Page 23 | SW London Grammar and Private year 7 entry 2024

lolo99 · 2023-09-27T18:31:09+00:00

Not sure if this thread has been started but if not, I would like to share experiences, tips and generally talk about schools and their pros and cons and processes to ease the anxiety and pain for us parents :)

SkaterGrrrrl · 05/12/2023 19:52

But also oh yes as DC still in with a chance!

Brugmansia · 05/12/2023 20:00

Is anyone's DC doing LU tomorrow? We decided against it in the end as the journey isn't great from where we are.

W4mamabear · 05/12/2023 20:50

My DD is sitting the LU test tomorrow - she is strong in English and creative writing but I’m worried about the hour long maths test. Let’s see, she’s feeling quite positive so fingers crossed!

farfallarocks · 05/12/2023 21:37

I have slight fomo on Radnor. I was worried about yet another exam for what sounded like minimal places available? Any progress on the sight?

Wondermumof4 · 05/12/2023 22:00

Brugmansia · 05/12/2023 20:00

Is anyone's DC doing LU tomorrow? We decided against it in the end as the journey isn't great from where we are.

Hi , my DS is also sitting LU tomorrow afternoon.
went to bed a little bit stressed (we are probably more 🤦🏻‍♀️) it is our number one choice as nearer to us so all finger crossed🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 good luck to your DC🍀

ThePlacesYouGo · 06/12/2023 07:08

Good luck to all those sitting LU today.

Original poster

lolo99 · 06/12/2023 13:36

There were SO many sitting. How many do you think? Wow

OP posts:

Outerlondon2024 · 06/12/2023 14:36

Did you see the latest Times parent power ranking? LU is doing a great job of supporting families. They spent a whopping 4.5 million on bursaries yearly, and nearly one in ten of their pupils get 100%-financial support. How amazing is that!

swlondon24 · 06/12/2023 14:37

Yes there were many kids today but DD kept saying "oh, he was in my Ibstock group" or "she was in my Emanuel group" so it is the same 1,000-1,500 kids hopping from one 11+ exam to the next clearly. There is a large number of children doing all the SW London co-ed schools.

Wondermumof4 · 06/12/2023 14:38

lolo99 · 06/12/2023 13:36

There were SO many sitting. How many do you think? Wow

My husband just came home after dropping our son for the 2.30pm sitting and he was chocked about the queue , we were expecting lots of kids applying but this was over the top.
i am starting to be scared lol lets see🤞🏻
anybody did it in the morning ? How was it ?

Wondermumof4 · 06/12/2023 15:01

swlondon24 · 06/12/2023 14:37

Yes there were many kids today but DD kept saying "oh, he was in my Ibstock group" or "she was in my Emanuel group" so it is the same 1,000-1,500 kids hopping from one 11+ exam to the next clearly. There is a large number of children doing all the SW London co-ed schools.

I agree with what you are saying , but the number of children at LU was way more.
most important is to give it a try anyway , and pray😂 it is a great school and proximity for us is the best 15 min away.

swlondon24 · 06/12/2023 15:12

if you had an afternoon slot, it may have looked massive because there was one very long queue of parents who were queuing to pick up their children from the earlier session and then another long queue of candidates going in. This has always been the case and the queues two years ago were just as long. Some of it was also due to parents not being able to follow instructions, as I saw many who came 30min early and hence queueing at the wrong time and then being turned away at the gate.

I do think there are a few hundred more doing LU than Emanuel / Ibstock which is probably down to the fact that they actively encourage children from local state primary schools to apply, so there may be a few hundred extra candidates who wouldn't apply to Ibstock, for example. But I don't think it was any more this year than the previous 2-3 years, it's been around 1,500 per year for a while now.

