London grammar and private senior school entry 2025 part 2

[CruCru]

Here is the new thread for when part 1 is full.

Thank you for sharing that—it does seem like a pattern, and it’s reassuring (in a bittersweet way) to know we’re not alone in this experience. Hoping for better outcome from LUS, CLS tomorrow

@DagaDiga i am so sorry to hear that. Did they give you any reasons?

@SupermarketMum love this! How are you planning to do this? All the letters inside the cupcakes? Would love to do this to!

We still haven't received anything... Fingers crossed for all.

I'm really sorry to hear this, and echo PPs that you should ask for some feedback. We've got a couple of friends on bursaries at different schools and they were both told at the outset that if their child passed the academic threshold, they'd be offered a place even if full bursary allocations weren't available (ie someone might have applied for 100% and only 80% is available, then it's up to the parent to decide if they can, after all, make up the shortfall). I'm sure all schools do it differently, though. It does seem harsh to invite your DC for a scholarship interview and then not offer a place (though I suspect bursary funds are particularly challenging this year). But I would definitely ask for feedback. And good luck with your other schools!

Thank you, that’s really helpful advice. I hadn’t realized some schools operate that way with bursaries—it would have been good to know upfront! It does feel quite harsh given the scholarship interview, but I suppose bursary funds are particularly stretched this year. I’ll definitely ask for feedback and see if we can get any clarity. Fingers crossed for the other schools!

All I got for now is a simple NO email

This doesn’t sound right! Surely if called for an academic interview he would have a spot. Have you called?

I haven't called them yet, we got the above email this morning, but will wait until tomorrow for other results to come in and then decide if I should still call them. Also in the email they were talking about considering "School Reference" which my DS would have got a good one as he is currently head boy of the primary school he attends and also that last week we had final bursary call with the head teacher of another prospective school and he told that he was particularly impressed by the glowing school reference they received from his school

Longtime lurker here. Saying hello to everyone ahead of fretful Friday. We got a PHS waitlist a couple of days ago. Anxiety is just my new life now.

I have to say, that's not the most charming email I've ever seen. Maybe you had a narrow escape...

I wasn’t planning on actually making the cupcakes but I might give it a go… at least if it’s not good news then we all have cake to eat!

@DagaDiga that is a bit of a harsh email to receive after the whole process of getting called back. Sending virtual hugs and Really hoping your DC gets good news from the other schools tomorrow!

@SupermarketMum cake always makes everything better! :)

It's been several years but DD's independent prep in London knew all her results by the day before the results day. They (the prep) sent us an email with the summary at 7am on results day. If you haven't heard from a school by 10am or noon tomorrow, you might ring your primary and see if they know and will tell you.

Out of interest, how is everyone planning to break the news to the kids tomorrow? Wait for them to open the letters when they get back from school?

Sorry to hear this. My son attends Forest. I'm not surprised by the sloppy grammar in the Head's letter. Thank goodness he is leaving.

Just FYI last year we didn't have any letters on offers day. Everything was on email. Not every school sent letters at all and, where they did, they didn't come until the week after.

As @11PlusCraziness says, don't count on letters. Two years ago we only got one letter on the day, some arrived later snd some were email only.

In case of interest, WHS results are out.

@DagaDiga Keeping fingers crossed for good news tomorrow for you. That letter from Forest was so awfully drafted. The obvious contradiction between being invited to an AS interview, and not being offered a place at all, needed some proper explanation. And mentioning the school reference clearly isn't. If Forest think that they shouldn't bother making an offer without a bursary, they should have made that clear in their policy. On a more general note, it is sad if schools are reducing their bursaries in order to absorb some of the VAT costs.

LU run a separate process for admissions and bursaries ( as they should all do!), they offer the place and confirm if it's with or without bursary, so you are not penalised for applying for a bursary. A friend was in this position last year and they declined the non bursary offer in favour of grammar. Hopefully everything will work out for the best tomorrow, deep breaths until then..

Thank you, I really appreciate the support. Yes, the wording of the letter was quite frustrating—it left more questions than answers. If bursary availability was the deciding factor, it would have been much clearer (and fairer) to state that upfront. The whole process has been a learning experience! Especially for prospective parents, they can look at this post next year and don't bother to apply as it will save them time(went to the school at 4 different days, First Assessment, Sports Scholarship, Shortlisted Scholarship Assessment and 1:1 Interview/collobaration Activity, For all of which my DS came out buzzing saying he did well) and ofcourse for £150 Registration fee. And yes, it’s concerning if bursary funding is being squeezed, especially with the VAT changes. Fingers crossed for tomorrow!

@DagaDiga Yikes! Having now read this email properly I think your DC has had a lucky escape. Best of luck for tomorrow. Any chance they knew LU & CLS are on your list and (I am guessing) likely to be stronger preferences for you?

Forest School doesn't waive the application fee for bursary applicants? I thought all independent schools did that.

That is a good point you made @TidyLion , they definitely didn't ask in the application but they might have asked my DS in the 1:1 interview, and my DS would have proudly said about CLS, LU and WUS(which he made it to final 60, waiting on that as well). My only worry is he did very well on all of these but might turn out that it was just not good enough 😔

I was wondering about this too. Maybe they ask the kids what other schools they are interviewing at? Or it’s mentioned in the reference letters. Our prep asked us to fill out a schools list form in order of preference. Perhaps they pass it on to the senior schools and that has a bearing on offers made. Schools want to minimise declines.