How Many Children take the 11+ each year?

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
clare64
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Nov 26, 2006 2:24 pm
Location: Bucks

How Many Children take the 11+ each year?

Post by clare64 »

We were looking on previous threads but can't find the right topic, can anyone remember?
Thanks

C 64
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi Clare

It is a little over 7000 from both Bucks and out-of-county. Last year was 7292. We believe that this year was 0.2% higher at circa 7,300.

Sally-Anne
MKMum
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:53 am

How many children passed this year?

Post by MKMum »

Does anyone know what the results were for Bucks 2008 and if we can view them online? We live out of catchment in MK, but my DS passed with flying colours (141 - proud mum!).

I contacted Bucks Admissions and they have told me that the pass mark is irrelevant, it's basically black or white, pass or fail, so he's no further 'up the queue' for a grammar school place.
We're curious how much competition this is for the GS places.

I also heard a rumour that due to the economic climate, many children who would have ordinarily gone to private schools, sat the 11+ too. Does anyone know if there was a higher pass rate this year?

Also if he doesn't get offered a GS place, bearing in mind his score, would this be a valid reason for an appeal?

MK Mum
Jazz
Posts: 41
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 9:01 pm

Post by Jazz »

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure the score is still irrelevant for an appeal. It isn't used to allocate places - other than pass/fail - so I doubt it would be useful in trying to get a place at an over-subscribed school when you're out of catchment (and ooc!)

If you have applied for the Aylesbury schools, Henry Floyd is usually 'all offered' so you would probably get a place there. If you're aiming for RLS, then it will depend on exactly how far away you are.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi MK Mum

Good advice from Jazz there - the pass mark is definitely not relevant in school allocations, and makes no difference at a Transfer Appeal in Bucks.

The primary factors in allocating places are catchment, siblings and then distance from school gates. All the information you need about the school allocation distances is here, including a link to calculate your distance from the school gates.

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/11-plu ... rofile.php

The pass rate this year was 31%, which is fractionally higher than in previous years. Around 70 additional children will have qualified as a result, but there is no way of knowing where they live, so we cannot predict how they may affect allocations. However, that is really not a huge additional number, and given that the total number who took the test was only 0.2% higher, I don't think that we can conclude that private school children were a significant factor in the higher pass rate.

You will probably find the answer to any questions you have about a Transfer Appeal in Etienne's excellent "Appeals Q&A on this link - Section C deals with Transfer Appeals.

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/11plus ... nswers.php

Sally-Anne
MKMum
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:53 am

Post by MKMum »

Thanks all,

Useful advice. We'll just have to sit tight with our fingers crossed.
He is really hoping to get into AGS, but I know his chances are slim due to distance. We have The Floyd as 2nd choice, so I'm hoping he'll manage to get in there if previous admissions are anything to go by.

Good luck to everyone. Here's hoping you all get your wishes! :)

MK Mum
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

The score is irrelevant for allocations, but could possibly be part of the case for a transfer appeal. After all, if the oversubscription criteria were the only thing that mattered, there'd be no point in an appeal system.

I'm not saying it would be an easy argument to win - it depends on how compelling your circumstances are. For example, if the only likely alternative is an underperforming local comprehensive, you could argue that with a score of 141 your son's academic needs would clearly best be met at a grammar school. You would then have to explain to the appeal panel "Why this particular grammar school?".
Etienne
MKMum
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:53 am

Post by MKMum »

Thanks Etienne,

I had a quick look at your Q&A re Transfer Appeals. all we can do is try our best. The honest truth is, that the reason he (and I) prefer AGS is that we both believe it would better suit him. He's definitely an academic lad, whereas his younger brother would probably enjoy the Floyd as he loves the arts.

My son joins pretty much any extra curricular activity going: Latin, IT club, orchestra, guitar, plus sports activities such as cross-country, basket ball, etc. He's on pupils' council... basically, the kind of child that as a parent you're really proud of, but for others he's sickeningly enthusiastic and good at everything! :)
When we went to the parents evening, he was so excited by the list of extra-curricular activities on offer at AGS - including Latin which he's been studying for the last two years and which isn't on offer at the Floyd.

I can only hope that his academic enthusiasm might help us should the need for an appeal arise.

WRT your other comment about his alternative being un under-performing comp, well that's exactly our situation. We were completely snookered as far as listing our true preference of MK school as third choice, because he wouldn't have got a place (due to over-subscription) and then he'd have been sent to our catchment school which I understand is the lowest-performing school in the whole of MK! Therefore, we had to plump for a comp which is OOC, but for which he attends a feeder school.

Thanks for your comments, I really hope that he'll stike lucky, but it's really useful to have feedback and pointers about how to progress an appeal should the need arise.

MK Mum
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi MK Mum

Etienne is quite correct (of course) that the score can be used as a "small mention" a Transfer Appeal, but it is a very small factor indeed.

Hopefully, if you have now read her Q&As, you will have the wider picture on that, and be less focussed on the score, and more on the overall reasons that you need to put to an appeal panel.

As I hope you have also seen by now, there should be very little difficulty gaining a place at SHF.

I should warn you that the success rate for GS transfer appeals is one of the lowest at around 12 - 15%. Depending on the distance from school gates, it might be better to just sit tight on the waiting list for AGS and hope.

There are going to be quite a few others on the Forum in your situation come Allocations Day, so if you stick around, they - and we - will keep you informed.

Sally-Anne
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Post by Guest55 »

I would also think that a preference for Latin is unlikely to win an appeal as there are great resources on the web. There are many clubs at the Floyd too - just as many as at AGS - so I'm not sure that would carry much weight. Single sex is the main difference between the two - now Floyd has Science specialism you cannot argue on 'it focuses on the performaing arts' either.

As Sally-Anne says if you don't get the school you want we can try to point you in the right direction. How far away do you live? Has that distance historically been offered places?
Post Reply