SW London Girls' Private & Grammar - applying for year 7 in 2023

[EmotiveBubblez]

i myself have been looking for this thread and have been unsuccessful. Saw a couple people mention it over the past day or so on the 2022 one.

so here we go, albeit a bit late.

has everyone visited all the schools on their lists?

how many schools are everyone applying to?

what schools are you applying to?

how is the preparation going?

i know some exams have taken place, how did they go?

wishing all the whirls good luck with preparation and exams, hope we all find the right schools for our daughters.

DD does not have ISEB this week but next one, followed by IPS. So far, she has been taking things on her stride, so just hope that it carries on like that. I can't wait for Christmas to come!

My son but ISEB today. Hampton and IPS on 26th

@secondaryquandries hope ISEB went well.
I think 26th is a peak day for many - IPS, Hampton and Surbiton High are in that day.

It's going to be a busy day. Also lots of Christmas fairs being missed but we're going to try to make my other child's friend's birthday party too!!
ISEB seemed to go ok. Finished them all early, which is unusual for him. Not sure if it means he rushed and made mistakes or that he did well and found it simple!

2 or 3 exams in a day - yikes!!!

We have one on Thurs 24th, one on Sat 26th and one on Sun 27th! It's a lot!

The thread on CAT scores is very informative, thank you for sharing.

A word of warning: the senior schools will be provided the breakdown of ISEB scores, and within each of the 4 tests, further analysis into different types of questions. Different schools will use these numbers according to their own criteria.

For instance, RGS Guildford specifically said they will mainly look at English, VR, and Math, and ask us not to worry too much about NVR. I am not sure if that means NVR is not counted, or if the weighting is much lower.

I won't be surprised if other senior schools will not do similar things. Don't simply add up the scores.

@Justarrivedlondon There's a discussion about exactly this further up the thread where we all said the same thing!

@secondaryquandries I so sympathise with not knowing how it goes in the exams, so I have stopped trying to speculate / second guess and focus instead on the positive like the fact that it is one exam done (hurrah!), they are taking things in one's stride and not panicking (key is not to undermine their confidence for the following ones).

Sounds like lots of us are gearing up for a busy couple of weeks. DS has his first interview this week, then computer tests next week (ISEB and Ibstock). Then the focus shifts to paper-based exams the following week... Then a "break" until early January.

I'm not holding out much hope for the ISEB and Ibstock as DS seems to have developed a hatred of computer tests. The mock tests are not going brilliantly (either below or average scores on Atom/Pretestplus), so may ease off those and just do 10 min tests for the time being. Urgh, hard to know what's best to do!

There seem to be quite a few DC applying to IPS. Any advice / insights on what the 'computer test and learning workshop' might entail?

@QuiteAJourney I was about to ask exactly the same thing! Does anyone even know if it's an adaptive test?

@secondaryquandries - I have no clue either on whether adaptive (I am assuming, and hoping!, not as I think that is mostly Atom / ISEB), the areas covered or the length of time. Same with the learning workshop - wondering if similar to what my DD had at SCHS (which seem to have been basically an interactive lesson during which the CD were observed).

DD did the IPS test a few years ago so may be out of date, but when she did it she found it super hard, way harder than she was expecting! But she hadn't done many similar tests whereas now everyone is practicing online tests all the time!

Thanks @boredboredbore can you remember the subjects in the test/whether timings were tight?

I can't I'm afraid but I don't think she finished it! I remember vividly it was the 2nd January and the first exam! ( it was a great Christmas and New Year!).

I think she was just a bit shocked by how hard it was as hadn't given it much thought- she didn't like the school and was adamant she wasn't going there but it was close and a good back up...

@boredboredbore Thanks for sharing your experience. Can I ask you whether this was pre-Covid? Also, did she have a 'learning workshop' too?

Yes it was pre covid. I'm not sure about the workshop thing to be honest. There was definitely some sort of interview thing but I can't remember whether it was individual or a group thing. I think it's best not to know too much in advance sometimes- I remember giving all sorts of advice about what would happen and then it never did!

@boredboredbore Thanks. I am just trying to gauge in very general terms what might happen - as things stand, I am assuming that the computer test will cover everything (all usual, Maths, English, VR, and non-VR) and that the group exercise will not require any prep either... which suits us :)

DD sat for Ibstock just before Covid and I am pretty sure it was a two stage process for everyone. There was a computer-based test first (which she said was VR and NVR) and an interview. Then all candidates went back a few weeks later for an English and Maths paper, so a bit different this time around.

We haven't had a confirmed slot for Ibstock yet, so hopefully they will provide some info on the computer test and workshop at the same time.

I should add - I have NO idea if DD was right about the computer test being only VR and NVR, plus it was years ago. So I think best to be prepared for all subjects to be covered!

@NellyCortado , it is two-stages this time round too. The school website refers to Maths and English papers as Stage 2. Stage 1 is just referred as 'computer test and learning workshop'. As you say, we might have more information once they confirm the slots.

Hi. If it helps anyone, my son did IPS last year and got an offer (but went elsewhere). I struggled to find info about the learning workshop last year too. It turned out to be “quite fun” according to him. It was a small group activity, based on a discussion around a written “whodunnit” type scenario. I don’t think it had any “right” answers either, but was designed (I think) to look at how they interacted with others and got their point of view across. I’m sure someone told me the year before it was based on something around Harry Potter! Nothing the kids can prep for, which is a good thing in my view. Good luck!