London grammar and private senior school entry 2025 part 2

[CruCru]

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

Yes, we had this too from our state school. For me the hardest part for the first time two years ago, figuring out where to apply. As everyone kept telling me how impossible it was to get in the schools...so had no idea if we were reaching for stars etc.

But the idea that they have any influence over initial offers beyond references would - I think - be strongly refuted by Admissions teams

It would be strongly refuted yes.

It's possible to write a reference to another professional in your field that makes it very clear which children you think are your A list for that particular school. Like doctors write "this charming woman" etc on referrals and everyone knows what it means.

I don't want to derail the thread though!

@Spottedplant if you want to believe that, each one to their own...

@Spottedplant - I have some insight into admissions and also went through the 11 plus twice from a state school. The Prep heads have a lot less influence than they sometimes lead their parents to think they have.... I honestly found the whole process easier from a state school- you just applied where you wanted. Admittedly a lot applied to independents. There seemed to be a lot more politics at Prep schools where friends were about who was 'allowed' to apply to various schools and a lot more parents surprised at the results when they came out as they had in their minds a hierarchy of who would get in where.

DD is at a state school and her class teacher couldn’t be less interested in next year and her entrance exams. All they ever want to talk about is SATS!!

Yes, this was our case too.
It was forbidden speaking about 11+ exams at school.
And no advice and preparation at school to be honest.
It took me long to understand I should have sent him to a Prep school if I was looking for these.
Long story short, every dc and df are different. I wish the best for all where they will find themselves happy and motivated with good friendship. 🙏🏼🧿🍀

This is like something from Motherland.

I’m trying my utmost to not stress myself out about independent schools offers cos she thankfully passed her state grammar exams .. though I’d REALLY rather she got an indie place.
congrats to everyone with an offer.

My daughter got an academic scholarship for a school I was confident she would get into but never in my wildest dreams thought she would get any sort of scholarship.

This will sound so horrible, but do we think schools are offering more scholarships this year? I ask because it’s put a spanner in the works with regards to what schools to chose now. So confused 😵‍💫

anyone heard about scholarships from Hab’s? We have a offer, but feels like scholarship outcome is coming via post?

How much of a scholarship or maybe a bursary would sway you from the top choice school? We have some difficult decisions to make now..

It’s not even the % scholarship, it’s more recognition of the child and the potential they see in her.

so far 5% of John Lyon (Art) and 20% St Helens ( Academic) and waiting for Habs letter to confirm if she has got a scholarship there (Art)

@Alwaystierd I think maybe you maybe on to something . My DD received an unexpected academic scholarship with an offer too (girls consortium school) …

it is not as much as another scholarship offer we have (non academic) but was a nice surprise. And it is one of her top two so definitely is swaying her in that direction…

@meuntilmarch2025 that’s an excellent question. VAT has thrown a very expensive spanner in the works. What would your figure be to turn down a more ‘prestigious’ school? I would say 20% for us…

Completely unrelated but want does it mean when doctors say ‘this charming woman’ i‘m sure I’ve seen that on my referrals 😂

Apparently Adam Kay decodes all this in his new book! 🤣

Based on the experience of my older DCs, the scholarships also offer ‘extras’ in terms of experience - special focus groups, drama classes, sport coaching.

I think back in the day (when I was at school!) they offered substantially discounted fees. Sadly no longer the case.

@Fableana for me it's probably 30% but that's not a very common thing to receive these days.. alternatively another question I could put out there for those waiting for grammar school results, how much of a decent school's fee discount would sway you from taking the grammar school place?

Re the what do the Prep heads have influence over - I think it’s more than you think but less than they say.

our prep head speaks regularly to two of the unofficial schools they send a large number of kids to. Used to be a semi feeder for them but now these schools are popular so there is less sway. but for a lot of schools I don’t think the prep heads have much influence over it all apart from references.

One of our admissions staff told a parent that they almost trade kids - ie a school wanted to take X kid they would need to take Y kid. I think that is absolutely can’t be the case surely but wonder why they were saying it.

It may depend on the senior school. We were told at an open day by the head of admissions at a very academic and sought after school that, if they initially decided not to grant an interview to a child because of insufficient exam results on one section (maths or English), but that the child's prep's head called and vouched for the child's level in that topic, the school would usually call the child in for an interview... and grill them on that section. They stated that it was a relatively cheap way for them to check if a child just had a bad day on the exam and reduce the chances of missing out on good candidates.

So I don't know if prep heads have any influence on the final admissions decisions after the evaluations, but they certainly can have influence on how thoroughly a child is evaluated before the decisions.

I too have heard this happening but in a second-tier, less competitive, school. Not sure if it also happens at the top 10 or so schools. It also must be exceptional on either side (ie, both on the decision of the head to do so, and the school's positive response). Imagine the extra admin work caused for a school if every head of every prep were to do this regularly, with realistic prospects of success. It would only ever work precisely because it would happen once or twice in the career of prep Head: a one-off card they could use, where a truly exceptional student had a bad day in the exam.

This is a school which is consistently in the top 10 of GCSE and A Level league tables, as well as Oxbridge acceptance rates. I don't know how frequently it happens but I would guess that high achieving children have bad days more than once or twice in a prep Head's career.

I should mention, the head of admissions didn't communicate this to us in a semi-private chat, it was part of their presentation to the entire parent group at that open day. They didn't seem to regard this as something to hide.

I also want to know what “charming woman” means!!!

It’s code for “not a trouble-maker”.

Clean, speaks coherently in sentences, not visibly under the influence, hasn't tried to assault any of us.

Not sure that is entirely true of all prep schools - mine has no idea who we applied to.