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.

@11minus I'm so sorry to hear your news. You must be devastated, and your poor DD too, having gone through all that.

Like @QuiteAJourney says, you really need to speak to your DD's head, so that they can help you figure out next steps. There will be options, I'm sure. But the school need to step up now, figure out what's gone wrong, and help your DD find a school where she will thrive and be happy. x

@SamPoodle123 let's see first (as maybe the info is not completely correct) and worst case I suggest you to call them tomorrow morning...Finger crossed

Finally got the emanuel email!

@11minus - I'm so sorry to read your news - how upsetting for you and your DD. This really is such a horrible process. As mentioned by someone else, it could be worth checking out Hall School Wimbledon. We applied and have an offer - it is quite different to some others schools but we and my DS did like it. The headmaster is fantastic. Wish you all the best.

We also got an interview at Harrodian. I'm also not sure what to think about it - my DS hasn't even been there - we did go to an open day but he didn't come as was at school. I am mainly pleased to get an interview and an indicator slot ISEB performance - we have also applied to Kew House and Reeds. We really like Kew .

@11minus thinking of you and your DD. It's such a brutal process.

@SamPoodle123 just got ours too. Hope the day works well for you!
Good luck everyone

@11minus really sorry to hear this. I believe that Ewell Castle also accept late entrants to their admissions process. I know children who are very happy there.

For what it’s worth (as you seem keen on Emanuel, and concerned that it’s difficult to get an offer) it was the only senior school which substantially offered from its waitlist to our Y6 last year (the current Y7) The girls offered (including a scholar) all declined in favour of all girls’ schools, and the boys also moved on the WL. I don’t know one child from our year who wanted to go, and who didn’t eventually get an offer of a place. In case it helps to put into perspective, our school received 19 offers from a year group of 55. Eventually, 5 took a place.

Is this for Emanuel? We have a clash too and I emailed them straight back on Friday and have no heard further.

Sorry, my post above was meant as a direct response to someone up thread lamenting the difficulty of getting a place at Emanuel. From my recent experience, it was the only school whose WL moved at all (out of the usual suspects of well known SW London schools, all of which have been mentioned in these threads 1000s of times) I believe the majority of academic boys still use it as a back up school, hence the movement.

@Jumpingjackjack so 75% of offers at your school were declined including those accepted from the waitlist. That would make sense with why they are interview 600 numerically.

Congratulations to those with interviews and commiserations to those without. Won't it be a relief once our kids are just cracking on in year 7, at a school somewhere! We had an expected rejection today. Just got to brace ourselves for fees too!

Current Year 7, we found kids moving on wait list for GL, Putney and SPGS. So there are movements from WL.

Could I just say to 11minus that I'm very sorry to hear this about a fifth rejection but also .... if your DD is in a prep as I think you say, what on earth were they thinking advising you to have Harrodian as your 'back up' option. Fgs. Everyone knows that school, as one head once phrased it to me, is "quite frankly, away with the fairies." Another told me he had "no comment" about Harrodian because it's as if they pick random names out of a hat.

They could have suggested somewhere like More House, or Radnor House, Marymount, Claremont Fan, St Catherine's, Twickenham, St Johns, The Hall Wimbledon, Notre Dame - any of those.

As others have said, you can try maybe Fulham School. I know Kew House opened a new school recently in Maida Vale? Also, maybe try Radnor as they sometimes have places at the end of the process and end up phoning around. Your head needs to get on the phones asap. I'm sorry you are in this situation.

@MomFromSE @Jumpingjackjack For a couple of preps in the area (not sure where @Jumpingjackjack's prep is), acceptance rate for Emanuel last year as 1/3 - 1/2.

@11minus I’m really sorry too! There are some great suggestions, it may also be worth looking into the American school as they are flexible and differ in their process. All the best and do not despair! Things have a way of working out eventually!

@11minus are you at a prep? I thought you were in state school. So sorry, this hasn't worked out as you hoped. I'm sure your daughter will all work out in the end. Most of the kids at top universities are at state school. Its really down to parental support which your DD has in abundance.

For those going to Emanuel are you planning to stay or drop and collect?

@QuiteAJourney we’re SW London. The acceptance rate at our school was quite low, but that is possibly also because they offered quite far down their WL towards the acceptance deadline date, by which time at least 2 children I knew had accepted another firm offer elsewhere (rather than gamble on a WL place opening up) I also suspect the school’s relationship with Emanuel helped. Another prep school close by received offers for 3/4 of their applications to Emanuel. Eventually, 1/4 of the offered places were accepted, which is in line with our school. But I do wonder whether the low
conversion rates last year will affect the offers made this year. I think relationships between schools and heads play a bigger than imagined role in offers being made.

@11minus I sent you a message, not sure you’ve seen it

Fulham are still open for places; they re looking at your ISEB results and they’re having an interview day next week!

@Dallasdays
“am mainly pleased to get an interview and an indicator slot ISEB performance - we have also applied to Kew House and Reeds. We really like Kew”

that worries me… we didn’t get Harrodian offer (tbh really really really not for us so not bothered) but we REALLY like Kew!! So now I’m worried we did crap at ISEB!
and worse of all Kew are looking for 40 spaces only. I mean … come on!!! 🤔

I am so sorry @11minus —Fulham is a good idea, also Maida Vale and Radnor House/kneller Hall might be a good phone call for your head to make - they are having activity day/interviews this weekend. Kensington park school and Eaton square could be some other options.

Sorry to hear that @LoveMyADHD - don't lose faith though - I think Kew probably place a lot of emphasis on the interview/mini presentation they had to give (not sure that helps us TBH!)

Thank you lovely!
Kew invited him to Drama scholarship interview (much much longer than even the proper interview 🤔) and I really wanted to believe that they don’t invite everyone, but I think they absolutely do invite everyone who applied for it 😂

haha it’s so bloody hard to stop speculating!!! 😫

Does anyone know of 10+ Emanuel - number of applicants, interviews and offers? I have no clue at all vs 11+.
@11minus
Honestly my heart broke for you and your DD. You must have either had bad advice or bad preparation.
I hope you can talk to the Head and also get some feedback at least.
I hope you can still find strength to continue your search for the right school and hopefully some previous advice helps, we are applying from abroad so had no guidance and not much tutoring (couldn't physically find a tutor).
I fear both my children will not end up with many offers at all.