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

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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]

KGS notes (which I've melodramatically struck through as we didn't apply...I love the school but it's just too far on the bus)

1000 apply for 125 places
They interview 400 for 250 offers
Pass mark (before all the nonsense) is 70%
I haven't written it down but I remember they had a v well balance state: indie ration

@Montlieu - nothing on Alleyn's as we are miles away

Really the GSG should include all this info as it's the info we all want at this stage!

@Stircrazyschoolmum
offers for WHS around 5th february so earlier than most, yes !
invitations for interviews out tomorrow for interview 20th/21st

@montlieu - I just consulted my copy of the GSG from 2017 (a freebie from some Nextdoor.com mother who'd finished with it and was so grateful to be rid of it!) so it is a little out of date

Alleyns...500 applicants for 125 places with a third coming from the junior school,

@PatoPato I think it’s 1000 going for 100 places this year as 20-25 places have already been taken by 10+ candidates

We sat Alleyns two years ago and we were number 987... Surname begins with a W and the numbers are done alphabetically. The numbers of applicants on the day of the exam was unbelievable. From what I know from when we saw the school - it was from memory 130 places - 90 external and 40 going automatically to the junior school. My understanding was that the 90 are generally split 50/50 boys and girls. My DS is very capable and got offers from all schools we applied to but didn't even get an interview from Alleyn's. Rumour is (and I have no idea if this is true) that a lot of kids that are accepted tend to be from Honeywell and Belleville school.

@montlieu all i can tell you is that the kids that had offers from our school were the really musical ones...not necessarily the strongest in maths but defintely the strongest in reasoning and english (they also at the time did a new Spacial awareness test - not sure if they did this year ?)

Such a lovely school and now with the added bonus of the great ex WHS head ! interesting to see if the new head will change the admission process next year.

How much interview practice are you guys doing with your DDs? I’m not doing much because our prep said not to over-prepare them but I am making sure she has something enthusiastic to say about the school. And I’ve told her if she is asked what she likes doing in her free time not to just say playing Roblox.

Here’s a stat that will make you all feel better, DS2s year at his prep school received 10 offers from KCS (which I would classify as super selective) and only 3 actually accepted place as the others took places at Westminster, St Paul’s and Eton....there was a similar pattern across all of the schools with acceptance rates being typically less than a third....just goes to show that they all over offer because they have to. I also noticed a trend that the majority of boys called to interview got offers (like three quarters)....

@Flossietea Roblox - snap. Don't start me on the Flamingo YouTube videos

Thanks for all the stats, that's really reassuring although, still an awful lot of children! In terms of interview prep, we went through what extra curricular activities she could talk about, just to remind her of the things she had actually done really as obviously a lot has stopped because of covid. We had a quick chat about books as I think all of them asked her to recommend a book. I agree probably best not to over prepare (unless you know it will be eg problem solving) When she told me some of her answers, I think they were better than if I had tried to coach her to be honest. Kids have more sense than we sometimes give them credit for!

@Flossietea - did you get the FHSS email?
Will you be making your marshmallows??! (where's the laughing your head off emoji when you need it!)

@Flossietea - it just occurred to me that you might have different shopping list to me.
@Oceane11plus - tagging you in case you haven't found us on the part 2.

@patopato I haven’t had an email from them! So I am confused about the marshmallows.... refreshing inbox

@Flossietea - sorry if my message caused you stress but at least you know it's on its way.
It's a lovely email and they said in that they have 600 children to interview so that's 600 emails to double check the names on. Having said that I do wish the schools could send out all comms at the same time because it is flipping stressful when yours is in the batch that hasn't yet arrived!
Good luck tomorrow by the way. We are first thing

@PatoPato don’t worry I have it now! Luckily we have marshmallows so I won’t need to make them!
Good luck to you tomorrow too! May the technology work perfectly.

I’m up ridiculously early with ‘busy brain’.

Best of luck today with interviews (the marshmallows sound intriguing!)
Also fingers crossed for those waiting for WHS news and positive vibes for anyone (like us) who will be sitting the Emanuel papers and hoping the technology doesn’t crash!

I’ll probably be offline and manically cleaning for the next few hours but I’m looking forward to checking in this afternoon. To quote DD.. “mummy, this afternoon we are going to PAARTY! 🤣

Good luck to everyone with interviews!

Best of luck to those DD sitting Emanuel today even though the "work completed at home" seems pointless at this stages. Went to the other thread and almost panicked as last post was on Wednesday and I thought you had all disappeared. .

Anyone applied for scholarships at Jags and waiting to hear how it will all take place? I am curious as to how sports scholarships are to be assessed on zoom? I can wrap my head around music ones being done on zoom as we did grading exam on zoom but sports? What would they do? Jog on the spot? Anyway, good luck and thank you for continuing the thread.

Yes good luck to those with interviews today and those taking the Emmanuel exam. I hope all goes well. We are waiting for the update from WHS, but I imagine it will be a 4pm blast before they run out the doors for the weekend.

I love DD's quote Stircrazyschoolmum. Just absolutely right, she's a superstar .

Good luck everyone with the interviews! Glad you found the new thread @Brot64. Thanks for the stats @PatoPato - I have to admit to spending far too much time over-analyzing those! On that topic, do we know how many WHS invite to interview, versus number of offers and wait list places? Hope WHS puts us out of our misery soon!

Does anyone know how will SPGS decide to offer? They are interviewing 450 candidates. and interviews are remote. Even papers are shorter. Their unique style comprehension papers and maths section c are missing.

[quote montlieu]@PatoPato you're just absolutely brilliant !

anything on Alleyn's by any chance ?[/quote]
@montlieu Alleyns has 150 places 48 of which are for the junior school. 800 external applicants for circa 100 places

@southLondonMommy thank you ! harsh numbers !

Just received WHS email with an invitation to their 45-minute online assessment/ interview

We just got a WHS invitation too! 45 minutes is long. Wonder what they’re planning?