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

[QuiteAJourney]

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.

Did you speak with them?
I speculated with that possibility when we received it and posted it here but was not sure ...

@QuiteAJourney no I haven't spoken to them but I'm pretty sure that's what it is. I don't think it's part of the decision making process. It would be bizarre if it was and the data they collect on that form can't even be that useful for selection purposes!

@Pleasegrowmore @SamPoodle123

we are also state primary. And as you say, it is shooting in the dark somewhat!
it is hard to know how she is doing or what likelihood she has. Even if you get through to interview, the odds seem ferocious and make me feel quite sick!

We are state primary too. Didn’t get through to second round of Tiffins though.
@KindergartenKop thanks. Just a bit surprised with the survey. But DD filled in and there was a bit of “but they asked me that already”.

@Pleasegrowmore DD is from state primary, agree state primary has no support whatsoever for the 11+ process. Less than 10 girls in her year sits at any 11+ exams.

During exams and interviews DD felt a bit alone as majority students are from prep and they come in groups and chat to each other..

But she is confident and enjoy then process so far think she is just as good as other candidates which I'm glad.

We applied one superselective grammar in North London (very likely she will get the offer in March ) + the usual North London Trio girls private + SPGS + Highgate, we will drop the grammar option and go to the private should any of these school offer us a place (finger x)..

Hi all, lurker here! Has anyone heard back from Trinity yet re interviews?

@PreplexJ What's the usual North London Trio girls private? I can only think of NLCS!

Don't worry. Not all preps are as organised and helpful as you imagine. Mine is not as helpful as I hope. Little exam and test preparation. School choice advice is very brief. And loads of homework during the peak exam season. Not sure about the elite few who are destined for the top 3 boys' schools, but for the majority of other parents, we feel it this way.

@LondonMum20222 SHHS NLCS Habs

@glassbottle55 Trinity 11plus are out yes or at least some of them are

@PreplexJ Ah, Habs is in Herts, hence the confusion!

Have SHHS done interview invites yet? I haven't seen anyone on here mention them (and they'll be on our list next year).

Thank you!

We've just had it. Happy DS, but he did think it was harder than he expected it to be.

@VickiMent @secondaryquandries did the CFC interview have any weird quirks or just a discussion?

@VickiMent same! I wonder if it depends on the person interviewing.

Sorry I did t ask any questions about offers vs interviews. I should have!

My son is also state primary. There have been supportive with time off for exams and did write a ref (though we haven't seen it) but also no helpful advice on where to apply. I also agree that maths at our school does not challenge able students very well. My son says that they are often revising again and again things that they have done before like adding fraction etc.

Definitely a bit quirky, which he wasn't expecting.

We were told the Claremont head doesn't speak to Prep Heads the way other Heads do, so I don't think anyone has an advantage for there at least.

I agree that it makes sense as a consolidation of data for the offer holders day... hence my initial reaction when received. I am assuming that all called to the interview received it - so difficult at this stage not to over-think!

Hello, I'm so sorry to intrude, I wish all of you well for your children's future schooling and hope they get the places you/they want, and are happy there! I grew up in Sarf West London, which is why I was drawn to this thread, though I just went to a State Grammar, and I have been racking my brains trying to work out what the initials "LU" are for. It's not an odd way of abbreviating the London Oratory, is it? I'd be so grateful for one of you in the know to put me out of my misery please! Thank you. And good luck to everyone on here!

Latymer Upper. It's near Hammersmith.

@LondonMum20222

I’ve been on this thread for a couple of months and I’m so impressed with your dedication and trying to understand the process when your DC isn’t doing the 11+ exams until this time next year! I’m intrigued as to whether you DC is at a state or prep (perhaps you already mentioned this and I missed that post?).

Either way, kudos to you!

Yes, it is frustrating. I also keep doubting our chances... Any time the private school parents hear the schools we are applying to, they say oh wow, those are really academic and hard to get into. I have been thinking about it a lot, trying not to show my daughter any of my stress. She has been all smiles and happy through out the process. Even when she thought she bombed a test (she laughed about it and moved on and she ended up doing well, moving on to interview for it). Now it is the interviews. I get nervous, she does not.

@SamPoodle123 that is exactly our situation! The closer we get to the end, the more relaxed my dd, the more nervous I get. Not much support from our school either.

@LondonMum20222 i think most see South Hampstead, NLCS and Channing as the north london trinity.

just catching up with this thread (so much longer than last year!!)

to be honest the views on the impersonal approach at WHS match why we didn’t apply last year - felt quite cold. So different to DD’s gdst school which never seems to be mentioned on these threads but is just up the road! The admissions process is such a window into the school. Our experience is that the way we felt during the process has been matched totally by the reality of being in a school.

great to see so many positive emails being received this week! Good luck everyone

All the best to everyone.
Not all private preps give in-depth advice and some are so vague that it doesn’t help. As other posted, it is a giant black box.
Tutoring and prepping in exam techniques is helpful not just for 11+ but secondary schools’ tests.