Page 35 | SW London Private and Grammar - applying for year 7 in 2023 (part V)

QuiteAJourney · 2023-01-30T18:43:10+00:00

Following from our previous threads, including the latest (link below) https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4723610-sw-london-private-grammar-applying-for-year-7-in-2023?page=40 Looking forward to continuing the journey together

Rjikks · 09/02/2023 09:40

Their last email says they are posting on 9th Feb. No answer from admissions

LoveMyADHD · 09/02/2023 10:17

Lolakath19 · 09/02/2023 07:12

@LoveMyADHD that is what I understand from mums that have done in previous years. Especially in maths, most children from prep have done all the curriculum already so the years is spent doing nothing for them and catching up the children from state if needed.

Oh dear…. 23k a year for losing the hard work momentum for next two years … going right back to zero 😫

LoveMyADHD · 09/02/2023 10:19

woohooho · 09/02/2023 07:40

@SamPoodle123

'Oh no, I hope this is not the case. My dd is already frustrated with math at school. She says they keep repeating things already learned (she is in a state school though, so hopefully private will cover something she has not learned - although she might have covered it herself when doing 11+ prep!).'

I was told by more than one head that state school pupils often had a better grounding in the maths basics ( and in English language as well) due to the curriculum being taught ie 'mastering the skills etc'. They probably had done less 'problem solving' as were not being prepared for 11plus at their schools.

In my experience the secondary schools do cover the basics again to begin with as pupils will have been taught how to do things in certain ways and not necessarily the preferred ones ( particularly by tutors).

It's rubbish to say that prep school children do nothing in the first few years of secondary so the state school children can catch up, as some poster said! Latin and French they may be behind but that's about it and they soon catch up.

That’s encouraging 😍

just hoping we avoid that manic pressure again just before next exams x

LoveMyADHD · 09/02/2023 10:22

Jibberty · 09/02/2023 08:19

Woohoo is spot on. They are not on an even playing field to start with, but no one group (state vs prep) is ahead particularly, rather different strengths and knowledge across the board. It honestly levels by the Christmas holidays as they find their new grooves.

Maths groups are established relatively quickly - after the October half term generally, but these sets are absolutely fluid. My daughter for eg struggles with maths but is not your standard bottom set child. She was told she'd be moving to set 3 (of 6) last year but she has explicitly requested that she stays in the bottom set as she feels more comfortable there, yet now in Y9 she's top sets for all sciences.

GCSEs are nothing like the 11+ race. She's just made her choices, for that is what they are - her choices and not mine, and apart from a discussion with me between two subjects, she's absolutely had the final decision.

Long story short - the 11+ cannot be beaten for the level of angst and stress it causes! I know it sounds so cliched, but your girls/boys will end up at the right school for them and GCSEs will bring nothing near the stress - those on here with older children will (I hope) agree that your 10/11 year old now will be so very different even by the end of Y7, and despite the bad press they sometimes get, most teenagers are bloody lovely and thirsty to learn and do well, so that's what they do.

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your last paragraph is super super super super helpful!!!! xxxxxx

Ernern · 09/02/2023 10:22

Just received LEH offer by post. Good luck for those who are waiting.

Running247 · 09/02/2023 10:24

@LoveMyADHD

I really don’t think that is the case. As a PP said, 11+ focuses on Maths and English. I have a DC in a super selective senior school in year 9 and I don’t think year 7 and 8 were wasted at all; it was a chance for everyone to get a good grounding (or in some cases, their first taste) in all the other subjects, mostly with excellent specialist teachers.

In year 9, GCSE choices are submitted and their experience in years 7 and 8 are important to enabling them to make these choices.

GQ22 · 09/02/2023 10:30

@LoveMyADHD OTOH I'm desparate for the change in momentum. 11/13+ prep has been way too stressful! The kids deserve a "break" (very relative term) for a couple years.

LoveMyADHD · 09/02/2023 10:31

Ernern · 09/02/2023 10:22

Just received LEH offer by post. Good luck for those who are waiting.

Wooooohoooo!! Congratulations to DD!!!!

good luck to all today xxx

Lolakath19 · 09/02/2023 10:33

@Ernern Congrats!!!

mootwo · 09/02/2023 10:33

@Ernern - congratulations!! I raced to the letterbox reading that but no post yet 😬

LondonMum20222 · 09/02/2023 10:35

@Ernern Huge congrats! Great news for you and DD. Can't believe they're sending offers by post (and no email) though given how unreliable mail is at the moment!

glassbottle55 · 09/02/2023 10:37

Hi all, has anyone heard from Royal Russell yet?

