Why do schools not reveal the scores?

Eleven Plus (11+) in Kent

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bromley mum
Posts: 1061
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2009 5:04 pm

Why do schools not reveal the scores?

Post by bromley mum »

DC did the test on 14th. I am finding the wait till March the hardest part of the 11 plus journey. Any thoughts on why the Bromley schools not reveal the scores? If kent and Bexley can surely Bromley can too.
slug
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 12:26 pm

Post by slug »

Newstead did reveal scores for two years and gave an indication if it was a pass or not ( so unless you were borderline you pretty much knew) . They stopped doing this two years ago, when i questioned the lady at admissions she said it was deemed unfair that children who had passed knew which school they were going to attend but the rest of the children (including those who hadnt sat the test ) had to wait until March. Obviously someone at sometime has complained so the schools have to abide by this rule now.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Post by mystery »

Do you have superselectives in Bromley for which it would be useful to know the score before completing the CAF?

Don't you have a legal right to get this info from Bromley anyhow?
georgex
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2008 10:47 am

Post by georgex »

We were told the reason for not giving scores was when the children actually started the School they all started as equals, nobody boasting they had higher scores than another.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Post by mystery »

Well if you don't actually need to know the scores in Bromley if there are no superselectives, that does sound sensible in some ways particularly as the 11+ results are not particularly good predictors.

However, it ignores a few other reasons why you might need the results:

A marginal fail may have a good chance at appeal, you would need to know the results.

You might wish to ask for a re-mark by hand if you saw the scores and they included some surprisingly low ones?

In addition, whatever the reason the school gives for witholding them, are you not still legally entitled to them?
waytogo
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:37 pm

Post by waytogo »

Newstead and St Olaves did inform parents of test scores but following objections from Kent Grammars who said that it was tantamount to an offer before allocation day they were then prevented from doing so. As superselectives they offer in rank order and standardisation is against the cohort sitting so the cut off point is similar every year, within a couple of points.The tests are after the CAF deadline so can't inform choices!
Unsuccessful candidates are informed of their score after allocation.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Post by mystery »

Sorry I'm probably being a bit thick, but are there just two grammars in Bromley, and do they rank applicants by score, and when do you have to fill in the Bromley CAF and when do you sit the tests and get the results, and who won't give the scores to who, and what do you need them for?
waytogo
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:37 pm

Post by waytogo »

Mystery,
Yes Bromley just has two superselectives; Newstead for girls and St Olaves for boys.
Both are foundation schools and their own Admissions Authority. Tests are set by the schools rather than the Borough or County and places offered in rank order. I'm not sure when Bromley's CAF has to be submitted but it is before the test day for the two schools which is mid November.Results are not known until National Allocation Day. After this only unsuccessful candidates are given their score by the school along with position in rank order.
For a couple of years the schools wrote to candidates after testing but before allocation and told them their score and gave details of the previous years cut off so there was an indicator of likely success. Kent grammars objected and they were stopped from doing this.
Obviously now that neighbouring counties have changed their 11+ test dates those scores are known in advance of filling out the CAF but these two are not.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

mystery wrote:Don't you have a legal right to get this info from Bromley anyhow?
I think so, but Schedule 7 of the Data Protection Act says among other things that the public authority does not have to release exam/test results until five months after the “relevant dayâ€
Etienne
herewegoagain149
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2009 4:10 pm
Location: bromley

Post by herewegoagain149 »

just wanted to clarify that last year I was able to ring the school after national offer day when my son was offered St.Olaves and was given my sons score. They did not tell me where my son came but did give both the maths and english scores and what the pass mark was and to be honest I was just happy he'd passed and had I been given his ranking I might have panicked if he was the last one in!!
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