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.

Love - I have a DD at G&L and she has never looked back since the first day. She can’t wait to get in in the mornings - some days I have to send her back to bed as she’s raring to go at 5.30 It’s rare to be in a school and never meet a parent who has a bad word to say about it - but that’s the case with G&L imo. Academic, but no pressure and a lovely calm, supportive vibe. Congratulations!!!

Our post has just brought offers from G&L, KGS and NHE. Really didn't expect that! Will release NHE & KGS asap and then the lovely problem of deciding between LEH and G&L. Well done everyone!

So much wonderful news! Congratulations
@tiggermummy70 - it was a letter from FHSS, no email as yet.

Awww I am delighted for you @tiggermummy70. That is flipping awesome, congratulations!
Same @PhilippaFawcett - massive well done to your DD

Our post finally arrived with good news! Two more scholarships and offers from: G&L, LU, PHS, FHSS, NHEHS.

WL for SPGS but I think we'll take dd off it because we've never been sure it's the best place for her confidence to grow.

Completely delighted that she has such a choice, think it's between G&L, LU and LEH for us. Will wait to see what dd has to say!! My gut says G&L but argh, can't bear the idea of turning LU and LEH (with scholarships) down!!

Wow, it's over. I'd like to say it's been kind of enjoyable but honestly this has been totally harrowing. Almost worth it now that dd gets her choice of incredible schools but I've lost a lot of sleep and a lot of hours of my life!

Congrats to all those with offers! Everyone sounds like they've done so well. And I hope the WLs move soon for everyone. I think we'll be releasing PHS, NHEHS and FHSS over the weekend. For those with no offers (including one of dd's dearest friends), according to wise experiences hands, it will all work out and they will find a school where they will thrive. The London indie 11+ is an insane system and the pressure and competition is unbelievable. I pray that they all find somewhere that they are happy.

@givemesomewineplease - massive congratulations to you and your DD!! Very well done .

Also thinking of those who didn't get the news they were hoping for. Judging from this thread alone, it really does seem that WLs will move and probably very soon given that people will be releasing offers imminently.

@tiggermummy70 I am so, so, so happy for you! How absolutely amazing. Congratulations to you and your DD!

@givemesomewineplease OMG you have an incredible DD! What a set of offers! Amazing.

@PhilippaFawcett congratulations to your DD another amazing set of offers! Which is NEH?

@ColaPip WOW your DD has done so well! Is WHS still the front runner?

Well done to everyone else too, I can’t tag some people.

To all those on WL for your favourite, please don’t lose hope. Keeping everything crossed for you all.

And to those who might be reading this ready for next year, I would say don’t let a bad experience early on put you off.

My DD didn’t get through the first stage of WHS, she was quite upset after both the exam and the rejection letter. I honestly doubted whether we would get any offers and whether I should put her through it. I almost pulled her from the LEH exam. And then she got offers from all 5 other schools she applied for. So WHS definitely throws up some very weird results- I was astounded she got LEH and PHS but not Wimbledon. Very interesting.

So now we have to make our choice. Will do so ASAP.

Well done to everyone!!!

Every year throws up weird results - in our year, girls got into SPGS, but not G&L or LU; girls got PHS but not WHS and vice versa. Different exam formats, different days - and the luck factor comes into it for sure. It’s far from a perfect system.

Fantastic news on all the scholarships, but if anyone is considering G&L, they don’t offer academic scholarships at 11+ (in case the absence of one was swaying your decision elsewhere)

Sorry Folks - Had to delete earlier post as it didn't meet t & C's
Although technically I haven't signed them yet, but not willing to risk it!

So to replace it the relevant info..

DD2 Got offered FHSS
Apparently one of the highest results in consortium (!!!!)
Amazing School Refs.
= Academic Scholarship and a bursary.

She burst into tears when we told her.

I bow to those of you having done multiple exams, It has been so stressful just waiting on one result.
How on earth you make a choice if you have more than one offer.
Fingers crossed for swift upwards movement on any WL's

@autumnnightsaredrawingin Notting Hill and Ealing High School

@PhilippaFawcett ah yes! I have a friend with a DD there- they love it. Are you deciding between LEH and G&L? I’ve lost track!!

@RevolutionofOurTime how are you getting on?

@Autumnnightsaredrawingin currently holding onto the offers from G&L and LEH, and thinking which we prefer, but also waiting for Tiffin which she really liked. So not sure what we will do. (Very much doubt she will get Tiffin but the G&L deposit is £2500 which is a lot to throw away). What is your choice?

@PhilippaFawcett deciding between LEH and PHS. Good luck with your choice- both, and Tiffin, excellent choices!

@Autumnnightsaredrawingin thanks, good luck to you too!

Congratulations to all, there are amazing results on this thread! We have yet to decide between LEH and WHS. WHS is a short walk, but DD loved LEH, so this is a tough choice.

It’s a nice problem to have, especially when things are so chaotic for us. Schools in HK will remain closed for the foreseeable future, and our lives are up in the air. I thought I was done with home tutoring after 9+ and 11+ in January 😱... but now I’m homeschooling DCs with no end in sight. We’re currently exploring options for getting back to the UK sooner, all with various degrees of complexity.

I’m sure one day we’ll look back on this time and smile, but right now it’s a bit stressful!

None of these offers explode, right?

Many congratulations to all of you and good luck to those on the waiting list.
Two offers from LEH and LU and WL for SPGS!
Would be great to read how you all decide amongst these schools.
At the moment, LEH is DD's favourite . LEH is the closest for us. Any guidance on LEH would be really helpful.

DD currently goes to a state school. Would it be hard to fit in considering so many girls move up from junior school.

Waiting on Tiffin but not entirely convinced that she would thrive there. Can't pin point as to why that feeling.

Am I right in thinking that LEH would be more nurturing whereas Tiffin could be really full on with a lot of pressure? Any mums with girls going to Tiffins? Incase she gets in !

Thanks a lot

I wouldn’t call LEH nurturing, and the opportunities to participate in things if you are “keen but but a bit rubbish” are minimal. The teaching is excellent in some subjects, but patchy in others, and I recommend investigating 2019 a level results .

Thank you so much for your response!

@ChangedBecauseThisWillOutMe - is your dd at LEH? I would be very grateful for more info about what you say. I have only ever heard good things about it and it seems to be inclusive. I am concerned about the slight fall in results, but I figure their intake is very slightly less selective than say G&L. We are choosing between it (with scholarships), G&L and LU.

Yes she is.

Basically LEH only cares if you are beyond outstanding at things...they pay lip service to giving the girls who aren’t stars a chance to play sports/music/drama but there is no interest in them.

And their amazing success in sport is because the girls are all training at serious clubs externally...if not national squads. It’s not the school teaching them!

To be fair I’m sure the same thing is true at all the schools...but go and ask the question - if my child is keen but only c team material (or only g5 on an instrument) what opportunities will they have to play and do matches/perform....

Thanks for the insight from a parent whose daughter goes there. @ChangedBecauseThisWillOutMe

May I ask how do you find it academically and pastoral care?

You mentioned patchy in some subjects, does it have to be topped up with external help or is it something temporary that the school would/could fix?

Is your DD happy there?

TIA

Dd is really happy there to be honest - she has an amazing group of friends and loves everything she does.