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.

I really hope this doesn’t come across bad , but your Head worries me (either his 11+ guidance or his ‘prestigious’ comment).

I would love to know which prep you’re in (as I’m looking to move DS2 out but obviously you don’t have to respond)

if you’re near Mayfair yes there are a few lovely Senior ones that are relatively easy to get it, really worth a call x

@11minus

Very sorry to hear about all the stress on you and your DC.

Others may have mentioned it, but Maida Vale school (new sister school to Kew House) may be worth looking into; we know people who got their son a last-minute place there because another offer fell through (in August!) and he has been very happy there so far.

Thomas’s senior school may also be worth looking it; they go until 16 I believe.

@11minus I add to the voices expressing concern avoid your HM interventions and comments. She needs to offer you a range of options and prestige should be one of the last things in her mind!

There are quite a few options that people have put forward - as a community, we are all rooting for you (we know that any of us could have been / be in our position). I appreciate that you may want to protect your identity but if you can precise approximate location (even first part of postcode) and/or proximity to transport nodes, I am sure people can provide more targeted options.

Apologies - for "avoid" read "about" in the first paragraph.
I do not suggest for a moment being confrontational with the HM but I find puzzling that she is not suggesting a range of options and providing you with more certainty.

@11minus I'm really glad you've spoken to the prep Head. But I agree with @QuiteAJourney - they can't fob you off with a single suggestion (which I'm presuming is in the same group of schools as your DD's current prep?) It's just not adequate. The head needs to come up with a handful of viable options for you, and get on the phone. That's literally their job at this time of year.
Meanwhile, there have been some brilliant and super helpful suggestions on here for other alternatives. I would get on the phone to them in the morning (if you haven't already) and see what other options are open to your DD. From what people have posted on here, there may well be a range of avenues for you to explore, many of which sound really positive.

cant be at Dukes Education group though, could it? In that case they’d go straight to Kneller, no?

anyway in any case @11minus good luck!

Unlikely a dukes prep school as they pushed hard for Radnor house/kneller hall take up and would direct them that way.

My daughter sat on 8+ assesment in Harrodian School this year and we didn’t get any email about the result. All my daughters friends got the results. Do you think it a no for us?

@Claire212121 Have you contacted the school and asked?

@QuiteAJourney no, but I will call them tomorrow because I can not wait anymore. Its just so stressful:(

QQ- Can anyone shed a light as to what to expect at the King’s interview? TIA!

For those looking at Epsom, just flagging the other post on here re safeguarding/bullying - I think they failed their inspection on safeguarding and racism. That would really worry me.

I know they have changed their head - was previously an Eton housemaster but new head is now a female and comes from one of the GDST schools (can't remember which but reasonably local I think). I think the focus is very much on the pastoral now. I met with her and warmed to her instantly. I also met with the head of learning support who I really liked as well and she is on the senior management team so that bodes well for inclusivity and importance of pastoral matters too. It's turning into my first choice school tbh although we have putney this pm.

DD has also done the exam so also just waiting but I think Fridays exam is for those who couldn't make the first exam rather than scholarships.

Thanks! We are impressed too and it is definitely a strong contender for us if we are lucky enough to get an offer. I don't think any school we looked at was perfect some have new and 'unknown' heads, some have less facilities or less space some have facilities away from their main campus. They are all still very impressive schools and our DC will (hopefully) all have different favourites.

From memory I don't think Epsom have an additional academic scholarship exam (they use results from the main exam only) but there may be music, sports etc still ongoing, as I know others schools do. We didn't apply for that so I don't know the schedule.

We chose Epsom over KGS for DD1 last year and are very happy with our choice. DD2 will also apply in the future. What really reassured us was that all the current parents are raving about the school. Now that DD1 is there, we have met so many families with 2-3 kids at the school and even all their 15-17 year olds seem to be thriving and loving it. Anyone with a child at Epsom seems to want to send their younger ones there, whereas we have met plenty (especially those at girls' schools like Surbiton / PHS) who are considering sending the younger siblings elsewhere.

It has been said further up the thread re SPGS, it is really more meaningful to visit a school in person (as @cerealchange has done) and talking to a variety of current parents than to pass on hearsay from someone who heard something. I don't understand why people are keen on berating a school they have no insider knowledge about or experience of.

