Does the "Day" the interview takes place matter?

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now
anbar
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2014 12:16 am

Does the "Day" the interview takes place matter?

Post by anbar »

Hi Everyone,

First time parent aiming to send our DS to an independent school, so would appreciate any advice on this topic.

So far DS has performed well enough to get through to the interview round of selection for (in no particular order)

1. St Dunstans (interviewed last week)
2. Alleyns (interviewed last Saturday)
3. Colfes (interviewed this week)

Apologies in advance if the question comes across a bit odd, but could not resist the urge to ask it... so here I go... Do the days of the interviews matter? i.e. are early interviews for some schools a good or bad indicator and vice-versa?

Thanks
Last edited by anbar on Fri Jan 31, 2014 2:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
4leaf
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:42 am

Re: Does the day of interview matter?

Post by 4leaf »

I'm also hoping not as Dd was first :?:
anbar
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2014 12:16 am

Re: Does the "Day" the interview takes place matter?

Post by anbar »

Hi 4leaf,

I would like to assume so as well as the Interviews for St Dunstans and Alleyns where early, I read somewhere in eleven plus or mums net, (cannot seem to find the bloodly thread) that early Alleyns interviews resulted in a No :( and later ones received yes. It would really annoy me if this is the case, as from my view, interviews are meant to be the deciding factor on children that have scored evenly on the entrance exams.

BTW what schools did your DC get interviews for?

Thanks
4leaf
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:42 am

Re: Does the "Day" the interview takes place matter?

Post by 4leaf »

hi
We only applied to SPGS. I do worry that being first means no benchmark has been set :? No idea about the outcome- one minute feeling v positive and next minute feeling deluded. Try and forget about it and then find myself checking threads and start the process all over again!
Relying on white wine and the Dailymail for distraction :mrgreen:
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Does the "Day" the interview takes place matter?

Post by Daogroupie »

This is clearly nonsense! Why would schools waste the precious time of their teachers holding interviews where the outcome was already decided no matter how the candidate performed? Interviews are a second round designed to select the students that have the most potential to perform well at the school. Some schools appear to give the prep schools the early slots, sometimes this is to avoid the Head passing on interview tips to the candidates with later slots. If the student is a good fit for the school they will be offered a place if they are the first or if they are the last. DG
HappyCow
Posts: 102
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 2:38 pm

Re: Does the "Day" the interview takes place matter?

Post by HappyCow »

4leaf wrote:Some schools appear to give the prep schools the early slots, sometimes this is to avoid the Head passing on interview tips to the candidates with later slots.
I only have experience of MTs & Habs and in both these cases it was apparent that DS's interview was a good few days before the local prep school boys were interviewed.
The first few interview days seem to be given to individuals coming from a variety of schools.
We were given 2 days notice for the MTs interview - which worked fine for us.

Interview tips are definitely passed on from one particular prep school. It is the (sad) reality of the system - yes I am feeling rather anxious waiting now and therefore also the tendency to feel ever so slightly bitter!! But then arguably I guess thats one of the reasons parents pay to send their child to a prep school....?
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Does the "Day" the interview takes place matter?

Post by Daogroupie »

It is indeed what the parents are paying for. Heads have to be seen to do everything they can to help their students get into the school of their choice. However in the end the secondary schools want the best students so your ds has performed at exam, performed at interview so I am sure he will get one of the thick envelopes, not one of the thin ones! DG
Angelcake
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 12:05 pm

Re: Does the "Day" the interview takes place matter?

Post by Angelcake »

Habs interviews in alphabetical order of school so if the local preps are later it's just a function of their name.
Jess
Posts: 163
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:48 pm

Re: Does the "Day" the interview takes place matter?

Post by Jess »

Both my DC had interviews at Alleyn's on the first Saturday. Both received offers. I wouldn't worry!
anbar
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2014 12:16 am

Re: Does the "Day" the interview takes place matter?

Post by anbar »

Thanks Jess, your statement has truly put my mind at rest.

4leaf I know the feeling of trying to forget about the stresses that comes with school entrance assessments, which is not made easy when your dc is emotionally invested in a particular school. We would be happy for him to receive offers from any of the schools but our DS does have a particular order

1. Alleyns: His an arty child that has a flare for drama and music, so his been the most impressed by the drama department and has eyes set on going there.

2. St Dunstans: I loved St Dunstans, this was my favorite, as the teachers came across as the most caring of the bunch we met and I have a really good maternal feeling about the school.

3. Colfes: Is my other-half's favorite school due to its sports facilities and resources.

This whole process has been extremely difficult for us as (i) we were the only parents in our DS's school to apply for independent schools; so have no support from other parents or the headteacher, (ii) we can only rely on obtaining information from forums such as this - which can be very disheartening at times and (iii) as the borough we live in does not have 11 plus exams there is no platform other than our drive to tutor our son to get children to a certain level to be able to stand a chance in these exams.

Thanks
Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now