SW London girls independent/grammars thread 2020

[autumnnightsaredrawingin]

Last year, there were two amazing threads which were super helpful about exactly this, so I wanted to start a thread for girls due to start September 2020. If anyone from last year wants to contribute please do!

We have narrowed our choices down to 5, sadly not in the right postcode for Tiffin, and decided not to do the Sutton grammars.

So, she will be doing PHS, WHS, LEH, SHS and Woldingham. Also registered for Emanuel but we may pull that one.

@Autumnnightsaredrawingin - hope PHS sports assessment goes well today!

@ColaPip thank you! She is done and absolutely LOVED it, said it went really well but obviously lots of competition. She is now even more set on PHS but I’ve tried to manage expectations. At least it’s only just over a week to go to see whether she’s been shortlisted for an interview or not. Thank you for asking!

@AtomicRabbit - she's joining in September but I have DS1 and DS2 already there. It's a great school and both DS have been very happy there.

I can't remember the precise IB / A Level sir -might be about 35 / 65? DS1 is just finishing A Levels and the school has been terrific for him.

DD is leaving one of the sought after girls schools on this thread mainly for the disappointing (relative to KCS) STEM opportunities. If she'd been humanities focussed she might have stayed. She's also fed up with the all girls environment and atmosphere.

Well done to your dd for completing the sport scholarship @Autumnnightsaredrawingin - sports are so competitive at PHS that she much be very good just to be called. Fingers crossed! I'm so very nervous now with the wait to hear about interviews, but trying to hide it from dd who is just so happy that she can play and read to her heart's content.

@Autumnnightsaredrawingin well done to your dd! we are having a very back to normal saturday here, dd has rediscovered her love for drawing...so nice to see them so free again! happy wkds everyone

Thank you so much @givemesomewineplease and @abc79.

Hope everyone doing Emanuel today had a good experience and it all went well. Worth noting not to discuss as they have another sitting next Friday.

@sandybayley
My DD is loving 6th form at KCS - they tried to nudge her into IB but she was adamant about doing A levels.

@AtomicRabbit - KCS tends to promote IB over A Level. They get some amazing results (world leading) and it seems marginally easier to get into top universities with less than perfect IB results.

DS1 did A Levels because he didn't want to carry on with either English or a language. DD will do IB because she is a genuine all rounder with an STEM focus - so will do two sciences and maths at Higher Level. It very much depends on the individual child and their strengths.

@AtomicRabbit
My DD was VERY clear on the subjects that she wanted to study, and she wanted to study them in depth. She was equally clear that she didn't want to study certain subjects post GCSE eg MFL so IB was never going to suit her. Yes, 2 of her 4 A' levels are STEM subjects, I don't want to be any more specific than that, as it would be very outing.

She has brothers, so was never daunted by the prospect of the move to a co-ed school and the KCS boys are taking it all in their stride. There are a LOT of parties though.

Great to hear all went well @Autumnnightsaredrawingin!

And yes, hope it went well for those sitting Emanuel and other exams today

Well done to all the DDs who did exams on Friday/today. And @autumnnightsaredrawingin so good to hear your DD had a good time at PHS today Fingers crossed that they all get the interviews they'd like!

My DD has loved being "finished" - at least the studying bit. She has nothing after school on Fridays and just having time back to play and do nothing yesterday was fab. It's been a long journey to get this far. I'm sure we're all so proud of them even though we're into the horrible waiting part...

We have WHS second round on Monday. And then we are done. Wine planned for Monday night!!

Good luck to all taking part in the WHS day on Monday!

I just re-read the LEH info and it says letters re interviews are issued on 16th- so I guess that means we’ll get them in the post on Friday. Eeeeeeek. By the way, the interview or not from Putney is an email on 21st Jan- I did check.

Hi Autumn - do you know whether we hear either way from PHS on 21st - ie either interview shortlist or rejection? Or do we have to wait a bit longer for rejection - although it will be obvious not having been shortlisted!

Daft question - but I know of someone who assumed they'd been rejected from a school (not PHS) but actually received an interview invitation a day later than everyone else (email glitch apparently 😱)

@ColaPip I believe you hear either way on 21st but don’t quote me! Oh my gosh that would be so stressful! Good luck with it!

Good luck to everyone doing WHS tomorrow I think @RevolutionofOurTime @ColaPip @PhilippaFawcett and I’m sure there are others?!

And @Springboard good luck too!

Apologies to those I’ve missed- can’t remember who else is doing it.

Thanks everyone and good luck tomorrow!

Thanks and good luck all

Good luck to everyone today!

Absolutely - good luck all!

Has anyone received the letter/results from SPGS? Is it send by post or email?

xplus11 Last year, we got the SPGS interview email on the Wednesday after the exam on the Monday of the previous week. If it’s the same pattern this year, I’d expect an email tomorrow.

xplus - did they not give you info with a given day on which they will email about interviews?

They interview about 200 so it’s a lot of emails over one day and they do it alphabetically. So hideous, frankly I remember it well. That school is the most drawn out of all. DD was having none of it following the interview. If your name is near the end of the alphabet, don’t expect to hear until after 3/4pm.

I think there’s around 100 places, but about 30 of these invariably seem to get taken up by a few prep schools every year eg Bute House, Faulkner, Ken Prep etc.