Page 4 | 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

SamPoodle123 · 31/01/2023 19:37

@Notanotherone2 Yes, exactly, there is not much homework and the focus seems to be just on the SATs and helping the kids that need it.

I am hoping the schools really know which kids will do well there.

@Pleasegrowmore will you ask where she is in the cohort?

SamPoodle123 · 31/01/2023 19:44

@1234mum

1234mum · Today 16:28
Hi, a question: does anyone know at what time did the interviews started at GL and at what time they finished? Just to understand the numbers…

I saw you posted the above in the old thread, so thought I would copy it here. My dd had her interview 2:30pm at G&L. Someone else I know mentioned theirs was 830am. I am not sure what was the first and last timing for them.

PreplexJ · 31/01/2023 19:46

UKUSMum · 30/01/2023 22:30

I can’t imagine my DD knowing how to answer how she’d get to a school we don’t even know she’ll get an offer from! Presumably bus or tube is a good enough answer from a 10/11 year old but yields no data for them.
However at the CLSG tour, the head did do a plea that if you’re not keen on the journey to school, please don’t apply. She said they get turned down every year by families who say it’s too far and it drives her crazy because the school hasn’t moved. ;-)
But again, I can’t imagine many kids would be thinking about the journeys and have revealing answers to that question. One of my DD’s friends would know the route, but he lives in America and happens to be obsessed with the London tube map. Maybe they should ask him to weigh in when they make their decisions?!
Good luck everyone - not long to go now.

SPGS existing coach route is clearly longer than 1 hours (I would say 90 minutes) at peak times
But the school asking parents longer than 50mins commute journey not to apply unless they move.. The message is I consistent..

1234mum · 31/01/2023 19:48

Thank you so much, SamPoodle123, I'm new and I still don't know exactly how it works 😀

PreplexJ · 31/01/2023 19:57

@crazymama123 "Westminster, city, UCS, Highgate and forest (favourites are probably UCS, Highgate and city but honestly don’t know how to choose between them - if we have a choice of course!). "

If you get offer from all of these school, that will suggest your DC already met the highest academic standard in London. In that case probably there will be 1/2 school from the list you would think less academic fit for your DC. This is just hypothetical but I try to understand the rational on your decision process.

LoveMyADHD · 31/01/2023 20:00

la14 · 31/01/2023 16:13

"Radnor House has missed their own deadline in sending offers"

Hmmm. Sorry, I saw this and had to come on to say that in our experience, this school are loons. Granted, this is only our experience and this was about 5 years ago.... I have a DD who is dyslexic who sat 11 plus there. About a week before results were due, they sent out a very bizarre email to all applicants, congratulating themselves that x number had applied to their school! It was like, "well done us." The email also said "you can look forward to hearing from us very soon." I thought, surely they wouldn't reject people after that letter... well, three days later they did!

I called up for feedback and the woman was quite blunt and said "standards of applications are so high here" and basically DD had no chance so don't bother ringing again. DD was successful at another certain school across the road and took a place there (as in we paid the deposit). Then, I think it was late Feb / early March, RH must have called me 4 separate times to insist they were, in fact, the 'perfect school' for DD. Basically begging me to lose the deposit for the other school and go to RH instead! This was after a flat rejection and "standards are so high here" etc etc. Also, by this time, I had seen their GCSE results which were only about 30% 9-7 at GCSE, whereas for the school we had paid a deposit at, the figure was more like 60%. I told them this and she said "academic results are not everything." Talk about changing their tune!

I know the school has changed now or merged / expanded, but this was our experience. So even if people receive a 'no,' it might not actually be a 'no' iyswim. Good luck!

That’s awful @la14 .. their results have gone up significantly last year so sadly I don’t see them repeating history (I wish they did )

Original poster

QuiteAJourney · 31/01/2023 20:03

1234mum · 31/01/2023 19:48

Thank you so much, SamPoodle123, I'm new and I still don't know exactly how it works 😀

@1234mum Welcome!
We need to move from one thread to a continuation one periodically as there is a limit of 1000 messages on threads (and we are very chatty 🙂)
(with thanks to @SamPoodle123 for signposting)

OP posts:

1234mum · 31/01/2023 20:13

@SamPoodle123 I completely understand, thank you, and happy to be part of this conversation. 😊

1234mum · 31/01/2023 20:14

@QuiteAJourney Thank you to you too.

