Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

SW London Grammar and Private year 7 entry 2024

1000 replies

lolo99 · 27/09/2023 19:31

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 :)

OP posts:
Thread gallery
32
Wondermumof4 · 12/12/2023 17:19

Yes.
we have so far a general interview for KGS , an interview for Wetherby (but that was really a back up option) and second round for IPS that will happen this Thursday.
still waiting to hear from SPS and Emanuel and Dulwich (in January)

SamPoodle123 · 12/12/2023 17:24

Wondermumof4 · 12/12/2023 17:19

Yes.
we have so far a general interview for KGS , an interview for Wetherby (but that was really a back up option) and second round for IPS that will happen this Thursday.
still waiting to hear from SPS and Emanuel and Dulwich (in January)

Good luck on the other schools.

What did your ds think of the Dulwich exam? It was all online now right? No written? As I think previously was written and now they have switch to online. My ds has quite messy handwriting so I’m glad if it is all online 😂

Im praying his handwriting will improve by the time he takes the written exams next year for the other schools.

Wondermumof4 · 12/12/2023 17:28

Thank you ! Yes but The creative writing task was written of course

Wondermumof4 · 12/12/2023 17:29

@lolo99 and @W4mamabear any good news for you yet ?

W4mamabear · 12/12/2023 17:35

It’s a no for us as well - sorry to hear your son was upset @Wondermumof4. sounds like he’s in a great position with three second stages! Best of luck with IPS this week

Original poster
lolo99 · 12/12/2023 17:35

Wondermumof4 · 12/12/2023 17:29

@lolo99 and @W4mamabear any good news for you yet ?

Yes delighted to have a yes for Latymer upper today.

OP posts:
W4mamabear · 12/12/2023 17:36

Well done to your DC! It’s a wonderful school and my DHs first choice - it wasn’t meant to be for us but happy for all others getting through

QuiteAJourney · 12/12/2023 17:36

@Wondermumof4 you have really good results so far and that bears well for the ones yet to come. We had friends last year with DC that got offer from KGS and quite a few others but did not make it to second round of LU, but also the opposite (offer from LU but did not make it to interview at KGS). DC can have a bad day and/or an exam that does not work for them ...

SamPoodle123 · 12/12/2023 17:44

Wondermumof4 · 12/12/2023 17:28

Thank you ! Yes but The creative writing task was written of course

Ah, I thought the creative component was online as well...but if they have creative writing task too, then I understand that would be written. I better go check the details.

Wondermumof4 · 12/12/2023 17:45

Thanks to all of you that wrote me comments and big congrats to your DC @lolo99 , hope you will get an offer at the end of it🙃
i am happy we got this far already so im ok ! Will see what comes next.

QuiteAJourney · 12/12/2023 17:46

@lolo99 congrats on the invite for second round

Original poster
lolo99 · 12/12/2023 17:47

Wondermumof4 · 12/12/2023 17:45

Thanks to all of you that wrote me comments and big congrats to your DC @lolo99 , hope you will get an offer at the end of it🙃
i am happy we got this far already so im ok ! Will see what comes next.

Thank you and good luck with this rather torturous journey. Everyone keep us posted .

OP posts:
QuiteAJourney · 12/12/2023 17:55

W4mamabear · 12/12/2023 17:35

It’s a no for us as well - sorry to hear your son was upset @Wondermumof4. sounds like he’s in a great position with three second stages! Best of luck with IPS this week

Sorry to hear - stay strong

CocoC · 12/12/2023 18:12

Just a follow up on the WHS vs PHS (and thank you for the response so far) - has anyone actually preferred PHS?
We didn’t apply for WHS purely due to distance (would have been doable but more complicated), and afterwards I regretted it. But am interested to see that on MN people say ‘they are very different’, and when they do express a preference, it is always towards WHS?

HawaiiWake · 12/12/2023 18:15

CocoC · 12/12/2023 18:12

Just a follow up on the WHS vs PHS (and thank you for the response so far) - has anyone actually preferred PHS?
We didn’t apply for WHS purely due to distance (would have been doable but more complicated), and afterwards I regretted it. But am interested to see that on MN people say ‘they are very different’, and when they do express a preference, it is always towards WHS?

