11+ test on same day in September 12th

[curiousappa]

It shocking to learn Pete ,Tonbridge grammer, Chelmsford girls high and slough consortium and kendrik girls all have 11+test on same day on 12th September.
Can we do anything about it?
I was planning to put my daughter in all these school test since they do have few out of catchment places.
now I don't know what I should do.
please guide.

[hermanmunster]

There are limited numbers of days for exams to be set so inevitable that some will clash.

Also it is not in schools interest to have people taking endless exams around the country at schools they are unlikely to attend - exams are costly and should be aimed at the local children who want to apply for a place. Most of whom will not be taking endless tests but targeting the ones they really want.

[Guest55]

OP - please rethink - it's not fair on your child to take so many tests and travel the country like this.

[Tinkers]

As I've already just said on another thread, these are going to be exactly the same test.


Do you live in catchment for Kendrick? If you are not already in catchment at the time of applying to take the test, you are counted as being ooc and stand no chance of a place.


You really need to check ALL school admissions policies and the likelihood of getting a place.

[curiousappa]

True Guest 55 and herman munster. I agree with you both.
thanks for your Advice
We moved from Cambridge to Wimbledon few years back considering the schools in that area.
but due to my wife Job we have to relocate and relocate every two years. Now we end up in cambridge again. there is no grammer school in cambridge just expensive privste schools.
So we have to move where ever she find place .
so we can only focus on schools taking children without catchment. Since many school has exams in same day on 12 th and 19th she can now take four tests around the country. I am only focusing top 25 schools that's mainly nearer to London. Not all.
Hi Tinker thanks for your input
if it's a same test can they share the results with other schools per example like how slough consortium sharing the score with kendrik girls and Chelmsford girls sharing results with latimer etc... if Kent school's can share results with Chelmsford and slough consortium that will solve the issue I believe.

[Tinkers]

I know Reading and Kendrick (not Kendrik btw) can share results with Slough and vice versa, as all are in Berkshire. I don't know if there is any mechanism to share results with other schools. Very few people would want to. They are just too far apart.


I noticed that you have already applied to Slough. If you were also interested in Kendrick you needed to have ticked the box to share your score with Kendrick. The closing date for Kendrick was the 19th June, so if you are not already in Catchment it's pointless anyway, as you will not get a place. There are more than enough in catchment girls to fill the places.

[Guest55]

There are good schools that are comprehensives and where the top ability children do just as well as GS.

Look locally first and at how the 'top end' perform.

[ToadMum]

The schools will share with other schools which are relevant and sensible, like CCHS / Latymer / Redbridge (no chance of a place at Woodford County either, unless you live there, by the way, but there was a successful recent challenge to their refusal to let outsiders even take the test). You could try asking other schools whether they will allow your DD's score in Chelmsford be shared with, say, Pate's in Cheltenham (Gloucestershire grammars are also super relatives and take the CEM test on the same day and Pate's is considered the most desirable, I believe).

Silly question, but if you are desperate for your child to go to an academically selective state school, why choose to move back to a fully comprehensive county where the only selective options are indies? I assume that your OH is able to choose where you live, if you are going to be able to up sticks and move to whichever area your DD passes the 11+ for?

[hermanmunster]

I think you also have to consider what you are going to do if you move every 2 years during your DDs senior school education - will you move her school also? It would be very disruptive and you won't find GS everywhere or indeed high performing comprehensives.

If you are going to move a lot, have you thought of state boarding schools?

Some are Grammar schools and the fees are lower than independent schools http://www.sbsa.org.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[curiousappa]

Hi Toadmum
thanks for your input
I know when we moved couple of years back to cambridge I have not had much deeper knowledge about these grammer and comprehensive schools and private schools.
Since I was stuck with my job mostly between 8 to 12 midnight.
Also had no clue about how system works here since I spend my most of my early life in USA.
We thought cambridge would be good for education. Yes it is but only if you have money for private schools. There are few comprehensive schools like combolton, Sawston college etc but you have to live near by and they are not as good as top 25 selective grammer.
since my wife finishing her training at NHS in a year's time we have options to move if we needs to.
By the way what's OH and indies. I m bad at these short words since I am new to this forum.
going to try finding out with Pate whether they will share Chelmsford CEM scores if they both same.