SW London Private & Grammar - applying for year 7 in 2023 (Part II)

[QuiteAJourney]

Continuation of the thread
SW London Girls' Private & Grammar - applying for year 7 in 2023

www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4643252-sw-london-girls-private-grammar-applying-for-year-7-in-2023?page=40

Looking forward to continuing the journey with all of you!!

I think that is the maximum I think. Must be horrible as well for teachers to do 9 hours interview back to back.. they probably have 15 min break every 2 hours. Or so.. not sure at what time it finishes either. I know someone at 8.15 so it starts early not sure what time it ends.
They have 120 places and are competing with Spgs and Lu so might be offering 180 places at least I would say.

My assumption would be that if G&L are only interviewing for 15 minutes, they're taking the main data from the Consortium exam and possibly references. Perhaps the interview is more about checking that the high exam performers they'd like to offer places to are temperamentally girls they want in the school - and to weed out the few who might not be a good fit? I agree that 15 mins doesn't seem much for an interview - irrespective of how many teachers are in the room, plenty of girls will barely have warmed up before it's over.

@Lolakath19 I suspect the offer number may well be north of 180. If you look at the leavers' destinations for the top preps, loads of them get 10-20 places at G&L, but only a small handful of girls take them. As you say, most girls who also get SPGS invariably take that offer and there must be quite a sizeable crossover with LU.
I just wish all schools would be transparent about these figures - it doesn't feel like too much to ask given how onerous & stressful three process is!

@LondonMum20222 this is what I was hoping that it is a smaller number being interviewed and more likely you have a spot then not.

@SamPoodle123 I think most schools seem to interview 2:1. KGS seems a bit of an exception. From reading these threads over the years, it seems to often be the case that if you get an interview you have a 50% chance of an offer. But this is still all speculation and nobody seems to have any hard facts!

@LondonMum20222 I wish the schools would let us know!

We sent an email. They said that overseas applicants would be interviewed at a later time to UK applicants (which was never mentioned previously), it would have been good to know beforehand as we were expecting an email this week and interviews next week.
In any case, at least he has an interview. I don't know how it translates in terms or chances of an offer.

@Lolakath19 I agree with @LondonMum20222

G&L is a great school given how many schools everyone applies to now, all schools have to substantially over offer. My bet would be most being called to interview will get an offer or waitlist and most schools top schools are about 2:1 ratio.

Good luck!

For anyone with DD doing Putney Athena has anyone been given a morning time or all afternoon? Thanks

@Nowfeeltheneedtopost I was including you in my statement that we all have our children's best interests at heart and also trying to point out that it isn't always a simple choice for all of us.

Hi on interview ratios, LU are known for interviewing quite a lot (400+) for 120 places (they also have another 40 odd coming up from their prep). I was told by a head that LU put more emphasis on 'personality fit' (and consequently the interview) than the other Hammersmith schools. SPGS interview about 200 for just over 100 places. However, at least 20 of those places go to students from Bute and another school (Faulkner) every year. I'm afraid I can't remember the stats for G&L but I imagine the numbers called for interview are somewhere mid-way between LU and SPGS?

I will ask my DD and friends later what they were asked in the interviews. But this was several years ago and they had 2 x 15 min interviews (one teacher each time). Sounds like that has changed.

Thanks @mishmashh!
@Lolakath19 the numbers make sense but do they include overseas candidates…
Wasn’t G&L one of the few schools which looked mainly at exam results last year?

In any case our DD have worked so hard and gotten to almost the last stage - they should be fine - a little faith :) and fingers crossed :)

Good morning all, I have been watching this thread for a few days. We are mainly applying to schools in north london but I can’t seem to find a thread for this anywhere! maybe I should start one!
I don’t suppose any of you know about ratios of interview to offer at CLSG/SHHS or Channing?!?
Yes, I wish it was a transparent process too! Hard enough without having to contend with all of the mystery behind it also.

@Fillin34 correct me if my maths is wrong. CLSG invited around 380 girls back. They have a junior school too. So I guess they will have 30-40 girls coming from there? That leaves around approximately 70-80 seats to fill (I don’t know the form size so that’s a rough estimate). I think for 70 seats, they may give out 120-150 firm offers plus waiting list? I feel CLSG will lose many applicants to grammar schools and SPGS/NLCS etc

@Workhar around 25 from city junior school so about 100 external places this year (junior school move to other site so more space)
Ususually about half from state school, and offers including waiting list probably 150+

@Workhar I think the junior CLSG girls also have to sit the exam…

@Fillin34 SHHS won't invite every applicant for interview but Channing will, so interview to offer ratio can not compere like for like. I will expect Channing will give out more offers in general.

@FriendlyMom City junior girls don't need to sit the exam and will join year 7 directly.

@PreplexJ oh, so it is like LU? So the advertised places are never what they seem :)

@FriendlyMom not sure what you meant, City junior only have a small cohort, and CLSG always advise external space (not including junior places) for 11+ which is always up for grap.

@mishmashh for SPGS do they have allocate minimum 20 places to those unofficial "feeder" school such as butes and etc? I think it is always on a merit based? So the number of places and go up and down every year. Though I'm not surprised by the number as I know some tiger mums from butes in the past... 🤔

Ah, ok thanks everyone! So I know 380 got called back and approx 100 places, so maybe offers 1:2? I know they are expanding the school as they have more space as the juniors have moved out, but I don’t know if that was this year already….I hope so!!

I’m mot sure I can be on tenterhooks for another month!

My impression was that the trend was for schools to have their junior school students sit the exam as well and not automatically move up. At least that is the case with Westminster. Also my daughter said she saw someone she knew at the CLSG exam from the junior school - maybe I misunderstood - by no means meant to confuse.