Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Trinity/Whitgift 2020 entry

780 replies

Breathe10 · 07/12/2019 12:31

I've read through lots of chat re 2019 but can't see a 2020 10/11+ 2020 thread. How are your DS's getting on?

OP posts:
Sammy4321 · 01/03/2020 15:23

Thanks all. DS found T to be more friendly and down to earth- although he liked W he just felt more at ease at T which I guess is very important. We thought W appeared to have better facilities and is a slightly better location for us.

Wobbles21 · 01/03/2020 17:02

Whitgift definitely has more impressive grounds.T is very friendly and the staff are v approachable. T is smaller and I would say easier to get into sports teams and probably better for music. W better for elite sport I would say. Is the IB important to you?

Sammy4321 · 01/03/2020 18:07

Thank you! Yes W looked better and I just felt (rightly or wrongly) that that is somewhat what you pay for. IB is not important at all. Re academics - do you feel they are on par or that T pushes more? Our DS is smart enough but not top of the class in any subject nor in sports - he’s more of a generalist if that makes sense. So I don’t want him to be in an environment where is overly pushed and feels uncomfortable.

SoupDragon · 01/03/2020 18:38

Yes W looked better and I just felt (rightly or wrongly) that that is somewhat what you pay for

Yes, but do you want to pay for impressive grounds or education? I think the two schools are much of a muchness from the point of view of the education - any choice is very much down to feel and the other things that make up school life.

When we were looking, I fell in love with W - what's not to love? We ended up at T as, apart from the large scholarship (😂) it was the one I felt comfortable with. I don't regret that choice but, then again, I don't think I would have regretted choosing W either.

Jige · 01/03/2020 19:23

There’s not much difference between W & T in terms of academics. Both my boys ate at W and love it, and it’s much closer to home which in the long run makes a difference. I know boys travel for an hour to get to W and get home very late, but they love it. I know many mums who have boys at T and are equally happy. But if you’re undecided, but like both schools I would always choose the school nearest, believe me it takes it toll over the amount of times you have to come for events, parents evening etc.

Both schools push/challenge the boys. Look at what fits your child, if your child is confident and organised then W would suit him, if your child is on the sensitive side then T. Though W is a bigger school, Y6 + 7 have their own wing and the teachers come over to them to teach, it’s only a few subjects where they have to get to other classes like PE, DT, art and science. Longer lunches 1.45 mins gives them plenty of time to eat and do a club. Classes are 45mins, T is 35mins, so really depends. I would sit down with your son Sammy4321 and go through the pros and cons of each school.

Both my boys are very academic hence we choose W even though we got offers from T for both of them. W has definitely made them more confident and pushed them academically so we’re very pleased. Also with Mr Ramsey (headmaster) has pushed the academic side which shows in last years GCSE and A level results.
Good luck to you and all the other parents who are undecided.

GiveMeFive · 01/03/2020 19:51

I would go with T as its your sons preferred choice. It means that he is totally committed.

Really not alot in the schools but T is smaller and known for its amazing pastoral care.

Freeasabird99 · 02/03/2020 12:57

Think about where your son would feel he belongs?

A friend of mine was Head Boy at W and I think it is fair to say felt slightly out of place.

One of the factors for me personally was that I found the Head at Trinity came across a very decent and humble man.

Not met the head at W - but for all of the boys - no matter what their abilities or whether they are educated at private or state, retaining a sense of humility is a precious thing.

Sometimes wonder whether the state of the world would be as it is if we spent as much time on developing our own and our kids' humility and kindness as we do achievements!

T seemed to offer this ethos of service to others - don't know enough about W to say if they do or not - but can't be a bad thing in my view. Good luck!!

EccaMoldcan · 03/03/2020 09:26

Really interesting to hear all this feedback. Both W and T are amazing schools, so it's a really tough decision.

@Freeasabird99, we got the same impression from T about the ethos of service, humility, gratitude, etc., and it's driven our decision to accept their 10+ offer today over W.

Tricky, because our DS is a very strong athlete and obviously W has an amazing reputation for sports, but he/we just felt more comfortable at T.

So for those of you with boys starting T at 10+ without knowing anyone - there's another one coming who's in the same boat! I'm sure they will all make friends and have a great time in JBugs.

