London grammar and private senior school entry 2025

[CruCru]

Hi all

It doesn’t look as though one of these threads has been set up yet so I thought I’d do it.

I have a daughter going into year 6 and a son going into year 8 next month - both will be moving to senior school in 2025.

Err, planet Earth?

If it is just gcse maths and A level maths then definitely there is no need for tutoring and that is a fact from our elder child experience including her friends( and yes, online counts) which means that not ALL kids need tutoring.

l am thinking of jeans and hoodies for her interviews.

Am I the only naive one to think cloths don't matter in an interview? Jeans, trainers and a jumper should do, no crazy logos though. Hoping French mani will not raise an eyebrow 😂

Does Wandsworth common have a particularly bad rep?? Stressing now as we live literally across the road from it!

Well some children I am sure do it for certain subjects (as I said) but since most children at my children’s school are very very clever it would be completely unnecessary. Also very expensive when you are already shelling out thousands. I got ten A’s at GCse and I was about middle of the pack with no tutoring necessary.

I hope so! I just feel like it was easier for my daughter because her normal clothes seemed ok, and not so sure about my son’s clothes plus I want him to feel comfortable and at ease.

I am sure even sports clothes is fine. Just make sure they are clean and not covered in mud 😂

I’m wondering as well… I always thought teens around here seem pretty well behaved, but then I’m not on the common Sat night so who knows what goes on.

DD has had one interview so far. She was encouraged not to wear school uniform. But the interview slot was in the middle of a school day. She chose to wear her uniform and I didn’t want to stress her to changing to non-school clothes. It seems to have gone fine.
There were other girls who came in a mix of school clothes and non-school clothes. The choice of non-school clothes came across as simple. Jeans / tights, long sleeve, and a hoodie or sweater, and a jacket. I think the interviewers understand that it is a stressful time for kids and seem to focus more on making them feel comfortable. I didn’t get a sense that school uniform or non-school clothes mattered.

Re clothes I don’t overthink it, school uniform if it is in the middle of a school day or smart-ish casual clothes otherwise. I personally wouldn’t send them in tracksuits though but to be fair my kids are not sporty so don’t wear these usually but jeans/hoodie for ex is fine - I think?

Whilst I agree paying even more on top of fees is mental, I’m afraid I think it’s generally quite naive to think “very very clever” kids aren’t tutored - often they are the ones who are tutored!! To make sure they don’t lose their top status. I say this from experience of a good school with “very clever” students.
and whatever we did 30 plus years ago doesn’t necessarily apply now…..

Someone posted about different format for SPGS maths paper this year - 2 sections instead of 3? Is that information on their website?

Answering my own question as I found the info on the website ...

Sometimes people use uniform to show their child is in 'prep' and as if it should give them a 'step up.' Hence why many schools prefer interviews to be attended in non-uniform.

when I asked one of the schools about no uniform, they shared that it was to try and achieve a level playing field as much as possible. State vs private / higher / lower representation of children from certain preps / state schools etc

@RaspberryCake All they've changed by the looks of it is made it 2 papers instead of 3. But the first paper in the new format basically comprises similar material from Papers A and B in the previous format. The new Paper 2 is the old paper C. So it's all the same type of material (and same duration of exam) just in two papers rather than 3.

Re clothes for interviews - definitely don't overthink it, and definitely let your DC wear what they will be comfortable in. Last year we saw everything from full-length chiffon party dresses covered in sequins to jeans and hoodies, and a fair few in school uniform (even where schools had expressly asked kids not to wear it) and, judging by the results, there was absolutely no correlation between interview outfit and offers! The most important thing is that they feel relaxed and comfortable.

Good luck to all the children about to start their interviews (I know that some start today).

Good luck to all kids starting their interviews today.

Has anyone else got clsg coming up on Tuesday?

Not CLSG but DD has SPGS on Monday + Wimbledon on Friday and DS has Alleyns on Tuesday + Westminster on Saturday.
At least they’ll be done with papers afterwards, I can’t wait!

Good luck to everyone writing the last few exams! Cant wait to never see reasoning questions again and all the paper exams to be over. Tuesday DS will be done after Alleyns.

When is everyoe expecting Emanuel to let everyone know of intereviews? By the end of the week or as early as Monday/Tuesday as email mentioned when term starts. Nerve wrecking few days waiting for interview emails to come out for the ones DS sat.

Good luck eveyone for the last exams and the next rounds!

@Twinklestoes198 my guess for Emanuel is Jan 7th. My dd got her email Jan 10th two years ago (which was a Tuesday).

@SamPoodle123 wow that’s very soon! Was it a 5pm email or before that? Nerves starting to kick in now and don’t want to frantically check emails all day :) might go crazy on Tuesday

@Twinklestoes198 unfortunately, it was at 7:28pm!!! So a long wait on Tuesday 😅 But you never know, as it could come any time. And sometimes others get it an hour or so earlier. I remember for Putney, emails got sent out and my dh got it many hours before me. Usually, someone posts on mumsnet when they start to come out and so you will know when it is coming :) I am hoping it will come in the morning so we are not waiting. The best is when you do not know it is coming so you are not refreshing emails all day lol.

We have SPGS on Mon, Latymer in Tue early morning and CLGS on Tue afternoon.