KES interviews

[hermanmunster]

Hi all, can someone kindly clarify the process with KES?

Do they invite all successful candidates for interviews or just those who applied for an assisted place?

They interview scholarship, assisted place and borderline

+1

Means that offers can be made for places (usually full fees) without being interviewed

[thirdtimemum]

Previous posts on here indicate that not all Assisted Places are interviewed. I suppose we'll all find out in a few weeks.

[crazycrofter]

I think there's a different approach taken by the girls and boys schools.

My daughter got an assisted place without an interview and there's been others on here too. I've not heard of this with boys - in fact there have been people posting on here over the years whose boys had interviews and still didn't get an assisted place/offer.

However this year the girls school seems to be doing something different again as a couple of parents have mentioned being invited to meet the bursar and discuss finances. I haven't heard if this before at this stage.

I'm afraid there's no way of knowing for sure until the letters arrive in December. At least it's all been brought forward a bit - back in 2014/15 we had to wait til Jan for the exam and Feb for the results!

[mike1880]

I think they started the finance discussions last year. KES started them the year before I think?

[thirdtimemum]

Thanks crazycrofter, I feel a little more reassured from reading your posts. In some ways I do think having the exam in October works better at least we hear sooner. On the flip side there are now almost 700 applications for the girls. If the exam application was after the 11+ results then there would be less applications. I know with DS in 2015 we considered KES but because he had a safe score for his first choice he didnt not to take the exam.
Is anyone else considering other independant schools?

[crazycrofter]

That's true, although the birth rate has been steadily rising anyway so that might be something to do with it. Some people only used to take the KES/KEHS exam because they got a low 11 plus score so it must have worked both ways?!

Are you considering EHS? I hear they give large scholarships as well as bursaries.

[thirdtimemum]

I did look.at it but as we are north Birmingham it seems that it would be 2 buses for DD to get there. With work and 3 children it just isn't possible to take her there. With KEHS there is a local school bus so would be ok. We are looking at Highclare and Hydesville as possibilities. Do you have any knowledge of these schools? I'm finding it tricky to get much information about them.

[crazycrofter]

I don't really, other than I know both are preps too so they lose quite a few to the grammars and therefore may have fewer high ability pupils?

Quasimodo might know about Hydesville, living over in that direction?

[thirdtimemum]

I hadn't really thought about that. Thank you. I've been chatting with quasimodo on another board. Just trying out a few different schools so as to keep our options open. Luckily they are all assessment days so DD will get to spend the day there to get a feeling about the school.

[Lili32]

I did look.at it but as we are north Birmingham it seems that it would be 2 buses for DD to get there. With work and 3 children it just isn't possible to take her there. With KEHS there is a local school bus so would be ok. We are looking at Highclare and Hydesville as possibilities. Do you have any knowledge of these schools? I'm finding it tricky to get much information about them.

DS is at Hydesville prep school. Anything you want to know I may be able to help?