St Albans boys

[jdr1234]

Ds sat the St Albans exam today, there didn’t look like there was more than 100 kids - I know there was yesterday as well but surely must be more than 200 kids sitting…anyone know? I assume there was only one session today as was 8.30-1.30.

Anyway best of luck to everyone’s DS/DD on this thread waiting for SAS. I remember watching a similar post this time last year and thinking it will be me this time next year - here we are !

Shall we talk about the chances of place offer if you get a call back, or shall we save that for next week 🙃🤪

@SAmum26 and @Purple2316 Numbers really don’t make sense. Can’t only of been 100 kids sitting when schools like aldenham had 300 this year. I know habs down but still had over 500 sitting. Did they say they would let us know by Friday or on Friday??

I was probably watching the exact same thread😂
Yes best of luck to you all and hopefully it’s good news for us all on Friday 🙂
I’m curious to know if SAS judge solely off the exam as the scholarship assessments are all after this?

By Friday…

I think it’s more likely about 150. Remember Aldenham is more of a “catch all” as it gets kids using it as a back up and kids who put it first choice. I think someone said it earlier but lots of people won’t bother with St A if their Ds/DD not academically inclined.

Good q. I thought the same… So what I was told is test first to see if data shows they would be in line for a place, if they pass round 1 then invited. However based on timings round 2 is a week earlier than scholarships I feel it will have minimal impact on decision for place but could be wrong and I certainly don’t think it will hurt.

@jdr1234 by 5pm on Friday. So far, all schools aside from 1 have been earlier than their communicated dates for us but let’s see!

Last year I can’t remember if they said “by Friday” or “on Friday” but the email came out first thing on the Friday (8:45ish?) - I remember feeling grateful they didn’t leave us hanging all day!

On call backs day we were told that we’d already passed the biggest hurdle of exam+interview and they were looking to make as many offers as possible.

Because of all the uncertainty with VAT, I think they over-offered quite a bit, because it’s hard for them to know how many offers will be accepted. And that’s what led to them adding the extra class (though this was partly filled with a number of late applicants who sat the assessment as late as March).

Guys why do you think St Albans is going co-ed. There’s the High School and there’s Stags both of which are excellent girls schools. The other St Albans state secondaries are co-ed and outstanding and are full of kids whose parents could pay the private school fees 3x over.

However they dress it up they’ve gone co-ed as applicant numbers are dropping and the only way they can maintain their level of selective ness is to widen the pool. That’s why. There is also an increased demand for co-ed schools but they’re not doing it because they are desperate for girls to join, they’re doing it so they can actually survive!

Thank you! Are you going through it again this year? How did it work out for your DS last year? Hope all went well and if they did join SAS are loving it!

No, we’re currently going through the STAHS process this year with our DD! 😩

DS did go to SAS (with an academic scholarship to boot!), and we’ve been really happy with the school. However DD flat ruled it out for her as she wants either a fully co-ed school or all-girls. Oh, and neither she nor DS was keen on attending the same school as the other!

I remember the agonising wait for SAS last year, but the majority of applicants do make it through to the next stage so the odds definitely are on your side. The VAT impact must help, at least it has a small silver lining!

Thank you!! Big good luck to your DD with STAHS

Just to say my DS is at SAS - really happy with the school and he loves it.

I agree that the decision to go co-ed will be insurance against lower numbers of applications due to VAT. It will be interesting to see how many girls join this September.

I am as well realising results are this Friday - DS sat for deferred on the reserve day - and said many were from local schools - which is not our case. However I am confused about the numbers as well

1. 300 applying -> is it for 11+ or 11+ deferred? from what I have seen the morning session on the 8th was not ultra busy
2. 300 - highly possible though 3 days , 6 sessions? they don't need the kids to leave the premises to start a new session - but 600 - which is what Habs was - seems unlikely - I didn't see the buzz at the drop like at Habs or MT but maybe because we were on the reserve day .
3. They sent an email about merger with a prep -> will the get priority over our DS?

Don't get me wrong I really hope there was not much competition and we can have an offer!

@dsquareyes we are all nervously waiting until Friday! I think the 300 applying would be for both 11+ and 11+ deferred combined with 72 places available for each route (which they don’t really make clear on main page of website- only when you read FAQ you see this clarity). We just don’t know how many attended for each route.

I hope the merge doesn’t affect us, they did mention it wouldn’t for applicants starting in September 2026 which will be our kids so hoping for the best!! Hoping that the low numbers influenced them to make this move which will mean more chance of an offer for us this year. Not long now until we know for sure.. Good luck!

for sure there are 72 for each route - but my worry is my DS applied for deferred - does it mean it will impact for his route? or they meant no impact for "2026" paying - deposit parents :D

I think you’ll be fine. I’m sure they will want to hand out as many places for the deferred entry as possible for the added security and the places left over will be on offer later down the line, which may become more competitive with the merge and becoming coed.

I think unfortunately just thinking about it - local schools will have def applied via the 11+ deferred including that merged school as it ends at 13+ ... Oh well nothing we can do about it now!

@dsquareBest of luck.. fingers crossed we all get good news on Friday!! Manifesting positive thoughts😊

It’s very hard to make any meaningful assessment of numbers given the deferred 11+ route is completely new, and it’s not clear how the Beechwood Park alliance will work in practice. The school will be winging it a bit as they’ll need to work out how many applicants who will join in Y8 have applied for deferred entry now and how many will apply for 12+ and 13+ entry as they’ve always done, and try to apportion places accordingly.

Not much help for immediate purposes but if your DCs do get called to interview (as I’m sure they will!) there is an opportunity on the day for parents to speak to admissions staff so you’d be able to grill them then.

Sorry, should say “who will join in Y9” above.

sorry my DS sat on the Monday - got confused !

I would envisage that the prep school partnering will either follow the Stormont/STAHS route (pretty much guaranteed entry) or the Lochinver & St Martins with Habs route (top 1/4 guaranteed entry and then next 1/4 guaranteed interview) but this is my own speculation and could be completely different!

We are v keen on SAS so following the numbers with interest. We are v typical in that we would do SAS first choice and Aldenham as back up. I really liked aldenham so would be happy if DS decided he’d rather go there and we got in.

In the FAQs on the SAS website it says the announcement will have no impact on those currently sitting for 11+ or 11+ deferred for Y9 in Sep 2028.

@Twilightstarbright I think the arrangement must be more like the Habs/Lochinver one. It refers to a “preferential admissions process…subject to meeting certain criteria”. SAS will be keen that it’s not an open door for anyone coming through BP, given it’s only gently selective at most in the youngest years.

@BarqsHasBite if I had to bet that’s what I would go with as the likely outcome. I also think all those schools might change the preferential pathway over time once they see how many pupils they get, how they compare to external candidates etc.

Is the lochinver + st martins already in play or for coming years?