S Herts Consortium - date changes?

[herty]

It now appears, reading this forum, that DAO, HBS and QE will be having exams early this year - but as far as I can see, the Consortium will not. Can that be right? What a mess that will be if so, and how confusing for the poor pupils. I personally won't be going through it as dd2 has a sibling place but am trying to advise her friends without older siblings based on my experience - but am very unclear what is or isn't happening this year. And if not this year, will it change next year?

Anyone?

[toucan]

I spoke with the Barnet Admissions office today.

They said that HBS, QE and St. Michaels will hold the first round in July, but they weren't sure about the second round (July or September).

[AlisonR]

I don't know if anyone has actually contacted any of the SW Herts consortium schools to see if they are considering bringing forward the test date for the 2013/14.

I wonder if they are delaying any decision (or public announcement of any decision) until the new Admissions Code details are announced.

Alison

[tiffinboys]

From draft admission code for consultation>

"Admission authorities must set (‘determine’) admission arrangements annually. Where changes are proposed to admission arrangements, the admission authority must first publicly consult on those arrangements. If no changes are made to admission arrangements, they must be consulted on at least every 7 years. Consultation must be for 8 weeks between 1 November and 1 March of the year before those arrangements are to apply. For example: for arrangements which are to apply for applications in 2012 (entry in September 2013), consultation must be completed by 1 March 2012. This consultation period allows parents, other schools, religious authorities and the local community to raise any concerns about proposed admission arrangements."

Does this mean that those school who have not yet issued drafts admission arrangements for consultation cannot make changes to their arrangements? May be they could only change the test date, but not admission procedures, PAN, Oversubscription rules.

[Daogroupie]

QE boys are not going to have a second round or a music test anymore. All entrance to the school will be selected from Tests done in a single day. And what a day that will be! DAO are not changing any of their Tests, just moving them forward to first week in September and moving closing date for applying to 22nd May. Some folk have posted about the tests being easier because they are earlier, they won't be. If applicants are less prepared than in previous years then the pass mark will simply go down this year instead of going up every year as it has been doing. I have a friend in Year 13 who got in with marks in the sixties. These days I doubt those marks would get you in the top six hundred but the tests have not changed. So there is no requirement at all to make the Tests easier, it makes no difference if the top 65 get marks in the sixties or the nineties because it is not based on marks but on places. The top 65 get in whatever their marks are. I personally don't think the marks will go down but I do think there will be a larger spread than previously. There are many children who have been preparing a long time for whom eight weeks will make no difference, but there are , I am sure, a great slice of children who are going to miss out. None of our local primary schools know anything about this. It remains to be seen if Herts County Council will take on the role of informer. If the Herts Consortium want to select by exam they have to make the results available before 22nd October which will be impossible if the exams remain in November. DG