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Harris Westminster Entrance Exams

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How is being Harris Westminster for you? Good luck with your results.
I got a condicional offer but I am still unsure. Could you advice me?

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Original post by Foodatastic
The principle first gave us a speech which consisted of a lot of bridges, talking about how much you should love a subject and what they expect of us. It was quite interesting tbh. Then there was a tour of the building while current hwsf students were studying, it was practically like the open evening in which you talk to the students and teachers. Then the students are given a random piece of paper consisting of half of a Shakespearean quote (Well, at least mine did), and we had to find the other half (which is with another student), when we are paired up, we played a few ice breakers and then were put into a group for a competition, the competition consisted for scientific, mathematical, and englishy(?) problems which you have to solve. Then they check which group got the highest and that group wins (They don't win any sort of prize). Then another open day sort of event occurred in which you get also a reading list of the subject which you picked, that reading list is not compulsory, but they do recommend reading some books out of that. Then they talked about meeting on results day and getting enrolled.

This was the key information (Correct me if I'm wrong):

20th of August: Come in, give your results by 3pm, get information, walk out

They provide a laptop tablet hybrid for a small fee for use, or you can bring your own

The reading lists (Just name your subjects, and someone can send you the subjects reading list)

The history of your house and what it matters within hwsf (its practically the houses within Hogwarts just with a lot less history and behavior has nothing to do with it).

Hope this helps

Thank you. That helps a lot :-) Did the school say anything about having to buy your own notebooks?
Original post by Evelixx
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Thank you. That helps a lot :-) Did the school say anything about having to buy your own notebooks?


The school did mention that you may need a notebook which can then be brought in or bought from the school for a price. I don't know if its compulsory to have a notebook or not.
Original post by Foodatastic
The school did mention that you may need a notebook which can then be brought in or bought from the school for a price. I don't know if its compulsory to have a notebook or not.


Oh ok thanks.
Does anyone have the lists for biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics?
how were the a level results today from harris westminster?? hope you all did well!!
Original post by sargentsono
how were the a level results today from harris westminster?? hope you all did well!!


hi, they would have been as results. I hope they aren't disappointing as there are no mention on how well they did on their website. can anyone from this site who attends the sixth form reassure us please.
Original post by Evelixx
Does anyone have the lists for biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics?


I got the maths and physics lists.
Original post by robertson12
hi, they would have been as results. I hope they aren't disappointing as there are no mention on how well they did on their website. can anyone from this site who attends the sixth form reassure us please.

Article in The Times
hey 2 things !!
1. does this article mean that the results weren't as good as they hoped or still ok?
2. I thought harris westminster did pre us not a levels??
This is the article. 30% of pupils achieved A grades at AS. Out of 140 pupils, 16 students got all As. 40% of students who picked maths and geography got the max grade of an A. These results are good, definitely if compared against an average school. As they do not have A2 results, we cannot fully compared these results with some grammar and private schools, but I think that these results are still really good (even if they aren't up to the standard of the elite schools). However, HWSF expects there to be a vast improvement next year, because, it is their first ever results.

The article then talks about HWSF and Westminster school and how they teach.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Foodatastic
This is the article. 30% of pupils achieved A grades at AS. Out of 140 pupils, 16 students got all As. 40% of students who picked maths and geography got the max grade of an A. These results are good, definitely if compared against an average school. As they do not have A2 results, we cannot fully compared these results with some grammar and private schools, but I think that these results are still really good (even if they aren't up to the standard of the elite schools). However, HWSF expects there to be a vast improvement next year, because, it is their first ever results.

