Interesting observations

[exerji]

I think families who move to UK from overseas tend to me more ambitious than even average family in the home country.

That's the key, I guess.

Even amongst Asians, one can clearly see the second/third generation don't strive as hard to secure a place in these selective schools due to their general approach to life being quite different and a bit more chillaxed - of knowing avenues other than just academic excellence to make a good living.

The first generation migrants often come with only one measure as key to success - good education from institutions of repute. And, it's very hard to let go of this fixation. Hence they move heaven and earth [and a few Post Codes in between! ] to get their children admitted inside the doors of these sanctum sanctorums !

[ThreeKids]

I thought this was quite interesting in terms of ethnic grouping:

http://www.cchs.co.uk/ch/content/downlo ... mar_12.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks Suzanne. That makes very interesting reading indeed! A shift in 7 years from 44% to 71% comprised of 'other ethnic groups' is quite striking, and I would hazard a guess is highly unrepresentative of pretty much all areas of the UK, certainly it is at major odds with the local environment to that school where only 10% are from other ethnic groups. All variations in aspirations taken into account to raise the intake from representative 10% to 71% seems indicative at least in part to the style of the test and whom it favours.

On the one hand the predominance of other ethnic groups is not an issue, provided that they are inherently of selective ability, and that their predominance does not deter application by the indigenous population. However I remain to be convinced that is the case from observation.

My initial post was made on the back of local results at SGS and those results now combined with results from other grammars. This years results are either a considerable anomaly or indicative of a shift. A little over a fifth of a year group taking and all passing the test at SGS is not normal. It may be that it is a particularly bright year, but this is also an independent, and many boys would not have taken the test because a move to the state sector would never have been considered. The success rate for those same boys at the other selectives has not been so spectacular, though not all results are in of course.

[MSC]

This is an old thread but I thought I ask - with the introduction of English & Math Tests at TGS, is there information as to the impact of the additional tests?

[tiffinboys]

No; these are just as good as state secrets. On Kingston Admission booklet, there is no information even about the last year's cut off scores.