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.

That’s right. The SPGS CEM email said written exam results would be sent on 15th Jan, with interviews on either Sat 18th or Sun 26th Jan.

Does anyone have a 13+ interview at City Boys school coming up and if so, is it online or in person? We were offered an online slot, but I saw on another thread here that someone says their one is in person?

My daughter had a Classics lessons today at CLSG after the exams and it was mostly discussion based I think- she definitely got the impression that the teacher was taking note though….

How are people finding interview days? My ds had latymer yesterday and it was a zoo! Overall, he seemed happy and had fun in the classroom activities.

My daughter has / had four interviews in three days (this is day three). It’s been okay (I think) but it feels like a lot to ask of an eleven year old.

You volunteered her for it

What kind of response is this? The child is interviewing to get into secondary school, and it is normal to apply to a few. Also, you cannot know they will make the interviews close together or spread them apart....depends on your luck.

Latymer was so busy yesterday, I really don't know how they can make decisions based on the classroom assessment and the very short interview. DS was confident he answered all the maths questions immediately and correctly but not much rapport with interviewer, he said he had a great time though... It gets to a point that I am only interested in getting an offer from his first choice school and the schools that haven't sent interview invitations yet have really fallen off our radar...

This week a big week for us too, 3 interviews and a last exam. Then two more interviews next week. DD is taking it in her stride, but also recognising that 15-20 mins is a bit rushed and sometimes disappointed she didn’t have enough time to chat through answers, usually to the more philosophical questioning. Also a bit rattled by additional maths / English questioning that she wasn’t expecting (nor were we). Hard to gauge it all as most schools we are applying for still interview all kids, only one was selective based on exam. So it’s all been very busy!

Same here, my daughter enjoyed the history lesson/class room/discussion and also the interviews. There was only 1 math question but 2-3 other reasoning questions and seems to be no right or wrong answer. There was looking at a picture question too.

Hang on there everyone, its almost the end now♥️

DD enjoyed her time in LU yesterday, a couple of classroom sessions and a one to one. There was a big break in between the classroom sessions where children were invited to play various games while the one to one was being conducted.DD said there seemed to be a couple of adults in the classroom observing and making notes.
One to one was relaxed and DD was only asked one simple question on Maths. From what she said I think she did okay but my gut feeling is that the interview day may not be a huge deciding factor unless the child showed exceptionally good or poor attitude/answers.

Yes, my ds also said there were adults in the back of the class observing. I wonder if they are able to actually make note of who is who when observing though, as not sure they can read the name tags from that far.

I wonder how much weight the group sessions/interview has on final outcome?

Children had their last names printed out large stuck to their chests but I doubt it would have been easy to identify who is who. Probably the disruptive ones or the exceptionally bright ones (by answers?) would have been noted when and if needed? And the rest sort of like BAU. My kid said there were a couple of boys told off during the lesson which was interesting to hear lol

I've invigilated 11plus before and have to tell off lots of children ( albeit nicely!). Some are only 10!
When my DC did 11plus 3 DCs got into real trouble at one school- they all got offers!

Oh wow, surprising. You would think they are on their best behaviours! At least they still got offers in the end.

Just came across this on CLSB Admission policies page :
Approximate number of places available for entry :
10+ in 2025 - Up to 40 places
11+ in 2025 - Up to 85 places

13+ in 2027 - Up to 30 places

16+ in 2025 - Up to 20 places

Can't believe there 85 places for 11+ entry, I always thought of lot less than that, especially when WUS and St. Paul's Boys do about 30 places for 11+.

My DD did LU yesterday and enjoyed it - similar experience to others with a chemistry and history lesson which she enjoyed and a 1:1 interview with one maths and a few abstract/reasoning questions. Hard to know exactly what they did though! Still waiting on Emanuel and GL - what a long wait....

• meant to say hard to know how they did / what the assessors thought!

Finally Dulwich interviews out! Hope ervyone has good news

WUS and St Paul’s Boys have a large intake at 7+, so less space for 11+ and 13+. Next year WUS would be opening up for girls so less space for boys.

Yes I did. From speaking with friends with older daughters I knew that early January would be a busy time as the Consortium schools that people round here apply to like to get the interviews done before the girls go back for the Spring term.

It was quite different from the process for the boys’ schools - the interviews were far more spread out but they had to write a separate English and Maths paper as well as interview for each school (if they got through the ISEB pretest). Which is better? It’s hard to say. The Consortium approach (get the girls to sit one set of exams and send the results to all the schools applied for) seems a little more humane, on balance.

Our old Headmaster told us that there had been a proposal for boys applying to certain public schools to only write one English and Maths paper and then the script be provided to each of the schools applied to - but it didn’t happen in the end.

I guess the total intake at WUS would rather double(with similar number of girls as they have boys now) when they go co-ed next year, they are doing this new building for underschool which is opening likely this Autumn.

My son said that he did well... however, he is not the most reliable judge of his own performance, he always says he did 'well' when in fact he didn't so no idea.
we are also waiting for Emanuel - just got an email that emails will be sent on 9th and 10th

I just want this to be over 😥

Anyone got an update on jags scholarships (sport and academic) outcome? They said by cob tmrw but wonder if they sent anything out and we just didn't make the cut?

@mammacatcat have heard kids saying it was ok. Harder to choose if all did well as all the kids have worked so hard and talented. Have Alleyns indicated when interviews dates will be sent out? Cant find that information anywhere.

I wonder why they are sending it out on 2 days? hopefully that is good news that they are interviewing more kids. Was hoping to get an email from Emanuel today but another day or 2 to wait. Might go crazy :) Hopefully by tomorrow will have good news! The waiting is the worse!