City of London School for Girls: 11+

[Middlesexmum]

I'm not trying to be difficult, and it does sound as though the interviewer could have handled the whole thing better. But your daughter didn't answer the question.

I think that's nit-picking. I know the schools want to ensure potential candidates are right for the school but it sounds like this girl wasn't treated very nicely or made to feel relaxed. These are 10 year old children in an unfamiliar environment.

[Sla212]

Good luck for JAGS, it's my old school....lots of happy memories

[mb74]

Thanks Sla212!

She was super-excited this evening. She really likes JAGS.

[streathammum]

I think that's nit-picking. I know the schools want to ensure potential candidates are right for the school but it sounds like this girl wasn't treated very nicely or made to feel relaxed. These are 10 year old children in an unfamiliar environment.

It's not nit-picking. The interviewer asked a two-part question and the DD only answered the first part.

It's not unexpected that a 10yo would do this and, as I said, I think her answer was great overall. But it's not a surprise that the interviewer would follow up to get an answer to the second part of the question.

The problem here is that there are good ways of getting that answer and then there are ways that make the child feel as though they've made a bad mistake or got it wrong. That's the problem here, I think.

The only reason I'm still going on about this is because it could be useful for other parents in future - the importance of checking exactly what the interviewer asks and making sure that all elements of a question are answered. I'm not defending the school here - they clearly haven't handled this interview well.

[Amber]

If someone had asked me to tell them something I had done which I thought was impressive and I had answered in the way this little girl did and then they had asked why exactly they should find that impressive, I would have felt like crying.

If I wanted to nit pick myself, I would ask why they wanted a child to boast about something impressive anyway. Why not something kind, or something which showed they understood how others feel, or showed some insight into the lives of less fortunate children who wouldn't be at interviews for expensive private schools? But OK I concede that they might have spent the whole interview on that before that point.

[piggys]

The whole thing sounds ghastly and totally age inappropriate.

You may as well get your dds to watch the 'Apprentice' interview episode in which the candidates are bullied, harangued, corralled and belittled by hideously entitled business magnates and tell them to learn from that.

I absolutely disagree with interviewing children.

[mb74]

Gosh, I hadn’t expected to provoke such strength of feeling when I posted about the City interview! Funny, the apprentice interviews did come to mind when my daughter was describing to me how it had gone.

For anyone interested, JAGS excelled themselves in making the scholarship interview girls feel welcome. They had two group lessons, 5 minute interview with the head and lunch. All girls were given a book with a lovely message inside thanking them for coming.

I know scholarships are a whole different beast but JAGS have behaved in a lovely, friendly manner right from the first open day. My daughter came out beaming without a care for how she had done.

Now the wait begins....

[MCLC]

Glad your DD had a more positive experience today! I sent you a pm.

[MrsChips]

I think it's very game of Streathhammum to defend the interviewer, but I'm with everyone else - it sounds woefully inappropriate for a 10-year-old. I'd have been tempted to have made a ?face at the second question since it's blatantly obvious why it's impressive to throw someone bigger than you.

A friend of mine's son was asked what was the thing he was most proud of and he said he always makes an effort to help younger children in the playground if they look sad. There was a long pause apparently and the interviewer said 'can't you think of something a bit more impressive than that?'. I don't what they were expecting, climbing Katmandu barefoot for charity or something.

The thing is, if I had a school the qualities I'd most want was kindness and humility, both of which were shown by this boy. He didn't get an offer from the school by the way.

[Amber]

A friend of mine's son was asked what was the thing he was most proud of and he said he always makes an effort to help younger children in the playground if they look sad. There was a long pause apparently and the interviewer said 'can't you think of something a bit more impressive than that?'. I don't what they were expecting, climbing Katmandu barefoot for charity or something.

The thing is, if I had a school the qualities I'd most want was kindness and humility, both of which were shown by this boy. He didn't get an offer from the school by the way.

What a sad post. What kind of world are we hoping to create when ten year olds are supposed to have done something 'impressive'? Getting through one of these interviews sounds like an impressive feat in itself. I think I am starting to agree with piggys on this - is it really necessary to interview children?