WAITING LISTS

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

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aussiemum
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2009 5:06 pm
Location: Berkshire

WAITING LISTS

Post by aussiemum »

This may be a stupid question, but after the last few months of the
exams / getting the results / doing appeals etc my mind is now mush!!
Can anyone please advise how you get on a schools waiting list, or
in our case if it is possible.
We did apply for BGS, we are just out of OOC. Had an unsuccessul appeal with a score of 119.
Several people have advised me that it may still be a possibility of getting
a place. As not all students take up the places offered and then they allocate off a waiting list.
Does this waiting list only show or accept children who got the 121 or does it go to lower scores ?
I am probably grasping as straws, so if anyone can put me out of my
misery it would be appreciated.
Thanks AM
Ambridge
Posts: 374
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:46 pm
Location: Bucks

Post by Ambridge »

Unfortunately, if you were unsuccessful with the 11+ and again at the appeal stage you will not be eligible to take a Bucks GS place regardless of how many places remain in the grammar schools.

Your next thoughts should be to concentrate on your child getting good SATS results and settling well into his/her allocated secondary school and then apply for the 12+ which will probably be next February (2010) with the hope of them being able to start at a Bucks GS in September 2010 if they are successful.

The waiting list your friends are referring are only if you passed the 11+ (or appeal) but did not get your first choice of GS and then you can sit on waiting lists and hope.

By September 09 clever forum members will be able to produce numbers showing where 12+ places are available in Bucks.

So good luck and sorry not to confirm what you were hoping.

Ambridge x
aussiemum
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2009 5:06 pm
Location: Berkshire

Post by aussiemum »

Appreciate your info.
It did confirm what I thought, just that some people were insisting otherwise.
Will close the book on this now.
Thanks very much
AM
Y
Posts: 463
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 12:49 pm

Post by Y »

There appears to be an exception to this. A couple of years back, RGS was undersubscribed (hard to believe, given this year's problems!). Boys who had not qualified (including those with failed appeals), were asked to sit an entrance exam, and successful applicants were offered places. I believe the boys were nominated by their primary head teachers.

I believe this was possible because RGS is a foundation school. Theoretically, that would mean that BHS could do the same thing.

I expect Sally-Anne or others can correct any inaccuracies here.
patricia
Posts: 2803
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:07 pm

Post by patricia »

Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

I think there is some confusion here. Aussiemum has referred to BGS (Burnham Grammar) and Y has referred to BHS (Beaconsfield High).

BHS girls is a foundation school, but as far as I am aware, Burnham does not have foundation status?

Also, Becky High has handed back all responsibility for Admissions up to Year 10 to Bucks CC. (Although I wonder if they are now regretting that, as it seems likely that the school will be undersubscribed this year, for the first time in who-knows-how-long.)

Sally-Anne
Y
Posts: 463
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 12:49 pm

Post by Y »

I didn't think Aussiemum meant BHS, just filling in some background. When did BHS hand back control?
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Sometime in the last 12 months, but I don't know exactly when.
bucks mum1
Posts: 191
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:20 pm

Post by bucks mum1 »

A neighbour got a letter on Tuesday with her second choice Grammar allocated to her.

She accepted this and put in request for a transfer appeal/and to go on to the waiting list for her first choice catchment Grammar.

Much to her suprise she got another letter today offering her their first choice Grammar. She thought she would have to wait until 9th April for movement on the waiting list so was thrilled. Is this usual?
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

It can happen, if she was already in first place on the waiting list and a letter has already been received declining a place.

The slowness in the system occurs when Child 1 on the waiting list hasn't returned their letter, Admissions don't know what the parents intentions are and therefore everyone beneath them has to wait. The same can happen anywhere further down the list, of course - one person may be holding up the process for dozens of other children.

It is unfortunate, but that is why there is a deadline. Even then, if someone misses the deadline for accepting a place, everyone has to wait until Admissions have proactively confirmed that the place is not wanted - they can't just give it away because a letter hasn't been received.

It's a slow old business, although the facility of email to accept and decline places will hopefully be speeding things up.

Sally-Anne
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