nervous?

If it’s the truth, fingers crossed for Dulwich I suppose!

Why does he prefer it?

Original poster

Baba80 · 06/02/2019 20:03

He’s always taking about Dulwich . He loves it but at least he should wait for the offer letter first !

OP posts:

LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 06/02/2019 20:10

It’s not exactly hard luck either way is it! Good luck with wherever he lands.

Goposie · 06/02/2019 21:41

I think schools shouldn’t ask that question. Why do you want to come here? Because you have great results and facilities and the pupils on open day seemed really nice. What else can kids say? As for choosing between schools they all have their pros and cons!

Youwhat123 · 06/02/2019 21:44

Goposie it wasn’t even that, it was out of all your choices which do you prefer!

Good luck OP’s son. Hope Dulwich comes through!

Goposie · 06/02/2019 21:48

So maybe the answer is they are all good in different ways. I particularly like this school because..

Youwhat123 · 06/02/2019 21:54

Yes. What they are NOT looking for is “I don’t know”!

Youwhat123 · 06/02/2019 21:55

OP, did your son say what they said when he said that?

Original poster

Baba80 · 06/02/2019 22:09

Thanks everyone
Youwhat123- he said one of the panel said “At least you are honest “
Dont know what to expect . Is a very tricky situation depending on how they viewed it .

OP posts:

Greenleave · 06/02/2019 22:21

At this age and some children are still extremely “themself” then “odd” answer like this does happen. My daughter finished her interview happily then on the way to the door the interviewer ask”are you going back to school?” And she said “no, because I have other plans”. When she told me I was speechess, I didnt know what to say because she said the truth. The interview was 2pm and it would last 20 mins or so and will take 30mins to get home so I didnt plan for her to come back to her school. We are waiting to hear from the school result too.

Original poster

Baba80 · 06/02/2019 22:30

Oh dear ! Other plans . Little madam lol 😂

OP posts:

Youwhat123 · 06/02/2019 22:31

he said one of the panel said “At least you are honest”

It’s fine. If they want him it won’t make a jot of difference.

notaworrierxxx · 06/02/2019 22:35

My daughter was asked what her favourite school was - she told the truth and said another school. The interviewer congratulated her for being honest. She was offered a place with a good bursary so I honestly wouldn’t worry. (She didn’t end up going though as she really prefer the other school!)
I think it shows a bit of personality and that you haven’t been drilled about what to say.

Greenleave · 06/02/2019 22:51

@baba80, exactly to a 10/11 years old what is the other plan during school time?(I had planned to meet a family of friends that afternoon and we have been talking about it on the train so technically she answered the truth). I have been secretly playing the school down preparing for the worst too.

WellTidy · 07/02/2019 09:29

DS has just sat entrance exams for Year 7 entry in September, he was asked to interview for one and we sat in on the interview (it was his first proper interview). The head asked where this school sat in his order of preference and he said "this school would be my second choice" . She sort of laughed.

I have no idea why she asked him! I also think that it is not necessarily only up to a child where they go, it is something that you as parents guide them on when any offers come in, so any answer he gave would not necessarily be reflective of the reality of where they might go.

EdwinaMarlow · 07/02/2019 09:46

I wouldn't worry I was asked on choices at a 7+ interview for dc if the school was my first choice and - because a sibling was at another - arguably less desirable but to us preferable - school - decided not to lie and said no X is because of sibling, but we love this school too. DC got a place anyway (which we turned down). If they want him they'll offer him a place, they're just making conversation

WombatChocolate · 07/02/2019 11:28

They ask to help their statistical analysis which involves calculating if they offer to X number, how many are likely to say ‘yes’ to avoid over or under offering as much as poss.

Such an answer certainly won’t help him get an offer, but it might not count against - they will just be less likely to expect acceptance

WombatChocolate · 07/02/2019 11:29

If he was a marginal candidate it can go against. If high performing he’ll prob still get offer. Depends if in other answers he seemed enthusiastic about W or like he really disliked it.

Flip