12 Plus Multiple Tests

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

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Lillie
Posts: 231
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:34 pm

12 Plus Multiple Tests

Post by Lillie »

Sally-Anne has recently posted the link to the Bucks CC website for the late entrance procedure for 2013 entry and it shows that only four of the GS will be using the Bucks CC verbal reasoning test. The other schools will be running their own late entrance tests themselves. As a grammar school place is not guaranteed even if the child qualifies, the prospect looms that children could be sitting multiple tests for different schools and still not gain a place at any of them. How do you find out if it is worthwhile to sit the 12 plus for a particular grammar school (i.e. to find out if there is a good possibility that a place would be available?). The last thing anyone wants is to put a child through a stressful process several times over and still not have a hope of gaining a place even if they are successful. It makes the 12 plus even less of an appealing option.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: 12 Plus Multiple Tests

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi Lillie
Lillie wrote:the prospect looms that children could be sitting multiple tests for different schools and still not gain a place at any of them.
It is extremely unlikely that any child would take more than one test. Places for children who qualify are allocated on distance from school gates and there is therefore no point in a child from (say) Aylesbury taking a test for Chesham, etc. A child should only take the 12+ test for their nearest GS.
How do you find out if it is worthwhile to sit the 12 plus for a particular grammar school (i.e. to find out if there is a good possibility that a place would be available?).

Schools that are likely to have vacant places are those who were "All Offered" on 1st March, which you can see here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/school ... n-profiles" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; That of course will not tell you how many places are vacant - it could be just one, or it might be more. Your best course of action is to call your preferred school in mid-September to ask how many places are available in Y7. That number might change over time if people move into the area (or leave), but it will give you an idea, at least.
Lillie
Posts: 231
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:34 pm

Re: 12 Plus Multiple Tests

Post by Lillie »

Thank you very much Sally-Anne. I wondered if you were interested in say, WHS, and didn't get a place at that school if you qualify, then under the old system, you could have looked at alternatives further away, e.g. the Aylesbury schools. However, if you have only sat the Bucks CC test and not the specific tests for any other school which might be of interest, then you would have no chance. However, from what you say, for late entrance, you really should only apply to your nearest / catchment GS?
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: 12 Plus Multiple Tests

Post by Sally-Anne »

Lillie wrote:I wondered if you were interested in say, WHS, and didn't get a place at that school if you qualify, then under the old system, you could have looked at alternatives further away, e.g. the Aylesbury schools.
Not really, because each school only had a very few places, so only children living fairly close by would gain places. The only way to "override" that was through an appeal.
However, from what you say, for late entrance, you really should only apply to your nearest / catchment GS?
Yes, the nearest school, and catchment if possible, simply because it makes for a stronger appeal case. The only exception would be if you have a potentially very strong case for a second school - perhaps though a sibling connection, in which case a second test might be worthwhile.
Lillie
Posts: 231
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:34 pm

Re: 12 Plus Multiple Tests

Post by Lillie »

Our only catchment school would be WHS, which was only offered In Area (i.e. catchment) and not All Offered. Of course I will ring the school near the time to check the situation, but it seems very likely that even if a child qualifies for the school, there would be very few places and therefore the only chance would be an appeal. Thank you very much for your prompt reply and help. It's a great forum.
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