LoveMyADHD · 31/01/2023 20:17

Just fyi Radnor confirmed they experienced some delays but still expecting to confirm offers by end of the week 💩

Original poster

QuiteAJourney · 31/01/2023 20:23

LoveMyADHD · 31/01/2023 20:17

Just fyi Radnor confirmed they experienced some delays but still expecting to confirm offers by end of the week 💩

Pants!
Hold on there, lovely!

OP posts:

PreplexJ · 31/01/2023 20:28

Toolongawait23 · 31/01/2023 10:51

One of the schools in NW London, actually interviews parents to figure out how likely they are to accept an offer; some of DDs friends had applied and their parents got asked in many ways about where that school ranked in the list etc. This is a good example of school getting to know the family not just the academic potential of DC; on the other hand do parents have a priority list of schools to action in the event of multiple offers (fingers crossed!)

I think I know which school you talking about, whatever your answer is will unlikely affect the schools decision on whether give you offer or not - obviously they would like to have as many students that had demonstrated good academic potential during the selection process as possible.

They just want to gauge how many more offers the school need to make..

LoveMyADHD · 31/01/2023 20:35

QuiteAJourney · 31/01/2023 20:23

Pants!
Hold on there, lovely!

Show quote history

😘😍😘😍

ViolettasAria · 31/01/2023 20:38

Senior school is a step up for everyone, whether you have been to a state primary or an independent primary. The initial shock is not due to academics, but rather due to the more 'mature' environment, some very big 18 year old girls around and little 11 year olds feeling very small, very expended social circles, coping with the onset of puberty for pretty much everyone etc.
I wouldn't worry too much about her not being able to cope in GL, they will start slow on the homework and lesson work, anyways year 7 seems to be a bit of a 'consolidation' year in many schools as they know they have children from various different schooling backgrounds and they have to get everyone up to the same level. When the homework does pick up, your daughter will mature into it with the rest of the cohort. Within a few months, she will be entering the house, immediately picking up her bag and folders and taking herself to her bedroom to do homework for the majority of the evening! maybe slightly exaggerating, but more or less this is what my experience has been and all of my friends with daughters in senior school.

BrightLight04 · 31/01/2023 20:42

@la14 that's shocking. I spoke to their Principal during an open day asking questions about Kneller Hall mainly how long will the building works if their planning application is approved etc etc just for him to say that he's 'just the teacher' and has no idea. I was stunt and asked if he ever sits on the Board of Directors and actually knows anything, he replied 'yes'. Radnor's Head, is a much nicer person in my opinion, and managed to answer all the same questions in details.
@LoveMyADHD thank you for an update.

PreplexJ · 31/01/2023 20:49

Think no one can deny that a school that help DCs reach their academic potential is not the same as a school that has DCs full of academic potential.

Let us talk general case here, if there is little correlation between the above 2 points, why most of the mums chose to take selective private school route (at least in this series threads). And why those most popular schools in London are selective mainly based on academic selection process?

If no correlation I guess private schools can just be a happy family take on students based purely on catchment or sibling.. 11+ Problem solved..

Some one must be missing sth important here..

SamPoodle123 · 31/01/2023 20:49

ViolettasAria · 31/01/2023 20:38

Senior school is a step up for everyone, whether you have been to a state primary or an independent primary. The initial shock is not due to academics, but rather due to the more 'mature' environment, some very big 18 year old girls around and little 11 year olds feeling very small, very expended social circles, coping with the onset of puberty for pretty much everyone etc.
I wouldn't worry too much about her not being able to cope in GL, they will start slow on the homework and lesson work, anyways year 7 seems to be a bit of a 'consolidation' year in many schools as they know they have children from various different schooling backgrounds and they have to get everyone up to the same level. When the homework does pick up, your daughter will mature into it with the rest of the cohort. Within a few months, she will be entering the house, immediately picking up her bag and folders and taking herself to her bedroom to do homework for the majority of the evening! maybe slightly exaggerating, but more or less this is what my experience has been and all of my friends with daughters in senior school.

