Parmiters - how hard is it to get in

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new2me
Posts: 162
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 5:52 pm

Parmiters - how hard is it to get in

Post by new2me »

I'm totally new to all this, but my DC is in year 5 and my only option of a good state school is to get DC into Parmiters via the exam route. I don't want to unduly pressurise DC so would like an idea of what scores the 45 lucky entrants out of the 1000 or so applicants will need to get, so I don't apply if there is little chance of qualifying for a place. I have checked the post on standardised scores, but I'm assuming that the 1000 applicants are all very bright kids, and that kids with average ability or below are not in the mix.

DC's Yr4 standardised scores are writing - 123, reading - 135 and maths - 136.

Any advice appreciated.
Rosie42
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 9:46 pm

Post by Rosie42 »

Is your DC musical at all? As well as academic selection, they select 10% on musical aptitude. My DC has a fantastic natural ability with music although his natural tendency to laziness has meant that he has not yet obtained any grades on either of his instruments. Frankly we felt foolish when we turned up at the auditions to be faced with other children playing Grade 5 and 6 pieces - yet he got through!

In terms of academic, is it hard to get it? Absolutely!! My DC had over a year of tutoring and he is a bright child who lives to read yet he didn't make it through on academic. Your child will be up against those from independent prep schools which might prepare the child for selective exams and against those who have been tutored for many years but if you and your DC are prepared to put in the time (and money!) and to work hard, you might as well give it a go. If the alternative is an independent school then your DC will need preparing for the selection tests for that anyway so it won't be a waste of effort.

Good luck!

Rosie
KS10
Posts: 2516
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:39 am

Post by KS10 »

For Parmiters and indeed the other schools in the Consortium there were 2 papers, VR and Maths. For VR he had been practising 85 questions in 50 mins (thanks to my lack of homework) and it was a bit of a shock to him when confronted with 100 questions to be completed in 40(?) mins. He was unable to complete all of the questions and so we were surprised when he was offered a place. I can only assume that working through 'First Aid in English' helped enormously. (Am I allowed to name this book?) In fact, I would recommend this book to anyone whether or not they are sitting the 11+ process. I have also been told by one Herts mum that February-born children are more likely to get through - my DS was born in Feb. I do not know if this is true.

Our first choice was Rickmansworth. He is 1 on the waiting list, but we have been told that although he scored the highest out of all the outer area candidates, their policy is to offer these places to those with musical ability wherever possible. The music route is definitely one to be considered.

Good luck and will post if I remember anything else.
new2me
Posts: 162
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 5:52 pm

Post by new2me »

DC is reasonably musical but not particularly talented that way. Meanwhile I've ordered vocabulary builder worksheets and VR practice papers and will set DC to work once they arrive.

Thanks for your advice.
tense
Posts: 679
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:02 pm
Location: Herts

Post by tense »

Please do not be put off by tales of only super clever children sitting the exam - in SW Herts you sit one exam for all the consortium schools, so plenty of people will rank, for example, one of the Watford Grammars / Parmiter's / Ricky first, but also fill up the other spaces on the CAF with other consortium schools.

My DD had no tutoring, just some last minute familiarisation at home from me, using the Bond books, which I discovered after finding this site (& too late!) were not considered "the right type" :oops:

We hadn't even considered Parmiter's until their open day in the October when my DD was in Year 6. Plenty of people seem to be focused on secondary transfer from long before that! But my DD got an academic place on allocation day - in the first year when the academic intake was reduced to 45.

You say your DC is in Yr 5 - is s/he currently level 5 in the 3 core subjects / top set in everything? If so, I should think they were in with a good chance. So why not go for it??!
winnie
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:25 pm

Post by winnie »

We started tutoring our dc at home in January of year 5. The test is held in November of the same year (first term of year 6). We used the Bond books for maths and verbal reasoning, as well as Susan Daughtry verbal reasoning practise and technique books, which are excellent.

You say that Parmiters is your only option of a good state school. Perhaps you live near enough to get a distance place? We are lucky in this area to have lots of good schools and children only have to sit one test for the six consortium schools. Your dc does not need to sit a test at community/acadamy schools eg Francis Combe, Kings Langley etc. Those schools admit on catchment/siblings. The open days are held in September/October so maybe you will see another school which you either prefer or have a better chance of getting a place at. It may also be worthwhile going round the various summer fairs; it could help give you a flavour of the different schools.

My dc said that the maths paper was much easier than VR. The VR paper was far more challenging. I would also suggest finding out about individual school bus routes as this might influence your choices. I ruled out some schools because the journey was not feasible.
JP
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 2:29 pm

Post by JP »

Tense

What are the correct practice papers for the exams. I did Bond for my first child but did wonder if they were the correct ones.

Judith
tense
Posts: 679
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:02 pm
Location: Herts

Post by tense »

I'm afraid I don't remember what people recommended - my DD did the exam a couple of years ago. I'm sure others will be along to point to the most appropriate books.

Personally I think surely it must be worth looking at lots of different types of practice papers so your child is prepared for whatever comes up on the day - this is what WP recommends in the sticky at the top of the Herts section.
winnie
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:25 pm

Post by winnie »

I recommend the Susan Daughtrey VR books. I agree with Tense though that it's important to use a variety of papers. If you decide to also apply to independent schools, bear in mind that some use non-verbal reasoning in their entrance exams.
ridiculous process
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2009 12:57 pm

Post by ridiculous process »

KS10 why did you put Rickmansworth above Parmiters? P gets far better academic results
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