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]

@Flossietea - that's brilliant - well done to your DD!

I got the result from LU. Please check your spam folder just in case.

I've just heard from LU, DD got a place! So relieved. Now we have to decide whether to accept it or not, which depends partly on the state outcomes on 1st March.

Can't quite believe it after the car crash interview!

We've also got an offer from LU. It appears now the problem is deciding on a school rather than what it previously was. Thanks so much for this thread. It's been such great support. Congratulations to all those with offers and good luck to those on WL. It will all start moving now.

We got offers from CLSG, G&L, LU, LEH, PHS, NHEHS
Deciding between G&L and CLSG.
Releasing LU, LEH, PHS, NHEHS today

Any recommendations between CLSG and G&L considering we have relocate

@Oceane11Plus thanks so much and a great perspective. So happy on the FH place, well done. I really hope you get a place from G&L and encouraging to hear so much movement and lots already rejecting offers to allow for this. Have you asked them where you are on the list? What is your preferred? All fingers crossed X

@stellagibbons big thanks to you too and such well done

@Stircrazyschoolmum @Flossietea and @Brot64 blown away by all your offers. Fantastic news!

@WarmAndco3y Praying for JAGS and feeling super hopeful.

@Trialsat11 massive relief on KGS and hoping for lots of WL movement for you. @Gladtidings1 also congrats on KGS

@Tr0ubled How is today coming along? Anything as hoped? Thanks so much for your message yesterday, our anxieties and mindsets were just alike, big sigh now as we get to today.

@DrRamsesEmerson Yay!! The LU came good. How about that!!! Such fab news.

Hope I haven’t missed any of us off. So much in the picture hard to recap on all. Hope the posts continue for the rest of our journey and to fill in any gaps and updates...

A brilliant outcome for so many and surely more good news to follow.

Yes, thanks all for great support on this thread; it's been a lifeline.

Wow so many good news today! Congratulations @Stircrazyschoolmum on the scholarship and another offer, @Flossietea for all your offers (and how decided you are on LEH!), @stellagibbons, @DrRamsesEmerson, @Brot64, @Trialsat11, @BlackRainbow2020, @croosader... I hope you're all going to celebrate in style this weekend

@MumsRule20 We will be accepting JAGS this weekend and releasing other offers (we won't be waiting for G&L WL to move).

Goodness, just logged on and saw all this wonderful news!!! It looks like everyone got offers I think. Well done to your clever girls.

Good news for DD today so that's a nice confidence boost but I think we'll stick with LEH Now we have all the final outcomes it helps everything to crystallize somehow.

Will spend the weekend releasing other offers, so hopefully that will help those on waiting lists.

Also wanted to say a massive thank you for keeping me sane these last few months! Feel utterly exhausted now...funny how this whole thing is so draining when it's not even us doing the exams and interviews!

Happy half-term everyone!!!

@dazedandconfused11plus Hello! Nice you got more come your way. Glad all is clear for you now and decision made! Hope DD is happy.

So totally draining and such a long time coming. We need to make a decision as have two NW London offers (not our first) and considerations are not easy and sort of feel so many questions to ask. DD thrilled with CLSG too but need a little time to work it out at the moment. Wish it was a little more crystal clear. I think after some sleep and good rest...and can't believe it is half-term now.

Hope everyone has some lockdown fun planned. X

@dazedandconfused11plus I'm so glad you had more good news today although I can totally understand why you are sticking with LEH.. seems like a great school! I am so so cross with Alleyn's not emailing anything - its not like it would be our top choice but I feel like I need all outcomes through now!

@MumsRule20 you are right about it being draining. I'm so done with this process! CLSG is awesome.. I can't figure out Emanuel's thought process.. unless they thought you would never accept them?!

DD, just received academic scholarships to clsg, WHS, g&l, please help which shall I choose !!!

@Educatemum wow! simply wow! I hope you are buying DD takeaway tonight!

