Late Prep and Options Beyond Private Tutoring

[clairejordan]

Our DD's headteacher at our reputable state primary recommended Latymer for her, recognizing her academic strengths. Although we have great local secondaries and were concerned about the travel, DD is now open to the idea. We're a bit late starting prep for the assessments with only four months left, but we're committed to making it work without stressing DD out too much.
Is private tutoring essential for success in these mock exams, or can it be managed at home? Also, does anyone know the success rate of state school students getting into Latymer?

It can be managed at home but you need to be super diligent and committed. This means between now and December working your way through past papers every single week end, scoring them and focussing on the weak areas. Atom Learning was a huge help for us. Don't rely on a tutor as usually they don't score papers and don't pass on feedback to you.

Just checking you are aware Latymer no longer offer GCSEs and have their own qualification?

Typically there are 1,400 applicants for the 170 odd places.

Not really answering your question but if your local schools are excellent I would seriously consider if whether on balance it is worth all the extra travel eating into homework time and sleep time, and lack of local friends. What’s the attainment gap between the schools and progress 8 scores of your local ones?

sorry to derail a bit but it feels like it’s just an idea planted by the teacher.

You’ve got an uphill task getting her into Latymer if you’ve done no preparation yet. I’d recommend at least getting an assessment from an experienced tutor before you go forward.

NB the school which is discontinuing GCSEs is Latymer Upper, an independent school, rather than the grammar school (The Latymer School) which I think you are referring to. The latter typically attracts about 2,500 applicants for its 192 places, though many applicants are not resident in an Inner Area postcode at the time of application.

Are you in an Inner Area postcode?

Also, don’t do a Sutton mock exam (as you have linked) as the south London tests and thresholds aren’t the same. Bear in mind that Latymer uses GL’s verbal reasoning and maths tests, but sets its own English tests of which samples are available on its website.

If doing a mock test, she will need to do one aimed at Latymer entry: https://mocktestmasters.co.uk/booking/locationDetail.php?location=35&area=n

Latymer school (state grammar) is different to Latymer Upper school (private)

Typically Latymer School has 2500+ applicants for 190 PAN. Realistically you need to be in catchment area and rank top 500-600 out of 2500 to get in, unless for music or other priority criteria is top 900.

The school used to publish the statistics of primary school intake transfer from in one year so you can have a general idea.

www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/breakdown_on_candidates_by_schoo#incoming-1968268

There is still time to prepare.

There are lots of GL Assessment style maths and verbal reasoning books and practice papers available eg CGP as well as Bond online and Atom. Try and find out the format of the test and do relevant practice and see how your child gets on. Eg is it multiple choice, are there written comprehension answers required etc. You will need to do quite a lot in a short timeframe to give the best chance.

Hi there,

Did your daughter take the 11+ exam for Latymer in the end? How was it? Thanks