11 Plus Exams Forum

I imagine that there are new people coming on all the time to the forum as I did a year ago. If they are interested in Bexley Grammars they will come here.

I wonder whether we should start a post in each county that shows some more guidance. For example there could be

Link to 2010 Over subscription criteria (for each school)
Likely date of tests (to be updated once confirmed
Process of registering for tests (if out of borough)
Format of tests
Producer of tests (e.g. NFER) - so people can if they choose go to WH Smiths and get the right revision material

Figures for this year on how many took the tests and passed etc and past years if obtainable
Distance that they went out (e.g. for Wilmington - although a a Kent school) has been quoted by Gercha as 5.8 miles.
How each borough measures distance (e.g. Bexley is shortest walking or driving, whereas for Wilmington it is as the crow flies)

See here for walking/driving http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/cgi-bin/inyourarea/dist.pl

or email here for Kent distances kentonlineadmissions@kent.gov.uk
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When I contacted Kent last year they gave me my distance as 5.24 (although they actually measure it 4 decimal places). They also said this

"Regarding the request for information on distances places were offered to over the past few years this is a "Freedom of Information" request and you will need to contact michelle.hunt@kent.gov.uk or 01622 696662 for assistance on this matter."

What do you guys think?

1) Would it be a useful tool
2) Who has the time to do it - AND - keep it up to date

If it would be useful does anyone have any other ideas for what info would be useful?

Hi Big Rob

We always welcome suggestions for improving the site, so thank you for posting that.

If Bexley members have suggestions that can be carried over and used in other sections, we will of course take them on board too.

As you rightly spotted, the main issue we face is the time and dedication to collate and maintain the information. We rely entirely on volunteers in each area to do this, and it is very much a case of "many hands make light work".

If I can support you, e.g. by creating "Stickies" at the top of the section, please do get in touch. A glance at the Bucks, Berks and Herts sections may give you an idea of the sort of information that people find helpful.

Best wishes
Sally-Anne

Hi Sally-Anne

Thanks for that.

I'm off tomorrow for a long weekend - so will have a look at those areas when I get back.

I think that this site is simply brilliant. If it were improved, however, I fear that I would spend even more time logged on and the housework would never get done!

The info on here is really helpful but it needs to reguarly maintained in order to be correct. Adding more info requires even more maintenance .

But I would welcome a website that gets rid of wrong information.

For example, I know that Cleeve Park has been oversubscribed this year and contacted the office there to find out what the distance criteria was - I'm interested for next year. They told me that anyone putting CP as first choice would get in regardless of address. I told them this was wrong. Then I found the info on the Bexley council website and it states 4.1 miles.

This 'first choice' gem keeps popping up at various schools and needs addressing. I am going to contact the council to try to get something more formal done about it but it the mean time this website could help Bexley parents by passing on correct type of info like this.

Tracy - I'll do you a deal. I'll create and keep the website info up to date if you do my housework

But yes you are getting my point and think it's something "we" as users of the forum should fix (over time).

bigrob,

Really good idea to add the extra info, it would be so useful.

Congrats on your son's school place.

Excellent suggestion Bigrob, hope this gets implemented,would be nice to have in similar info for other areas too.