London Oratory School Banding Test

[LOSDad]

My son got a place at London Oratory School. I believe there is a banding test coming. Is it done while they are still on Year 6 before the summer holiday? Can somebody give a bit of information what the test is all about, whether it's Maths and English only or same as 11+ exams for Independent Schools?

The school will tell you when the test is. It won’t be in the summer holidays. It is a general test that you can’t revise for. In any case the school will soon work out (like week one) if you have “coached” your child. If you are also applying to independent schools then they will know this too.

Ignore FrankieCH, that is unhelpful advice. Two of my DS friends got into London Oratory - congrats it is a great school! Banding test is the first day in September. Over the summer spend some time practising:

• SATS type tests
• Non verbal reasoning shape based tests like this:

non-verbal-reasoning-test-1-questions.pdf (mathcentre.ac.uk)

Gosh, I wish I had your banding test link at the time. My son was unprepared and we were clueless, so he ended up in the low band. He is now in year 8 and doing pretty well though. Next year they'll be putting them in proper 'sets' which will change everything, I guess. However, I believe that he would do better in highher sets as they get more homework.

How is your son doing now, gracijela1? (And also OP?)
We’ve just accepted a place and are concerned at reports that once banded following the test in May, they stay in those sets all the way till GCSE - and that there’s no flexibility between subjects - eg our son achieves better in English than maths.
Any advice much appreciated!

@mmmmnotsure
Hello! He is now in Y8 and still in the same house, however, from Y9 all the children a placed in sets for every subjects. So, all the classess will be re-shuffled, and while he will stay in the same House (eg. in Assembly or sports) he will be sitting through different subjects with different cohorts. The boys are tested in all subject twice in Y7 and 8, and, according to the percentages of the marks accross the whole year cohort, they will be put in appropriate "sets" in year 9. So, I am hopeful that in his stronger subjects he will be surrounded by the boys who are at least equaly, hopefully more, motivated and knowledgeable.

Hello,
I realise this thread is from a while ago, but we're in a similar position - our son has been offered a place at the London Oratory School, which we are very happy about. We are looking for information on the banding test, which I believe will be in May. Is this a verbal/non-verbal reasoning test or does it also include math and English? What sorts of scores do the kids need to get to get into the different sets? Any advice or information welcome! Also, I would love to hear from anyone with children at the school how they are finding the experience, and if you have any tips ahead of our DS starting there! Thanks in advance :-)

Your boys are very lucky. It’s a wonderful school. It has its eccentricities but provides a top class education.

I really wouldn’t worry which bands they get put in. It’s generally not a good thing for kids to over prepare and find themselves in a set where they struggle to keep up. Top of the bottom band historically do better eventually than the bottom of the top band.

@jsemamma Yup, just a mix of SATS type exam, English and Maths, with a bit of Non-Verbal. Although you really don't have to worry much but Banding Test results will define what Modern Language will your son learn: 2 Top sets German and French, 2 Middle Sets German and French, and 2 Bottom Sets Spanish. Unless they change this format. My son is really proud to be in LOS, although the no-mobile phone rule is a bit tricky at the start and during emergency such as transpo strikes.