Exam dates already known for 2013?

[LauraA]

Hello

Just wondering if the exam dates for 2013 will stay the same as 2012 for bexley?
How about newstead wood exam?
I just received an email from DD' s head teacher regarding a France trip in September next year for all year 6s at the school she is going and she is so excited about it! It breaks my heart to tell her that she can't go, considering we are working hard at keeping up the enthusiasm for hard work! The trip is 23-27th sept! It's a bit unfair if you ask me, surely they are aware that September is a busy month for grammar school exam takers!

Anyway, we know of course what our priorities are, but it would just be a shame!

[bromley mum]

Have you asked the school why they've planned the trip when thry have? there must be others besides your DD who wouldn't want to go because of the 11 plus. When do you need to commit to the school? Could you perhaps ring Bromley and Bexley councils and ask about the dates? If you get no joy and decide not to let DD go, is there any way you could take her yourself? This way you could say to her that if she does the required work, you will treat her to a trip abroad. I would take days off school then and take her if at all possible.

[christmasbonus]

It would seem logical that if the school is in Bexley and has planned the trip for those dates, the exam ought to be the week before. This would correspond to the week the exams were taken this year.

Let us know though if you get anything definite from the school and/or council, it's always useful to get this info in advance. I'm not sure when the council announces the exam dates on their website, but I don't think it's particularly early.

[bromley mum]

Newstead was last Fruday in Sept. If its the same next year then that makes it 27 th, I think. I really feel for you and your DD.

[LauraA]

Thank you so much for your replies.
I emailed today both newstead and bexley to see when is the earliest they can confirm dates. We need to pay the non refundable deposit for the trip by end of January, so would be good to find out before. The school my DD attends is not in bexley, we live in petts wood/Orpington, a lot of the children attending the school take the newstead wood exam as NW is just around the corner from the junior school. Newstead exam was indeed on the 27th this year, so I really don't understand the logic behind planning the trip right during that week!
The school is organising a meeting to discuss the trip on the 28th nov so I am planning to go and ask them if they have considered the 11+ exam when they set the dates for France! I don't for one minute believe they will change the date but its worth a try!
My DD was so good this morning when we discussed this (which actually makes me feel even worse!). She said that she understands what needs to come first and she is ok with this. But I know that when the time comes and she will see her friends going, she will feel bad. Her best friend is going, I talked to her mum today, so I really feel for my DD.
Of course we sai to her that of she can't go on the trip then we will take her somewhere in oct half term or right after the exam take her out of school. She said: how about Florida???:-) uffff, this is going to be more expensive in te end!!
Anyway, she is such a good girl and works hard so she diserves it, but its just so cruel that her school is not considering all this!

I will let you know what they said at the en of Nov.
X

[Fingerscrossedmum]

I'm not sure about Newstead, but this year Crofton school trip coincided with the Bexley 11+ and the Crofton children sat the exam when they were back a few days later.

[christmasbonus]

Well logically with the school so close to Newstead, you would have thought they would take it into account. Though perhaps primary schools look at these things differently. We are just outside Bexley and our primary has nothing to do with the tests, so they could possibly end up doing the same (though it has not happened before to my knowledge). I'm sure our parents would also be upset as there are always several children taking the Bexley test, as well as the Kent test.

On the other hand, maybe Bexley would do the same as Fingerscrossedmum says they did for Crofton - after all there are always a good few children who miss the original dates for one reason or another.

[LauraA]

Yes hopefully that is the case!
I had a short reply from bexley saying that historically the exam has always taken place during the third week of the autumn term, so I think that probably means the week before the trip, but I still haven't heard anything from newstead!
The plan right now is to go and talk to the school and see what they say, I will probably put down the deposit of 80 pounds in January (that's the deadline), and just risk losing it, what else can I do?! The rest of the trip cost will have to be paid by end of June next year, when do they officially announce the exam dates?

[Orpingtonmum12]

I spoke to Newstead today and they are not publishing any dates yet, however they indicated to me that they are likely to be same as this year, the last Friday in September, as they need to ensure that they do not clash with the Kent and Bexley exams.

In addition, many of the open evenings for the local schools happen at the end of September.

You would think that they would take this into account and book the trip in October when everything is over with!

[andherewegoagain]

The school in question books the trip years in advance as otherwise they would not get the 180 places needed. 149 kids went this year the Monday after Kent and ALL kids (even the 30 who didn't go) took the Bexley test a week later. They think of the masses and always guarantee EVERY child who wants to go CAN, if they changed the date not all kids would be able to go and this would be awful for those left behind.
This timing problem occurred because the test dates were changed a few years ago. Realistically only a handful of girls go to Newstead from the school in any one year and you can never please everyone therefore the majority must be put first.
I have two children who both went to France and who both passed the tests. My DD did get Newstead but if the dates had clashed that would have been my decision and not the fault of the school.
OK off my soapbox now but please please remember that when you are in a school where only the minority sit the tests it is not down to the school to arrange their dates around them. PS only ONE open evening was missed this year and that school did a mop up afterwards for any girls that were in France.