Funbu · 09/02/2023 10:39

@LondonMum20222 LEH said they were doing both because of potential issues with post. 🤞🏻

drizzledon · 09/02/2023 10:40

How nonsensical to suggest that state school would be behind in maths when they've passed the same exams to enter the school. State school pupils are edging out plenty of prep school educated pupils in grammar school exams - a good comparison given the lack of fees as a barrier. From browsing these forums, on the contrary my impression is that prep schools spend an inordinate amount of energy in the final years preparing children for secondary school entry - that's not a type of education that would be a priority to me. Please don't make lazy assumptions about the education of state school students.

Ernern · 09/02/2023 10:40

LondonMum20222 · 09/02/2023 10:35

@Ernern Huge congrats! Great news for you and DD. Can't believe they're sending offers by post (and no email) though given how unreliable mail is at the moment!

Thanks all!!! Totally surprised to receive the pack by post but LEH has been sending both emails & surface mail on all other correspondences previously. Till now I haven't received an email however I suspect it will arrive sometime today.

My daughter loves LEH and Tiffin Girls!!

Workhar · 09/02/2023 10:40

LondonMum20222 · 09/02/2023 10:35

@Ernern Huge congrats! Great news for you and DD. Can't believe they're sending offers by post (and no email) though given how unreliable mail is at the moment!

And imagine the situation of those anxious mothers who are not home to check the post!

Taurus23 · 09/02/2023 10:40

@Ernern congratulations!!! Not back till this evening. The wait is going to kill me!

Ernern · 09/02/2023 10:41

mootwo · 09/02/2023 10:33

@Ernern - congratulations!! I raced to the letterbox reading that but no post yet 😬

Thanks! Good luck! Maybe later in the day! But do refresh your email as LEH would usually send an email too!

Gumps · 09/02/2023 10:44

Oh god I wasn’t prepared to hear from LEH today. Just at the gym and now too scared to go home for the post!

Workhar · 09/02/2023 10:47

LEH emails are out

Taurus23 · 09/02/2023 10:54

@Workhar no emails here so I’m guessing another waitlist 😞

11plusdoneandnomore · 09/02/2023 10:55

congratulations 🥳. Are you going to wait for Tiffin result?

GQ22 · 09/02/2023 10:56

drizzledon · 09/02/2023 10:40

How nonsensical to suggest that state school would be behind in maths when they've passed the same exams to enter the school. State school pupils are edging out plenty of prep school educated pupils in grammar school exams - a good comparison given the lack of fees as a barrier. From browsing these forums, on the contrary my impression is that prep schools spend an inordinate amount of energy in the final years preparing children for secondary school entry - that's not a type of education that would be a priority to me. Please don't make lazy assumptions about the education of state school students.

It's an awkward one really. We moved from state to prep in Y4 and regularly compare notes with parents from the previous school. Some things are very different, other things are not.

In terms of curriculum I don't think state kids are taught less than prep kids for Maths and English by the end of Y6. But in our prep they finished the Y6 curriculum in Y5, and then spent the last term of Y5 and first term of Y6 massively focused on 11+ prep. They've not so much moved on as have just drilled the KS2 curriculum into them. I agree it's not what many would want for their child, but the key is in the name - it's a preparatory school, to prepare them specifically for these exams. What we have heard from our old friends at state is that their kids are all now being drilled for SATs though, so I do wonder how different some of these schools are on Maths and English.

All that said on other subjects, personal development and co-curricular pursuits the difference is honestly as stark as they come, almost incomparable. Maths and English in the end only comes up to about 2 hours of the school day.

Workhar · 09/02/2023 10:56

Taurus23 · 09/02/2023 10:54

@Workhar no emails here so I’m guessing another waitlist 😞

Ask the Dad to check his email.

eglantine7 · 09/02/2023 10:56

State school parents do not worry about Maths. I have experience of an average state primary and a super academic prep. Hand on heart the Maths taught in state was superior as they introduced Maths Mastery in 2016 and this provides excellent grounding for deeper Maths work. It's showing in my now year 8 child who is at a state secondary in top Maths set. The gap is closing between state and private schools in primary and secondaryies. If your child ends up at a private secondary school they in no way will be disadvantaged amongst prep children. In fact they did not have the hassle of disrupted schooling in their later primary years.
Good luck everyone!