Why do some schools interview all applicants?

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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SleepyHead
Posts: 484
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:41 am

Why do some schools interview all applicants?

Post by SleepyHead »

I was having this debate with a dear friend of mine who thought that school selection process is just a spreadsheet exercise of top ranking students. If this is really the case why do some (very good) schools interview all applicants? Surely if the candidate has not made the cut off mark there is no point in interviewing them? Is it a school policy for equal opportunities, it is just a nicety ? Does it actually mean anything?

Thoughts and opinions most welcome
SH
Last edited by SleepyHead on Tue Jan 27, 2015 6:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
firefox
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2014 9:15 pm

Re: Why do some schools interview all applicants?

Post by firefox »

SleepyHead wrote:I was having this debate with a dear friend of mine who thought that school selection process is just a spreadsheet exercise of top ranking students. I then asked the above question. If this is really the case why do some (very good) school interview all applicants? Surely if the candidate has not make the cut off mark there is no point in interviewing? Is it a school policy for equal opportunities, it is just a nicety ? Does it actually mean anything?

Thoughts and opinions most welcome
SH
Most indies take a reference from the current school and ask for the last x years reports. They then match this with the exam performance to see if it is consistent. Any incongruence can be teased out and explored at interview. This allows them to find out if a child really is an academic high flyer or whether they have just been prepared for the last 3 years to pass a specific exam.

The interview is an important tool that sadly the grammars dont have
SleepyHead
Posts: 484
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:41 am

Re: Why do some schools interview all applicants?

Post by SleepyHead »

ask for the last x years reports
I realised that schools ask for a reference, had no idea about reports. They really do collect a wealth of information about each candidate.
startingtopanic
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:50 am

Re: Why do some schools interview all applicants?

Post by startingtopanic »

I don't know but it could be used as a marketing tool? In 2 of the consortium schools it was pointed out by the head at open evening
animal
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2014 11:53 am

Re: Why do some schools interview all applicants?

Post by animal »

So do you think that if a child is consistently high performing in school, and does well enough in the exam to get an interview, that a slightly poor performance at interview might not cause them to miss out on a place? (Fingers crossed...)
CPM1771
Posts: 130
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:10 pm

Re: Why do some schools interview all applicants?

Post by CPM1771 »

That's definitely right for the most part. Interviews post exam are usually about selecting the child. Different schools will have different emphasis on how important the inteview -v- exam results are. Interviews prior to exam results, particularly when parents are interviewed as well are mostly a marketing exercise to sell the school. Most will obviously also use it as a way of making sure the DC ticks the basic boxes so that they can go straight to offer following exams.
desperate mum 2
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2015 5:39 pm

Re: Why do some schools interview all applicants?

Post by desperate mum 2 »

One of the top school offered the interview date before the exam. They said the selection process based on interview, exam and the school report.My worries are my dd does not go to private her school policy is sending year 5 report but I heard other local prep giving fantastic report tailor made to each school. how her report is going to compete with prep one even-though she is a v bright one
JuliaM
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2015 12:49 pm

Re: Why do some schools interview all applicants?

Post by JuliaM »

I know that some London boroughs (mine is one of them) have a policy of not providing references for a child applying for Independent school, they will typically only send a copy of the child's most recent report, if that. I am sure that the schools will be aware of the policy and the boroughs concerned and take it into consideration. I would have thought that Prep schools would present a much more in depth and detailed report to the school (but most probably very honest) as that is one of the things parents have been paying for over the preceeding 7 years.
elevenlevel
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 6:27 pm

Re: Why do some schools interview all applicants?

Post by elevenlevel »

How many years' reports do most of the indies usually ask for? Sadly a lot of state primary ones probably aren't that much use as they are so bland these days!
firefox
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2014 9:15 pm

Re: Why do some schools interview all applicants?

Post by firefox »

elevenlevel wrote:How many years' reports do most of the indies usually ask for? Sadly a lot of state primary ones probably aren't that much use as they are so bland these days!
It varies from school to school. DS just sat 10+ Whitgift and Trinity and was asked for last 3 for the former and just last 1 for the latter school.

some state schools refuse to provide references on "principle" and thus reports are a way of indies at least seeing how the child has performed over a period of time.

We are coming from prep, so our head is duty bound to smooth the passage to the senior schools which it is a feeder for
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