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

[Emo76]

Continued

We went with our DD's gut feeling and ease of commute, HighRopes. It's the school which has been prompting you for a response and allegedly discussing multiple offer holders. I wonder if people are taking longer to decide this year or if schools just want to close their books for the cycle as quickly as they can, or indeed both.

@squirrelofsw19

Hello *@hollibobs22*. She said more “progressive” and perhaps less “traditional” than some other girls schools in the area. Read into that what you will. I suspect many girls wouldn’t detect the difference. The educational experiences I’m sure are very similar. What was really nice was that she told listeners to go with their gut feel about what was right for their daughters recognising that everyone has differing priorities, values and gut instincts. I think it’s great that within the GDST (and beyond) there are many variations on a theme of a great education. Am sure DDs across all schools are thriving. It’s just we can only go to one and are trying to find best fit for us which we know will be different for everyone. Glad your DD loving WHS. The Head is a seriously impressive woman.

I find it odd that no-one considers the difference in number of GCSE’s for WHS. Most indy schools I know take 10. But IIRC, WHS only do 9 which I would expect improves grades in league tables?

WHS do 9 examined GCSEs plus PPE as a non-examined course. There's the option of Additional Maths (by invite) or Ancient Greek (if the girl wants to).

That’s really interesting- I didn’t ask enough about GCSE options with dd1, and actually they really make a difference. I’m a lot more clued up now with dd2.

@HighRopes it’s one of the reasons we’ve chosen Sutton High. They are the only school to offer completely free choice at gcse - so DD won’t have to do a language, or other fixed subjects, if she doesn’t want to. The Head explained that they timetable so that everyone gets their choices and so it was a big sell for us over Surbiton. Seems so far off, but will be here in a flash! And dD is dyslexic, so the opportunity to choose whatever subjects she wants is great for her!

@SophyRivenhall now that’s a quandary. I bet there are people out there who wouldn’t blink at paying multiple deposits etc and keeping options open to the last minute or messing schools around endlessly. Personally I don’t have the thousands to risk. It’s tricky. We’ve found an alternative for DD should the FHSS waiting list not move, but they seem to want a commitment before the 7th. Argh. Hopefully some waiting list moves from the 7th!

Also hoping for WL to shift - might happen after 1st when grammars release their places. So will call again on 2nd 🤞🏻🤞🏻

@Emo76 we will likely turn down FHSS on Tuesday, waiting to confirm state school allocation, there will likely be more movement from Tuesday onwards. Fingers crossed for you! I think most people who aren't sitting on waiting lists have decided by now. We turned another offer down on Friday already.

Just paid the £1k deposit for Surbiton.... See you at sports day, ladies!

Snap! Just about to do the same!!!

thanks for reminder @SkaterGrrrrl @FunkyT ... I need to do mine too for surbiton

Exciting! DD wants to check out the coach route this week. Going to Hinchley Wood today to visit the sports grounds.

Ladies, I feel totally pathetic posting this here, but I feel that given we have a good mix of state/indie parents here I could get a broad view.

I have to say I was quite appalled about this: had a call from a ‘friend’ (more acquaintance than a friend). This lady is v posh, from a very old money family. I am not at all - North American and very self made, single mum.
She was calling to tell me about her DD’s boarding options (that she hasn’t heard yet), and that her posh friend who lives near me hadn’t got her daughter into any school (JAGS top school, S&C bottom) and was having to go to the newly formed senior school of her prep, and what a disaster that was.
She asked me where my state school DD was going and I told her JAGS. After her shocked response, I mentioned (in a humble way) DD had also got an academic scholarship for S&C, which made the decision more difficult, and also WHS. Her response floored me - ‘oh yes, the state school quotas, I guess my friend should have been ahead of that’. No congratulations, no well done, just that.

Am I crazy to be furious? The implication that if her posh friend had put her DD into a state school, she would have had a place. It felt like a huge slap in the face.