OMG that would be amazing! Somehow, not so sure I can believe that for my dc lol. But one can hope!

MomFromSE · 31/01/2023 21:20

@PreplexJ what’s your question exactly?

Private schools on average help children achieve their potential better than state schools based on research from UCL.

The difference between private schools academic performance in general is their cohorts ability at intake. Most students will get similar academic results at any strong private school- in fact parental background and ability are still the vast majority of the predictive outcomes. That doesn’t mean all kids can get the same grades as each other but they can get the best grades they as individuals are capable of in a variety of schools.

Why are some schools more academically selective than others? Because they can be and some parents want that. Chasing prestige is part of it naturally for some schools, parents and pupils. Human beings are naturally competitive which if fine though balancing that against what will actually the best holistic experience for the kids is important.

PreplexJ · 31/01/2023 21:32

MomFromSE · 31/01/2023 21:20

@PreplexJ what’s your question exactly?

Private schools on average help children achieve their potential better than state schools based on research from UCL.

The difference between private schools academic performance in general is their cohorts ability at intake. Most students will get similar academic results at any strong private school- in fact parental background and ability are still the vast majority of the predictive outcomes. That doesn’t mean all kids can get the same grades as each other but they can get the best grades they as individuals are capable of in a variety of schools.

Why are some schools more academically selective than others? Because they can be and some parents want that. Chasing prestige is part of it naturally for some schools, parents and pupils. Human beings are naturally competitive which if fine though balancing that against what will actually the best holistic experience for the kids is important.

It is a open question as I am preplex by some of the earlier comments.

"Chasing prestige is part of it naturally for some schools, parents and pupils. Human beings are naturally competitive which if fine though balancing that against what will actually the best holistic experience for the kids is important."

I think this is sensible point but maybe not the main reason. I don't know if there is any research to back this up, but I guess parents believe having their pupils in the right cohort academic ability environment can create benifits for students to fully realise their academic potential (in general) , as you point out human being are naturally competive. Or at the least the school can be more targeted focus in terms of subjects depth / speed / loads that would help the academic development of the students.

MomFromSE · 31/01/2023 22:38

@PreplexJ yes, but being in your academic cohort is possible even for academically brilliant children at most selective schools in London, not just a few.

Many schools in London for instance have a reasonable number Oxbridge / Ivy league students each year. For some schools, this will be the equivalent of the top set and teaching for this cohort within the year group will be adapted accordingly.

For SPGs, this might be the equivalent of the top 2 sets (not the entire year group anywhere) as their relative proportion of highly able girls is larger.

However, as long as a school has a cohort within the year group that matches your child's ability the outcomes will likely be the same. Most schools have a range of abilities within them and the teaching is adapted accordingly to maximise the children's outcomes.

Therefore, going for the most selective school as your main criteria isn't necessary or even beneficial academically if it comes at the expense of other aspects of their holistic development and well-being.

Burbia · 31/01/2023 22:41

This reply has been withdrawn

The OP has privacy concerns and so we've agreed to take this down.

PreplexJ · 31/01/2023 22:44

@MomFromSE I agree not necessary to go for most selective schools. Some good selective schools, if has sets, may well be able to create similar academic peer challenging environment that make the DC thrive combing with other "holistic" factors.

But I'm just confused by some comments that completely dismissed the influence or importance of academic ability in the school environment. In this case, why not everyone just apply for nonseletive private school, or the private school that select based on non academic criteria.

MomFromSE · 31/01/2023 22:47

Most private school students don't attend highly selective schools. That's true by definition.

PreplexJ · 31/01/2023 22:49

MomFromSE · 31/01/2023 22:47

Most private school students don't attend highly selective schools. That's true by definition.

Agree your statement, my observation in this thread (or thread series) most of the mums are applying academic selective schools in London.

MomFromSE · 31/01/2023 23:00

I think most people on this thread live near academically selective schools and have also applied to less selective schools too. There isn't anything wrong with applying to a selective school if you have an academic child. It's just when you are picking your options, the league table rankings shouldn't be a consideration if all the schools have a suitably academic cohort for your specific child's ability.