Wondermumof4 · 06/12/2023 15:21

swlondon24 · 06/12/2023 15:12

if you had an afternoon slot, it may have looked massive because there was one very long queue of parents who were queuing to pick up their children from the earlier session and then another long queue of candidates going in. This has always been the case and the queues two years ago were just as long. Some of it was also due to parents not being able to follow instructions, as I saw many who came 30min early and hence queueing at the wrong time and then being turned away at the gate.

I do think there are a few hundred more doing LU than Emanuel / Ibstock which is probably down to the fact that they actively encourage children from local state primary schools to apply, so there may be a few hundred extra candidates who wouldn't apply to Ibstock, for example. But I don't think it was any more this year than the previous 2-3 years, it's been around 1,500 per year for a while now.

Pfiouuuu makes sense thanks this is reassuring😅

W4mamabear · 06/12/2023 16:46

My DC went in the morning , she found maths section B challenging but happy with her essay! We met half of London there! Let’s see what happens next week!

Wondermumof4 · 06/12/2023 17:52

Same with my DS and he did not finish section B :( yes let’s see next week🤞🏻

ash86i · 06/12/2023 18:02

Last year LU was very busy indeed! But as other posters have said, the same kids apply to many schools. Last year, especially for the coeds, we saw the same kids at LU, Emanuel and Ibstock. And saw many of the same at the offer holders events as well. Good luck!

travelturtle · 06/12/2023 18:06

Yes it was v busy at LU, but I think same as 2 years ago. At least they mark the papers very quickly so we will know soon. 🤞 for good news.

I assume there’s probably a second date in next couple of days for those who couldn’t make it today so we should probably avoid discussing in too much detail until then.

farfallarocks · 06/12/2023 19:17

I think families are definitely applying for more schools so the stats sound worse and worse but as you say, it’s all the same children! I think you could 3 a few years ago, now 5 seems typical and I know some people doing 10!

ModeWeasel · 06/12/2023 19:26

10 private?!? Wow. I know some doing up to 5 private and some state options.

farfallarocks · 06/12/2023 20:49

Yes! Some schools using the ISEB so not as awful as it sounds. However hugely inflates the numbers.

ash86i · 06/12/2023 20:50

Anything from 5 to 10 was the norm at DC’s prep. Parents were encouraged to have at least 6 schools on their lists and many kids wrote 7-8 tests. Thus the enormous queues at the most popular schools!

Also bear in mind that some kids taking multiple exams end up having multiple offers but will only take one place out of the offers from all schools combined so that changes the overall ratio of applicants:offers.

Wondermumof4 · 06/12/2023 21:53

we did 6 applications and most parents do that in my DC ‘ s primary school (state) some 8 /10 so not suprised at all.
and yes it is true that our child will attend 1 school only.
i tell myself that the one he will hopefully get (🤞🏻) will be the one he deserves ☺️the right fit for him.

Brugmansia · 06/12/2023 22:38

I can't imagine doing that many applications. We're only doing 4. This is partly as we're only really interested in co-ed and being just into SE London there aren't many that are easily commutable. We included Dulwich College just to have one more option, but DS really isn't keen. I'm finding 4 exams a bit much.

If DS doesn't get any of the ones he'll go to whatever state option he gets offered.

Wondermumof4 · 06/12/2023 23:11

Brugmansia · 06/12/2023 22:38

I can't imagine doing that many applications. We're only doing 4. This is partly as we're only really interested in co-ed and being just into SE London there aren't many that are easily commutable. We included Dulwich College just to have one more option, but DS really isn't keen. I'm finding 4 exams a bit much.

If DS doesn't get any of the ones he'll go to whatever state option he gets offered.

Yes its a lot, we have iseb ones too so he does not sit them all.
we chose mix of coed and boys schools (but also prefer coed). We also have state option in case of zero offers.
my DS is sitting Dulwich on friday as well, good luck to your DS.
really cannot wait for the end of it , almost over…

Brugmansia · 07/12/2023 07:59

We only have one ISEB which is on Saturday, so it doesn't make any difference overall.