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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

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

997 replies

QuiteAJourney · 09/01/2023 18:58

Continuation from

www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4697901-sw-london-private-grammar-applying-for-year-7-in-2023-part-ii?page=40&reply=122947087

An opportunity for parents of DC applying to private and grammar schools in SW London for entry in year 7 in 2023 to share their journeys.

OP posts:
secondaryquandries · 09/01/2023 19:04

Thanks@QuiteAJourney

Writingdizzy · 09/01/2023 19:05

For those invited to the G&L interview - previous msgs seemed to suggest 80% being called back. Does that mean that the adaptive tests were too easy if that many have met/passed the criteria ?

Original poster
QuiteAJourney · 09/01/2023 19:14

@secondaryquandries you are most welcome. Thank you for sharing the journey with us.

OP posts:
Lolakath19 · 09/01/2023 19:19

Thanks @QuiteAJourney for setting up!
@Writingdizzy i doubt a bit the 80% especially if they had like 800/900 applicants, that would mean interviewing 650/700 applicants in one day or 175h of group of 2 teachers over a 10h day that would Eman 35 teachers interviewing? Seems a lot…
if they had 600 applicants that would make
around 450 girls 112h and around 22 teachers which is still quite a lot..

Original poster
QuiteAJourney · 09/01/2023 19:25

@Lolakath19 , you are very welcome - nice to see you on this (other) side.

OP posts:
LondonMum20222 · 09/01/2023 19:32

Thanks @QuiteAJourney!

Firenze12 · 09/01/2023 19:34

Thanks @QuiteAJourney this wait feels endless. Good to have company!

Dallasdays · 09/01/2023 19:36

Thanks @QuiteAJourney!

Writingdizzy · 09/01/2023 19:38

@Lolakath19 - Thank you, honestly with so much on here - heresay or otherwise, really easy to get paranoid. Also waiting on spgs results tomorrow and filled with anxiety.

Daydreamscometrue · 09/01/2023 19:42

@QuiteAJourney thank you! Anyone got LU interview tomorrow?

Original poster
QuiteAJourney · 09/01/2023 19:44

@LondonMum20222 @Daydreamscometrue @Dallasdays @Firenze12 - many thanks 🙏. Lovely to continue the conversation and to see you here 🤗

OP posts:
Lolakath19 · 09/01/2023 19:46

My dd is going to Lu in the morning.

Mumyofthree · 09/01/2023 19:47

Thanks a lot @QuiteAJourney for setting up. We must have been at WHS at the same time as my daughter was also in group C. What a stressful process and now we have to wait...
Does anyone know how much weight they attribute to each section of the creative task? Just hoping the group task has more impact...

Daydreamscometrue · 09/01/2023 19:49

Lolakath19 · 09/01/2023 19:46

My dd is going to Lu in the morning.

Yes, same for DS. He's in at 10.30.

SamPoodle123 · 09/01/2023 19:53

@Lolakath19 yea, I agree, 80% does still sound like a heck of a lot of girls to
go through. I imagine it would be more like half, like Putney. But who knows.

Has anyone else tried asking? I did try asking in my email when I confirmed for the interview, but just got a thank you response.

Original poster
QuiteAJourney · 09/01/2023 19:53

@Mumyofthree you are welcome - the more we can all share the journey (and information and even the anxiety), the better.

I am afraid I have no clue - I have found the WHS process quite opaque. I understand that they may want to avoid over tutoring, but surely they could have provided some basic information like the fact that there was found a creative writing section, that there were going to be a puzzle section to complete individually and that there were going to be some tasks to be completed cooperatively.

OP posts:
Hannah297 · 09/01/2023 20:01

reading about the WHS process this year is very interesting as last year they were the only school that at no point asked girls to show any ability to do creative writing/English nor a maths paper - so odd and it showed in the offers. Lots of girls who were weak in those subjects ( and missed out on other less “academic” schools ) got offers and it was a stretch school for them . I think they must have realised the error of this kind of assessment and hence the change this year.

Hannah297 · 09/01/2023 20:03

And to add regarding WHS they were a very conservative covid school last year and had everything ( group activity ) online unlike all the other schools. Also the whole process was quite poorly organised and rushed which really put us off as well - sounds like not much has changed

Original poster
QuiteAJourney · 09/01/2023 20:05

Hannah297 · 09/01/2023 20:01

reading about the WHS process this year is very interesting as last year they were the only school that at no point asked girls to show any ability to do creative writing/English nor a maths paper - so odd and it showed in the offers. Lots of girls who were weak in those subjects ( and missed out on other less “academic” schools ) got offers and it was a stretch school for them . I think they must have realised the error of this kind of assessment and hence the change this year.

I can see that they would want to rectify a previous mistake (which I understand was not exclusive to last year - my DD's prep always said that WHS always threw different results because of their selection process being so different). What I do not understand is not giving information on what to expect.

OP posts:
Workhar · 09/01/2023 20:06

SamPoodle123 · 09/01/2023 19:53

@Lolakath19 yea, I agree, 80% does still sound like a heck of a lot of girls to
go through. I imagine it would be more like half, like Putney. But who knows.

Has anyone else tried asking? I did try asking in my email when I confirmed for the interview, but just got a thank you response.

I guess schools are too busy to answer calls or emails asking for more information. Even 50% is quite a big number. But we can only speculate. These schools have been in business since years. I am sure they are pretty sorted and know what they are doing.

Original poster
QuiteAJourney · 09/01/2023 20:08

Hannah297 · 09/01/2023 20:03

And to add regarding WHS they were a very conservative covid school last year and had everything ( group activity ) online unlike all the other schools. Also the whole process was quite poorly organised and rushed which really put us off as well - sounds like not much has changed

It has been by far the most impersonal of the processes that we have gone through.

OP posts:
ParentContributor · 09/01/2023 20:15

Hi new to this thread, keen to know how others found the SPGS exam last week ? Were the exams held on other dates too besides 4 Jan ? Not sure what to make of my DD’s response - seemed to feel like she hadn’t done enough on English and found Comprehension very different to the samples on website. Wondering how others have fared and whether to keep any hopes for tomorrow.

GLfam · 09/01/2023 20:19

G&L has pivoted a few years ago with regard to its admission process. Previously, the school looked more broadly at applicants taking many things into consideration, not just test results. Whilst this is still the case, a few years ago the school started to be a bit stricter about students having to have a certain level of test scores. Don't ask me what the scores are, I have no idea. But the days where prep school heads would get on the phone to G&L and say please reconsider this DD who has great CAT scores etc, those days are over. A applicant must hit the scores that they want, or they are out.

bjmin · 09/01/2023 20:20

ParentContributor · 09/01/2023 20:15

Hi new to this thread, keen to know how others found the SPGS exam last week ? Were the exams held on other dates too besides 4 Jan ? Not sure what to make of my DD’s response - seemed to feel like she hadn’t done enough on English and found Comprehension very different to the samples on website. Wondering how others have fared and whether to keep any hopes for tomorrow.

Most kids don't finish all the tests, that's normal.

woohooho · 09/01/2023 20:20

Bit of a lurker here as will be going through it all next year with DC3- already have one at WHS and one at LU! Not sure where number 3 will go!
Has LU given any info as to their new format for round 2? I'm guessing they are all trying to mix it up a bit?
Interesting reading above comments about strange WHS results. DD got in when it was mainly VR/NVR. She was particularly rubbish at Creative Writing and Comprehension at aged 11 but is now going to do English A Level so they probably do know what they're looking for (as much as any school can).
LU and WHS very different but very happy with both!