Page 2 | SW London Private & Grammar - applying for year 7 in 2023 (Part III)

QuiteAJourney · 2023-01-09T18:58:23+00:00

Continuation from https://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.

wonderdogs · 09/01/2023 20:32

Hope it's ok to chip in? I have a DD at G&L. They have the day off on Friday because they are interviewing. I'm afraid I don't know how many they interview. 900-1000 sit the exam each year, so I doubt they would interview 80%! Maybe half of them or less?

ilililililil · 09/01/2023 20:33

Agree with WHS throwing that impersonal impression, a few years back I had signed up my DD for an occasional place at the school and the process felt too professional and cold for dealing with a young child. I get there were many many to interview but the online call jumped very quick to the point of asking questions, no warmth..

Tennison · 09/01/2023 20:34

.

woohooho · 09/01/2023 20:41

Probably a bit biased but we had a very good admissions process at WHS, certainly better than KGS, Ibstock and PHS, amongst others. Just in case any of your DDs end up there ( although it sounds as though you're not keen!) once they are there it's very welcoming and personal etc!

SamPoodle123 · 09/01/2023 20:41

@wonderdogs thanks for your feedback. It would be interesting to know the number! I wonder if admissions would say. I do think 80% does sound like a crazy amount, esp if they are having 1,000 applicants....how could they select with a 15 minute interview if they were looking at 800 applicants!

FriendlyMom · 09/01/2023 20:41

@QuiteAJourney belated thank you for the thread - it is really nice to be in like company along this journey!

@woohooho LU mention in their email that there will be 'immersive learning activities in classroom setting' which I read as group activity in assessment format (although cryptic, gives more information than WHS, from what I read so far), followed by 15 min 1:1 interview. My dd is going there tomorrow morning also. Good luck to everyone whose DC are going to LU tomorrow!!!

woohooho · 09/01/2023 20:42

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

LondonMum20222 · 09/01/2023 20:43

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.

There's quite a lot of chat on the previous iteration of this thread (part II) about responses to the SPGS exam. Nobody seemed to finish any part of it.
We won't be sitting until next year, but I'm intrigued as to what your DD meant by the Comprehension paper being different from the sample papers on the website. Do you mind me asking in what way?

woohooho · 09/01/2023 20:44

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

LondonMum20222 · 09/01/2023 20:45

@ParentContributor There's quite a lot of chat on the previous iteration of this thread (part II) about responses to the SPGS exam. Nobody seemed to finish any part of it.

We won't be sitting until next year, but I'm intrigued as to what your DD meant by the Comprehension paper being different from the sample papers on the website. Do you mind me asking in what way?

LondonMum20222 · 09/01/2023 20:46

@ParentContributor There's quite a lot of chat on the previous iteration of this thread (part II) about responses to the SPGS exam. Nobody seemed to finish any part of it.

We won't be sitting until next year, but I'm intrigued as to what your DD meant by the Comprehension paper being different from the sample papers on the website. Do you mind me asking in what way?

woohooho · 09/01/2023 20:46

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

FriendlyMom · 09/01/2023 20:46

@QuiteAJourney a belated thank you for setting the thread - it is so nice to be in everyone's company here!

@woohooho LU's email mentions 'immersive learning activities in a classroom setting' which I read as assessment of sorts in a group (more information is shared than WHS from what I gather), followed by 1:1 interview with a teacher. Our dd has a morning session too.
Good luck to everyone's DC who are sitting LU tomorrow!!!

FriendlyMom · 09/01/2023 20:48

@QuiteAJourney a belated thank you for setting the thread - it is so nice to be in everyone's company here!

@woohooho LU's email mentions 'immersive learning activities in a classroom setting' which I read as assessment of sorts in a group (more information is shared than WHS from what I gather), followed by 1:1 interview with a teacher. Our dd has a morning session too.

Good luck to everyone's DC who are sitting LU tomorrow!!!

woohooho · 09/01/2023 20:49

Probably a bit biased but we had a very good admissions process at WHS, certainly better than KGS, Ibstock and PHS, amongst others. Just in case any of your DDs end up there ( although it sounds as though you're not keen!) once they are there it's very welcoming and personal etc!

