reviews and thoughts on colfes and St Dunstan

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now
redlace
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 2:37 am

reviews and thoughts on colfes and St Dunstan

Post by redlace »

Hello all, very new to forum. My DD has just finished the 11+ test for Kent and passed, we are now preparing for Colfes and Blackheath High, possibly St Dunstans (if we like the school after visiting). I just wondered if any one has sent their kids to any of the schools and what feedback they had on the schools (good and bad!).

Also in terms of exams - will this also be maths, english and VR and NVR? are they as tough as the 11+ exams? thanks in advance for your help.
doodles
Posts: 8300
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Re: reviews and thoughts on colfes and St Dunstan

Post by doodles »

Welcome to the forum redlace and congratulations to your dd on passing the Kent test.

I've had a look and if you look on the relevant school websites there is quite detailed information on the subjects covered in their individual entrance exams, one even had some downloadable practice papers.

Hopefully somebody will be along soon who will be able to answer questions on the actual schools.

Good luck
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
ToadMum
Posts: 11946
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: reviews and thoughts on colfes and St Dunstan

Post by ToadMum »

Here you go :)

Colfes entrance test: http://www.colfes.com/entranceexamination
(Maths / English / 'Reasoning')

Blackheath High: http://www.blackheathhighschool.gdst.ne ... blications
(Maths / English / NVR - see 'Format of the 11+ Exam' in the 'Transition ' document).

St Dunstan's: http://www.stdunstans.org.uk/549/admiss ... ns-process
(Maths / English / VR / 'Abstract Reasoning').

Lovely clear and helpful websites, although I'm not a fan of pdf docs as they clog up my phone's memory if I forget to clear them out regularly :roll:

I've lived near both Blackheath High and St Dunstan's. I have no memory of the behaviour of pupils at the former, which is good. I once had occasion to remonstrate with two St Dunstan's boys on a bus and the mere enquiry as to which school they attended (although, of course, it was obvious :lol: ) was enough to prompt them to modify their behaviour immediately, which is also good in my book.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
redlace
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 2:37 am

Re: reviews and thoughts on colfes and St Dunstan

Post by redlace »

Thank you doodles (a lot of blood sweat and tears to get there it felt like). Thank you Toadmum for the links, that's really helpful.
fleurdelacourt
Posts: 75
Joined: Wed Nov 19, 2014 2:19 pm

Re: reviews and thoughts on colfes and St Dunstan

Post by fleurdelacourt »

Colfes seems to be on the up. Although they do have an entrance exam, it has traditionally been a lower bar than for some of the other independents: kids who weren't successful in Bexley/Kent are routinely accepted. And the GCSE results are on a par with the grammars so they are doing something right! It is a big, sporty school.

Blackheath High is very different, much smaller and all girls, although they also seem to accept kids who haven't passed the grammar tests. the new head seems very dynamic, but there is a major building programme under way right now which would see your dd in portakabins for her first year or 2? The sports facilities are not on site and not as good as at Colfes.

Can't comment on St D's.

But working out if you want co-ed/single sex and sporty vs non sporty might help clarify your preferences? If you like Blackheath, there is also Bromley High which has regular coach services? If you like Colfes then there is also Farringtons?

Why didn't your daughter sit Bexley out of interest?
redlace
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 2:37 am

Re: reviews and thoughts on colfes and St Dunstan

Post by redlace »

Thanks for the feedback Fleurdelacourt, this is very useful. We did visit both Colfes and Blackheath and my DD instantly liked Colfes and so did I. She didn't take very well to Blackheath high even after spending an open morning with them but we thought it would be best to do a few tests so we have as few options. I think we prefer a co-ed and something with a bit more sport. DD did both Bexley and Kent but missed Bexley by 15 marks, just as well really we only put Kent down as a backup! The problem however is although she passed Kent, her pass mark wasn't so high and we are out of the catchment so I'm worried she may not secure a place which is why we are also taking the private school exams.
lefol
Posts: 382
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:13 pm
Location: Bexleyheath

Re: reviews and thoughts on colfes and St Dunstan

Post by lefol »

Both good schools but St Dunstans seems stronger academically and I had a better feel for it when we were looking around for schools for ds1 but that was five years ago ! The both offer a good range of extra curricular activities . DS1 sat Eltham and St D and said the papers were similar . St D run practice exams which you have to pay for but you probably only need one or none as I cannot see why they have to do practice exams and pay for it before the real thing . Ds1 was level 5c in maths and English at the time. He passed all the exams and did not find them too challenging as they followed the same format in the Bond 10-11 books and the CGP Sats books . Good luck and hope your dd gets the Kent place even though you are OOC.
Post Reply
11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now