Part 2: SW London Girl's Indies 11+ Pandemic Panic!

[MumsRule20]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3962084-Upcoming-girls-independent-SW-London-schools-11-exams?pg=40

Hello all, this thread continues from the previous "Upcoming Girl's Independent SW London Schools 11+ Exams" thread set up by @Oceane11Plus.

@PatoPato cleverly noticed, message slots were running low for the epic long thread as above, so all chat now continues here...

[Post edited by MNHQ at OP's request]

@stellagibbons that’s AMAZING news! Well done! That’s definitely a place I think.. and on that basis a SCHS offer too! x

@tiggermummy70 - all finished. It was a lovely interview in stark contrast to the one DD did on Friday. She got lucky as had a maths teacher & she loves maths so the interview was mostly the exercise & some maths questions with some though provoking philosophical questions thrown in. Her confidence is much boosted after this experience so I'm thrilled.
The only downer was the teacher said DD was very pixelated although sound was clear. I've gone to such lengths to make sure our connection is strong and stable (echoes of Teresa May ) and even tested it out with a friend beforehand so it was probably an issue her end. Very frustrating

DD finished her LEH interview.....not sure how it went but it was very quick and add seemed happy....just WHS to go now. Finally on the home straight!

One more interview done, one more to go next week, the last one
@PatoPato DD also came out smiling from her FHSS interview, she really enjoyed it. Whatever the outcome, I'm glad she had a positive experience.

I must admit I initially had a negative impression of the school given the lack of anticipation and communication last year but the more I think about it, the more I believe the change of approach deciding to only look at references and interview makes a lot of sense (especially when reading these posts about very able girls who have missed out on all their schools following one single computer exam). And it is so much easier on the girls compared to all these exams.

@stellagibbons AMAZING news, well done to your DD, you must be SO relieved!

@PatoPato thank you good luck !
@stellagibbons well done !

it seems our ISEB has given some random results (i.e. much lower than expected based on various online and paper mocks) so not sure where it will take us now :(

but hoping that schools look at the whole child and also take into account the school reference/report
oh well !

@montlieu, did you apply to NHEHS? They emailed around again yesterday asking how schools handled lockdown provision to try to gauge what kind of education was delivered during the first lockdown last year in an effort to view the whole picture for each student. I found it interesting that they were asking this for the second time yesterday. Let's see if in the end it does actually level out the playing field a bit? Before that second email I assumed they too would be focusing mostly on test scores (ISEB) despite also interviewing all girls, so let's see?

@stellagibbons Really wonderful, mind blowing news for you and DD!! Well done. I remember she was upset after the exam and neither of you thought it had gone well. Did they use their CAT4 results or the ISEB in the end as you had asked them to choose whichever she did better in?

To think it surpassed all your expectations and the worry of being behind on the learning.

So happy for you x

Thank you everyone - we need to weigh it up against our state options on March 1st - but I've always thought JAGS the best fit for DD so I just need to persuade DH (and DD - does anyone know whether any of the schools will do offer holder events - even online!).

@MumsRule20 I have no idea which they used - I just let them know she'd ended up sitting both so they had the information and left it at that! I'd love to know (and do wonder whether she has been a useful comparator between CAT scores and ISEB as she sat them on consecutive days - I suspect she wasn't the only one though given how events unfolded!).

@stellagibbons it really is nice to read it’s worked out well for your DD. Really wish her good success for the interview.
I know in the update letter from JAGS, they said they wouldn’t be holding the offer holders fun day, but perhaps nearer the time, they’ll organise a virtual one.
@Oceane11Plus well done to your DD and all the best for next week.
And all the best to everyone on here

I’ve just come across this thread and have read all of part 1 and now up to date with part 2 as well.
Gosh it’s nice to find you all!!
I have found the last few months so isolating on this topic; quite a few in DD’s state primary trying for independent secondary but no-one’s been talking about it, I don’t even know which schools her best friends have applied to!
I look forward to joining in a bit more over the coming weeks.
Wishing you all the best.