We know girls going to PHS over WHS in the last two years.

ALongProcess · 12/12/2023 18:16

@SamPoodle123 for Dulwich there are two "creative" parts. One isn't creative in the traditional sense - it's a comprehension looking at lots of online source materials and is all online (and was fiendishly hard by all accounts); the other is a short creative writing piece written by hand - writing about a picture this year - but 15 minutes long only. That 15 minute writing task is the only bit that isn't online. IMHO the online stuff is way harder but maybe I'm just a dinosaur who doesn't game enough ;-)

QuiteAJourney · 12/12/2023 18:24

CocoC · 12/12/2023 18:12

Just a follow up on the WHS vs PHS (and thank you for the response so far) - has anyone actually preferred PHS?
We didn’t apply for WHS purely due to distance (would have been doable but more complicated), and afterwards I regretted it. But am interested to see that on MN people say ‘they are very different’, and when they do express a preference, it is always towards WHS?

As said, it is a question of personal preference. I do not know any DDs that have chosen PHS over WHS but I am sure others do. I know quite a few that chose WHS over PHS but it maybe related to the prep my DD went to and its ethos / spirit being more aligned with WHS - indeed, for the DC with offers from both the reasons were mostly a mix of personal fit and location (and not so much the academic standing).

11plusdoneanddusted · 12/12/2023 18:28

CocoC · 12/12/2023 18:12

Just a follow up on the WHS vs PHS (and thank you for the response so far) - has anyone actually preferred PHS?
We didn’t apply for WHS purely due to distance (would have been doable but more complicated), and afterwards I regretted it. But am interested to see that on MN people say ‘they are very different’, and when they do express a preference, it is always towards WHS?

They are not really that different and quite a few families have children at both. My DD ( and I) much preferred WHS at the open days, others prefer PHS.
Lacrosse v Hockey , location of rowing, swimming pool at WHS, Putney v Wimbledon, Purple v Green! New head at PHS.
Not many pupils at WHS live north of the river, lots more at PHS do.

SamPoodle123 · 12/12/2023 18:40

ALongProcess · 12/12/2023 18:16

@SamPoodle123 for Dulwich there are two "creative" parts. One isn't creative in the traditional sense - it's a comprehension looking at lots of online source materials and is all online (and was fiendishly hard by all accounts); the other is a short creative writing piece written by hand - writing about a picture this year - but 15 minutes long only. That 15 minute writing task is the only bit that isn't online. IMHO the online stuff is way harder but maybe I'm just a dinosaur who doesn't game enough ;-)

Haha...if gaming helps with the online creative component then my ds will have that in the bag ;) lol.

minipie · 12/12/2023 20:13

Quick question re offer holders days (should we get that far!) - do parents go?

PreplexJ · 12/12/2023 20:22

minipie · 12/12/2023 20:13

Quick question re offer holders days (should we get that far!) - do parents go?

Yes

Flimpychunk · 12/12/2023 20:31

Ilikelists · 12/12/2023 10:43

Westminister / St Pauls
Kings
Latymer Upper, City
KGS, Alleyns, RGS, Hampton, UCS
Emanuel
Dulwich, Whitgift, Trinity
Harrodian
Ibstock
Radnor, Kew House, St Benedict’s, St James

I know tiffin is not private but where would it fit on this list for how hard it is to get into?

12345change · 12/12/2023 20:52

@Flimpychunk yes would be interesting to know and Wilson too after it seems to have out performed many of the private schools etc.

PreplexJ · 12/12/2023 20:53

Flimpychunk · 12/12/2023 20:31

I know tiffin is not private but where would it fit on this list for how hard it is to get into?

Show quote history

Tiffin has a PAN of 180 boys with catchment, I would guess somewhere at the KCS level in terms of intake difficulty.

QE boys and Wilson also has a large PAN but no catchment will be more competitions.

wishiwasidisneyland · 12/12/2023 20:56

minipie · 12/12/2023 20:13

Quick question re offer holders days (should we get that far!) - do parents go?

Definitely!

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In
This thread is not accepting new messages.