SW London grammar and private year 7 entry 2024.

[Hatty999]

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4907226-sw-london-grammar-and-private-year-7-entry-2024

This is the previous link. Hope it works.

@QuiteAJourney I thought preps share CAT scores with the feeder schools? Though obviously not the case at state primaries.

The reasoning tests should give a good indication of range of CAT scores Outside of that.

Yes prep schools pass them on to senior schools and all senior schools happily accept them. Standard practice.

Of course they say they don’t use them, but why then do they continue to accept them then?

@ModeWeasel I assume you mean that the preps share with the secondary indie in question - I think that is the case (though not sure how they are used as schools are not forthcoming on that front). But, beyond that, given that, in some of the schools mentioned, a very significant part of the intake comes from state primaries and the the secondary schools don't share the results publicly, I am still uncertain where the numbers come from or how they can be anything else than anecdotal / resulting from a small (and potentially biased / self-selective) sample.

Agree that the reasoning tests are a good proxy for CAT scores - when they are done (not the case for all schools or for all type of reasoning) and the scale may be different - as exemplified by the fact that the numbers being quoted for CAT for Emanuel differ from what is supposedly the cut-off mark for VR for Emanuel.

As a general point, I think that there are indeed benefits in sharing all the information people may have on CAT scores of candidates, successful or otherwise, as long as clear when statements are based on anecdote / partial sample or can be made more categorically (imho).

Emanuel is definitely not a 130+ school! Just two years ago 3/4 of those who got in from our primary got in through the waitlist (most of them having been rejected by the more academic, single sex schools) after the more academic kids turned down their offers when they got KC Wimbledon/DC/one of the GDST schools. The one child who got in from a straight yes did not have any extra curriculars, but was probably a very nice kid (and had good test scores) I have also heard that they assess them all the time and openly rank them so that the kids all know where they stand within their class. They only stopped that last term when presumably people complained! They even sent an email admitting as much. Not sure where the nurturing reputation comes from?!

@Jumpingjackjack

please read the bottom of this thread from last year. Things have changed.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4749444-emanuel-school-recent-experience?page=2

@Jumpingjackjack , girls with female siblings goes to GDSTs, since they get a discount. Those that goes to coed either have brothers or prefer coed environments.
Boys prep schools will show individual marks and average in year group. We know those getting into Westminster, SP, City, Eton, Winchester would have been told where they are in the cohorts, so they can top up in weaker areas so fractions and areas maths questions vs DC weak at Maths and parents being clueless where to help. So Emanuel showing year cohort is very like boys prep schools and also boys/coed boarding schools.

@Jumpingjackjack that does not sound anything like my friend’s experience - they have a DC at a super selective, which does openly rank children and demands a parent meeting if a child receives a single C grade on any test (even just a weekly language spelling test).

Emanuel has not done that, as yet, to their DC there. They told me that Emanuel is unequivocally more nurturing compared to that super selective - won’t mention name as I don’t want to influence anyone. This is all anecdotal anyway.

I trust my friend’s experience but there’s no reason that anyone else should.

@Summerma that is the exact opposite of what I have heard. At Emanuel they had to stop openly ranking because they recognised the negative effects it had on the kids. They emailed last term explicitly saying so. I have heard parents get emails if their child fails a weekly vocab test. I have no kids at super selective schools, so I can’t comment on whether it happens elsewhere, but I guess it is not surprisingly since they have a reputation to maintain, and they must think that naming (and shaming) works. Perhaps the kids we know are in different years, but I am certain that they had to change their ranking policy just last term.

@Jumpingjackjack Appreciate the perspective - if we get an offer I may well ask about this. Thank you.

@Summerma please do get in touch if you feel I can help. I can always ask my friends with children there. Good luck and I hope you get an offer

@Summerma @Jumpingjackjack thought it might be helpful to share that they didn’t exactly openly rank the children, but in the school reports to parents last year they said what quartile the children were in for the year by subject. It caused some issues because a child might be Q3 or Q4 but still getting good marks, and meant some children would be feeling like they weren’t doing well in a subject even though objectively they were. It wasn’t particularly helpful or popular with parents or kids so to be fair to the school they listened to feedback and now give just give the child’s mark in the subject and the year average.

They reward good behaviour or things like strong contribution in class with “commendations” which get emailed to parents, and “sanctions” for poor behaviour or more serious issues but never heard of a parent being emailed because of a failed vocab test (maybe if they repeatedly didn’t learn any vocab for a language I guess, but certainly not a common thing)

My dd goes to an academically selective school and they make it a point not to focus on the marks (at least not in year 7!). We are told not to ask what the score is and to ask what they learned instead. They are not ranked, but dc share what they got with each other. DD does not seem fussed at all about marks and says they are told not to study (not sure if this is true, but this is what she says!). They are told not to spend more time on their hw then the allotted time. It seems they go to lengths to make sure the girls do not feel pressure. Maybe it changes later on, but for now it seems very relaxed. And of course, it may be different at other schools.

in the school reports to parents last year they said what quartile the children were in for the year by subject

DC’s non selective prep school does this! I’m surprised it was so controversial.

I agree that openly ranking pupils so they can all see is rather more divisive and old fashioned. Would love someone who knows for sure to clarify if this does happen or not.

@travelturtle @Summerma @Jumpingjackjack , heard the same as @travelturtle about Emanuel. It is showing DC mark vs average of year cohort not quartile.
Also, was told that Weekly vocab test is for Foreign languages, hard to progress in French or German if basics are not remembered but heard it is about 10 words eg. Numbers in German, Animals in French with what to be tested given so no surprises such as what is a locust when you know what cats, dogs and horses are in French.

We've got our Alleyn's result. It's another no for us, so that it is it for all the selective options we applied for.

@SamPoodle123 , we found boys and coed schools either prep or secondaries in London or boarding tend not to be vague as single sex girls day or boarding. Not sure why? Though different styles are great to find a fit for DC.

Virtual hugs, all the best with the pathway you and your DC choose.

I've got DCs at WHS and LU and have never had any idea where they sit in the cohort! No rankings, no year averages or anything.

@Jumpingjackjack Thank you, I may well take you up on that offer as my no1 priority for DS is that he goes to a nurturing school. Ultimately, a bright DC will thrive wherever they go, so long as they’re in the right environment. I don’t care for league table rankings etc as I strongly suspect that DS’s confidence would shatter in the kind of school that openly names and shames the odd bad result.

Somewhat similar experience for us at WHS. Focus is on the individual rather than on performance within the cohort (which I think is both more healthy and more meaningful).
Marks are not on performance as such (tests are very limited and punctual and focused on MFL; as other have said, anchoring fundamentals) and 'settling report' is focused on attitude (be actively ready to learn in all lessons by being organised, focussed, engaged and on task with a positive mindset and attitude)and on homework completed to the required standard and handed in on time. Overall, it makes for a relaxed and collegiate environment.

Sorry to hear that but I'm sure will all work out. I know quite a few people who have been in this situation over the years and have all ended up in a school they were happy with. Some sat for selective in y8 and y9 and got in then. There is lots of movement!

Anyone heard from JAGS regarding academic scholarship? Said this week

Really anxious 😬

I think Alleyns interviews are out too.

Sorry to hear.

Alleyns interviews are indeed out, but not times. Hoping to avoid a clash 😬