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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

10+ entry for secondary schools 2026

107 replies

Ready0rNot · 07/08/2025 23:48

Hi, starting a new thread for those with children who are sitting for the 10+ exams this year.

Has anyone started prep yet and if so how is it going along with mock tests and reading habits etc. Keen to hear from others and share tips here!

Our target schools are Trinity and Whitgift.

OP posts:
Seekinginfolady · 14/09/2025 08:30

Hello there, hope you're all set for the application form!

Original poster
Ready0rNot · 22/09/2025 22:12

Seekinginfolady · 14/09/2025 08:30

Hello there, hope you're all set for the application form!

made a start last weekend! Which schools are you applying for and have you visited any open days? We are off to both schools again in the next few weeks

OP posts:
Nov2025 · 16/11/2025 21:35

Hi,

Also in the same boat here, applied for both Trinity and Whitgift 10+.
I was not sure how many children there would be on the day or if it was going to be a staggered exam schedule but I was semi relived to see that it was not ever so busy. The exam according to my DS was relatively ok. His weakest area is writing, so that went as well as expected. Hope your DS had a similar experience!

Rayo2025 · 24/11/2025 18:27

My DS sat the trinity 10+ exam and has been doing atom learning for some time so found the online part of the exam ok. He said the English paper was ok - more a personal statement about themselves than choosing from prompts.

He has been invited to interview but not sure if a large number of boys have been called in to interview this year than previous years.

Wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the interview stage?

Nov2025 · 24/11/2025 18:38

We received an invite for interview for next week in Trinity. They said no prep needed, but reading previous threads from previous years there seems to be a wide range of options from maths to reading comprehension to general hobbies, etc. Thoughts?
Also, what do you do about the parent-headteacher chat?

Rayo2025 · 24/11/2025 18:45

Nov2025 · 24/11/2025 18:38

We received an invite for interview for next week in Trinity. They said no prep needed, but reading previous threads from previous years there seems to be a wide range of options from maths to reading comprehension to general hobbies, etc. Thoughts?
Also, what do you do about the parent-headteacher chat?

Our interview isnt till January and there was no mention of parent - headteacher chat 🤔 wonder if there are different levels of interviews

Nov2025 · 24/11/2025 20:29

Rayo2025 · 24/11/2025 18:45

Our interview isnt till January and there was no mention of parent - headteacher chat 🤔 wonder if there are different levels of interviews

Show quote history

We have not opted for any scholarships - have you? And do you already have a date for the interview in January?

Rayo2025 · 24/11/2025 20:45

We've applied for a music scholarship and the interview date is 24th January which they have said no prep required for. My DS is also sitting the Whitgift exam in 2 weeks so will see what the outcome of that on will be. Good luck to your DS for his interview next week 🤞 will be great to find out what he was asking!

Nov2025 · 24/11/2025 20:58

We shall see you at Whitgift then as we are applying for that, too! Good luck to us all! I'll let you know how the interview goes in Trinity.

Original poster
Ready0rNot · 25/11/2025 07:05

We have also been invited to interview. I also wondered if more are being interviewed this year? Also keen for any feedback or tips on parent / headteacher chat. Didn’t quite anticipate that!
We didn’t apply for scholarships..How did your DS find the tests? Our DS found comprehension difficult, maths was tricky but fine and written paper “not bad”. Roll on Whitgift next weekend!

OP posts:
Nov2025 · 25/11/2025 07:42

ReadyorNot - when is the interview for you guys?
DS said the assessment was as expected, now we are preparing for the Whitgift which seems to be the longest of them all.

Where else are you all applying for?

Original poster
Ready0rNot · 25/11/2025 19:10

Interview is next week glad to get all this over with before Christmas! The only other school is Whitgift. Does your DS have a preference? We like both but Trinity slightly more.

OP posts:
Nov2025 · 25/11/2025 21:06

Interview is next week for us as well, on Friday afternoon! If you have yours before then, would you mind sharing how it was?
My DS is torn, maybe more inclined for Whitgift and I am more for Trinity. My other half just wants to have a problem whereby we are offered a place in both and we need to decide:)

Original poster
Ready0rNot · 28/11/2025 11:11

Ours is Friday afternoon too! Will share what was covered m. Let me know how yours goes too.

OP posts:
Gigigigigigi · 02/12/2025 11:46

Can I ask if anyone else’s interviews are with the head master and if you know what that means? We are going in Friday and we are seeing the HM. Does everyone see Head or is it for scholarship? And does he see all the parents?

Original poster
Ready0rNot · 02/12/2025 16:56

I have no idea - would be interested to know too! I can’t find any past posts about parents being interviewed…How did your son think he did on the exams?

OP posts:
Gigigigigigi · 02/12/2025 17:38

Ready0rNot · 02/12/2025 16:56

I have no idea - would be interested to know too! I can’t find any past posts about parents being interviewed…How did your son think he did on the exams?

He said he found it really easy. But everyone we know has been invited to interview! So I’m wondering if it’s an easier test this year because they are going co ed and trying a different way. The reason why I’m saying everybody got an interview is because some of my friends have openly shared they are surprised as there DS’s have been struggling.

a lot of them have there interviews in Jan but they also have applications for scholarships in sport music etc.

I was wondering if an interview this week put meeting with the head means something? Like is he considered for a scholarship or maybe it’s because he’s not gone for music/drama etc.

