11 Plus Exams Forum

is it true that there are still a couple of places at Beaconsfield High?

Hi Danby, and welcome!

Ther are very likely to be spare places at BHS. The school was able to offer places to every girl who applied this year - known as "All Offered" in Admissions-speak.

That usually means that there are already spare places, and may mean that there are quite a few. We won't know the exact numbers for some while though.

This was one of the biggest surprises of the allocations process in Bucks this year - I don't think anyone can remember the last time that there were spare places at the school!

Sally-Anne

Does anyone know why demand for BHS has gone down so much?

Hi Dad40 - it may not be a matter of demand falling but simply a case of more boys sitting (and passing) the 11+ in the area this year than in recent years. I believe there was a high birth rate of boys -v- girls in 1997/98.

But others may know better than me.

There was a similar 'blip' in Aylesbury a few years ago - 30 places at Aylesbury High - the good news from that is there will be more 12+ places for girls ...

The more I have looked at the numbers, the more convinced I am that it is an imbalance between girls and boys this year - either in the total cohort, or in the numbers passing the 11+.

We will eventually find out for certain, but I can't see any other explanation.

S-A

Indeed G55

I had categorically said no to the 12+ option until I discovered that there may be places at BHS. As our catchment school, it is the only one I would consider for my DD so maybe, just maybe, we will go for it! (Sorry S-A - I feel guilty for even considering it especially when I received a big pat on the back from you for my positive attitude re DD's unsuccessful appeal )

Mummog

Hi mummog

A lot of people rule out the 12+ straight after an unsuccessful appeal, but then they start to reconsider once the initial bruises have cleared up.

If the 12+ option for you does turn out to be BHS, it is certainly worth a go. We will know exactly how many places are available by September at the latest, which gives you time to consider whether to apply for the 12+.

The only thing I am wondering about is this: BHS is a foundation school, and theoretically that means that if they are undersubscribed, they can scout around for likely candidates to fill vacant places via their own testing process, as RGS did a couple of years back. However, they have formally handed back responsibility for admissions for Years 7 - 9 to Bucks CC (presumably because they never expected to be undersubscribed), and I can't see County Admissions being willing to take that process on. We will just have to see what happens - as I've said elsewhere, the situation in south Bucks is uncharted waters at the moment.

Sally-Anne

Hi Sally-Anne

I also fear for my DS who will be sitting his 11+ in 2010. I know that the cohort of millennium babies is particularly large and like many others within catchment, we would not have got in to RGS this time around. DS2 will also be in Y11 by then so no sibling rule to fall back on either. Still, mustn't stress about that just yet!

mmgx

I don't think there is a particular bulge then - it's more to do with any inbalance in genders rather than 'raw' numbers of children.