St Paul's reserve list 13+ (entry Sept 2024)

[sp23]

Hi,
My son just did the reserve list test this morning. We should hear from the school next week, but I was wondering what type of outcomes to expect? offer/waiting/no offer. Or simply offer/no offer?
Thanks

Have you heard back yet? My DS also did the test last Friday but I have yet to hear back.

No news yet. Anyone knows when it is supposed to be??

You mean last Saturday?

Yes, sorry - last saturday (30th)

Just got an email to say we’ll hear by Wed nov 1st

That's a very long wait... i hope they can send it earlier as we will have to pay deposits for other schools...

In the same boat here. DS received an offer for City of London from their 13+ entrance process, and the deadline for accepting is next Friday, Oct 20. Acceptance fee is £6500 (!!). Even if we hear back from St. Paul's on Nov 1st, I believe an interview still would need to take place, in which case it would be highly unlikely that St P would deliver a verdict prior to Nov 3, which is the end of the "cooling off" period with CLS.

To be sure, in the large scheme of things, it's a good problem to have, but it does mean a hard look at how much the option value of CLS is worth. Sending good luck and wise decision-making to all!

6500£ wow...
For CLS is that an actual offer or reserve list offer?

It's the actual offer. Acceptance Fee has three parts: Admission Fee (£1K), Deposit (£2K), and an advance fee payment, applicable to the first term fees in Sept 2024 (£3.5K). Admission Fee is nonrefundable 14 days after CLS receives the Acceptance Form.

If, say, DS gets in to St P mid-November, we also forfeit the Deposit as we would have to formally withdraw him from CLS. So it's a £3K gamble. Not sure I have the stomach for that, but we live within walking distance of St P which makes it awfully tempting. . .

My DS has a reserve list offer for City, so no deposit to be paid yet. It might be a good thing after all...

Anyone heard from SPS admission yet?

CLS and St Paul's are very different schools. St Paul's is definitely more rounded and have huge sports facilities whereas City is more academic. If your son enjoys physical exercise I'd forfeit the CLS fees in a heartbeat and pick St Paul's.

I’ve never heard of anyone saying CLS is more academic than St Paul’s. I’m sure that would come as a surprise to all those parents desperate to send their sons to St Paul’s.

Personally I’d look at the quite large price difference between the 2 schools and choose CLS, but I know that is not a consideration for everyone.

I’ve never heard of anyone saying CLS is more academic than St Paul’s.

CLS have no sports facilities whereas St Paul's have huge grounds. That's what I meant by "CLS more academic" as opposed to "St Paul's well rounded".

In terms of exam results I think they are more less the same.

I think CLS has indoor sport facilites on site, no?

Quite good sports facility in the city of london as well as the offsite Grove Park.

The boys do football basketball or swimming water polo.

I don't think the boys will be less rounded in CLS vs SPS but obviously if your boy is a big Rugby player (or Rowing) then SPS had a bigger field for sure and more expensive.

As promised, St P got back to us today, 1 November. We got a flat out "no", which finally ends the uncertainty. Very glad we made the deposit with CLS after all!

@NotTigerMom how is your DS planning to commute to CLS given that you mentioned live within walking distance of SPS?

@PreplexJ, by Tube, most likely. District/Circle line from Hammersmith. Door to door, just under an hour.

Got a no as well. So now just waiting for movement on the city waiting list. What is the acceptance deadline for st pauls offers?

Apols for my ignorance but what is a 'reserve list'?

'Reserve list' (from what I understand) are the boys who don't quite fit a school's 'ideal' on the first pass, however that ideal is defined. It's like a callback for auditions in the theatre world.

Schools have a specific number of spaces to fill, so in the first pass, they'll offer places to their 'ideal' candidates. They'll probably wait a bit to see how many of their ideals accept. In the meantime, those on the reserve list will re-test/re-interview at 13+: children can change a lot in two years, after all. Any remaining places not accepted will be filled by those who make the cut from the reserve list.

I don't have info about how many boys are taken in from the StP reserve list, but I understand that for City, it was about 20-25 from the 13+ exams.

I'm a fairly recent immigrant to the U.K., so I don't have a lot of history, but from what I gather, the independent school system has shifted almost wholesale from a 13+ entry process for secondary schools to one that happens pretty much at the 11+ stage, leaving two somewhat weird, interstitial years at prep schools for Forms 7-8 that swings between leisure trips and Common Entrance exam prep. All of my son's fellow Form 8 students know where they're heading off to for secondary school by now.

Ah so it's a waiting list effectively - called that at other schools at least? So for those who pass ISEB / school exam but not interview? It is there also a waiting list in addition?

Can someone please let me know what to expect in St Paul’s English exam for reserve list boys entry 2025. 🙏🏽🙏🏽

Hi Nishmish

St Paul’s sent example English and Maths papers out by email yesterday. If you didn’t get them, perhaps look in your junk mail?