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

DAO second round is still a great achievement! We know a bunch of heavily tutored kids who didnt make it to 2nd round. My dd did it on Saturday - and yes her chances are slim as she placed 240 in first round but you never know! She found the maths harder than EPP papers. I'm just happy it's done!

Our school gave us the same spiel, that he is bright and will pass. But it’s not even just about that. So much of it is speed and technique and being familiar with question types. We absolutely refused to tutor for more than 1 year but then you are competing with people who, as you say, have tutored since year 3 and did summer intensives and all sorts. I don’t know how they could “reset” the system at this point. The heavily tutored kids will take the majority of places.

We are Trafford so will be waiting a while yet for results, but I’m getting impatient, I just want to know now 😄

Also in trafford and the wait is painful! Feel like everything is on hold until we find out, have you got any particular school in mind?

On a separate note, I do think the whole grammar school system needs to be abolished, this much pressure at such a young age can be damaging. Not to mention the heavy tutoring some parents can afford to obtain a place at a state grammar is inherently unfair.

Hopefully Sale but wouldn’t be disappointed with Stretford either. How about you?

We don’t know of a date yet do we?

I completely agree, although here we are doing it! Agree it’s really unfair to those who can’t afford. The exam should just be based on what they have actually learned in school.

@SFV @Tiredlady1 thanks for the encouragement. But I finally sat down and thought if HBS would be the right school for our daughter. And realized that it wouldn’t be. So we have decided to not get her to it. We are happy and proud that she got in the top 300 without any hbs specific prep.
I believe that all girls who attempt stage 2 have a very high chance of getting in. I have talked to couple of girl’s parents (three to be exact) and although they are sitting stage 2, none of them are going to put it as their top preference. So all the best to all the girls attempting stage 2 exams! The bigger hurdle was getting through round 1, now they should be going in knowing that they have a very good chance of getting in.

Also Trafford, and really feel as though we don't have a choice but to do it! Not sure what it's like at your respective schools but there was literally a handful of children who didn't take the test - almost everyone at least gave it a go. Very few had no tutoring but there was a real variation ranging from 1 hour per week (us!) to numerous tutors and a lot of hours spent tutoring each week. It would be sp interesting to see how results vary by that but I guess it's something we'll never be able to know!

Of course, do what's right for your child. Not sure how ling the commute would be, but I remember that the headteacher mentioned on the open day that kids really shouldn't commute more than an hour as she felt it wasn't sustainable. As an adult, I find a 1 hour commute tiring, so I can't imagine for kids! That's why they give preference to kids who live within a 3 mile radius.

So is you daughter sone with exams now then? :)

I used to commute an hour to school as a child and I hated it. My life got so much better when I moved to a local school.

Same here, can't wait anymore🤣even though my DS didn't give me that much hope. Still waiting to know the date when it will be.

It's long... we're waiting for Latymer results this/next week, but now I really think the commute would be too long. We're in the postcode catchment for the school, but it'd involve a 10min walk to bus stop, 1 bus ride for 30 mins and a 20min walk after. Seems torturous on dark, cold winter mornings :(

You sound wise DoneDonne, well done on having made a decision. I had thought there would be more clarity before I had to decide whether HB was right for my daughter, but it turns out it will remain a hypothetical until march so I do need to decide in advance if I'd accept the place if offered. That's really why I'm so keen to get the Latymer results so I've a better idea of what I'm comparing it to.

Our commute would be just under an hour - either a bus and a pleasant but quite long walk or 2 buses. I really don't know if this is wise.

What would the commute to Latymer be like?

I feel the same, I think only 5 from DD’s year (3 form intake) didn’t take it this year. I don’t know of any who didn’t have tuition and it was all very intense, like you say ranging from an hour a week to several hours over several years, mocks, summer schools etc. Was very easy to get swept up in it all. And it was all parent led; school have barely mentioned it.

