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Senarios

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:38 am
by NotionPotion
My daughter is taking the 11+ this year and we hope for a place in Wirral Grammar. We live just over 3 miles away so will have to put Wirral as 1st preference in order to secure a place if she passes. I am going through various senarios over preferences at the moment. For example if she does not pass then I'm left with the worry of whether she would get into a good comp. on a 2nd preference. Our local comp. is Park High and I don't want her to go there.
She will also enter the Birkenhead High School exam in January although Wirral is our personal preference.
My question is this:-If (looking on the bright side) she passes the Birkenhead exam (results in Jan/early feb) do I have to tell Birkenhead right away if we are accepting the place and if so would this prejudice my daughter if she then finds out that she has passed for Wirral Grammar (results in March)?
My head is like scrambled egg with these "ifs" and "buts"!

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 2:41 pm
by Appeal Mum
Hi there NotionPotion,

A friend of ours was in the same predicament as you last year.
Son got into both Wirral Grammar and Birkenhead School, they didn’t make up their minds until the LEA sent out a attachment to allocation day letters (2nd March) asking if you accept the place offered, you have roughly 10-14 days to send this back into your primary school.
So it should give you a little bit of time to come to your decision and find out what bursary you will be entitled to, if any should you accept Birkenhead School.

Just to add to your comment that because you live 3 miles away to Wirral Grammar you have to put it first to get in if you pass.
Even if you lived just over the road you would still have to put it first to gain a place, a few parent’s made this mistake last year and had to go to appeals for a place. If you are unsuccessful in the exam your second choice automatically becomes your first choice and the other schools are not aware of the fact you didn’t place them 1st on your preference form.

Good luck for Nov!

AM

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:46 pm
by Guest
I am not an expert on the Wirral, but I'd suggest you check this year's rules. It sounds like you are discussing a 'first preference first' process complicated by a selective independent school.
Since the new admisions code no school or area is allowwd to prioritise first preferences first. This is a 'must not' in the code.
This may well change your behaviour as you don't have to weigh up the risk of putting a popular school above another favoured school that you have a better chance of getting in.

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:07 pm
by Appeal Mum
Guest, I don’t know if you’re trying to be helpful or not.

I am no expert either, just a parent who has been through the system last year, for the first time. I'm just trying to share things that I would have found useful had I known before I embarked on the 11+ journey.

The preference system is set up so that those who want to put a grammar school down as a first choice won’t be penalised against if they don't pass. First choice automatically gets discarded if you don't reach the required standard. Your second choice will then become your first choice! Please don't misguide people into thinking they have to put a non selective school first because of over subscription. That is total and utter Rubbish!

An example:

1st choice Wirral grammar

2nd choice Bebington High

3rd choice South Wirral.

If you didn't meet the required standard 2nd choice (Bebington High) automatically becomes 1st choice.


If you put this however:


1st choice Bebington High

2nd choice Wirral Grammar

3rd choice South Wirral.

Even if you pass the 11+ Bebington High would still be your allocated school because it was placed as a higher preference.

There has been No change to procedures or allocations this year except that the LEA is going to send out acknowledgement postcards to parents to say they have received your preference forms. This was due to parents claiming in the appeals process that they had sent them in and must have been lost in the post.
Last year's parents didn’t receive this, this year they will.

NotionPotion,

I have just spoken to friend who gained a place at Wirral Grammar Boys and Birkenhead High. The reason 2 places were offered was because 1 of them is an independent school which doesn’t admit through the same preference procedure. You do not have to put Birkenhead school on your preference form because it's an independent school with its own criteria. When you go to either open day/evening at Birkenhead school they will give you the forms for their school entrance exam, (Completely separate from the LEA Secondary Education Book and preference forms that you have been given.) They will notify you separately if you have gained a place At Birkenhead. You do not have to take this place until you have received your allocation day letter from the LEA.
My friends son decided to accept the place at Wirral Grammar and informed Birkenhead High the place wouldn't be needed.


If you are still uncertain as to what to do I believe this year they have a something called "Choice Advice" where parents can go to drop in clinics set up by the LEA to help you make an informed choice. The service is free and impartial.
If you would like to speak to a Choice Advisor you can call 0151 650 5525.


Sorry if I have gone on I just wanted to make it clear.

Good luck.

AM

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 4:47 pm
by Guest
Hi
Before the results were known, we also had this dilemma when applying for our son last year.

He sat the 11+ just before Christmas, then the Birkenhead School exam in January. When the Birkenhead results come out in early February, we had just enough time to wait for allocation day before making our minds up. You have to send a deposit to Birkenhead within a few weeks of the offer (about three weeks I think) to secure the place. This wasn't a problem for us though, as we had already decided that he was going to Birkenhead if he got a place, though he passed the 11+ as well and was also offered a place at Wirral boys.

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:56 pm
by NotionPotion
Thanks everyone for all the great advice!
I am grateful of the clarification on the preference system. I don't think this is made clear by the LEA or indeed primary schools.
I am also reasured that if my daughter passes for Birkenhead then she will not forfeit a potential place at Wirral Grammar as Wirral is our preference. Although this deposit thing is a bit of an unknown. I suppose we can look upon it as an insurance policy.
Anyway the hypothesis is now clear, thanks again.
Now all we have to worry about is passing the 11+!... Practicing away but it's just not knowing how the day will go.
Now there lies another thread.......
Just to add, I think this is just the best website!

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:06 pm
by Newbie But Stressed
Good post AM :)

very informative,,,

Hope your daughter is enjoying Wirral G..


I'm glad I don't have to go through all that again.



NBS

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 8:39 am
by Appeal Mum
Just to add, I think this is just the best website!
I totally agree with you! This website provided me with a lifeline last year.


NBS,

She absolutely loves it.

How about your daughter?

Great to hear from you again.

AM

Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:52 am
by Newbie But Stressed
Hi AM,,

Yes she's really enjoying Wirral G, so far no problems with her doing the Homework.

Just glad I don't have to go through this again, but I'm interested to read everyones stresses and strains that we all went through..

Especially you :(

Exam day not long now!! about 10 weeks... Crikey!! doesn't time fly..

keep up the excellent posts..

NBS

11+ versus Birkenhead exam

Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 7:09 pm
by CaldyDad2007
Does anyone happen to know whether the Birkenhead Girls school exam is as difficult as the 11+ for West Kirby Girls Grmmr?