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.

I think that's a full house of offers then? Which is lovely!
We have an interview with LEH this week and then we are just waiting for letters.

We've booked for the Surbiton offer holders morning. I was very cautious when taking DD to see schools to try to stop her "falling in love" with anywhere. I didn't want her too invested if it was a no. So I think she should go to see the ones she has an offer from to think "do I really want to come here". Even though it does mean more to and fro out of work for me!

Does anyone know when North London Collegiate send results?

So many of dd's friends are all finished now but I still feel in the thick of things so can't relax! Interviews this week at LEH, PHS, LU and two music auditions. Roll on Sat evening when everything will be finished - although then the nail-biting wait begins!

When are the SHHS interviews? Also, how did people find North London interview?

Yes, we have two interviews this week and then done. Does anyone know what date Putney will post? It won’t be as early as last year because the format was different last year- ie they interviewed everyone?

Re PHS, I am pretty sure I read somewhere mid February, so it will probably be during the same week as consortium schools? Will be an interesting daily wait for the postman’s visit!

Same as Autumn - 2 more interviews (both on Wednesday) and then finished. I think it will be a bit of a struggle to motivate DD for the interviews as she's on a bit of a high after the Surbiton offer!

Dreading the long wait afterwards. I think the first results for us will be WHS around 8 Feb.

Aware PHS is interviewing today (Thursday- it’s after midnight now!) so don’t want to say much- but my daughter absolutely loved her interview there yesterday. Came out saying how much she loved it all and is now of course dead set on going- need to manage expectations!

I was also very impressed with how smoothly it all ran. Good luck to those with interviews today- LEH for us!

Dd had LEH interview and music audition yesterday. They were so kind and welcoming I was seriously impressed. If dd could be lucky enough to get an offer I know she would be so happy. Another music audition this morning and then PHS interview tonight for dd. Then just LU left on Sat. I am having sleepless nights living in dread of no offers but need to stay positive!

Good luck to all with interviews! Is LU on Saturday the final interviewing day for everyone?

All done here too. Thank goodness! Now the waiting again, but feeling more relaxed about everything now. LEH still first choice, think letters arriving 22nd Feb.

Good luck to all those with interviews still to do x

All done here too! Let’s hope we all get good news soon.

Nearly there everyone, I have my fingers and toes crossed for you!

Not sure if this data exists somewhere, but how many girls do PHS /WHS interview for each space? Do they stand a good chance if they get this far?

We are done here too and have all fingers crossed for all our girls! I was wondering the same about how many were called back for PHS interviews, I think maybe 250? But really not sure...

I think WHS said they had 250 in the second round for around 50 places

We are done! LEH done and I know they’ve reached the end of their interviews now. DD said it was an incredibly tough interview and nothing like any of the others. I am not holding out much hope at all, BUT I’m ok with that. I did think the q and a at LEH with the head was good though.

She loved Putney so much, and I just hope that comes through for her. 🤞🤞🤞 She loved her interview and said it went well. If neither PHS or LEH come through then we are very happy with Surbiton and grateful to have a place.

Good luck to all for LU and anything else remaining and good luck for the wait and results!

@Autumnnightsaredrawingin - dd also thought the LEH interview was tough so your dd is not alone. I had had high hopes for LEH but now I feel less hopeful. PHS easier this evening but again not a single question about hobbies or books, and straight into the serious questions. (While at PHS, I overheard a group of private school girls and mums smugly chatting after the interviews about how all the questions they had been told would come up did. So I feel frustrated at how well their polished scripted answers would have come across versus girls like my dd who haven't been privy to such info and have to come up with their own original answers under pressure. But I guess it happens all the time, the only unusual thing is to hear it so brashly discussed.)

DD was at PHS today and they confirmed 700 sat the exam and 400 interviewed. Bit more than we thought for the interviews!

Oh really @phoebe35 ... the lady I spoke to said that most who made it to interview will either get offered a place or a waitlist place. But that can't possibly be true if they've invited 400 to interview

It was a member of staff. No idea by how much they over offer but even offering 300 seems a stretch.

oh wow, 400 seems really a lot to interview...even LU only interview about 300. I feel a bit deflated now as I also thought that the ‘shortlist’ meant you have a good chance...let’s keep positive ladies and hope for good news across the board!

@givemesomewineplease, don’t be disheartened! DD did the PHS interview by Skype. I left the room but was able to eavesdrop from behind the door 😊. She got a bit muddled with some answers, and she was definitely not polished! But she seemed very pleased with herself.

It was a good distraction from our house arrest situation... we’re in Hong Kong and the coronavirus outbreak means we’re confined at home. Kids are going stir crazy. Schools will remain shut for at least two more weeks. 😱

Oh golly @RevolutionofourTime, I really feel for you! At least your kids managed to get their exams and interviews done before the virus escalated. I hope a vaccine/cure is found soon so life can get back to normal. Thank you for the reassurance about the interview, I'm sure your dd was great. And it's surely much harder over Skype so she sounds like she coped v well. I should have more faith in my dd, she a delightful enthusiastic and academic girl but I'm just not convinced how well she responds to unexpected questions. And some of her answers remind me that she's very young still. But they're all in the same boat - I'm just tending towards 'glass empty' at the moment when I should be more positive.

Re. numbers at interview, the lady who I spoke to was the one in charge of ticking girls off for interviews so I'm assuming she was something to do with the registrar team. She was very convincing when she reassured me that most of the girls interviewed will be offered a place or waitlisted - I'm hoping she wasn't just being nice! I'm v surprised they would interview 400, unless there were a lot with similar exam results. And there's no way they could offer even half those places/wait list. So I'm hoping the number being interviewed was significantly less but who knows! 200 were being interviewed at LEH for what I believe are more spaces than Putney. Ah well, at this point it's all academic, hopefully our dds have impressed whatever the numbers!

@givemesomewineplease selfishly, I’m glad my DD wasn’t the only one who found LEH tough. I thought the questions sounded very very tough, and the puzzle?! 🤦‍♀️ Anyway, they did it, and the head confirmed 400 ish girls had sat the exam (not including the junior school girls) And they interviewed just over 200. So our girls have done brilliantly even to get to this point. Glad Putney was ok for your DD although that’s so, so annoying about the parents?! So bad to be discussing it while still there. Ugh. Did your DD have to talk about a picture?

Interesting about Putney numbers. 700 sat?!! Again, the girls have done so well to even get to interview right?

@Revolutionofourtime oh no, what a nightmare for you, although so glad you managed to get here and back before it all kicked off.

I was trying to work out Putney interview numbers- they seemed to have 3 days with slots from 4.00-6.00 pm, I think maybe 10 slots per day for around 12 girls per slot? So around 360 potentially?! Who knows 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

And now we wait. Good luck all.

I really hope that’s right. DD was in really bad mood, didn’t want to do the interview today. So frustrated that she was probably not switched on 😬

Although the waiting is going to feel very long now, I’m so glad all done and normal life can resume. And dry Jan almost over too!!!
We have 3 to hear from LEH, WHS and Putney.
Just wondering if anyone has thoughts on Putney versus Wimbledon ? ...... should we be lucky enough to get offers . I just can’t really see any difference between them and both very close to us as we live in Wimbledon . Some people have said it’s nice for the children to travel a little bit to school and good experience but having gone to local school on my doorstep I’m unconvinced that should be a deciding point .
I was blown away by LEH but realistically probably too far, and chance of getting in so remote , didn’t expect interview, although my daughter apparently loved the puzzle?
I know prob best to wait for results , just thought I’d ask now if anyone else has noted any difference between Putney and WHS
Good luck everyone
Thanks