St Helen's Abbington

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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sj355
Posts: 1149
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 4:07 pm
Location: Finchley - Barnet

St Helen's Abbington

Post by sj355 »

Does any one know what form the entry exams in St Helen's school for girls in Abingdon, Oxfordshire take? Any information from a parent or anyone familar with the school currently or in the past will be gratefully received
sj355
suncrest
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Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 11:21 pm

Post by suncrest »

Hi sj33

I was hoping someone else would reply to your question, but as no one has I will tell you what I know which is limited knowledge from a mother whose daughter I know sat and passed the exam last year and is currently there having a fantastic time. From what I can remember the exam consisted of the usual Maths - nothing more than KS2 type questions and then two shorter English papers - a comprehension and a short essay. (She also sat a science paper - again no harder than KS2. - but this could hae been for another school she was sitting exams for) Now I will check but I do not think there was any verb/non verb type questions.

She did have a long and thorough interiew where she was asked a variety of questions: she was shown a picture of Nelson's Column and asked who it was, and why was the statue there and then shown a London Underground map and was asked to find the most direct route from one station to another....it sounded like an interesting interiew so that's why I remember it.

If I find out more I will let you know
sj355
Posts: 1149
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 4:07 pm
Location: Finchley - Barnet

Post by sj355 »

I was hoping someone else would reply to your question, but as no one has I will tell you what I know which is limited knowledge from a mother whose daughter I know sat and passed the exam last year and is currently there having a fantastic time. From what I can remember the exam consisted of the usual Maths - nothing more than KS2 type questions and then two shorter English papers - a comprehension and a short essay. (She also sat a science paper - again no harder than KS2. - but this could hae been for another school she was sitting exams for) Now I will check but I do not think there was any verb/non verb type questions.
I am grateful for that information. It concerns the daughter of a very close friend. She is very clever but she needs to do very well because she absolutely needs a bursary (she is very likely to be entitled to the full 100% of the fees). Currently she also doing verb no verb tests so please let me know if these are not needed. If it is Maths, English and even Science then perhaps she would need to focus on these although if they are at a KS2 level I do not forsee any difficulties.
She did have a long and thorough interiew where she was asked a variety of questions: she was shown a picture of Nelson's Column and asked who it was, and why was the statue there and then shown a London Underground map and was asked to find the most direct route from one station to another....it sounded like an interesting interiew so that's why I remember it.

If I find out more I will let you know
[/quote]

Please do! :) Thank you very much!
sj355
Thea
Posts: 250
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:01 pm
Location: Richmond

Post by Thea »

Just a slight dampener - friends of ours had daughters there who found the cliquiness quite stressful - there was a group of girls with rich parents who called themselves the 'plastics' who looked down on on others and created tension and stress, and there was cyber-bullying via a social networking site that teeenagers use a lot, was not dealt with effectively by the school, who did not acknowledge it as it happened off the school premises, albeit between pupils. This was a few years back, may be a friendlier place now if that particular cohort have benn 'flushed through'- I hope so!
Best Regards,
Thea
sp
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Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: groombridge, e.sussex

Post by sp »

NO personal experience I'm afraid but a good friend has 2 girls there and I've only ever heard positives. They've had a really tough few years at home and the school have been so supportive and helpful, The eldest has done brilliantly at GCSE and is continuing with that in the 6th form. Results aren't everything so the important thing is that the girls are very happy and seem to enjoy hteir time at school and all the activities that go on.
sj355
Posts: 1149
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 4:07 pm
Location: Finchley - Barnet

Re: St Helen's Abbington

Post by sj355 »

sj355 wrote:
Does any one know what form the entry exams in St Helen's school for girls in Abingdon, Oxfordshire take? Any information from a parent or anyone familar with the school currently or in the past will be gratefully received

Yuppee!!! She passed the test received a special comnendation letter for her performance, and given the financial circumstances of her parents (close friends of ours) received a 90% bursary. The world seems a better and fairer place today :D
sj355
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