FriendlyMom · 09/01/2023 20:50

@QuiteAJourney a belated thank you for setting the thread - it is so nice to be in everyone's company here!

@woohooho LU's email mentions 'immersive learning activities in a classroom setting' which I read as assessment of sorts in a group (more information is shared than WHS from what I gather), followed by 1:1 interview with a teacher. Our dd has a morning session too.

Good luck to everyone's DC who are sitting LU tomorrow!!!

SleepyRooster · 09/01/2023 20:50

Copying my query from end of last thread

Anyone trying to forget about Tiffin Girls? DD did the stage 2 back in Nov, but left both papers unfinished due to insane lack of time. We don't know anyone else who sat it, so are totally in the dark as to general impressions/ whether to just forget about getting a place or not. Nothing on the 11+ forum either. Any feedback?

SleepyRooster · 09/01/2023 20:51

Copying my query from end of last thread

Anyone trying to forget about Tiffin Girls? DD did the stage 2 back in Nov, but left both papers unfinished due to insane lack of time. We don't know anyone else who sat it, so are totally in the dark as to general impressions/ whether to just forget about getting a place or not. Nothing on the 11+ forum either. Any feedback?

wonderdogs · 09/01/2023 20:56

G&L used to have an 11 plus exam format that was an English comprehension and a story, a maths paper and a VR / NVR. They also used to interview all 900 applicants, from November onwards. So lots were interviewed before the actual exams.

DD was the first year when the Consortium dropped all this. I remember a Consortium representative (I think she was from G&L) was doing the rounds, giving talks to parents in primary / prep schools about the new 11 plus initiative. She said they had switched to a new exam that was mainly multi-choice and like a CAT test, so there was absolutely no point whatsoever tutoring or preparing for this type of test as it examines underlying ability, not learned ability. She said they were fed up of over-tutored girls (particularly from certain preps) and the whole tutoring business in SW London was out of control and provoking a mental health crisis for children.

But since then, I gather it's all changed again and now they use Atom or something?

Original poster

QuiteAJourney · 09/01/2023 20:57

Good luck to those waiting for results and/or at stage 2 and/or interviews tomorrow.

OP posts:

wonderdogs · 09/01/2023 20:59

G&L used to have an 11 plus exam format that was an English
comprehension and a story, a maths paper and a VR / NVR. They also used to interview all 900 applicants, from November onwards. So lots were interviewed before the actual exams.

DD was the first year when the Consortium dropped all this. I remember a Consortium representative (I think she was from G&L) was doing the rounds, giving talks to parents in primary / prep schools about the new 11 plus initiative. She said they had switched to a new exam that was mainly multi-choice and like a CAT test, so there was absolutely no point whatsoever tutoring or preparing for this type of test as it examines underlying ability, not learned ability.
She said they were fed up of over-tutored girls (particularly from certain preps) and the whole tutoring business in SW London was out of control and provoking a mental health crisis for children.

But since then, I gather it's all changed again and now they use Atom or something?

Fulhammom82 · 09/01/2023 21:02

Has anyone been able to get out of their DD what questions came in the WHS problem solving? We were totally not prepared for this…

Original poster

QuiteAJourney · 09/01/2023 21:05

@Fulhammom82 DD was talking with her friend about a gyrating table with people around it and leaving the table. .... the moment I approached, they clammed up!
My DD just said that they were more puzzle-like than maths questions.

OP posts:

LondonMum20222 · 09/01/2023 21:06

@ParentContributor If you look at the previous iteration of this thread (part ii) there was lots of discussion re the SPGS exam and nobody seemed to finish it.

We're not sitting until next year, but I was intrigued by your comment re the Comprehension paper & it not being similar to the sample papers online. Do you mind me asking in what way?

Workhar · 09/01/2023 21:06

Thanks @wonderdogs @GLfam your views and information are much appreciated. What has been the norm during the past few years…did you have online interviews due to covid? Did call for an interview indicate (at the very least) towards a spot on the waiting list?