@SFV we are a bit the same. The route local children seem to take is a train 10 mins and then a bus that's door to door but 20 mins+ and it's a little one so I can imagine there sometimes being a wait for one with space. Everyone assures me they take it in their stride. I remain skeptical and it's the reason I half arsed prep with dd1 but dd2 is so keen that I think I'd have to support her if it's what she wants. I am not sure how much her interest will persist if her friends don't get in though. She was chuffed to get through to HB round 2 but is very quiet when I ask where it sits in her preferences or suggest prep for round 2. Part of it was about self validation I think. And I do wonder if she might get v competitive in a grammar environment.

But then she's quite geeky and not v street wise and she might not thrive elsewhere either. Such a dilemma, I need a crystal ball.

In the meantime I have a school asking me to come in and discuss an in year transfer for dd1. I didn't think we were still on the waiting list so it came out of the blue. I think I'm going to turn it down but again the crystal ball would be helpful

A lot of families do end up moving closer to the selective grammar schools once their kids are in Year 9/10 and the GCSE homework kicks in. In Year 7/8 a lot of them do not mind commuting, make friends doing it, enjoy the independence.

It is quite important to figure out how you will order the schools before 31/10. There is such an incredibly short window between deadline of CAF and getting results, especially if you did a few tests across London.

My DS was not even tutored last year, we started prep last minute in the summer holidays as he was not up for it before that, he was completely focussed on his music practice. He did pass and for some extremely competitive schools, so one never ever knows what will happen. I think often people do get cold feet last minute and second guess their decisions, but I probably would be sending a DC to second stage HBS, as others have said, many are likely to get through especially on the waiting list. Unless you have another school that is guaranteed via catchment now I do not think I would let that go now. I think most of these schools do then have further visits/induction days.
My DS is in Year 7 (I do not want to say which exact superselective) and he absolutely loves it. Being around boys like him and having eg Astronomy society and visits from Oxbridge students as well as sports as well as music and a really broad and interesting curriculum, it really is fantastic for him.

Oh god, I can't imagine myself moving, although I suppose by then dd1 would be in 6th form and she's on about applying to places like Woodside which are more that direction, or Latymer/HBS themselves so I guess it is a possibility. I like where I live though - I cycle to work and have a strong community.

HBS isn't actually that far as the crow flies - it was 20 mins in the car. DD and I cycled on the open day but got massively lost on Hampstead heath. It's a shame there are only certain paths where bikes are allowed as the alternative routes are not very nice (and hilly!)

My friend"s sons go to a super selective though and she really does rave about it for them.

Oh how I'd pay good money for that crystal ball! It's so hard to know what the right choice is...

The wait is a killer. Another Trafford parent here. My older ds sat last year and the results came through on 22nd October at midday. It was the Tuesday before half term we got the results for St Ambrose the day before. This year Ambrose results day is the Monday (20th) again so my bets would be Tuesday 21st for the consortium.

I just want it to be over for ds now. I found this note in his room when I was cleaning up it broke my heart.

Awwww. DD has something very similar - a 2025 bingo card of goals with "get into latymer" at the top. It's really why I'm so stressed about it, even though Iknow it'll build resilience whatever the outcome.

Interesting re: the results day, thank you. DD will be on a school trip all day on that Tuesday, so at least they will have enjoyed their day if that is when the results come out.
I hope all works out for your DC, that note is both cute and sad at the same time. I can’t imagine how anxious they must be at their age.

Oh this incredibly sweet and reminds me that these are just cute little 10 year olds going through this. I hope his wishes come true.

Btw niche post but in case it's helpful to know Google maps seems to have a blind spot over the w6 bus. Because it's "hail and ride" with no official stops for quite a long section it shows you having to get off and walk the last 15/20 mins but it actually can be flagged down right outside the school. It goes to Palmers Green station in one direction and Southgate in the other I think.

Oh thanks... I can't even remember which bus she'd have to get, but I'll check it out!