@Educatemum pushed the button too soon.. my one piece of advice is watch every virtual event and go through the website with a fine tooth comb. Its been very interesting so far to see how much you can actually get a feel for the schools this way. I've spent 5 hours on Putney events today and I'm completely Putneyed out but seeing the smile on DD's face and her engagement with the material was very insightful.

@Stircrazyschoolmum five hours!! What did they do? (Not one of ours). It’s great that your DD was able to engage so well online.

@Stircrazyschoolmum thank you so much for your kind and lovely words. I really appreciate it. Congratulations to your DD!

Stircrazyschoolmum we were also on the PHS presentations today all day. I have been impressed with the head from the outset of this process back in July when I remember her not being phased in the least by some technical glitches to the virtual presentations which were then quite a new thing.
Today I thought the rapport that the staff have with each other is quite unusual - a real sense of community and nurturing environment. Both DD and I were sold.

@Stircrazyschoolmum I can’t believe you haven’t heard from Alleyn’s yet - when are they supposed to let you know? Is PHS edging ahead now?

DH and I are going to decide over half term (although I’d say we’re 95% of the way there) - I do want to wait for the JAGS offer holders morning though, although it feels quite late.

Hi all, I have been a long-time lurker in these kinds of threads. We went through the 11+ process last year. I know these threads are helpful. After getting several offers and accepting only one, our DD is settling well. I just would like to comment on the schools, we have seen and visited. We visited quite a bit of schools and made some impressions. You can use the notes below to ask questions when you attend offer holder days. Again, these are my notes from our visits and/or the visits of those close to us.

At the end of the day:

1. Many DDs have multiple offers and they can only go to one and only one school.
2. Unfortunately, many parents will decide based on school’s rankings. A minority will go against this. But remember, location is also very important.
3. Please be nice to your DDs. Don't make them feel like a failure (very important!!!) because they didn't get to a higher ranked school (or because they were told by not to apply to one).
4. The parents are likely more stressed than their DDs in this process.
5. Keep supporting your DDs!

Just reviewing my notes;

SPGS – It is the school eagerly pursued by all the academics. If you look hard in some of the prep school leavers info, it seems only a few are asked to apply here. Your DD must be on the top of the cohort to even try. The Head of Admissions, Miss R, was awesome. The Art History teacher was remarkable. The Sixth Form building was very impressive. However, we felt inconsistencies during our visits. During our first visit (Year 5), the Head Mistress focussed heavily on the academic achievements of the students. The tone changed during our second visit (Year 6) to the school being more inclusive, with a bit more social ethos – something you can now see in their Twitter page. In both visits, there was an emphasis on the bad effects of over tutoring; yet, they do admit giving GCSE-level questions for their 11+ assessment. Their CEM pre-test (now also used by CLSG) is a killer for the unprepared. I personally like their ‘Comprehension’ question, which suited our DD very well. The two students who toured us the first time kept on looking at each other for affirmation; I pointed this out to my DP because it bothered me. The application asks for how far you have to commute to get to the school (should be less than 50 minutes); yet, during our second visit, we met a fairly confident student who lives far far far very far away. I like that the school offers the opportunity to study Russian. It was also the ONLY school we visited that did NOT offer any F&B during their Open Days (except for the Music Scholars afternoon). The school does NOT report GCSEs (they do school directed courses/ internal assessment) for ‘softer’ subjects such as Art and Design, Technology (?), Drama, Music and PE (?) – why? Their use of high gsm shiny paper (but not Eco-friendly) for communication exuded perfection and sophistication. SPGS will soon be opening branches in China.