I know I shouldn’t be upset about this, but I’m quite floored that this still exists. I knew when I opted for state primary school that I’d have to be on top of the extra curricular and the curriculum gaps (maths, VR/NVR, exam prep). The head of Jags at the offer holder day last week assured a few of us state school parents when we chatted with her that our girls were not at all tested on a lower standard and that we should be proud of how well they did. She said they took 50/50 and this year the state school girls outperformed in the exams.

I don’t even know why I am posting this, maybe just to check that I’m not mad and this lady’s response was unacceptable. I’m not from the UK originally - is this really how people think?

@SW17cleocat what a vile, rude, jealous bitch! She's no friend of yours, I wouldn't bother speaking with her again. FWIW my DD is in year 9 at WHS from a state school and has had no issues.

She sounds lovely!
I looked around a private secondary school a couple of years ago and the head said that often the state school applicants were ahead in core maths and English because they hadn’t spent the last 2 years being drilled for the 11 plus. There were a few panicked looks…
She is completely wrong and I don’t think ( hope) most people do think like this.

Yes, so right. Needed to hear this. Thank you!

@SW17cleocat as a parent who had experienced both state and private school ...there are plenty bright high achieving children at state school but they are up against highly tutored kids from private for places at these schools so the fact that your DD has secured fantastic offers from highly selective sought after schools is a fantastic achievement .
please don't let the silly words of some 'acquaintance' take from that ....

SW17 - wow! That would have floored me as well, so unexpected from someone who is meant to be a friend. And absolute rubbish, too. From what I’ve heard, the schools do take the primary / prep differences into account (especially as lockdown teaching was so variable), but that’s about identifying potential that may not be as obvious. Why on earth would a school do anything that would get a weaker cohort?

I’d also add, my older dd from a state primary more than holds her own at her school. The differences in maths and science knowledge showed in Y7, but evened out by Y8. And she doesn’t actually work that hard, dashes off her homework in well under the time it’s meant to take, so she’s not having to slog at all.

@SW17cleocat goodness me sounds like sour grapes. I have a close acquaintance who has seen many children through the UK state/ independent system and says the “effects” of prep/ tutoring on academic performance wear off very quickly at secondary school. It’s good the selective schools are attuned to the ridiculous and expensive overtutoring that goes on in London and discerning as best they can talent from sausage factory. What a relief that you can’t buy your way in as your “acquaintance” hints ought to be possible! Anyway hope everyone ok. We are accepting our PHS offer today. I see Surbiton have gone all “exploding” so good the SHS Mums on the thread got their deposits in yesterday!

What have Surbiton said? We declined, with thanks, so are no longer getting emails from them.

@highropes something along the lines of first come first served. Perhaps they are getting more acceptances than anticipated?

@HighRopes yes i got one of those emails last night as I hadn't pulled my finger out and filled in paperwork yesterday ...I had planned to do it today ...
it said when pupil numbers reach maximum class size , subsequent children wishing to accept a place will be added to the waitlist in order their acceptance is received ...I must admit I was rather annoyed ...and has taken the gloss somewhat off accepting surbiton ...if my DD is now on waitlist because they have over offered so much perhaps I shouldn't reject my other offers I have ?? ...and look elsewhere...the cynic in me wonders about the timing of such an email ...the night before school offers ...how many parents i wonder may have paid 1000 deposit in panic and are prepared to lose it if they get their state school offer ?

I’m shocked Surbiton are doing this with no warning! They must have seriously over offered!

I wonder if they know the state allocations for their junior cohort today (I’m fairly sure primary schools get them before parents) and that has prompted them to think they’ll get more acceptances for the senior school than they planned? It’ll be interesting to see if any other schools follow suit.

Surbiton offered a LOT (all 14 at DD’s prep) and will have a bulge Year I think. That’s what put us off. Dunottar did this last year too - from reading last year’s posts. it was very unpopular and puts a lot of pressure on.