@Oceane11Plus and @PatoPato Sounds super positive. Well done. Not long before you can stop counting down the days!

DD just had her FHSS interview and came out really happy. Although that might be partly because she ate a lot of the marshmallows! Still, a positive experience for her.
We have WHS on Friday, PHS and NHEHS next week and then we are DONE. Woohoo!

Welcome to the thread @Tr0ubled How has your DD found it so far? Know what you mean by feeling isolating, think the lockdown makes it worse as not much else to get distracted by! What schools are you waiting on? Good luck with it all!

@ Tr0ubled welcome! I’ve been surprised by how cagey people can be about the 11+ in real life. Like you I don’t know much about how it’s going for most of DD’s friends. I like that there are people here who are happy to talk openly about the whole thing!

She’s trying for Alleyn’s, Emanuel, Putney, Streatham & Clapham and Wimbledon.
She’s been quite stressed at times about the whole thing (as have I!). She’s also been trying for sports scholarships and that has sadly added to the stress as instead of just bouncing off to the schools for a mornings fun we’ve had to do drills on video to send in. Also drama scholarships and again her monologues had to either be captured on video or performed live via zoom.
So ironic as I only entered her for scholarships as a way of demonstrating another string to her bow at an assessment morning, and in the end that was never achieved just lots of stress!
Fingers crossed she’s nearly done though, just waiting for Friday to hear about Alleyn’s interviews. Had a holding email this afternoon which put the fear of god into me when I saw it in my inbox!!

Should add she’s already interviewed for Putney via Zoom as part of the sports scholarship assessment on 5th Jan. They held a 15 min general interview ahead of her 10 min sports interview.
I’m not really sure if that means she did ok in her ISEB or if they were interviewing everyone who applied for music, art or sports scholarships.

@Tr0ubled welcome to the thread. Well done to your DD getting this far

I think it will be mean of the schools to invite you back for scholarship assessments if you haven’t passed the initial stages, so hopefully that means she has done well enough on ISEB
I know Alleyn’s got everyone to do sports video recordings early on in the process. And yes that email made my heart skip some beats when as I saw. As did the JAGS one a couple of weeks ago. I notice the Alleyn’s email made no mention of creative writing this time around, but I’m not holding my breath as they sprang this second round on us unexpectedly!!
What are we like eh?? I’ll be glad when this is over and done with.

Just received an email from one of our non-ISEB schools. They’ve sent out decision letters by post today. ( really wish they hadn’t said).
If we haven’t received it by Monday we can contact them. ( lovely!!!)
I guess it’s good they acknowledged that posts are not reliable at the moment

Welcome to the thread @Tr0ubled, did you get caught up in the Emanuel fiasco?

@stellagibbons when you mention state options does that include Graveney? I think the Wandsworth Test results are (finally) out next week but no idea how they will be communicated.

@Tr0ubled I seem to remember someone saying up the thread that not everyone had been called back by Putney for scholarship entrants (maybe it was a music scholarship application?) so I'd say that's good news if your DD was called back for the sports scholarship application.

Good luck for tomorrow on the post @WarmAndco3y Rooting for you!

Welcome @Tr0ubled - I've found that everyone has been pretty cagey about school choices in general - 11+ and state!

@Stircrazyschoolmum yes - we're waiting for WT results as well for Graveney - we're out of borough so I have no idea how they'll let us know! I get the impression from friends in Wandsworth that they couldn't get hold of the education department at all in previous lockdowns, so hopefully it'll be straightforward!

Just received the KGS interview . 1000 applicants this time !

Welcome @Tr0ubled! Lots of crossed over in terms of schools we’ve applied to and others on this thread too so I’m sure you’ll find good support and intel here!

Amazing news @stellagibbons what a great recognition of all your DD’s hard work!

X

@WarmAndco3y argh!!! Why would they do that?!? Surely better to tell parents the day after posting or to flipping email the result with a note that formal postage will follow!

@stellagibbons we are in borough and wondering if the school will pass it on.. I will obviously post if I hear anything!

Well done @Trialsat11 Great news on the interview!