Harrodian exams last Saturday

[mymyherewegoagain]

Anyone here with experience of Harrodian entry exams and the exam process please? So far I have found the Admin Office rather abrupt to deal with and not very informative so just wondering how many get called back for interviews and how do they let you know? Post, email, phone?

Many thanks in advance.

We didn't set the exam as I didn't really like the school. Agree with the Admin Office being rather unhelpful.

I absolutely hated this school. I think if you're a celeb you like it and it likes you.

Good if you're musical, loaded, the child of a TV presenter, and not very academic IMO.

Thank you for your replies. I was really just looking for some information on the process and timings so if anyone can shed any light on this I’d be very grateful.

Many thanks.

IME loads were called back for interview and you found out by post. Can't remember how long the wait to hear was.

For 2018 11+ entry we were told about 250 were called back for interview (for about 24 places eventually). Letters sent out just prior to Feb half term. Not sure how many offers were made but I know a few who didn't accept in the end (including my DC). Those who did accept for that intake seem very happy. Good luck!

Great - many thanks!

Last Saturday was yr 7/8 pretest and sixth form only not 11 plus so smaller numbers and a different timetable to 11 plus. They said interview date would be 15th (for pretests) and to keep that free. I guess they also gave out another date for sixth form applicants. We haven’t heard yet and I haven’t chased. I am assuming we will hear only a few days before as they have already asked everyone to keep a date free for interview. Its a quick turnaround so I doubt the admissions office can tell you anything more yet. They have to mark all the papers and then have a discussions about who to call back so I just think its a case of waiting at this stage. I liked the school and we aren’t loaded/celebrities/highly artistic. Good luck!

And PS to answer your question directly I don’t know the method of call back or the numbers but their information said ‘promising’ candidates would be called back which I take to mean there is no fixed number, it is who they are interested in.

Thanks and good luck to yours too MGMidget!

OP, the head at the prep mine were at said there is no rhyme of reason to who did / didn’t get offered places st this school. In fact it was the only one they would never predict because they said the admissions there made no sense. It has a celeb reputation, yet I know of one or two DC of celebs who were not accepted. I also have quite a few friends with DC in the upper years who are very disappointed with the school - basically they say it’s a party school and their DC have fallen short of their predicted grades at GCSE by some margin. It’s not the only school if this type to have a drug issue but this is something they all report. They wish they’d moved them at 11 plus.

The admin department really is awful at Harrodian. Downright rude at some points. Our son was offered a place but we turned it down as we found them so unhelpful.

But obviously we went through every part of the process, so if there's anything particular you want to know I'm sure I can answer :)

If you really want Harrodian for secondary you better pitch up with your children in the mid years of primary. You will have a bigger chance if you are local and British (is that Brexit?). I have heard of two families that got an offer on the spot while doing a school visit for their children, looking for places anything Y5 and below. And yes, if you are comfortable financially and work in media, advertising or are a footballer it will very much help the odds too.

Oh and one family took the offer - rather suits them despite coming from a good prep in West London, but did not believe in and were really afraid of the 11+ looming on their eldest.
The other family shied away and found it all a bit strange.
I think the school must be skewed towards some sort of profile at the moment and they are also afraid of Brexit (too many banker families from Barnes perhaps?) so they are targeting a certain profile and if you fit, then it is really easy to get in.

Thanks so much for your replies everyone, really appreciate the insights. We didn't spend too much time doing research on Harrodian as it is not one of our top choices, I thought it could possibly be more of a back-up plan. Looking at the above responses I doubt we fit the profile but let's see what happens.

OP.... we recently received their guidance notes, so I presume you have too now, which sheds some light on the way ahead. We looked around twice and found the admission team friendly and helpful. Speaking to experienced others ,they say the exams and interviews are “user friendly “ compared to other schools! We are definitely not in the so called profile groups mentioned...so we shall see!

A young relative of mine went to Harrow for a while. Definitely not a celeb, and not British or local. Parents lived abroad. English was not his mother tongue either. But did attend a “feeder” prep for a couple of years in the UK before going.

Hi @daisypond, I think this thread is about the Harrodian school in Barnes, not Harrow the boarding school.

One of my friends moved their two children there and is happy so far (a year in). Other friends have had their children go all the way through & be happy. I haven’t heard any horror stories.

@Rockylady -oops, yes, quite right. I’d misread it!