@swgeek " I don't understand why people are keen on berating a school they have no insider knowledge about or experience of."

I don't think it is fair to say people talk about negative points on SPGS have no insider knowledge about or experience of either.
These kind of info/advice on MN should be taken carefully but I should say opposite side of denial or defence might be of the same purpose.

Parents should do their own research to find out.

@swgeek can you please expand on your views (with insider experience I presume?) on ‘whereas we have met plenty (especially those at girls' schools like Surbiton / PHS) who are considering sending the younger siblings elsewhere’. What specifically have you heard about the reasons why?

@EweCee of course, mostly it relates to the atmosphere among the girls and friendships, a large amount of cliquiness, meaning that a group of girls (mostly A-team players and sports scholars) are having a blast and others feel they are not seen / part of the "in crowd". Not exactly overt bullying, but there are strong cliques that have no interest in including anyone else. Some were unhappy enough that they switched schools for Sixth Form, others were okay but the parents often say after seeing how their siblings (younger DD who went elsewhere or brothers) thrived at other schools that in hindsight they wish they had sent their DD elsewhere. That these schools weren't great for their children's confidence.

Good morning, I have not posted before but I wanted to respond to @swgeek. I have 2 daughters at Surbiton who are very happy at the school. I can’t speak for anyone else but I cannot relate to your post. There are quite a few scholars but there seems to be opportunities available to the girls across the board and while they won’t get every opportunity, from what I hear everyone in my daughters’ classes are involved in something they enjoy. They are not in the in crowd, is if there is one bit have a nice group of friends. Bottom line, don’t listen to all the noise out there and decide what is best for your DCs.

@momomamiko not sure what to expect from the KCS interview either! DS has his tomorrow. I am guessing some sort of problem solving/creative/ question will be added to the usual hobbies, school chat.

No clue how many boys are being interviewed either. When is your DS' interview? Very best of luck!

@NellyCortado Many thanks and same to your ds! We are also tomorrow - slotted for 9am.

I remember reading on a past mumsnet thread they invite double the number of places available but not sure as the school said nothing about the numbers in the email.

They also apparently ask the kids to read a passage and answer questions about it. Lets see!

I think what's really interesting (and hugely reassuring) reading these threads over the years, and seeing the same names pop up who've been through it once and might be going through it again, now or in the future, is that it genuinely seems that all DCs end up in a school that they're happy in. Having watched these threads over the years, and seen some people lose out on their favourite school, and others lose out on all schools bar their back-up, while others got a full sweep of offers, it really does seem that, a year or two down the line, all those DCs are happy and settled and thriving at their schools - however they felt about that school when the offers came in. I don't think I've ever read someone on here say "We had to take our back-up offer and it's rubbish and our DC hates it."

I know the next few weeks are going to be nailbiting as everyone waits for results, so I hope people can hold on to the fact that these really are all very good schools, and DCs are very likely to be happy and thrive at whichever one they go to.

I do think it’s an awful experience to go through (mostly for parents) but all of the schools mentioned on here are really top notch and at the end of the day most children will gain the same GCSE results wherever they are. As long as they are happy and engaged with the school and it’s the right fit for them they will all do well. We chose a school that most would consider a ‘back up’ and my dc ended up with over 9 A stars at GCSE… Can’t be any happier than that. Best of luck to all 🤞

@momomamiko hmm, reading passages and comprehension questions on the spot sounds potentially a bit tricky. An early start for you, but at least it will be done and dusted quickly. We are at midday. Do let me know if your DS comes out smiling!

@LondonMum20222 @Groundhogday2021 needed to hear that, thank you! And you are so right. DD is very much in the "right school" for her and is happily settled. It really does all work out.

@NellyCortado will do :)

I know parents whose kids are not happy at Year 7 school but they move them for Year 8, or some goes to those 13+ schools or intake at Year 9.
A close friend’s child didn’t get to the girls only boarding options at 11+ or 13+ but really flew with top marks at GCSEs and went to Westminster school for boarding and great university. So 11+ is not the end and there are plenty of options going ahead. All the best!