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]

Well done to everyone who have managed to make decisions / acceptances.

@Stircrazyschoolmum you are doing well whittling down your lucky hand! Am sure the offer holder events will help. @JavaTeak well done to you too. Must feel good having made the final decision. You can now just enjoy...lockdown!! 🙃

We are waiting for the holder event for CLSG next week and then state results on the 1st, so need to hang in there a bit longer. Still struggling with a few things.

@PatoPato and @Brot64 wishing much luck and to anyone else waiting on SPGS results today!! Long time awaiting. Hoping you can make your final choice with ease.

Hope everyone is enjoying half-term and everyone keeps posting. We have come so far together and the support has been overwhelming for lots of us. Be nice to continue the journey and share stories through to DD’s starting at their destination schools come Sept. I guess that will be the Part 3 of this epic thread. 💗

Oh wow! Is SPGS today? Good luck to all those waiting!

Back on the thread for a bit of advice . I know this is a SW thread but since it has a lot of parents applying to Dulwich schools as well , I thought of posting here .
DD got an offer to Sevenoaks School (accepting it means a shift of location for us ) and now we are stuck between shifting for Sevenoaks vs accepting a place at KGS vs any of the waitlists to come through .
Looking for advice on whether the shift is worth it with these options !

Hi Trialsat11, how confident are you of a swift house move by September?
Both children have a place at Ibstock Place ( Yr 7 girl and Yr 4 boy) and we are considering it.
Oh it's so hard!

@Trialsat11 we once looked at moving to Sevenoaks and found it quite souless.. TW is much nicer but farther from London to commute. I’m sure there are lots of pretty villages though. It seems like a massive undertaking given move costs/stamp duty/general upheaval. I think it would have to be something you genuinely wanted to do regardless of schools? Is flexi-boarding an option?

I wonder if holding out till 1 March and seeing where the waitlists stand might solve the dilemma for you? Have you other children to consider?

Ps..I just looked it up out of sheer curiosity and it looks amazing.. I can see the attraction!

@stircrazyschoolmum we were looking at moving to either Chislehurst or Orpington if we have to as the school has a bus from there and the London commute is much easier /
Flexi boarding is an option but only from 13+ but we would much rather prefer day with the costs involved . Have another DD but she doesn't start school until next year and so not much of a worry .
I would hope that the waitlist does come through as it will b much easier to just stay local though DD is quite enamoured by the school ( they did a 3 stage process in January onsite through the pandemic ! )

@Stircrazyschoolmum

Oh wow! Is SPGS today? Good luck to all those waiting!

SPGS were emailed this morning.

So kind of you to share all your notes! Thank you so much

Hello everyone,

Good luck with all the decision-making! @Stircrazyschoolmum what did you narrow your last 3 down to? We had a re-think about Putney (just loved the location and buzzy vibe, with the riverfront aspect too...) but finally opted for LEH as it works better on the travelling side for DD.

Many congratulations@Unsure44 and @User76532789 on LEH. Agreed, the airiness and space were what clinched it for us! Thanks @teachocolate for your helpful input (and @Flossietea).

@Trialsat11 I really do feel for you. Many congratulations on your DD getting Sevenoaks. I think she had quite a few offers in the end didn't she? I think you said you're also waiting for Tiffin (and maybe Nonsuch? Wallington?) Only you will know whether a house move is the right thing to do but perhaps - and I mean this in the gentlestpossibleway - uprooting your whole family might be quite drastic? I'm sure your DD will be highly successful in any school she goes to (she's done incredibly well overall - just the 'ISEB curse' that got in the way). Plus is it worth perhaps seeing if the wait lists move? But of course if a move to the 'country' was part of the grand plan then it absolutely makes sense, and a lovely school nearby to boot!

@PatoPato hope you had good news from SPGS. Look forward to the next update about your DD who has clearly taken SW London by storm! Fingers crossed for you too on SPGS @Brot64

Congratulations @JavaTeak on Ibstock, now you can enjoy getting ready for year 7.

Goodness @MumsRule20 it's true we're nearly reaching the end of the second installment of this epic thread!!

