SW consortium - question about which schools

Eleven Plus (11+) in South West Hertfordshire

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jomo
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2012 4:39 pm

SW consortium - question about which schools

Post by jomo »

Hello all - DD did the SW consortium exam last Saturday. We like many thousands of parents would love a place at Parmiters. Can you tell me how does it work this year? I understand she gets a score and I have to reference it with scores from last year. Can I then also apply for other GS (within catchment & the SW consortium) and choose the one which matches her score? (using their guide of lowest score last year?). So for example, if she gets a score of 250 which I think is too low for Parmiters, but would that be ok for another GS and I should put that say first on the list? Thanks so much :?: :?
AlisonR
Posts: 213
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 4:34 pm
Location: Watford, Herts

Re: SW consortium - question about which schools

Post by AlisonR »

I don't think any of us really know how it will work this year.

If you look at the Admissions sections on the websites of the schools in the SW Herts Consortium then you'll see most of them have put up details of the lowest scores needed in the various tests in recent years.

This means those that sat the various tests in the SW Herts Consortium will be able to compare their own scores against those of previous years to get an indication of whether their score would have put them in the frame for a place in those previous years. Of course no-one knows what score will be needed in each of the tests to get a place at the schools this year, that will all depend on the scores all of those children that apply this year, but I guess we have to assume they will be similar to previous years.

The scores from the Academic, music, sports and technology aptitude tests for the SW Herts Consortium of schools will be meaningless to other schools (eg grammar schools in Bucks or other non-SW consortium schools).

The order of schools on your CAF form should be your TRUE preference for schools. So put your FAVOURITE first, and next favourite second, and so on. Don't put a "difficult to get into school" first if there is another school you prefer. The schools themselves have no idea of which ranking your placed them at so whether you place a school first or fourth will have no bearing on your chances of being offered a place there.

Alison
WP
Posts: 1331
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2008 9:26 am
Location: Watford, Herts

Re: SW consortium - question about which schools

Post by WP »

Certainly the extra information makes things more confusing for parents, but the important thing is to remember that each school is independently applying its published criteria as before, so you really must list the schools in your true preference order.

Here's my suggestion. Forget about scores for a moment. Work out which schools you would like, and work out what order YOU prefer them in. Study their admissions rules, to ensure they're at least possible. Include at least one school that you are sure to get, as a backstop. If there are no more than 4 schools on your list (or 6, if you live in Greater London or Bucks), you're done.

If not, you need to identify some schools to drop from your list until it's the right size. If you prefer school A to school B, but it turns out if you would get into school B you would certainly get into school A as well, then school B is a wasted preference, and can be dropped. If you still have too long a list, now you can use the scores. If your score is miles off what a school on your list has historically required, you might as well drop that school from your list. How far is too far is a matter of some guesswork, as no-one can know what will be required this year until the actual allocation is done. Remember the scores required vary from year to year, and each year the school will work down their waiting list offering places to applicants with lower scores than they did in March. So you need to look at where they have been in September in previous years.
jomo
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2012 4:39 pm

Re: SW consortium - question about which schools

Post by jomo »

Thanks for your replies - much appreciated. You are right, our favourite school should be at number 1, however, if my DD scores below the required amount we also shouldn't 'waste' a selection if it's way out of our grasp. Here's to next week....eeek! I'm sure there will be lots of queries as to what the scores mean....
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