G&L – An aspirational school for many. The school is known for its super excellent pastoral care, with their girls wearing their ‘academic credentials lightly’ (that is exactly what is written in their website); G&L is the highest ranked of the 11+ consortium schools. The Head Mistress is very well liked according to many. Communication here is just right and personalised. We toured this school twice: the first time was with a quietly confident girl from Chiswick and the second time was with a very accomplished athlete, who had an offer from one of the biggies in the US. G&L has impressive buildings and facilities – with a large field on site. You can do an IB here instead of the A-levels. Mandarin is an option for MFL. More and more girls seem to be doing STEM. G&L, like CLSG but unlike SPGS/NLCS/NHEHS, offers the more strictly marked English Lit and Lang GCSEs (versus the ‘easier’ IGCSEs) – and I do not know why (this makes me think whether what really matters – but why?). The school is proud for its efforts to engage with the community and their Twitter page seem to show every day schooling lives of happy and high achieving students. Whilst the school tries to advertise/market their strength in sports, we know of G&L girls who are not into sports; these kids do well in Music or in their chosen extracurricular activities; the school needs to make sure this is relayed to prospective parents. One last thing – one prep school mum told us that they do not want G&L because it will be like the same bubble experience at their all girls prep (probably true for all girls’ secondary schools though!) but we later learned that their DD still ended up at G&L! They did serve F&B during their Open Days! Their use of high quality paper (but not too thick) is just right. G&L recently welcomed the Redcliffe Prep School in Chelsea to their foundation.

CLSG – The City Girls – another aspirational school. I like the location of the school, my DP and DD did not. They think it is this ugly concrete building in an urban jungle – but the opportunities to be involved in City events were there! There is a swimming pool, a place to play outdoor sports, and an allocated nook just to hang out. The D&T suite was very impressive. Our DD went to the taster day for state school kids and she loved the Philosophy teacher. The old Head Mistress could have been more engaging, the new one seems to be all smiley. The kids who toured us on many occasions seem to be normal. There is more diversity here – ethnically and economically. They have students ALL over London! (See my note about GCSEs in the G&L entry.) There were NO exploding offers during our year (they probably learned from their previous mistake!), and they were very much open to the fact that parents are waiting for their DD’s grammar school offers before making their final choices – they just need to be told. Good F&B during Open Days. Paper quality for letters– rough but definitely eco-friendly! One thing: a mum once told us that the school does not engage much with parents once their DD is in – really? We can find this out. And my DP found a mouse running in the premises during DD’s interview – who cares? This is urban London.

LU – This school is up there! There was a loud and strong vibe – boys and girls together like the real world. However, you probably have read here in MN that kids can get lost in this BIG school – with lots of alpha and loud kids. The kids who toured us on several occasions seem to be normal, happy and confident – proud of their school. Their efforts to address social inclusivity are all over their webpage and Twitter – a very outward looking school. However, I would like to see more of the everyday normality of school life in their Twitter. Their buildings are great. It is normally used by the Tri-Borough Music Hub on Saturdays. They have a choir for parents! They take their sports (and other curricular activities) seriously – with a pool within the premises and a larger field near Westfield London. A very personalised letter from Mr G for those who make it at 11+. Whilst we were attending an offer holders’ event in an all-girls school, a parent asked her DD on whether the child wants to study hard and be in that all-girls school (the parents’ preference) or hang out with the boys at LU; we later learned that their DD ended up at LU. Year 11 English is a combination of GCSE and IGCSE. Very good F&B during open days. Nice white paper with their blue logo! Kids get a Chromebook!

FHSS – The head teacher was lovely, endearing and really focussed on the pastoral aspects (and of course, their academic achievements) of the school. She reminded me of the former Head Mistress of St Helen’s Northwood – but a little bit more for the Sloane Square/Chelsea/Belgravia crowd. They both projected that a Head Mistress should be a second mother to students. we met the most passionate Biology teacher here; he really took time showing and explaining about the dividing chromosomes in the microscope/computer. The Chemistry room was full of fun experiments – carefully prepared by the students/teachers. A bit cramp in terms of space. Very good effort on F&B. Despite their excellent GCSE scores, there is a bit of a drop for A levels, why? The student who toured us was very confident; she wanted to study Medicine and was thinking of changing schools (maybe boarding) for 6th form. There is not much ethnic diversity here (but not as starkly noticeable as in Channing … location?).