Date of October 2010 exam

Tolstoy · Post by **Tolstoy** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 1:11 pm

Personally I prefer the later date.

It will definately penalise the less savy having it that early and with only a month to get ready there would be more pressure on having to do work during the summer holidays.

Surely they will have to shift the open days to the summer term if they go for this or it would be very chaotic, giving parents no time at all to sort out what schools they want before having to fill in their CAF form?

Plus it makes the wait between results, application and actually finding out what school you get even longer

Tessiebear · Post by **Tessiebear** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 1:28 pm

Have just phoned and have been advised schools were the ones who opted to bring the date forward and that they will be arranging open days at the end of the summer terms.

pixiequeen · Post by **pixiequeen** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 1:58 pm

We did do the schools this year. Glad we did as it will be a rush in the autumn. We didn't look round the comps as we thought it might be better to do those last so DD has them fresh in her mind as exciting alternatives, in case she doesn't pass the exam.

We were initially assuming DD would go to Stroud High if she passes, as that's our closest and when we looked round she was thrilled by the idea.

Then we looked round Denmark Road, just for comparison really, and we were completely smitten! So now DD is insisting on going there and won't contemplate the idea of any other school at all. Not quite the outcome I had been expecting or wanting... She is going to have to work very hard to be sure of getting in.

I'm going to write those dates on my calendar too....

pixiequeen · Post by **pixiequeen** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 2:14 pm

Wonder why the schools chose to make the exam earlier? Surely the CAF having to be in earlier was a County Council decision, so the Schools didn't have much choice about bringing the exam forward, otherwise no one would get their results until after the forms needed to be in.

Tolstoy is right that this will catch some families out, although presumably all the Tutors will have the right info. No one at my DD's school seems to have given it a moments thought, yet, even those that are supposedly going to sit the exam.

Either that or the veil of silence has fallen and we're all going to talk about the weather in the playground for the next 9 months.

Tolstoy · Post by **Tolstoy** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 2:15 pm

Have just phoned and have been advised schools were the ones who opted to bring the date forward and that they will be arranging open days at the end of the summer terms.

About time.

We made the mistake of waiting until DS1 was in y6 before looking around. He was adamant he wanted to go to the local comprehensive and join his friend until he finally got a look at Tommy's then changed his mind. Seeing it earlier would have made the prep business a whole lot easier

.

capers123 · Post by **capers123** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 2:36 pm

Hi,

I'm the last person to know anything new - panellists only get told these things during appeals!

It is useful to know, though - my DD2 is taking the exam, apparently on 9th October...

Tolstoy · Post by **Tolstoy** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 2:41 pm

Hope things go better for you second time round than they have for us Capers, I don't envy you

. That said DS2 might have done better that bit earlier, less time to get over confident who knows

.

Considering moving to France so I don't have to go through it all again twice over

doodles · Post by **doodles** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 3:46 pm

Thinking of you all ladies. Here in Kent we now do 11+ in September, this year it was 15th and 16th - second week of the Autumn term!!! far too early.

gloucestermum · Post by **gloucestermum** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 4:29 pm

I will post the link on the sticky that is already on the Gloucestershire forum

GM

pixiequeen · Post by **pixiequeen** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 4:46 pm

Thank you Gloucester Mum.