KCS (Kings College Wimbledon) 11+ 2020

[Sosickoflovesongs]

Hi everyone
Firstly good luck to everyone who is going through the 11+ process like us!
DS did the exam for KCS last Saturday. Has anyone an idea, or past experience of how long it takes to hear about interviews? Also wondered if they email or send a letter?
Anxious times, all this waiting!!

11+ offer here too
Anyone going to offer holder day on 25th Feb?

Wondering why KCS isnt as popular as other schools on Mumsnet (Hamptons, Trinity, Whitgift, Reeds???)

KCS is traditionally seen as harder to get into / more academic than the others which might deter some families? Also i think its intake is smaller than the others because of boys coming through from KCJS.

Hi All, can anyone please share if acedemic scholars at KCS have any specific responsibilities, classes etc?

Hi @MummyLovesHeels2 we asked at the offers morning and were told there was no added responsibility / demands, where as obviously the music, sport scholars do !

@ripple11 thank you. X

@springisnear we've just accepted 11+ for KCS so my son will be in Y7 in Sept. We are based in Barnes. What did you decide in the end?

@scl1
We were swayed towards KCS and yesterday DS got offered superselective grammar which we are going to release with a heavy heart. I'll do the forms tomorrow and decline on eadmissions. Still pinching myself that this actually happened.

springisnear is too. Heavy heart letting the free place at a prominent school go.

• us too

Hi, looking for advice, hoping you can help... DS goes to state primary which does not prep for 11+ or interviews, but has said that he might do well with prep, which we ought to start now. Neither husband or I went through selective process so out of our comfort zone trying to work out what we should focus on, what level of available resources are realistic of KCS Standard. In your experience, what is the best way I can help prep him for KCS 11+ ? What resources/ classes did your DS find most useful?

Our experience is a solid KS2 (end of Year 6) knowledge and strong writing skills were all needed to pass the test. As for interviews, our DS (also from a state primary) had never been interviewed prior to the day and had no idea what an interview was like. He has a natural curiousity about everything and when someone talks to him about an intelligent topic he simply lights up. Perhaps a bit of luck as well. We DIY all the way and really didn’t know much what was required.
Good luck!

Luckily DS went to a school which prepped him for this, but to try and help:
Download the sample Maths and English papers on their website, as well as similar from other London day schools where available.
You will need to source sample verbal reasoning papers.
Lots of practise! BOFA is good.
The standard is high and a good tutor who is up to speed with the London Day school exam system would help a child who will not get prep in a state primary.... especially if you aren't familiar with the selective 11+ process.
I wouldn't worry too much about the interview. They put DS's at ease to talk! 10/15 mins chatting about hobbies/school / why Kings? / maybe a picture to describe /the odd searching question with no right or wrong answer!
Its a fantastic school and if his current school thinks he can do it, definitely go for it, best of luck.

DS went from a state primary. Tutor from beginning Year 5. Low key, didn't matter if missed a few sessions. Plenty of past papers in Autumn Year 6. Start with Bond Books then GL assessment. Purely anecdotally, but English seems to particularly important. Don't worry about the interview yet - they pick DS who (echo what another poster has said) have a natural curiosity about the world. You can't really tutor that. You will know if that is your DS.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the advice. We’ve taken a look at the online samples over the summer and had a casual go (not timed or anything). Looks as though he’s going to cover some of the syllabus off at home, especially with the C-19 interruption to schooling. English may be our stumbling block, especially as is timed. We have not come across verbal reasoning before so will signup to BOFA as DS quite enjoyed “playing” with it online!

@Thisonesfortheroad

Great to hear you are still going for it.
One other obvious tip....lots of reading!
Are you looking at any other indie schools?

@ripple11 tbh we want to stay as local to us as possible. KGS or Hampton would be the nearest. Are we being naive limiting our approach to just these and catching up on the syllabus at home? I dunno, probably...especially as not many states to choose from either

@Thisonesfortheroad so potentially KCS, KGS and Hampton?
IMHO you need at least one back up that isnt so academic ....ie Reeds? isnt too far and run buses.
Make sure you double check with the websites /admissions as it seems Covid is causing changes this year to the exam formats. ie KGS are not doing Verbal Reasoning this year.
Coming from a state primary, without a tutor who knows whats expected, is certainly doable .....but you need to be well focused on putting in the work at home!

Hi we are also going for KCS as well as KGS and Reed's. Both KCS and Reed's are doing ISEB tests this year, theu changed to this format because of Covid. Fingers crossed the boys will do well.

With the move to ISEB be prepared for the interviews to be more academic. I have got two DS' into both KCS and Hampton and the interview format changed each time so you really don't know what you are going to get. AT KCS one DS was asked to do a pretty complicated math problem at the interview and then discuss his workings and was also asked to analyse an advertisement for a product. The other DS (a few years later) had to read a passage from a book (not sure what it was but it was based in the second world war) and then answer some questions about the passage and then about war in general. He was also shown two picture and asked to pick one to discuss - from discussing with other candidates there were numerous pictures with themes like pollution, space and time, ethics etc. Hampton used to be a fairly straightforward interview discussing your hobbies etc when DS1 sat it but when DS2 sat it he had to discuss a piece of modern art which was really random (especially considering he is a very literal sort of boy!). So just be prepared for the unexpected as ISEB won't give them all the insights they will need. Good luck everyone!

Thank you Mycatslovedreamies for absolutely brilliant insight into the interview qustions! May as well ask him to relax as it seems like it's thinkng on their feet and analytical skills under pressure are what they are testing now! many thanks

I like the creativity of those questions @Mycatslovedreamies

@ripple11 thanks for the tip re: Reeds, will try and get along to their open events to find out more.

Do you know/ have any experience of Claremont Fan Court School?

hi.... just received 11+ KCS results today. Any tips of what to prepare for interview and written will be appreciated.
Anyone knows how many called for interview/second stage ?
Will it be the 1st year next year that current KCJS boys will join new boys in Year 7? As I heard previously boys from KCJS don't move at year 7 to senior school so only new boys to senior school, is that correct?
Thank you

hi just received 11+ KCS results today. Any more tips of what to prepare for interview and written will be appreciated.
Anyone knows how many called for interview/second stage ?
Will it be the 1st year next year that current KCJS boys will join new boys in Year 7? As I heard previously boys from KCJS don't move at year 7 to senior school so only new boys to senior school, is that correct?
Thank you

Does any know how 11+ offer decisions are made (specifically thinking re KCS). Is it a case of once through to interview stage, everyone then is on equal footing and it really comes down to interview performance (i.e. accept or not based on interview) or is the interview still weighted amongst all other factors (i.e exam performance, school report, reference, etc)?