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.

And in case anyone is following this thread ahead of applying next year, DD said the Wimbledon assessment did not contain any spatial reasoning (nets, etc) this year.

Also, no tutoring needed. We only did Bond books (level 11-12+ and 11-12+ stretch) between August and November.

@PhilippaFawcett, my apologies! I just checked the admission dashboard and it makes it clear that the notice I got is the one that goes to overseas applicants.

@Revolution thank you for checking!

Great news @Revolution!
Awaiting tomorrow's post with some trepidation...

Cola- me too. Very much doubt she’s done well enough but we shall see! Good luck to you and your daughter.

We did get the news the other day that DD has been shortlisted for one of the sports scholarships at Surbiton High. I’m doubtful she’ll get one as it’s tough competition but it’s given her a real boost of confidence. She also attended the ‘who am I?’ Day and absolutely loved it. In fact she came away saying she would happily go to Surbiton if she gets in and maybe even likes it more than some of the others! Of course, no guarantee she’ll get a place there either...

Good luck to everyone waiting for WHS tomorrow.

That's great news re scholarship shortlist autumn! As you say, a real boost to her confidence.
DD managed to get a waiting list space on the Surbiton taster morning today and also loved it. We have the Emanuel interview tomorrow, so it's all go!

Good luck with WHS results tomorrow - the waiting is nail-biting! And best of luck with the Emanuel interview @ColaPip. My dd's interviews are all in January so we're all quiet now until the January exams kick off - it feels rather unnerving after the push in the lead up to the Tiffin exams.

The postman has been, DD is through stage 1 of WHS! I'm so pleased for her!!
Good luck to everyone else waiting for the postman... 🤞🤞

Congratulations Springboard.

Unfortunately it’s a no for my DD. Not unexpired, but sad all the same. We really loved the school and felt it would have been a good fit for her. Never mind. I’m dreading her opening the letter. Hopefully she won’t be too sad. Now need to re focus on the next ones. Good luck to all waiting.

Unexpected not unexpired.

Our post just came and she is through to the assessment day! Good luck to everybody else

@autumnnightsaredrawingin 💐

Best of luck to your DD with the next rounds.

This is such a difficult process.

DD is also through to the WHS second stage! She had the Emanuel interview today and seemed to enjoy it.

Autumn hopefully your DD is still buzzing from fab scholarship news

Huge congratulations to @RevolutionofOurTime @colapip @PhilippaFawcett on your WHS results that’s brilliant news for your daughters.

Thanks re mine, she is ok. She just said ‘it means it wasn’t the school for me.’ So I think she’s fine. She loves Surbiton so much and if we can get a place there or Putney she’ll be delighted. Woldingham results next week, I really hope for her confidence she gets that.

Then we still have Emanuel and LEH in the mix. After today I’m very tempted to pull her out of LEH as it’s so tough, and right before the Surbiton exams... but then again it’s another chance, and her maths and English is usually strong. 🤷‍♀️

@Springboard congratulations too.

Your girls have all done fantastically!

@autumnnightsaredrawingin - I'm so sorry about the WHS news but don't be disheartened, I think all the different exams suit different types of kids. Isn't WHS quite a lot of VR and NVR? If so then really don't despair, I'm not sure my dd would have faired well either. The exams at LEH will probably suit her a lot better as they're more traditional English and maths I believe. LEH is v competitive but if she's usually strong then I wouldn't pull her out - just give it a go and let her know that there's no pressure or expectation. My dd has another exam in the afternoon immediately after LEH so that's going to be a fun day! I hope Woldingham brings good news - it's so hard to put them up for judgement at such a young age, though it sounds like she has a level head on her shoulders.

@autumnnightsaredrawingin please head up. My DD got through first round WHS but then didn’t get in. She got in all the other schools she applied for and now is super happy at PHS. My DS is at KGS and is very happy there. You have to please remember that the schools are all brilliant and there is often very little between the kids or at least they test them on different things. They are all little individuals. She will get into a school that she will love. It’s a brutal process but in a couple of years you will look back and be happy what happened

Thanks so much. I am fine now and so is she. She is a bright, sparky girl and will definitely find her fit somewhere! Thanks again.

Yes she will. Go girls!

And yes @givemesomewineplease first stage WHS is purely NVR and VR. Nothing else at all! So it was always going to be a risk for us. It’s not her strongest suit. So now we just focus on the others. We are still going to let her sit LEH. She really wants to, and it’s not going to do any harm. Thanks again and good luck with all yours.

Unfortunately, it was a no for DD for WHS. Can anyone help me understand the exam structure for LEH? The website states English and Maths, but also says that ‘these tests also cover VR and NVR’. Does that mean that there will be separate VR and NVR tests and, if so, will they be online or in paper format?

Thanks.

@chipolte I am wondering exactly the same thing as we are in the same position as you- a no from
WHS but sitting LEH...

My DD sat LEH last year. The papers were all written. There were verbal/SPAG & non verbal sections (more verbal than non verbal and I think these were timed separately 30 mins verbal & 10 mins non verbal) and the writing was a non fiction piece giving reasons for or against. I’m not sure if there was a comprehensive or not. This is from what my daughter told me after the exam and of course it can change year to year. Good luck

Thanks!