Entrance to St Barnards by selection

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mathsnut
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 10:57 am
Location: Leigh-on-Sea

Entrance to St Barnards by selection

Post by mathsnut »

My DD is going to sit the 11+ this November and I am looking at which schools to put on my form in case she doesn't do well enough in it. My question is does anyone know if the pass mark for St Bernards is lower than WHSG and SHSG? I appreciate that there isn't really a pass mark, but is it possible to not do well enough to get into the grammar schools, but still well enough to get into St Bernards?

For the 2010 entry, I see that the grammar schools have not taken the full number of girls from Southend that they could, which presumably means that not enough of them did well enough. In that situation, is it pointless putting St Bernards down because if she doesn't get into the grammar schools it means that she hasn't passed and wouldn't get into St Bernards? We have no religious grounds that would get her in otherwise. I don't want to waste one of our selections.

I should just add that DD is at a Southend primary school so in catchment for WHSG and SHSG. I noticed on the scores thread for last year that someone got St Bernards but not the grammar schools. Maybe the catchment makes the difference and she was out of catchment.
moved
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Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: Entrance to St Barnards by selection

Post by moved »

We are not religious and St Bernards placed us on their grammar stream list. You do not need to achieve the Southend passmark of 303 for a placement on their list so they are a good backup. I seem to remember that they offered us a place under the Catholic bit too despite us not completing a CIF or attending church.
panichead
Posts: 78
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 11:51 am

Re: Entrance to St Barnards by selection

Post by panichead »

Hi we put St Bernards 3rd on our list last year. We are not religious so my dd would have only been awarded a place if she passed the 11+. As far as I am aware you need to gain the same pass mark as the other southend grammars to gain a place. I have a few friends whose dd's are at St Bernards who gained entry via the selection process. They put St Bernards as their first choice, and were offered a place because they achieved the mark necessary. My DD was offered a place at SHSG (her first choice), but I recall the passmark on the notification email as being the same across the board.

Hope this helps, and apologies if I have this wrong!!
moved
Posts: 3826
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: Entrance to St Barnards by selection

Post by moved »

This was sent to us by the CSSE when they awarded our daughter her place. If you look only Southend and Westcliff have asterisks relating to the passmark. St Bernards does not have this.

Chelmsford County High School | Total Applicants 731 | Your Ranked Position -- | Applicants on your ranked list 731 |
Colchester County High School | Total Applicants 509 | Your Ranked Position -- | Applicants on your ranked list 509 |
Southend High School for Girls * | Total Applicants 709 | Your Ranked Position -- | Applicants on your ranked list 408 |
St Bernards High School & Arts College | Total Applicants 155 | Your Ranked Position 7 | Applicants on your ranked list 155 |
Westcliff High School for Girls * | Total Applicants 805 | Your Ranked Position -- | Applicants on your ranked list 348 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* For Southend/Westcliff Grammar Schools there are two offer lists, one for children attending primary school within the ‘Southend Priority Area’ and one for children attending primary school outside the ‘Southend Priority Area’. There is a minimum 'passmark' for places awarded within the 'Southend Priority Area' of 303.00, below which your child will not appear on a school's offer list. However, a score above the passmark is not, in itself, a guarantee of a grammar school place.
moved
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Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: Entrance to St Barnards by selection

Post by moved »

Three years ago a score in the 290s got a place in St Bernards' grammar stream. The child who took the place is very happy and doing very well indeed.
mathsnut
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 10:57 am
Location: Leigh-on-Sea

Re: Entrance to St Barnards by selection

Post by mathsnut »

That's great everybody, thank you. But now it means I should visit another school and consider it! Life was much easier where I went to school. The only choice was Catholic or not, there wasn't even an 11+ test to take :)
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