Consortium Interviews

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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hopscotch
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Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 8:20 pm

Consortium Interviews

Post by hopscotch »

Does anyone know how interviewees are selected? Is it a total score, or a minimum pass mark per paper? Does a request for financial assistance impact on the decision? My DD has been for several interviews, with one still to go, but didn't get an interview at a school considered less academic within the same group - a little perplexed!
RAKSH
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Consortium Interviews

Post by RAKSH »

In my knowledge the performance in the written exams make the basis for the interview call. Request for financial help could be a criteria of decision after the interview . Have you requested for scholarship or bursary?Also which school consortium are you referring to?Which school you reckon is less academic in the consortium?
hopscotch
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 8:20 pm

Post by hopscotch »

It is the North London Consortium, which includes City,Channing,NLCS,More House etc. I don't want to mention the schools in question,but it is not too difficult to work out!! I am beginning to wonder if there is a quota of schools allowed in a group. Thankfully, however it has been calculated it is in our favour, but I have to admit to being intrigued. Do you know if scores are added together or is there a minimum mark per paper? My DS is much stronger in literacy and maybe this has some bearing. I really don't know.
T.i.p.s.y

Post by T.i.p.s.y »

I'm not sure if it works along the same lines but when I was applying for uni in Scotland donkeys years ago and when it was a different system to England, if you were awarded a conditional place at one or two of the top Scottish uni's then you wuld get a rejection from the "lesser" uni's. Could it be that they all work together and because your DD has done so well they will assume that you would reject an offer from the less selective school, so they don't waste their time interviewing strong candidates?
Thea
Posts: 250
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Location: Richmond

Post by Thea »

Tipsy, that makes perfect sense - why offer to a child that is unlikely to accept?
There was a boy whining in the Times the other day that he had been offered an onterview@ Oxford, but turned down by Durham - clearly he was outraged the Durham did not want to waste time interviewing a candidate if they also looked strong enough to be offered a place @ Oxford, and felt he should be offered a full set, despite the fact that would just waste everyone's time. Clearly was a logical and economical outcome - presume he was not interviewing for economics or logic...The headmaster @ a prestigious school in London (but lower in the pecking order than Westminster) told me last year that they would not bother offering to a very able boy who was also taking the exam for W, and whose elder brother had gone to W, for that very reason.
Best Regards,
Thea
RAKSH
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:15 am
Contact:

Consortium Interviews

Post by RAKSH »

my dd has got a call fm 4 schools of the north london consortium which are not in the same level in the league table.
T.i.p.s.y

Post by T.i.p.s.y »

Hi Thea,

I can understand this but there is a strong probability that I am going to send DS2 to one of the schools I may reject for DS1. I am worried that this rejection may impact DS2 getting in! :?
Thea
Posts: 250
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:01 pm
Location: Richmond

Post by Thea »

Tipsy - me too!!!!!!!!
Best Regards,
Thea
T.i.p.s.y

Post by T.i.p.s.y »

Thea wrote:Tipsy - me too!!!!!!!!
You've probably told me before but what schools are you looking at? PM me if you wish! :)
another mother
Posts: 269
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:46 pm

Post by another mother »

Each school in the N L C has a slightly different approach I think. If you have gone for the top academic schools and done well enough to get interviews, and also sat there and are clearly more local to them, it doesn't make much sense for the less academic to interview you too - plus some go quite strongly on the head's report from your primary. We had sat at the less academic ones, partly for convenience, partly because it seemed a safer approach. My elder dd in the end had 6 interviews ( I know - but it was only two exams!) and at one of the less academic schools was not only asked why she would choose them over NLCS and City but also why she hadn't applied for Henrietta Barnet (which was because we had no idea she'd do so well! and also she can't do VR) - so watch out for that. She was also asked how she'd travel to most of the schools - I suspect they use that to weed out who has really thought seriously about coming and would make it their first choice. For the less acadmic school she smiled sweetly and said her mother was concerned about her being too pressurised. All the schools offered! One piece of advice- you don't get a big window to choose once the offers come in -we hadn't really thought what our preference was (still not expecting to do anything like so well) and I found the week really stressful. We went back to see the schools - some very helpful about this (City run a very good open morning - SH do good individual tours) - It's very different seeing a school once you have the offer. With my second dd we knew much more clearly what we wanted but still went back to look one more time, and at one other option. Do pm me if you want more info.
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