11+ 2025 support thread #2

[AquaPeer]

we are on the home run now! Continue to support, love and share in this thread

link to previous

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/5200929-11-2025-support-thread?page=40&reply=147336748

continued good luck to all x

Any predictions when Bexley results will be out? I'm guessing next Friday - 10 October but timings haven't been updated on the Bexley website.

Someone mentioned further upthread that last year Bexley was Friday 11th so Friday 10th would fit especially in terms of the open days currently planned for Beths and Chis&Sid

Have to then wait until the following Friday for Kent 😩

@troppibambini6both girls (also have a DS who is only in Y2 so a few years break thankfully)!

Both DDs sat both. DD1 just scraped the consortium but passed Loreto by quite a large margin so I have no idea how DD2 will do! She’s bright but not as studious as DD1 but I think she would fit in far better at a high school than DD1 so not as worried this time round, if that makes sense.

Presumably the sibling would still need to sit and pass the 11+ though? I’m very happy to be corrected but I’ve never heard of places being awarded to selective schools solely on sibling criteria without a pass.

Dame Alice Owens - my eldest got a selective place and her siblings will get in automatically

He would need to pass the 11+ if he wanted to go to Blue Coat. But if DS1 fails the 11+ but passes the musical aptitude test at our second choice school, DS2 will get a sibling place there.
Second choice is a very oversubscribed comprehensive. DS2 is not interested in sitting the 11+, and I don't think grammar would be right for him anyway.
It would be nice to have secondary tied up for both of them, but DS1 really wants to go to grammar school and I have to respect that given how hard he's worked.

@Magnificentkitteh and @Coolparent Well done, those are incredible ranks... Well done. And to anyone else who is getting through to where they want. Good luck with Rank 2 (and hope the waiting somehow becomes less painful!)

@SFV We're in the same boat, it's a no from Latymer for us. Trying to figure out how to break it to him, in a way that might motivate him for the next exams but not in a way that will break him! He did SMMA today and again felt it went fine, but that tells me nothing. Would anyone who's got through to the next stage be willing to share any Atom SAS's they achieve at home? Might help us prep for the next exams....

Sorry to hear that Nookandcrannying. All the best for StMM and the rest of the exams. DD has actually only done a couple of Atom mocks before we switched to paper (though she carried on with the practice on Atom) but she got between 125 and 135 I think.

Ah, I'm sorry... I haven't told my daughter yet as she was out on a play date and came home so happy. Definitely didn't want to tell her before bed. Latymer wasn't our or her first choice (for transport/logistics reasons), but we were disappointed nonetheless (as I'm sure she will be too).

I'm determined to organise some play dates for DD. Maybe even a sleepover, yikes. It's time for her to have a bit more fun. The only thing is my mum is still really not well and I feel on constant standby.

I told DD about the results. She said "yess" but when I asked if she knew what her preference order she shrugged and asked if we had any snacks. She said it was partly about the achievement and she liked St Mary Magdalene and it's nearer. Will have to give it all some serious thought, try out the routes at rush hour etc.

She was also gutted she'd never found out what she got wrong in maths. I need to watch her perfectionist streak as some of these schools could exacerbate it.

All the best to all making choices over the next few weeks.

@Magnificentkitteh and @SFV thanks for responses.
DS did much better on adaptive online than on paper tests so hoping that helps for our target schools.
Decided I will tell him shortly before a play date this weekend as I think it will be good distraction. Although I’m sure he’ll be quite gutted. I guess these difficult situations are also an important part of life learning to be resilient so will use it as that opportunity.
We plod on.

I did find this online when looking for answers around DS performance… which I think will help give you a confidence boost@Magnificentkitteh for the R2 wait.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/sept_2025_entry_full_anonymised/response/2888107/attach/2/FOI%202025%20data%20Rank%20order%20round%201%20and%202%20including%20English.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1

@FunBlueCritic can I ask about your experiences at DAO? We are waiting for second round results. I’m not absolutely certain on it being the right school for us but also haven’t spoken to any parents who have kids there. Would love to hear your thoughts if you are happy to share.

I think it's a wonderful school which doesn't suit every child. Actually my middle DS is in Year6 and we have decided against sending him to DAO even though he would get a place automatically.
It can be quite pushy, lots of pressure - DD is fine with that, DS would not be fine at all. Fairly sure DS wouldn't have passed the entrance exam though. But he main reason is that I underestimated the travel - in theory it should be easy because we live near Finsbury Park and there is a 15 minute train, but it's the constant delays / cancellations - her commute is 2 hours per day many days. And then most of her friends live in Hertfordshire so more travelling at the weekend.

Has Heckmondwike Grammar released results of its test? Heard on the grapevine some kids have already been informed they have been offered a place? They send out different letters to the ones who are guaranteed a place?Letter A

How can the school guarantee a place when I thought the local council manages the allocation? I thought that the schools inform the parents of the ranking and then you apply based on that.

Thank you that is really helpful. It was the pressure/pushy aspect that I was questioning. We are in Herts but there isn’t a coach or a bus from ours so it would require a daily drop off and pick up which also doesn’t appeal that much. Your daughter’s commute sounds exhausting some days - crazy that the trains are that unreliable.

We didn't do Heckmondwike, we did Skipton, but agree we haven't reached the deadline for secondary school applications yet. Given they say most kids come from out catchment, they probably can 'guarantee' spaces to anyone meeting the criteria on the oversubscription list, so children in care, children living in catchment, low income children, siblings, children of staff, children with musical talents, assume the letter would have to be worded in such a way that it says if you put choose to put the school on the form as first choice you would be guaranteed a spot. It's those out of catchment not meeting any of those criteria that have to wait it out. Another week to wait for results here.

That’s so interesting about sibling places. So you’ve gotta hope the cleverest kid is born first!

You've got to be careful though, I know from my DDs friends that it's the ones who come in via the sibling route who tend to struggle the most with the pressure. I'm not sending my DS in Year6 for exactly this reason!

"assume the letter would have to be worded in such a way that it says if you put choose to put the school on the form as first choice you would be guaranteed a spot."

Ah that makes perfect sense.

DD didn’t get in either for Latymer. I have t told her and I’m not sure when and how to. This was our first choice. Waiting on 2 more we did but I’m feeling so sad for her.

Gosh, i understand how you feel. I haven't told me DD yet and its not even our first choice, but i know she'llbe disappointed. (she had a play date yesterday and another this morning and I didn't want to ruin it for her)

They take some catchment kids too don’t they? I wondered how those kids cope with the pressure.

Sorry to hear this, I know it’s so tough to decide when to break news. I can hear my DD now playing in her room. She hasn’t asked me so I haven’t told her. Has your DD been asking about the result? If she doesn’t ask then I wouldn’t tell her unless she asks. I’m planning to be really positive about our next 2 exams. Good luck with the ones you waiting for! Hope your DD gets her first choice x

Gave DD an exampapersplus Henrietta Barnett round 2 practice maths test to do and it was so hard it made her cry. Wish I'd not bothered.

Also on my way to visit my mum in hospital. Life feels a bit tough right now. Unmumsnetty hugs to those feeling the same.

I think I would fudge it and just say she really did well but you won’t know until March if she gets a place as it is down to luck and how many applied and then just talk about other good options closer to the time, especially if you do a few tours to look around. It’s important to not get too hung up on any school until they have a firm place.

DS, in year 7, has 2 friends who changed schools in the third week of September (wait listed for preferred option) and even DD in lower sixth does (some changed following GCSE remarks). The two year 7s was for competitive grammar schools but both freed up their other sought after school places so there is change happening very late in the day.