SW London Girls' Private & Grammar - applying for year 7 in 2022

[SkaterGrrrrl]

I watched with interest the information and support on this thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/4177427-PART-3-SW-London-Girls-Indies-11-Results-Decisions-Panic-Over and wanted to start the same thread for South West London parents with daughters who will be applying for secondaries (independents and grammar) for places in year 7 in Sept 2022.

Where are you applying, how are the virtual open days going..... and to tutor or not to tutor?

@Lockdowndramaqueen, precisely!

Good luck to your daughter, they’re working so hard…

The London consortium this includes Goldoplohin & Latymer and 12 other schools are doing just the ISEB pretest and interviews like last year! It’s going to get officially announced after half term but our prep told us this weeks. london11plus.co.uk/
It’s actually an easier and less stressful process, one computer test for all schools, before Christmas, the ISEB syllabus covers all of year 5 curriculum and straight onto the interview.

@Yesday

The London consortium this includes Goldoplohin & Latymer and 12 other schools are doing just the ISEB pretest and interviews like last year! It’s going to get officially announced after half term but our prep told us this weeks. london11plus.co.uk/ It’s actually an easier and less stressful process, one computer test for all schools, before Christmas, the ISEB syllabus covers all of year 5 curriculum and straight onto the interview.

Yes, ISEB just needs one test for all the attempts. No, ISEB allows only one test for all.

We target G&L, TGS, CLGS, and have SHHS and PHS (not suggesting any easier though).

Also if to consider that usually DD won't usually be able to perform well in the first 1-2 tests, we ask wish to try a grammar school-HB which I know is a crazy idea due to the catchment policy starting from last year. It is just to help drilling the sense for tests. I know it won't give an ideal result if to take a fraction as metaphor- we are ready to be the divisor.

Btw, PHS has had its virtual open day last week. I like the school so will absolutely remain it in the wish list.

Good to know Yesday.

@SkaterGrrrrl I think I know which school you are talking about. We have friends with kids in years 10 and 12 there and am told there was quite a drug problem which is being cracked down on now. I see lots of the kids smoking on the streets though.
Have you looked at Turing House as a back up? My neighbours DD goes there and they are extremely happy with it

@Yesday

The London consortium this includes Goldoplohin & Latymer and 12 other schools are doing just the ISEB pretest and interviews like last year! It’s going to get officially announced after half term but our prep told us this weeks. london11plus.co.uk/ It’s actually an easier and less stressful process, one computer test for all schools, before Christmas, the ISEB syllabus covers all of year 5 curriculum and straight onto the interview.

Except the ISEB pre-test gave a number of pretty unreliable results in the latest 11+ with some children punching way above their weights and others way below, not the majority. There are a couple of threads on mumsnet about the actual algorithm behind it and resilience of the system in its use by large number of pupils, and resulting accuracy. ISEB scores really need to be read with the school reference/school report and other information available to check consistency.

Got it in one, Fiddlersgreen, we are concerned about the - reportedly great - Turing House moving to Whitton so I think Grey Court would be our backup.

Though I have concerns about the journey!

Hello,
Just wondering if anyone has experience/ knowledge of the suitability of available past papers from indies for the preparation of state grammars in Sutton and Kingston? Are they are very different beasts?

This Dd1 did TGS and said stage 1 was a bit like the WHS stage 1 (VR and NVR) and also similar to the Sutton High online test (though on paper) - but that was a few years ago. Stage 2 was more like the standard maths and English exams. But it does depend which indies - the SPGS and WHS exams are very different, for example.

Has anyone attended the Sutton Grammar School Mock Test (SGSPTA mock test) recently? This year it takes the form of the online test but according to other parents' experience, this mock test can be a strong indicator of the competitiveness in genuine 11+ exam. It is said a 10% rank can indicate a real "top" position among the exam cohort.

@Mumalsoasfriend

Has anyone attended the Sutton Grammar School Mock Test (SGSPTA mock test) recently? This year it takes the form of the online test but according to other parents' experience, this mock test can be a strong indicator of the competitiveness in genuine 11+ exam. It is said a 10% rank can indicate a real "top" position among the exam cohort.

My daughter did it a few years ago plus one at Wally boys and I think they were probably pretty near accurate to her 'real' one

@Newnormal99 thank you. I will consider let DD sit in one mock in July or so.

@HighRopes, thanks! That’s good to know.

Is it just me or does it seem to be increasingly rare for VR and NVR to be used as a form of testing?

... Or at least explicitly stated as being the main component of the exam amongst the London schools anyhow?

I know Kent/ CEM tests still retain both.

Hi @SkaterGrrrrl we must be near you. My DD (now y9) got into TGS but we chose grey court and, three years in, very happy we did so. Fabulous extra-curricular - sports, drama, music. Good luck in your decision making

@SkaterGrrrrl. LEH parent here - daughter was at a state primary . Just a few points:

• don’t get too hung up on the split state vs private of where girls come from . If your DD is right for LEH then she will get an offer or a wait list place . Like other private schools they will actually offer more places than they have because the girls typically have more than one offer so not everyone takes up a place .
• the schools understand that prep school girls will have had more exam practice / targeted prep than state school girls . They will ensure that their entrance process captures potential .
• it can be daunting when you look around ( and I think LEH are doing some tours soon ?) when your child is in a scruffy school sweatshirt and other girls are immaculate in full on uniforms with lapels groaning with achievement badges . They know that is not what state schools are about .
• we did tutor . We also signed up for practice exams . It really helped hone exam technique and got her used to exam situations.

We have been really pleased with LEH - it’s given our DD far more opportunities than I could have imagined. I think their pastoral care is very good and I’m a big fan of Mrs Hanbury. Music and drama standard very high . Sport is inclusive especially in lower years and a wide range of options offered now. Good luck !

I’ve just been looking at schools’ websites, trying to work out which ones require VR/NVR, which do plain Maths and English etc. Does anyone know what Putney High does? The website just says online exam in mid Nov, then another exam/interview for some in January.

I’m wondering the same thing about Sutton High. They mention a 90 minute standardised online test covering Maths, comprehension, reasoning. Is this ISEB? If so, that might have an impact on other school applications, as I understand you can only do it once.

@HighRopes

I’ve just been looking at schools’ websites, trying to work out which ones require VR/NVR, which do plain Maths and English etc. Does anyone know what Putney High does? The website just says online exam in mid Nov, then another exam/interview for some in January.

I’m wondering the same thing about Sutton High. They mention a 90 minute standardised online test covering Maths, comprehension, reasoning. Is this ISEB? If so, that might have an impact on other school applications, as I understand you can only do it once.

Before going to school-specific information, I may recommend noting several major styles of exams such as CAT, GL/ISEB, CEM, London Consortium. Knowing the styles and their focuses, you will find the Stage 1 exam information on school website much easier to understand. Also, some schools have their own styles of exams.

P.S.
Tiffin Girls has just opened the 2022 registration, though its website announces it officially open from tomorrow.

Thanks, mumalso! I’ve just registered dd2 thanks to your head up. I had a scramble with dd1, not realising it was meant to be done before the summer holidays.

On the exams, I do know of the various types, but it’s all different after last year and I’m finding it hard to interpret which school is using which format as it doesn’t say on their websites. I was wondering if anyone had asked at an open day, and found out that way.

SPGS always used to be CEM for stage 1, WHS says their usual VR/NVR test if its possible in person (but not what type) and ISEB if we’re in lockdown again, and PHS and Sutton High don’t specify. I’d like to know as we haven’t been able to book any mock tests in person, and it’s little things like how to mark the answers that might throw dd2. Tiffin Boys has a really useful ‘this is what the answer paper looks like’ sheet on their website, which is just the sort of thing I’m looking for.

May I know if these girls' private secondary schools usually require reference written by the girl's prep/junior school?

@uk2020 , yes from Nov/Dec the private secondary schools send out a reference form to your dc's current school. The type of questions varies. Prep schools are use to completing 5 or so forms for each pupil so it becomes a bit of a conveyor belt process. The prep will also check with the dc re outside activities - ballet, guides etc.

Re the state sector, it's a more varied process and references are sometimes only chased before an offer is made. The secondaries know that state primaries resist completing private school references and will understand reduced content or lacking detail.

Just had an email from Surbiton to say it's entrance exam date has changed to Saturday the 27th of November.

@HighRopes Glad that you have managed it. Yes, grammar schools cut off registration earlier than

@HighRopes Glad that you have managed it. Yes, grammar schools cut off registration earlier than most independent schools (except for WA I guess). Sorry I did not finish in my last post.

@Skatingpark97 Thanks. It helps a lot. I raised a similar question on another thread regarding how to softly remind the state school headteacher (or possibly class teacher) of the demand of issuing references for several attempts of independent schools. I also sense that state schools won't welcome the extra work .

It seems that only those prep-school parents have been strongly aware of the task so far.