11 Plus Exams Forum

Can anyone advise of the format of the interview?

What type of questions do they ask?

Do they cover current affairs and a maths problem?

Many Thanks

Hi Exampipe, I'm not sure about others but DD was asked to describe a picture in an individual interview. There was a few general chatty questions to start before they did that. The group interview was fairly informal too.

Parents were asked to wait in a room, laid with refreshments and the blueberry muffins were particularly yummy.

Thanks for the advice.

As there are 60 places for FHS, what are the odds on gaining an offer - how many were interviewed??....has anyone managed to find this information?

Thanks again

The odds are very high because of so many more academic girls putting it as their "fallback choice", their banker... and I know of a huge number of girls who accepted a place and then took another school when they moved up from the waiting list.....

Is there any way you can look at it more objectively? What sort of levels is your DD at? What are her strengths? What do her teachers say about her chances?

I know its tough but might help rather than the trying to work out from stats which arent as important as where your DD actually is.....

Thanks for the reply on this.

I agree on the DD levels etc...but I was also curious to understand the "odds" on a place based purely on the numbers involved...if that makes sense.....

We are in two minds about FHS....nice school, good atmosphere.....but unsure if it is the "right" kind of school for our DD

what are your doubts? And is it the only school still on your list or are you waiting to hear from others??? Know you had a big disappointment with City and NLCS but think there were a whole bundle more???

I know one wise head told me to not worry about it too much until the offers were in as one looks at schools very differently then ....

ps what are her levels or is this something you dont want to discuss? It would help us advise where might be good for her....

Hi exampipe,

This is usually quite a stressful time for most parents and most especially the children . Frances Holland is one of the top three schools academically in Westminster . It is important that you remind dd that she has done extremely well to get this far . If she was offered a place at Frances Holland , it will be due to her ability and I am sure she will thrive there . Do look at the league table results released recently and compare with other schools. It is also important to wait till you receive an offer before deciding together with dd, which school will be suitable . You seem unsure as to whether it will suit your dd when she has not even been offered a place ?

Wise words lefol ... think this is what we all should do!

Wise indeed! Those of us with older siblings know well that Plans B & D can end up Plan A & C (or somesuch) by the time the "results" are all in. Sometimes speculating is irrisistible - we all feel so powerless once the assessments are over and we are waiting for the results - hence my frequent visits to this forum to try & keep myself relatively sane!

Exampipe, if it is any help the daughter of a good friend of mine has just left fh regents park with a string of As at A level and is off to study medicine. I think sometimes we lose perspective when there are so many very high achieving schools around. I get the feeling that fh is often the last choice for some, but having been at the same school from 4 to 18 myself, those who were top at 11 were not the same as those who did best at 18. Fh brings on those who may not have been top flight at 11 and also stretches those who were but wanted a less pressured environment. It also helps to develop some really lovely girls. The only reson it's not higher on my own wish list (at present!) is a rather awkward journey.