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.

Good luck to the girls sitting Putney today! Any reports?

I think the written exams for a lot of the boys’ schools are in early January. Someone told me that UCS has the written papers on 6 January.

I guess it depends, all of ours is early Dec. Only one potential for early Jan if you pass the first stage.

Same for us. My DS will sit some end of Nov early Dec. Then second stage, early Jan.

My DD did Putney today. Seemed happy enough coming out. I don’t quiz them as I try hard to dial down the pressure. The staff were very welcoming. It was just an online test, adaptive so kids don’t really have a sense of having done well or badly I think.

There were number of girls who did PH yesterday. Not heard anything negative so far. For WHS, I did hear that there was time pressure.

Good luck to those sitting Hampton and Ibstock. Anyone ready to ask how many are sitting the exam?

I think that is the nice thing about the adaptive tests, not really time pressured. I heard WHS is very time pressured. I am not a fan of the time pressured tests.

I believe 500 sat Hampton

Ibstock - All the best! Surbiton High was today. Maths was adaptive. Seems to have gone fine. Questions got harder, which is a good sign. About 500 apparently sat the exams. Not sure how many will eventually get shortlisted for interviews.

Many girls at my DD’s school are sitting the alternative date for Surbiton which is next Thursday so could be the same number again. There were too many with clashes today.

@Hatty999 why do you think 500? That would be a lot less than previous years.

My Dd did Surbiton today and found it fine. Their info booklet suggests that they aim to send exam outcomes this Friday, 29 November. It's amazing if they can do that so quickly especially if they have another significant number of kids sitting on Thursday?!

I think Putney High have said they don't communicate exam outcomes until January. This seems so slow given the exam is fully computerised and I assume results must be available immediately. Anyone know why such a delay?

Does anyone know when Blackheath communicate interview selection?

I was checking this and the Surbiton website says everyone is going through to interview this year. (Different from last year).

I thought 500 was small too but sounds like there is another sitting next week. That makes sense and numbers will then be higher. (If I heard correctly, one of the teachers at the entrance said 500.)

Thanks @MyAmberCrow. I can see this now on the website - the date I mentioned was in an information booklet attached to a recent email from them so I think perhaps this is a recent change in approach. The website FAQs say they usually have about 550 applicants for 100+ places.

I have just found that date also now in the email. This is definitely a change as they told us at open day that all girls would be interviewed this year and I was counting on at least one interview. Anxious wait now. I also heard 500 from a teacher today

@MyAmberCrow it seems unclear - the website says one thing, and the info booklet another!

They said it was around 500 in a mail.

I would have thought any admissions variables are due to the interim head this term. There is always a large number of applicants because of its geographical location and range of abilities that it appeals too but I think it was in 2022 that they had too many acceptances compared to previous years so now they are more cautious with the offering. Signing off on the offers will be one of the first jobs of the new head and will signify his direction for the school. My dd has now left and I found the teaching at the school particularly in the 6th form excellent.

I think Putney High have said they don't communicate exam outcomes until January. This seems so slow given the exam is fully computerised and I assume results must be available immediately. Anyone know why such a delay?

Putney website says candidates will be informed before Christmas if they are going through to the Athena round.

@NoMoreFalafelForYou - hope that is the case - although their email on 13 November says 'we will write to you in early January to confirm whether xx is invited to attend our Athena Assessment'.

You’re right, the email does say that. Hmm, who knows?

You could just email to ask and clarify. Say one email says this and the other this and you wanted to clarify.