Alleyn 11 plus 2025

[alleyn2025]

Hi all, my DS sat the exam today and I was just wondering how others did? He thought the maths was straightforward, apart from the last question. English went well and reasoning was tricky.

Does anyone know how many children sat the exam? Also how many will be interviewed?

DD reported that the spatial question in reasoning was tricky but others in NVR were maths based so good (we made a very late decision to apply for schools as opposed to her going straight through in the school where she is in the prep and have never practised NVR). English good, and maths straightforward other than that final question…!

In terms of people it felt like a thousand. I walked around the area as arrived early for pick up and there were soooooo many kids 🫣

(edited for grammar - fortunately I wasn’t sitting the exam!)

So similar feedback on the exams. There were different zones around the school so I can imagine lots of children. There aren't many co-ed schools so I understand the popularity.

I have never asked about the stats during the open day so clueless about it all.

They haven't told us when we will know the outcome of an invitation to the group activity and interview either? The interview is so late in January. So It's going to be a very long waiting game.

Interview invites are out

Did people have interviews? How did it go? What did you think of them?

It was great to look around on a Saturday. Humming with activity. The commute is longer for this school than others, but it only took 40minutes which isn't bad for a Saturday morning

DS really enjoyed it and great way to end it with a huge chocolate. It was good to see the head available to ask questions

There was 4 groups of 16 in the 30minutes so lots of children interviewed I would think

Do you mean 4 groups of 16 every 30 mins? That must mean they interviewd a lot of kids! What questions were the kids asked? I couldn't get much out of mine! Just was glad for it to be over

Well when you dropped off you can see the 4 groups. What did you see when you had to sign them in? Maybe it was only during our time. What time did you drop off?

I’ve now heard from a few sources (including a staff member) that 250 were interviewed and well over 1000 took the exam. Just under half will receive offers. 120 in previous years.

@TidyLion how many places are there? I should really know this but I don't. If they offer 125 children then is there only 60-70 places?

I believe it’s around 100 places for brand new children (ie 100 on top of those offered to the Alleyn’s Prep kids).

They have excellent uptake of places apparently. To the extent that they had to put in an additional Y7 form last year or the year before as almost all accepted

Another email but it doesnt say much 😆

How is everyone feeling before Fridays offers? Does anyone know how much they normally over offer? 100 places available but assume uptake is high

Received offer this morning, not sure about number of offers made. But we are now confused between JAGS and Alleyns

@TurboTangerine congrats on offers. Is Jags having a offer holder day. Hopefully that will make it easier to decide.

Congratulations @TurboTangerine! Great schools and a tough choice!

Alleyn’s was always first choice for DD so we are thrilled to be accepting an offer there.

@TidyLion congratulations with the offer! Alleyn’s is a gorgeous school. My ds loves it too.

Would be interested to know if there are reasons you prefer Alleyns over JAGS or you only applied to Alleyns? @TidyLion

We didn’t apply to Jags. DH & I both grew up locally and didn’t feel it would be the right school for either of our DDs. DD1 is at WH, and for DD2 we felt co-ed would be better.

Lovely to hear! Every time we’ve visited I have felt such a positive vibe. Now considering it for our older daughter for sixth form next year.

@TidyLion Thats very interesting to hear, I don't live locally so I dont have much info about the schools other than what we experienced on Open day, but they both feel positive. Any particular reason you can share why you did not consider JAGS at all
Thank you

It’s probably terribly unfair (as these things happen at all schools) but over the years I’ve known several girls/women who attended Jags and have struggled with disordered eating. Right from one of my childhood friends, two uni friends, through to a friend’s daughter who left at the end of last year. I know it can - and does - happen everywhere but it seems disproportionate compared to say the all girls’ school I attended. DP and I met as adults and he’d had the same experience of Jags friends over the years. My neighbour went to SPGS and grew up in Dulwich, and again has the same experience of Jags.

I am sure that many, many people will have contradictory experiences and know it to be a wonderful, caring school, and will be able to give you a much more encouraging view. It is, I am sure, an unfair bias and a likely outdated issue especially with a change of Head, but if I have but had I sent one of my DDs there and she’d been unwell it would have been due to me ignoring the red flags.

I should also say, that for everyone who has a negative opinion of Jags, someone will have one of the schools my other DCs attend and of Alleyn’s (party kids/drugs, historical issues with everyone’s invited etc.) so please don’t take my view as anything other than one experience. It just isn’t the school for our DDs.

Congrats with the offers @Jammer03. Would also love to know from current parents who are at Alleyn’s and Emanuel are you happy? If DS is not into football is that a deal breaker at Alleyn’s?

I have kids at Alleyns and Emanuel and both are wonderful schools. I think you need to go with your 'gut' feel for which you prefer. I would also add (referring to one of the other posts) is that all secondary schools will have incidences of disordered eating and drugs. It is a teen issue rather than a school issue. I would look at how the school deals with these issues rather than their occurence.