PART 3: SW London Girl's Indies 11+ Results, Decisions & Panic Over?

[MumsRule20]

WELCOME TO PART 3!!

Previously…

PART 1 started by Oceane11plus in July 2020 for the SW London Girl’s 11+ 2021 cohort (pandemic year).
PART 2 continued the journey (exam pandemic panic).

Both Part 1 & 2 quickly reached the MN quota of 1000 posts!

Will PART 3 be our final episode? Keep supportively posting as we make our final decisions on offers, WL movement & starting Year 7 (hopefully post-pandemic)...

They won’t be able to visit before they’re liable for a term’s fees but some can afford that I suppose!

Visits from end of March apparently- and notice by end of term - so it is possible, but very unfair. I sure that’s why WHS are saying response has been slow?

Maybe they'll have visits when the schools have broken up but that rather defeats the purpose doesn't it!

With the COVID relaxation in stages , there will hardly be an opportunity to see the school in action before May .
Holding multiple deposits is just plain indecisiveness in my opinion and so unfair that a person offered that place later will have to forfeit a terms fees .

For anyone wondering Alleyn's don't take phones away but the DCs are so busy that it's not an issue. At least it hasn't been for us. There are WhatsApp groups so they can share information.
I think more places were accepted last year than they expected because the classes have a few more than 25 children.
DC loves it and we wouldn't change it.

I would imagine with regards to lists moving that many people don’t actually bother to notify the schools that they don’t want a place at, they just don’t pay the holding deposit by the deadline. If so then I would hope the WL’s will start to move after midday this Friday, as I think that’s the deadline for most offers to be accepted. 🤞🏻

Yellow that’s great to hear. Do your dc get involved in drama / sport and music a lot? Is there good encouragement for this. Dc can get into it and love it but might need an initial push

With regards to devices, my DD1 doesn’t take any special devices into school, just her phone.
Prepandemic they all had to leave their phones in their lockers and she did this religiously for all of year 7 and probably first term of year 8, after that she has been slack. Generally it’s not much of a problem, but she does talk about some who use their phones secretly in class constantly ( I’m sure she has on occasion as well). She says some teachers will confiscate it, but some will just ask them to firmly put it away.
In DS’s school they are very strict, it must be on your locker. If caught with it, it gets confiscated till the end of the school day and will result in a school service, or detention if you are a repeat offender.

With regards WL, it’s difficult. I know at least one school where the deadline was initially tomorrow, but they’ve now extended it until 9am on Friday. But still a problem because as someone mentioned deadline for a number of schools is midday on Friday. Potentially there could even be more movement from the 8th onwards. So the reality of having to pay 2 deposits is a very real possibility.

DC is sport mad but not musical
So yes hockey club. Netball club and dance club before lockdown.
They have 1.5 hour lunchtime so they can go to lots of clubs. It is encouraged.

I know 5+ families sitting on multiple offers because we are state I think the grammar and graveney slots are coming into play. I honestly think these families will release schools as soon as they feel able so tomorrow might be a busy day.. fingers crossed for all those waiting. xx

Is anyone here accepting a place to Croydon High? Any thoughts on how it compares to other schools, pros and cons? We are favouring CHS, but also have Woldingham and Caterham offers to consider - it's like comparing apples with pears, but academic results-wise there's not much in it, up to GCSE, at least, although the schools have very different characters. We've been very impressed with the post-offer engagement from CHS.

WHS or Surbiton academic scholarship?
Dear community, I should have joined earlier. Took long for me to realise I am not alone.
I have been researching threads for the day, and I need your views on WHS v Surbiton high academic scholarship.
We will be moving home either way, so commute not a problem.
Will be grateful for your thoughts.

@HelpDecide , is your dd musical? The music will be better at WHS although at SHS it's very inclusive as everyone can have a go. SHS give out quite a lot of academic scholarships so she won't be the only 1, in my dd's class many years ago there were 7 academic scholars!
Sorry not much help but depends how much the money off fees will help your family.

@HelpDecide Well done to your DD! SHS is twice the size to WHS and less academic than WHS. They don't do swimming but have loads of other great sports options, like skiing. WHS has a pool...

@Fenou1 We too have an offer from Croydon High. My DD is at Croydon High Junior school and it is a good school. Though we also have other offers so we are thinking to accept other offers. I think Woldingham and Caterham are more academic compared to Croydon High and also bigger campus as well compared to Croydon High. I heard that Caterham is very good for sports.

@yellowspanner
Doesn't Alleyn's take the mobile phones at all ? are pupils at least encouraged to leave them in the lockers and/discourage to use them during the school time ?
Are they doing the Bring Your Own Device as well ?
Thanks

For anyone sitting on waiting lists and losing hope, my daughter received an offer from NHEHS at 5 mins pre the closing deadline (not this year obvs!). Keep badgering admissions, if you are at a prep -keep hounding your Head. We were told that DD wasn’t at the top of the WL. In our case, we had just accepted our 2nd choice offer 10 mins before deadline, resigned that it wasn’t going to happen, when the NHEHS offer came through!! If you have been super clear and persistent that you will accept the place then I believe you still have a chance. Get on the phone now!! Good luck WLers...I have been there and it will be OK

@Skatingpark97 and @mumster007 thank you for your inputs. Every bit helpful

@libbygray so you just had accepted the other offer but not paid the deposit ?

@LibbyGray Thank you for your feedback. We are in same situation. So let’s hope we get some positive news this week.

@iamsodone yes we had! So 15 mins before deadline we accepted our 3rd choice school (DD was on 2 WLs but we only hounded her first choice school!) as we had lost hope of an offer from 1st choice school. 5 mins before deadline her NHEHS offer came through! Luckily there is an affiliation between the ‘back-up’ school and DDs current prep so they grudgingly agreed to refund the deposit. I admit that that is unusual and we were very lucky to not lose the money. The point I wanted to make was - don’t give up, keep phoning admissions and be super charming, let them know you are ready to do bank transfer et , don’t believe it’s over until last minute. Lots of places will get released this afternoon and right up to the deadline. Some parents are really lazy / selfish and hang onto offers until the last possible moment. We got lucky for sure - but I am sure the school want to ensure they have secured all the places too so if you’re are at the right place at the right time it increases your chances of success. People say that phoning admissions makes no difference. I am sure in our case it did...

Our PHS waitlist turned into an offer . So happy for our DD and I’m so glad we don’t have to shift for the other option now
Wishing all on the WL all the best . I’m sure there will be many more offers coming through

@Trialsat11 Brilliant news for your DD! She must have been right at the top of the WL! You must be so relieved!

YAY!!!! @Trialsat11 ! Fab news! See you in September!

Do all London grammars announce tonight or will some boroughs be earlier? Fingers and toes crossed for all those waiting. x

Oh wow, I’m so happy for you and your DD @Trialsat11. That is simply fantastic. Is this your preferred school? Do you think you’ll accept? Well done and congratulations