11 Plus Exams Forum

My friend is not in catchment area for WGGS and her dd would have to go the academic route, but she is in catchment of Parmiters ( borderline) however i have read it is harder to get into Parmiters even using distance and academics. Can anyone throw some light on this please to assist with ranking schools for the application form? She is also trying HBS which will be 1st choice. Thank you

If i could also add DAO to that list as it seems she is just within the catchment for that school too. Would really love to have an indication of which are the harder schools to get into. Thanks again

Even a link to a previous thread where this has been discussed before will be much appreciated too

The Watford schools do Maths and VR in a single exam which gives you a mark that you can use to apply for all seven schools. DAO do VR in one exam and then English and Maths papers on a diferent day. This year she can sit both exams and then see if the mark is high enough to apply for the schools. I would say DAO is harder to get into because of the English, unless you have a flair for English in which case you might find it more straightforward. I have posted lots on this so do a search on my posts. DG

We were told (by Parmiter's) that Parmiter's is the hardest of the consortium schools to get into because of the sheer numbers applying. Probably something to do with the fact that it offers ooc places which WG does not.

Thanks DG and KC10. I will pass on this info to my friend. It will be quite useful ***

It is actually harder to get into WGGS than Parmiters for those living further away - you need higher marks to get into WGGS from the outer area than you do into Parmiters (Parmiters doesn't have inner and outer areas). eg this year, a mark of 254 for WGGS was needed v 247 for Parmiters (varies a little year by year). For those living nearer the schools, the position is reversed, with WGGS being slightly easier to get into from the inner area (242 this year). But Elstree/Borehamwood is obviously in the outer area, being some way from the schools!

Borehamwood is actually just out of catchment for WGGS but some bits of ELstree are just in catchment, if that helps your friend!

I think overall, DAO and Parmiters are probably equally hard/easy to get in to - it partly depends on the child's strengths. As DAOgroupie says, DAO has an English exam but Parmiters/WGGS do not. So a child who was good at English might do better at DAO and vice versa if poor at English.

Your friend is interested in four very good, very over-subscribed schools.

I would advise the family to include a 'banker' amongst their choices, ie, a school for which the DD would definitely qualify & they would be prepared to accept.

Very true - in B. you'd end up with Hertswood otherwise - I'd home ed if that was my option, personally...

Onetimeonly wrote:My friend is not in catchment area for WGGS and her dd would have to go the academic route, but she is in catchment of Parmiters ( borderline) however i have read it is harder to get into Parmiters even using distance and academics.

Just noting that if she's out of catchment for WGGS (as WD6 1 is), the academic route is not an option; only a sibling at WGGS or WBGS would do.