JustJuice187 · 03/03/2020 12:59

Hi all, just to let you know we've turned down out 10plus place at T now, so hopefully someone on the waiting list will get some good news.
DS1 is at T so it was a tough decision, but we feel the right one for DS2 for now.
I would say T is equally strong at sport, despite impressions. The schools will expect the best at all times from the boys, so it's not all touchy feely, but yes, we do love the pupil-led approach at T which really comes across in everything they do.
Journey wise we have found it fine. In our experience all kids wherever they are, unless very local, are leaving around 7.30am.
HTH

optimisticmum2020 · 04/03/2020 11:18

Does anyone have any information on the W 11+ WL?

Popgoestheweaz · 04/03/2020 11:19

We've just turned down an 11+ place at T in favour of Dulwich College. In the end, it came down to the commute. DC is a short walk away, but T really captured my, DH and DS's hearts so it was a really tough choice. Hope that brings good news to someone on the waiting list.

I do think its the right choice, but I hate making decisions and am rubbish at commitment so have tried to reassure myself that if it all goes horribly wrong at Dulwich he can try again for T at 13+ or 6th form.

Alieninjeans · 04/03/2020 11:39

@optimisticmum2020 - I have just been in contact and they’ve said no updates and they won’t know until post acceptance date. I guess they aren’t going to see a lot of movement.

optimisticmum2020 · 04/03/2020 12:04

Thanks @Alieninjeans

Happiness14 · 04/03/2020 17:41

Hi ladies I'm a little late in the group but enjoyed reading all the comments alot of information! My son was offer a place at T for 11+ which we have accepted today as it was the school he wanted to go to. I have to agree on the feel of T ... its seems like a happy safe place.

I would be interested in finding other mums accepting 11+ places at T.

I would like to say an overall congratulations to everyone offer/no offers accepted/rejected places I think ppl in this group know the heartache we go through as parents and the hard work our children go through it's not easy, just to survive it all is an achievement so well done all!

tundi · 04/03/2020 19:52

Yes, congratulations to everyone, enduring this emotional roller coaster 😂
Just an idea for the other 10+ T applicants: how about having a Saturday afternoon pick nick, kick about in a park in around end of April /May , so the kids could meet with their fellow Jbugs;-) I know there is a new kids/parents event in June, I just thought it would be easier to get the younger ones to get to know a little bit each other before they'll try to find out who is 10+ and who is 11+ on that day?

EccaMoldcan · 05/03/2020 12:36

@Tundi, we'd be up for that if we could find dates that worked.

Happiness14 · 05/03/2020 16:16

I have a question for mums who already have kids in trinity/whitgift, can kids win scholarship in the future let's say a sports scholarship in year 8 or an academic scholarship in year 9 etc or is it just what the allocate now and no chance after this???

Yey22 · 05/03/2020 16:45

@happinss14 I think there is the option in year 9 with the new intake.

champagneandfromage50 · 05/03/2020 17:21

There is 13 + options at W. I know a few boys who have just gone through the process, one applied for a sports scholarship

Happiness14 · 05/03/2020 20:22

@yey22 and @champagneandfromage50 thanks for the info, useful to know they could get into scholarship later would be a shame if the option wasn't available.

PiedImperial · 05/03/2020 21:19

There are scholarships available at 13+ if you are joining T at that stage, but I've not heard of anyone already at the school being given one when they move up into the 3rd form.

johnsmith75023 · 05/03/2020 21:22

My son is clever but has dyslexia formally assessed and confirmed

-mainly difficulty understanding comprehension and spelling words and writing creatively. Difficulty in understanding maths questions. He takes a while to understand, but then he is ok once he has some time or extra explanation.

I wondered if this is a disadvantage when applying to Trinity or Whitgift and if we should even tell them about it? Anybody applied for these schools where their child has a formal assessment confirming dyslexia. We are in a dilemma whether to tell them or not, as we feel it is a negative mark against him.

Does anyone have a child with dyslexia at the school and what is the support like?

Thank you

champagneandfromage50 · 05/03/2020 21:34

The schools offer support for children with specific needs. My friends DS has dyslexia and was given longer in the exams and had to use a computer. He was offers dulwich college and Whitgift and trinity .

champagneandfromage50 · 05/03/2020 21:36

All the schools have fantastic learning support and it is not a disadvantage to have a formal diagnosis of dyslexia . You would be putting your son at a disadvantage by not telling them.

Jeezimacasalinga · 06/03/2020 14:08

Anyone else received a WL offerfrom Trinity? They called yesterday with the offer, and now I’m completely torn between T and W.....gut feel says T will suit my quiet introvert more - but he’s not interested in music, and Journey is slightly longer. He enjoys sport but average ability. Any words of advice?