Well done to all of our children for getting such wonderful offers during this ghastly time!
We got a surprise offer from SCHS which threw a spanner in the works decision wise for us as we love Sutton High and already accepted a place. SCHS is only a 5 minute drive from home and Sutton is a 20 minute train journey. We followed our gut feeling in the end and stuck with our decision of Sutton as our DD wanted a smaller school (with a pool ) so in the end the further distance didn’t put us off!
I’d be interested in knowing any other parents who accept Sutton high as my DD will be travelling on the train from Haydons Road and would love a travel buddy!! (Or should I say mummy would like her to have a travel buddy as the thought of independent travel makes me feel sick with worry!!!!)
Anyway, good luck to all those making decisions now! Xx

Thanks all. It was good news for us today. We got an offer from SPGS this morning which we will be accepting, as we prefer both DD's to be in the same school for logistic reasons (boys are in other schools). We had already declined all other offers except CLSG and LU which we will be declining next week. I hope it was positive news for everyone else who was expecting to get news today.

This thread has been very supportive, so again many thanks and good luck to all your DDs.

@dazedandconfused11plus well done on making your great choice and all the better the journey is good for DD. Must be a great relief.

@Trialsat11 wish I knew the school, can see the attraction. Were you planning or wanting to possibly move anyway? Do you know anyone already that way and is it familiar? Might be a big transition to make all at once and like @Stircrazyschoolmum asks, can you do all that in time for Sept? I would hold out until any WL offers come up.

Why would you choose Sevenoaks over KGS over also another big question?

@Losingthewill01 great news!! Also encouraging to hear that distance is ok if it means the right school for DD.

@eglantine7 how sweet and well done to them both getting a place there? What makes you unsure? The commitment? Had hoped it would all be a bit easier come offer day but seems for some of us, still a process working it all out and not long to go before we really do need to decide one way or another.

@Brot64 fantastic news! She did so very well and will be so much easier and nicer for you having both siblings at school (hopefully for them too). Don’t disappear be great to hear updates later in the year.

Really good to read the updates; it’s been a bit quiet here these last few days! I haven’t had much to add myself as we’re still holding out on our WL places and holding off on the deposit for the offer we do have.
The stress is still very real!

Hello everyone, I am new here. I have been reading various posts on here and I have found Mumsnet helpful.We need to choose between Queen's Gate and St James. We could do with some useful advice to help us decide.
Thanks so much .

Hello Brot64 we also had good news from SPGS this morning. Now finding it difficult to decide between SPGS and PHS and working through a decision spreadsheet with travel times, cost, opportunities to suit DD etc. One sticking point (aside from cost difference) is that we don't know anyone in RL who has a daughter at SPGS, whereas we know some very happy girls at PHS. Very thankful for all the positive comments from SPGS parents on various threads.

Have released all other offers.

Congrats on all the offers that have come in!

@dinosaurinmybelly do PM me if you’d like to have a chat with someone with a dd at SPGS (a kind poster did he same for me, when I had a similar decision to make).

We did not receive offer from SPGS. In a way it makes decision easier . Very likely going with G&L , and declining CLGS, FH ( SS) and LU. ( in case people are on WL for these) Waiting for the offer holder event for G& L though PHS is lovely too. Love to hear fro parents with DD in G& L. Do they set children ? At what age ? Do you get a choice of which subjects for GCSE ? My DD loves Steam and drama! Languages? Any feedback from parent welcome .

I just wanted to say a big thank you to all the regular posters. This is my first time (ever) posting but I've followed this thread every day since Jan. I have to say that during those early days of Feb waiting for results it was so reassuring to see that others were experiencing the same waiting- both excitement and a little anxiety!
We were so thrilled accept LEH and DD is so excited! I am so happy for all of your DDs who have been successful and it is clear that the waiting lists will move- so fingers crossed that everyone ends up happy in a couple of weeks.
Thanks again for all the chat- it's been great.

@CalmParent Thank you very much for your reply. Everything I have read about QG has been positive. We had an opportunity to visit the junior building a couple of years ago. My daughter enjoyed the tour led by QG girls. We were not able to visit during the 11+ process because of lockdowns. Thank you again for your feedback. It has only confirmed what we feel in our hearts. I agree with you about convenience and how our DD feels about the school.

@MumsRule20 Just because we haven't visited this school at all and still a lot to learn in a short space of time. The head has just left and lots of changes afoot (positive?). Like the fact its coed but very much perplexed about homework and whether moving is feasible.

Does anyone know if waitlists and particularly Wimbledon High or Putney High waitlists have started to move yet?

Have not heard of any WL moving yet, hopefully soon and will hear about it here !

Does anyone know if waitlists LEH/ GHS have started to move yet?