Harris Westminster Entrance Exams

I can only speak for maths since that's the entrance examination I did. To prepare, ensure that your algebra is on-point. Make sure you can do simultaneous equations fast and efficiently. Your ability to rearrange equations should be fluid and seamless, and so should factorising. Ultimately, the test will ask you to think. It won't test your advanced mathematics knowledge (they won't ask you to perform calculus or solve a theorem), but they will test your ability to produce logical and sound methods to get through a tricky problem.

Also, my personal bit of advice is to always use algebra and numbers wherever possible. You may struggle to read a question and decipher how to answer it, but it will almost always seem clearer to you if you represent the information algebraically. Also, if the algebra doesn't seem to be in the 'correct form', try to manipulate it. Factorise it. Rearrange it. Substitute random numbers. I've found that whilst I manipulate, it becomes clearer to extrapolate the proper information.

Apart from that, read the questions carefully and triple-check. The test's designed to weed out the best thinkers, so don't allow minor mistakes to make yourself look like a weaker candidate.

I can only speak for maths since that's the entrance examination I did. To prepare, ensure that your algebra is on-point. Make sure you can do simultaneous equations fast and efficiently. Your ability to rearrange equations should be fluid and seamless, and so should factorising. Ultimately, the test will ask you to think. It won't test your advanced mathematics knowledge (they won't ask you to perform calculus or solve a theorem), but they will test your ability to produce logical and sound methods to get through a tricky problem.

Also, my personal bit of advice is to always use algebra and numbers wherever possible. You may struggle to read a question and decipher how to answer it, but it will almost always seem clearer to you if you represent the information algebraically. Also, if the algebra doesn't seem to be in the 'correct form', try to manipulate it. Factorise it. Rearrange it. Substitute random numbers. I've found that whilst I manipulate, it becomes clearer to extrapolate the proper information.

Apart from that, read the questions carefully and triple-check. The test's designed to weed out the best thinkers, so don't allow minor mistakes to make yourself look like a weaker candidate.

Thank you, this has been very useful I will definitely brush up on my skills. How are you finding the school so far?

As for the building, it's very narrow and claustrophobic. The classrooms are large enough, but the hallways are skinny.

That being said, not all of the teachers are amazing; some, whilst holding prestigious degrees, aren't that good at teaching. Hence, you may find yourself having to reinforce some of the concepts you were taught simply because they weren't adequately explained to you.

There's a lot to talk about regarding HWSF. I've been asked the question multiple times, and I always struggle to properly articulate how I feel about the school. Before I go into the details, let me first preface the question by saying it's a very good school, and I'm glad that I came here as opposed to Dartford Grammar.

Firstly, let's talk about the location of it. The school's main 'selling point' is that it's located in Westminster; adjacent to Parliament square, the Big Ben, and other recognizable landmarks. It's quite surreal to be able to travel there each morning, to be frank. Westminster is enthralled as an important political marker -- it has a very 'British' feel to it. Because of this, you will walk into school almost with an obligation to work hard and conduct a standard of etiquette. The surroundings and concious feeling of importance will help carry you to higher personal and academic standards.

The quality of teaching is quite good also. Each teacher is extremely well-versed in their respective subject, as you might expect. Most teachers are OxBridge educated, and some hold PhDs from the best universities in the world. That being said, not all of the teachers are amazing; some, whilst holding prestigious degrees, aren't that good at teaching. Hence, you may find yourself having to reinforce some of the concepts you were taught simply because they weren't adequately explained to you.

As for the building, it's very narrow and claustrophobic. The classrooms are large enough, but the hallways are skinny. There isn't much 'openness', which is inherently due to the fact that it is located in Westminster. It's a worthy sacrifice, however.

My final point is the way the school cultivates interests. I enjoyed maths before I joined the school, but after spending a while exposed to some of the more advanced concepts, everything started to make sense. I now understand maths how it should be, which was something that GCSEs and my terrible old school couldn't come close to achieving. This is partly due to the A-level syllabus and its leap in terms of interesting content, but main credit goes to the maths department of the school and how well it cultivates the interest of mathematics.

All-in-all, a fine institution to study at.

Going to the open day on Saturday, if I apply it'll be for Maths, Further Maths, Physics and French with exams in Maths and French, not decided on my interview subject yet...

I just got back from the open day and it looked amazing! How did you find it?
I chose pretty similar subjects to you (except with chemistry instead of french).

I'm also going maths further maths physics and chemistry

It seems like a very popular set of subjects Two of my best friends want to take the same ones.
Which one is your favourite?

I've also noticed that; at the open evening a lot of prospective students wanted to do it and many of the current students also did it. My favourite is physics, closely followed by maths. What about you?

Same, physics then maths. Although I'm actually better at maths than physics, I just find the topics in physics more interesting. I'm hoping the two subjects become more closely linked at A-level.
What subjects are you choosing for the entrance exams and the interview on your application?

Physics for the interview and maths and physics for the entrance exam. What about you?

I can only speak for maths since that's the entrance examination I did. To prepare, ensure that your algebra is on-point. Make sure you can do simultaneous equations fast and efficiently. Your ability to rearrange equations should be fluid and seamless, and so should factorising. Ultimately, the test will ask you to think. It won't test your advanced mathematics knowledge (they won't ask you to perform calculus or solve a theorem), but they will test your ability to produce logical and sound methods to get through a tricky problem.

Also, my personal bit of advice is to always use algebra and numbers wherever possible. You may struggle to read a question and decipher how to answer it, but it will almost always seem clearer to you if you represent the information algebraically. Also, if the algebra doesn't seem to be in the 'correct form', try to manipulate it. Factorise it. Rearrange it. Substitute random numbers. I've found that whilst I manipulate, it becomes clearer to extrapolate the proper information.

Apart from that, read the questions carefully and triple-check. The test's designed to weed out the best thinkers, so don't allow minor mistakes to make yourself look like a weaker candidate.

I picked almost the same as you - physics for the interview and maths and chemistry for the exams, purely because I did better in chemistry than physics in my GCSEs last year and I feel like I have a better understanding of the basics of the subject.
What did you think of the school on the open evening?

Are the sample exams on the website a good replica of the real exams or are they much harder??

I just got back from the open day and it looked amazing! How did you find it?
I chose pretty similar subjects to you (except with chemistry instead of french).

How did you guys like the open day? I remember some students coming into our classes whilst they were going on and they looked so nervous