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.

Hi all

Big hugs to all the mums and DD’s sitting WHS over the next 2 days.. I don’t have much advice except good tea, early night, and always READ THE QUESTION!!

Any news from Woldingham yet? xxx

Thanks @Stircrazyschoolmum

Hi @autumnnightsaredrawingin. Banding test went ok thanks and DD did WHS this morning! She seemed quite happy when she came out, but that's probably more relief than anything else! Good luck

That's good news cola. Out of curiosity, what happens to parents whilst DD's are sitting these type of thing? Do they sit you somewhere with a coffee or are you supposed to go for a wander round the shops?!

(Dread to think what I'd spend whilst trying to 'distract' myself!!)

I don't know about waiting during the Indy exams but Kingston shops did very well out of me while I paced around trying to distract myself from my dd doing the Tiffin exams !

The Independents usually only give coffee etc at the interview - otherwise it's drop and go....Lots of coffee shops and wandering round the shops is what tends to happen! It can be quite sociable if you know lots of others in the same boat!

I spent a significant amount of time and money in Pret, this time last year.

DD also did WHS this morning. Said it was fine, but the hall was cold. It is a very cold day! We had a quick treat from Pret afterwards. If that becomes a "tradition" I'll also be spending significant money in Pret this year!

Cola- glad to hear it went well.

My daughter did WHS today, not too sure how it went really. I think she messed up her timings a bit as she said she had to really rush at the end. At least we don’t have long to wait!

Woldingham say they will post results letters ‘by the 6th December.’

I don’t think from how my daughter said it went today she’ll have got through to second stage WHS. If she doesn’t we will focus on really prepping for Surbiton and Putney High in January...

Autumn - It's so hard to tell how they've done isn't it, but great that you have another one out of the way. I was a bit taken aback buy the huge exam hall - not sure what I expected!

How did you resolve the PHS/Surbiton clash? I need to speak to the schools asap!

Cola- Surbiton are doing an alternative date- Thursday 9th Jan so day after Putney...you need to tell them ASAP you want the alternative date. If doing the alternative date at Surbiton they can’t be considered for an academic scholarship but we didn’t feel our daughter was in that league (!) and definitely wanted to try for Putney so she is doing the alternative Surbiton date...

Putney has an alternative date too - 4 January.

Thanks both - good to know!

My daughter did WHS yesterday too and from what I heard as the girls came out they all struggled with the timing. So don't write it off yet!

Hi, long time lurker of this thread, and on last year’s very helpful thread.

DD did Sutton High last week and WHS yesterday. @PhilippaFawcett, DD also struggled with timing and so your message gives me a slither of hope.

Revolution- really?! Putney told me they wouldn’t be holding an alternative date!

Phillipa/chipolte- that does give me some hope! Thanks. Good luck to your daughters with the results.

Will update with WHS results next week- good luck to all and please let us know!

@autumnnightsaredrawingin

Yes, definitely Putney has an assessment on 4 January- I got that in writing from their admissions staff.

@RevolutionofOurTime - did PHS offer 4 Jan when you mentioned a clash? Or is that the date you've been allocated?

A girl is DD's class has a clash with PHS. I can't remember the other school, but it's not Surbiton. Apparently they were told the only option was to sit the one of the exams in the afternoon. Two exams in one day - nightmare!

KGS and LEH also clash, and both schools have said the answer is to write 2 on the same day. Which does seem really tough! DD really likes both, and given the competition for places at all schools it feels like a big decision to walk away from either

LU and LEH clash so dd will do LEH in the morning and LU in the afternoon. It sounds hellish but honestly we can't decide between the schools for different reasons so will let it happen and what will be will be! She then has Putney the next morning so she will be broken by the end! I wish they could spread them out over two weeks, all dd's are all squashed on top of each other in Jan.

Blimey that does sound tough. Poor kids, but I agree, it's such a difficult decision to ditch one when it's all so competitive.

I didn't realise there were so many clashes. Trying to remember which is the other one which clashes with Putney and Surbiton. It's going to a rough week for all concerned!

Yep it’s going to be a tough week, mine has LEH Tuesday 7th, Putney 8th and Surbiton 9th. Very interesting about the Putney alternative date- they definitely told me there would be no alternative! Oh well.

Hi autumn - has your DD done the Surbiton interactive/taster session yet?

DD is supposed to do it next Thursday but now has a clash with Emanuel interview .
Surbiton have said there are no spaces on the other dates.

Trying to decide if we try to do the Surbiton morning and leave early for interview - potentially a bit stressy though!

@autumnnightsaredrawingin I wonder if they'll only offer an alternative date if you have told them you have an exam clash with a specific school? Ideally I would love an alternative day for PHS as she will be completely zonked for 8th but it's not actually a clash so I don't think there's any point in asking. I guess that's what they're trying to avoid. LU said over the phone that the candidates who sit in the afternoon after doing a morning exam tend to actually do better .... but I suspect the nice lady might have just been trying to make me feel less worried about it - I reported that back to dd anyway in response to her grimace about the double exam day

@ColaPip surely Emanuel will give you another interview date?

Cola- no, she hasn’t done it yet. She’s doing it next week and Emanuel interview is soon too, but luckily no clash- how annoying for you! I don’t think the Surbiton taster day thing has any bearing on the result though- tough one.

Re Emanuel offering a different interview date- they won’t! They are super strict about it I think.