11 Plus Exams Forum

Hello all, newbie here

Because we live in Worcestershire, we have the awful 3 tier school system, and therefore no 11 plus as standard.

Our nearest Grammer School is Alcester. Thats good news is its an excellent school, and the big plus is we are in the 17 mile catchment area . I guess the bad news is that as its one of the best in the country so is very hard to get in. Apart from Alcester, the others we would consider are quite a distance away unfortunately. (or charge ridiculous fees).
Im sure I read a while ago that the school do their own test as well, but now cant seem to find anything about that now ?
We are currently seeking a tutor to help guide her towards the 11+ test.

My opening questions are :

1 - Can somebody please confirm how we apply to take the 11+. Is is to Worcestershire council ?

2- To try and get into Alcester , does she take the same county tests ( 2 x VR and one English essay ? )

3 - Do Alcester generally try and take 'local' children , or simply pick the best scores who apply ?

Thanks for any guidance. I am doing as much research as possible. I learned to do this having won her a place in a School appeal , so trust me Im used to spending time on these things ! !

http://www.alcester.net/ags/uploads/1/l ... pectus.pdf
Welcome to the forum Mr Benn.
Have a look at that for starters. I think it will answer at least some of your questions.

Hi there Mr Benn,

I live in Worcestershire as well and my DD took the 11+ last year for entry this September for Alcester Grammar School. She didn't score high enough for an automatic place, but that's a different story.

As long as you live in the 17 mile zone, centred on Stratford Clock Tower, as I understand it you stand as much right, as long as your DC scores high enough, as the child next door to the school and that is regardless of which adminstration authority you live in.

Look at the map on this link.

http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corp ... 8C004786EB

The Warwickshire test consists of NVR, VR, Maths and English. The VR and English essay stopped a couple of years ago. The new test is set by the University of Durham and is designed to be "tutor proof", no practice papers are available. What the test consists of is on this link.

http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corp ... ../AGS.pdf


Sample questions to give you a very general idea, are available here.

http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corp ... 8500505256

Last year 1730ish sat the test in South and East. 1023 of these were in the South, where there are 240 places (90 at AGS, 75 each at the 2 Stratford Schools). So that is about 4 candiates for each place, but I would imagine that not all candiates then put one of these schools onto their CAF.

Can't help you with a tutor because we didn't use one.

To take the 11+ you have to apply to Warwickshire County Council, I think this is sometime in the Summer. You are then told if your are in or out of the priority circle and will be assigned a test centre. The 11+ is early October and will be at a test centre close to you, but in Warwickshire not Worcestershire. When the time then comes to fill out the CAF you simply put down your choice of schools wherever they may be and submit it to your home authority (Worcs).

Have a look through the old Warwickshire and Birmingham posts for more information. Birmingham because the University of Durham set their test as well.

Hope that helps

Rose Petal.

P.S. Welcome to the forum.

The link to the AGS pdf doesn't seem to work. Try this, it's a bit long but it does seem to do the job.



http://tinyurl.com/Alcester-grammar-school


I've edited the address to make it a bit more manageable!

yoyo
moderator

Hi Rose. Nice to know there are some fellow Worcs peeps on here !

Many thanks for all that information and taking the time to list it. I have printed some of it off and will have a trawl through it tonight .

Having had a quick scan through some of the documents, it says on the AGS prospectus that "students take 2 VR testes set by Moray House". Is that in addition to the 2 x 45 minutes tests ?

Im really consious that you keep meaning to get round to these things and then time has gone before you know it.
My daughter is doing really well at school, but it seems to me the 11 plus is a different kettle of fish to what they are doing. Its so frustrating that her school doesnt help gear towards the test . I assume schools in Warwickshire do ?

We are trying to get a recommended tutor, as I want to get one experienced in 11 plus teaching, and Im sure my daughter will respond far better to a 3rd party, than me trying to drag her away from hannah montana on tv !

Hi Mr Benn,
The information quoted in the AGS prospectus is out of date, the tests used are as Rose Petal stated. Also do not worry Warwickshire schools do not help prepare pupils for the 11+

Hope this helps


p.s
I'm originally from Redditch myself although now living in Warwickshire.

Thanks purrrrfect - thats not a good mark for them is it !

Fancy leaving Worcestershire to go to Warks ! or was that a school move ?

lol not a school move (moved before I'd had children) I'd never heard of the 2 tier school system till I moved here, it took some getting used to!

Yes it's not a good start that the prospectus is wrong, was suprised to see that myself.

That's a 2006-7 prospectus on the website, including term dates. The AGS website seems to have been frozen in time in 2007, apart from the addition of the odd newsletter; my daughter, who is in year 7, said that its out-of-date condition has been mentioned in school, and that plans are afoot to sort it out.

I agree that it's not a very good idea to have outdated information about admissions there. It might be worth ringing the school and asking whether the printed prospectus is more recent, and asking for a copy (and mentioning that the copy on the website is misleading!).

The information on the LEA website is up-to-date though.

Mr Benn,

I have a copy of the current prospectus (term dates are 2009/10) it doesn't give any information atall about the exam that I can see. Perhaps somebody more technically savvy than me could copy theirs as a pdf and attach a link.

Why don't you ring the school direct and ask them to send one, term starts in Warks on Monday 12th April.


Yoyo,

Thanks for sorting that link, I wouldn't have had a clue.

Rose Petal.