Can someone please explain Latymers standardised scoring system. My son scored 97 and was not invited to sit the second round. He consistently scores 100% on NFER/APS/BOND papers and his tutor thinks he is her top pupil. Other kids she tutors did get through as they had put Latymer as first choice. Does anyone know if second choice Latymer kids get through? or are they simply discarded.

Also, we are going for QE on 1st Dec as first choice....do QE standarise the scores in the same way? I have read the site extensively and according to the comments it seems my son should have at least got through the first round without difficulty.

Another posting on this site says 140 standardised score is the highest you can get which equates to 71% in NVR etc....I am at a loss to understand. