11 Plus Exams Forum

Thank you to all those who responded to my earlier question about the correct type of practice papers and general advice re. tutoring.

Anyway, the next issue ................... if i put a Grammar as my first choice and my daughter doesn't achieve the right marks, have I jeopardised any chance of her securing a place at her second choice of school? I've been told that by placing a Grammar first and then not passing the 11+, she stands very little chance of securing her choice of comprehensive because effectively she will fall to the bottom of the pile.

HELP - the forms have to be completed very soon.

If things are the same as last year then if you place a Grammar school as 1st choice and your daughter does not pass then your second choice school automatically becomes your 1st choice and you have an equal chance of getting in as anyone else who put it as 1st choice.
The local education "sifting machine" for want of a better phrase will not know it was your 2nd choice so in effect you have nothing to lose.
But if she does pass and therefore qualifies for a place at Grammar (which you should as long as it is not oversubscribed and as long you don't live 10 miles away for instance) then you should get in.
Good luck!

Yes it's been changed for a couple of years now, so there's no risk putting the grammar school first. The rumours persist though that it isn't the case, sometimes perpetuated by teachers and headteachers! Are you in the catchment for the comprehensive?

Wirral operates an equal preference system now so that for each school any one that states a preference for that school whether first, second, third etc goes into that 'stack'. The applications within the stack are then ranked according to admissions criteria such as looked after, sibling, and finally geography ie how far you live from school. The only time preference is taken into account is if you fulfil the criteria for more than one school and then you are offered your highest preference.