Test centres

[Morgan0210]

Does it matter where your child takes their test? Is it possible to take test at local school although this is not where your child wishes to apply to? Is the test paper the same at all test centres?
Thanks

[Araucana girl]

I think you take them at any of the consortium schools, it does not have to be your first choice of school.

I am presuming CCHS will not be an option of a place to sit the exam this year as they are running their own test.

[purplegirl]

You the sit exam in Sept and get result before you apply for a school place. This is so you can look at the results and only then, on the basis of those results, do you assess which school to apply to. So even if you sit the exam at what you thought was your first choice, you may decide after you get your result, to alter which schools/ order of schools to apply for; you could even decide not to apply for a place at the school that you sat the exam; the choice is up to you.
Therefore, you can sit the exam at any of the CSSE schools, bearing in mind that if its a single sex school then it will only allow children of that gender to sit the exam at that school (eg boys at boys schools such as KEGGS). Chelmsford girls is now offering a different exam, which will be held on a different day, so girls from the chelmsford area will now have to travel to Colchester or one of the Southend schools to sit the CSSE exam.
The large schools (such as KEGGS, Colchester, Westcliff and Southend High schools) are very busy, and could intimidate a nervous child.
My DDs sat at Chelmford; there were a lot of parents/ children, parking was dreadful and some of the girls were upset during the exams. Although parking for Chelmsford schools should be better this year as KEGGS and CCHS will be holding exams on different days, I would still advise people to get there in plenty of time to allow for parking.
You could consider the schools that offer only a few places as these tend to have fewer children sitting the exam. ( Such as Shoeburyness High School or Cecil Jones.) As fewer children sit the exam here, it is a quieter experience outside the exam halls.
The exam paper is the same at all schools and all modulators try to ensure that exam rooms are quiet. If a child at any center becomes too upset during an exam, the modulators will remove the child to stop them disturbing others.
One consideration is distance to travel, personally I feel that you don't want a really long journey prior to the exam, so I would opt for the closest test center.

[Araucana girl]

Any ideas on what it is like to sit at St Bernards - I'm presuming because it is only part grammar stream that this will only have a few children sitting as well? Might put that on my list of schools to visit as well as didn't look at this last year.

[moved]

Some of my ex pupils chose to sit the exam there as there were far fewer girls who took the exam.

[Araucana girl]

Some of my ex pupils chose to sit the exam there as there were far fewer girls who took the exam.

Thank you might look into that

[purplegirl]

I was thinking about the effects of the new exam at Chelmsford would have on the test centres....

As the boys schools are all continuing with the CSSE 11 plus exam, then the test centers at the boys schools should be relatively unaffected.

However, the new exam at ChCHS may have consequences for all test centres which take girls.

A lot of girls have previously taken the exam at Chelmsford; there was a morning and afternoon session, with girls sitting in the main hall, gym and several class rooms. I'm not sure of the exact number of girls who took the exam at Chelmsford last year; any one know?????
Next time, some parents may decide for a variety of reasons (transport links, catchment etc) to only apply to CCHS, but I imagine many will also want to apply to the CSSE schools. So many girls who previously would only have taken the exam at Chelmsford will now also take the CSSE exam..... so.....I imagine the CSSE test centres at girls schools will all be busier(???)

Likewise, I imagine that many girls who previously would have have sat the exam at Colchester etc may also want to have a go at the new Chelmsford exam, so ChCHS may also be much busier than previous years. What does any one else think??

I already have one DD already at Chelmsford, 2nd DD is waiting for school allocation in March (fingers crossed for Chelmsford as we are in catchment); but I really don't know how this new system will effect my youngest DD..... Oh well.... the administration of this exam seems to have changed for each daughter.... first the introduction of catchment and exam results issued early....and now a whole new type of exam at CCHS...I'll just have to wait and see what happens.......

[moved]

When a test centre is full a child is allocated to the next available centre. Neither of the Southend schools currently offer an afternoon session, perhaps they will instigate one to incorporate the additional girls.

[Minesatea]

As far as I am aware Colchester CHS doesn't have an afternoon session either. There was a 9 am in the Catholic school opposite and a 10:30/45? in their own hall and gym.

[Araucana girl]

I was thinking about the effects of the new exam at Chelmsford would have on the test centres....

As the boys schools are all continuing with the CSSE 11 plus exam, then the test centers at the boys schools should be relatively unaffected.

However, the new exam at ChCHS may have consequences for all test centres which take girls.

A lot of girls have previously taken the exam at Chelmsford; there was a morning and afternoon session, with girls sitting in the main hall, gym and several class rooms. I'm not sure of the exact number of girls who took the exam at Chelmsford last year; any one know?????
Next time, some parents may decide for a variety of reasons (transport links, catchment etc) to only apply to CCHS, but I imagine many will also want to apply to the CSSE schools. So many girls who previously would only have taken the exam at Chelmsford will now also take the CSSE exam..... so.....I imagine the CSSE test centres at girls schools will all be busier(???)

Likewise, I imagine that many girls who previously would have have sat the exam at Colchester etc may also want to have a go at the new Chelmsford exam, so ChCHS may also be much busier than previous years. What does any one else think??
..

Oh dear, in my naivety and wishful thinking I was hoping that many parents would just put their dd down for the CSSE exam and wouldn't be mad enough to do both like me! Oh well. I was not sure where dd would have sat under the old regime, she will now sit at CCHS one week and WHSG or St Bernard's the next