School Selection Procedure for Plymouth

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Mad Mum
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2006 12:06 pm
Location: Plymouth

School Selection Procedure for Plymouth

Post by Mad Mum »

Hi all, this is my first visit to the website and until now I was feeling quite calm and confident about my daughter taking her 11+ but now I realise I should be worrying along with the rest of you!! Is there a form of mass hysteria about the 11+ or what?

My question anyway, is, would anyone know what Plymouth LEA/schools are like with regards to 1st, 2nd and 3rd secondary school choices? I have heard that if I was to put Plymouth High as my first choice and Devonport High for my second, I would not get the latter if the first was not available. Is it true that Devonport High has a higher pass rate for acceptance too?

All answers gratefully devoured!
Up the Line
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2006 11:45 pm

Post by Up the Line »

Hello Mad Mum,

All information as to how schools are allocated is publiished in 'The Next Step' issued to every year 6 pupil in September by Plymouth LEA. The last edition can be viewed on the Plymouth City Council website.

To put it simply as I can, both PHS and DHS admit 120 girls into year 7 each September. Every year more than 120 people pass who have put either school as first choice. Therefore if your daughter puts PHS as her first choice and she is amongst the 120 best scores who have placed PHS as first choice no matter where they live, then she will be offered a place at the school.

The 'pass mark' i.e. children who are 'deemed suitable for a Grammar school education' as it is put by the LEA is the same for both schools but the LEA will not tell you what this is!

I have posted about the actual procedure for the Plymouth 11+ on another Devon thread. There's not many, so you will have no trouble finding it.

Up the Line
Mixed Up

Post by Mixed Up »

Hi there,
My daughter has just took the exam at DHSG on Saturday. We didn't realise and put Tavistock as first choice and even if she passes her exam she is not going to get a place at DHSG!!
chad
Posts: 1647
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2005 1:49 pm
Location: berkshire

Post by chad »

If you have mistakenly put Tavistock as your first choice then ring the Lea and explain your mistake.......I am not of your area but it may well be possible to change your preference. You have nothing to lose.
not muddled

Post by not muddled »

It seems to me that you are not muddled at all ,but are trying to play bthe system by putting a popular school as first choice then a grammer school as second knowing full well that you would have to sit the test.Now that the first test has been done and your child feels confident you suddenly become 'MUDDLED'

THe system is perfectly clear and if you had any uncertainty when making your choice you should have contacted the LEA BEFORE submitting your form,not 3 months after the deadline which coincidentaly happens to be after the first test!!!!!!!
Guest

Ms Muddled!!

Post by Guest »

I think it's really unfair that children from outside Plymouth Local Authority are able to take priority over Plymouth children who pass the eleven if they achieve a higher mark - priority should be given to those living in the LEA. I agree with the previous post 'muddled my ****!'
Saltash Mum 30

Post by Saltash Mum 30 »

Why shouldn't children from outside the LEA have access to the same opportunities as those living within it? After all Plymouth University isn't just open to those living in Plymouth :?
NOT MUDDLED

Post by NOT MUDDLED »

My objection isn't so much with out of area kids,more the fact that they should all play by the same rules,in so much as if they pick a grammer school as their first choice they lose their local comp and they should gain a place through their pass scpre rather than being given preferance because they live out of area.

As far as last minute changes ie after the first paper under the pretense that they misunderstood the system ,that is totally unacceptable. :evil:
NOT MUDDLED

Post by NOT MUDDLED »

My objection isn't so much with out of area kids,more the fact that they should all play by the same rules,in so much as if they pick a grammer school as their first choice they lose their local comp and they should gain a place through their pass scpre rather than being given preferance because they live out of area.

As far as last minute changes ie after the first paper under the pretense that they misunderstood the system ,that is totally unacceptable. :evil:
Saltash Mum 30

Post by Saltash Mum 30 »

Hi Not Muddled

We're from out of Plymouth area (username bit of a giveaway!) and we are in the position of having lost a place at our local comp because we have gone down the grammar school route. The head of our local comp told all parents at an open evening that we would not be given a place unless we put the school as first choice.

My daughter now has to score amongst the top 120 to gain a place at PHS. We get no priority for being out of area and risk being allocated to Looe, Liskeard, Callington or Torpoint if she doesn't get a place.

Hope that helps. As far as I'm aware we are all on a level playing field with only girls in care taking any sort of priority (and who wouldn't deny them an advantage?)

I wouldn't like to guess at what kind of a reaction any parent will get from the LEA if they try to change school choices after the closing date unless they are moving area!
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