I thought we would be invited to a scholarship assessment but maybe that’s 11+

Original poster
Ready0rNot · 02/12/2025 17:42

Yes a few people we know have been invited to interview and they too were surprised. None with the head though and all interviews in January…so not sure what these interviews mean?! It does sound like they are taking a different approach this year. I also didn’t realise girls applications open for 10+, I thought it was only for 11+. Great news for girls!

OP posts:
Gigigigigigi · 02/12/2025 17:49

Ready0rNot · 02/12/2025 17:42

Yes a few people we know have been invited to interview and they too were surprised. None with the head though and all interviews in January…so not sure what these interviews mean?! It does sound like they are taking a different approach this year. I also didn’t realise girls applications open for 10+, I thought it was only for 11+. Great news for girls!

i was thinking as girls are due to come in they will interview as many boys as possible to get the right balance in personality too.

You are right, girls are not this year but the following year 7 intake.

Let’s see, we have Whitgift on Saturday too which is our preferred school so at least this will give him a bit of a taster. I will report back!

Nov2025 · 03/12/2025 14:50

Hi all,

It is all a speculation and we will obviously know more after the interviews and chats on Friday, but it might be that there are simply more kids they are interviewing and so they need to move some children to be pre January - especially those who have not applied for scholarships perhaps?
It is beyond me why the HM wants to talk to us, but we shall know more a bit later this week.

I'm a bit surprised by the number of people you both mentioned as it did not look that busy to me when we were picking DS up post assessment- I expected there to be at least 100-150 people but it seemed quite a bit fewer than that.

We are also attending Whitgift on Saturday and it feels like it will be busier than the Trinity one and definitely more work for the boys! I just wish they did not stretch it out till mid January and told us pre Xmas about the interviews.

Good luck to us all!

Original poster
Ready0rNot · 03/12/2025 19:48

Yes I think you may be right @Nov2025 . We shall see! Good luck all for Friday and Whitgift Saturday!

OP posts:
Proudmama2468 · 05/12/2025 15:49

Hello, Anyone who went today willing to share?
Thanks in advance

Nov2025 · 05/12/2025 19:17

Hello and good evening,

Yes! We had the interview today.
There were 12 interviews today for 10+ and they said that there is a lot more upcoming for them in January.
Interview with DS: The interviewer picked our son up from the meeting room and they went for a chat in a different room.
It started with chatting about the answers he has given in the written assessment.
This was followed by an image from WW II and chatting about it from various perspectives.
Next, he was asked what does he think about a robot making government and global decisions.
Last, he was asked if he has any questions for the interviewer and then he was accompanied back to the meeting room.
15 minutes, all easy and super friendly.
DS said it was all very nice and whilst he was worried, it all went well.
Meeting with Headmaster: We had a chat with him and he presented the results of DS's test and said that he has done very well and he really just wanted to get a better understanding of DS and it was an opportunity for us to ask any questions.

Good luck for tomorrow for all those sitting the Whitgift and I hope everyone else had a good experience today at Trinity!

Oh and let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to hearing how it went for the others.

Proudmama2468 · 05/12/2025 22:23

Nov2025 · 05/12/2025 19:17

Hello and good evening,

Yes! We had the interview today.
There were 12 interviews today for 10+ and they said that there is a lot more upcoming for them in January.
Interview with DS: The interviewer picked our son up from the meeting room and they went for a chat in a different room.
It started with chatting about the answers he has given in the written assessment.
This was followed by an image from WW II and chatting about it from various perspectives.
Next, he was asked what does he think about a robot making government and global decisions.
Last, he was asked if he has any questions for the interviewer and then he was accompanied back to the meeting room.
15 minutes, all easy and super friendly.
DS said it was all very nice and whilst he was worried, it all went well.
Meeting with Headmaster: We had a chat with him and he presented the results of DS's test and said that he has done very well and he really just wanted to get a better understanding of DS and it was an opportunity for us to ask any questions.

Good luck for tomorrow for all those sitting the Whitgift and I hope everyone else had a good experience today at Trinity!

Oh and let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to hearing how it went for the others.

Wow, thank you so much for your detailed response! That’s super helpful. Did they mention anything about the meeting being academic scholarship at all, or indicating it was for that?

Ot sounds like your DS did well! I hope tomorrow goes well for you too. Almost there 😃 then we can relax!

Original poster
Ready0rNot · 06/12/2025 05:22

Nov2025 · 05/12/2025 19:17

Hello and good evening,

Yes! We had the interview today.
There were 12 interviews today for 10+ and they said that there is a lot more upcoming for them in January.
Interview with DS: The interviewer picked our son up from the meeting room and they went for a chat in a different room.
It started with chatting about the answers he has given in the written assessment.
This was followed by an image from WW II and chatting about it from various perspectives.
Next, he was asked what does he think about a robot making government and global decisions.
Last, he was asked if he has any questions for the interviewer and then he was accompanied back to the meeting room.
15 minutes, all easy and super friendly.
DS said it was all very nice and whilst he was worried, it all went well.
Meeting with Headmaster: We had a chat with him and he presented the results of DS's test and said that he has done very well and he really just wanted to get a better understanding of DS and it was an opportunity for us to ask any questions.

Good luck for tomorrow for all those sitting the Whitgift and I hope everyone else had a good experience today at Trinity!

Oh and let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to hearing how it went for the others.

Yes absolutely all of this! My DS left the interview looking really happy totally relaxed. Similar for us with our meeting with the Head, it was a good chat and opportunity to ask questions.

No idea about academic scholarships this wasn’t mentioned at all.

And now final test for us today! Good luck for later!

OP posts: