please share experience on Westminster under school test

[cy11plus]

?: hello parents, my son took the westminster's test but I have a daunting feeling on their way handling the matter. I would like to share the experience and opinions with you all to find out some truth. my son took the following 11+ tests and his results are:
bexley test score: 273 of total 280 points
kent : 140 math (full score), 140 verbal(full score) and 128 non-verbal (140 full)
wilson's: being informed he is one of high scorer
dulwich college: interviewed and we got an impression that the school was very pleased with him.
westminster underschool: no interview notice at all. I phoned in to enquire about his score: first staff menber said he did very well on English and Reasoning, then I naively volenteered the fact that my son told me he didn't finish the math test; second staff member said my both english and math not good enough to be short listed for interview.

I wonder if it would be true - a same boy did all these tests and has so different results? is the level of westminter school test soooo outstanding/different?

any information will be highly appreciated.

many thanks

[T.i.p.s.y]

Hi Cy11plus,

I have some experience of Westminster as my son sat the senior school 11+ pre test for entry at 13 and I have a friend whose son has just sat the + entry to the underschool. I don't know how bright my son is in relation to yours but he does have an 1Q above 170 as that was the ceiling limit of his test. He did get a place at the senior school and was told he was a potential scholar even though he did not finish the English, found the maths incredbly easy and found the VR/NVR pretty difficult.

The boy that sat the 7+ also has an IQ above 170 but he did not get an interview and the feedback from the tests was that he was middle of the group. I don't know if because there are such few places on offer at the Under School that the criteria is even more stringent. I have read that Westminster pupils have the highest IQ's of any school - not surprising really as if you have an exceptionally gifted child then this is the school you would be attracted to. Clearly your son is easily in the top 20% (probably higher) of his age but WUS are looking for the top 5% with many in the top 0.01 - 2%.

I would not give up on the senior school though as they interview all applicants which is much fairer.

[LazyDaisy]

cy11plus - I agree with Tipsy that Westminster is extremely high flying academically.

However, I only know boys who applied for the senior school not the under school. But the ones I know were exceptional and the senior school results reflect that - I think something crazy like 98 or 99% of their GCSE marks are A* or A. There are no grammar schools with comparable results - therefore, I would assume that passing the Westminster exam is much harder than a grammar school exam.

I can only guess than this academic exclusivity permeates the whole school, including the under school.

[LazyDaisy]

Just had a nosy at the Westminster website and in 2009, 98% of the GCSEs sat were graded A* or A, and 82% were A*. Those results are absolutely extraordinary.

[T.i.p.s.y]

It's the A'levels that are even more extraordinary with around 90% A's and 99% A/B! Often lots of schools boast of 80% A/B but then you find under 40% were A's.

[Milla]

Just had a nosy at the Westminster website and in 2009, 98% of the GCSEs sat were graded A* or A, and 82% were A*. Those results are absolutely extraordinary.

I SO want to write something facetious here about being good at washing up or walking the dog nicely but am too in awe.

[londonmum]

Different schools look for different things and kids perform differently on different tests and on different days.

Westminster Under may be different - our experience was of 11+ pre-test for Westminster itself. My son was at least 100 places off the entry point for Tiffin yet got into Westminster and is now flying. Others at Westminster have failed to get places at schools like Alleyns or Latymer Upper, and I suspect my son may not have done either had he tried. My sense is that at least for 13+ they try hard to select those who they believe will thrive.

I can say that my son is at absolutely the best school for him and is enjoying every minute. It would not be the right school for everyone. Oddly we have not picked up a sense of academic pressure, though clearly there is an emphasis on learning, and if a child did not enjoy education it would be heavy going.

Their results are extraordinary.

In contrast, and given the immense super-selectivity, I am surprised that Tiffin Boys does not shine to the same extent. Based on the sample I have met, pupils there appear to have a far greater awareness of their own cleverness. Something that does not appear to be an issue at Westminster.

So TIPSY.........

[T.i.p.s.y]

Yes Dear Londonmum?

[surfcrazy]

In reply to LondonMum. We also know of boys who managed to get Westminster yet didn't fare as well in "lesser" schools, which strikes me as a bit odd. Spoke to my own boys and both agree that Westminster was an issue in terms of time but relatively straightforward. Colet had the trickiest maths paper and one felt Eton was the easiest format for his skills set. Our friends children enjoy Westminster and are very happy there. I still think anything can happen on the day and nerves play a part, so perhaps the boy in the original post may have been more nervous when he sat Westminster than perhaps he was when he sat the others. I am glad you feel your son has ended up in the right school - it seems all worked out well in the end.

[T.i.p.s.y]

Where did you opt to send them in the end surfcrazy?