The article then talks about HWSF and Westminster school and how they teach.


i am sorry but I think these results are very poor. Harris and Westminster has selected the brightest pupils, the elite from London! My grammar school is getting better than these results, and a lot have even taken the exam a year early. I am not sure I am willing to risk leaving my grammar school, and take a chance with a school that isn't fully established. I was under the impression that there was far more input from Westminster School, but i am beginning to think in name only. i also think for me, i am not the most driven person in the World, and with the long holidays, if i am totally honest i would be working too hard. sadly i am beginning to think this isn't the school for me. Anyway it was more my Mums choice as she works for the Harris!
Original post by robertson12
i am sorry but I think these results are very poor. Harris and Westminster has selected the brightest pupils, the elite from London! My grammar school is getting better than these results, and a lot have even taken the exam a year early. I am not sure I am willing to risk leaving my grammar school, and take a chance with a school that isn't fully established. I was under the impression that there was far more input from Westminster School, but i am beginning to think in name only. i also think for me, i am not the most driven person in the World, and with the long holidays, if i am totally honest i would be working too hard. sadly i am beginning to think this isn't the school for me. Anyway it was more my Mums choice as she works for the Harris!


I don't think it's completely fair to compare an already established grammar school with HWSF. For what it's worth (I'm one of the pupils in the photo, but I'm not telling you which one), I'm fairly certain I would not have got the grades I have going to my previous school, so HWSF has definitely helped me. If you don't think it's going to help you then yeah, you shouldn't go.
Original post by robertson12
i am sorry but I think these results are very poor. Harris and Westminster has selected the brightest pupils, the elite from London! My grammar school is getting better than these results, and a lot have even taken the exam a year early. I am not sure I am willing to risk leaving my grammar school, and take a chance with a school that isn't fully established. I was under the impression that there was far more input from Westminster School, but i am beginning to think in name only. i also think for me, i am not the most driven person in the World, and with the long holidays, if i am totally honest i would be working too hard. sadly i am beginning to think this isn't the school for me. Anyway it was more my Mums choice as she works for the Harris!


The students selected picked the best most elite students *who were willing to go*. They are probably nothing more than average than a typical grammar school pupil. As you are already part of a grammar school, tbh I think staying there is your best bet as you are already in a grammar school mindset and won't be neglected as a new alevel students which grammar schools tend to do. HWSF is only one year old while grammar schools tend to be centuries old. Not to mention that they take students in and teach them with thier ways at a young age, which HWSF cannot do. Comparing them is harsh and unfair, but if you are already in a decent grammar school, leaving and joining HWSF may reduce your results, depending on your preference of types of education.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by robertson12
i am sorry but I think these results are very poor. Harris and Westminster has selected the brightest pupils, the elite from London! My grammar school is getting better than these results, and a lot have even taken the exam a year early. I am not sure I am willing to risk leaving my grammar school, and take a chance with a school that isn't fully established. I was under the impression that there was far more input from Westminster School, but i am beginning to think in name only. i also think for me, i am not the most driven person in the World, and with the long holidays, if i am totally honest i would be working too hard. sadly i am beginning to think this isn't the school for me. Anyway it was more my Mums choice as she works for the Harris!


I have to agree these results are a lot lower than i had anticipated and now i am unsure on what school i want to go to.
sorry maybe a bit harsh comparing to some grammar schools. but I do have to say the Head Master is saying it is a 2 year plan. this is not correct, as depending on your AS results, will depend upon which university you can apply for. I know in future this will change due to changes in A levels, but this year AS results are very important. Harris and Westminster sells itself on getting its students into the best universities in the World, and I have always got the impression that it aims to achieve the same success as Westminster in getting students to Oxbridge. As good as my Grammar school is VERY few get into Oxbridge, you cannot even compare it to Westminster's achievements. I know that Harris and Westminster is only starting out, but that is no good to any of us until it does establish itself.
Original post by robertson12
but that is no good to any of us until it does establish itself.


The problem with that is that this year's results aren't a reflection on the quality of teaching in the school, which in my experience has been superb. It's the reason I've achieved the grades I have now. HWSF has a lot to offer to all of you regardless of whether it's new or not.
I was a few points off being invited for a place, and so I'm going to make a late application on results day. I just hope there's space.
Does HWSF offer wifi within the building for notebooks and phones?
Does anybody know the specs/name of the tablet hybrid which will be on offer to buy?

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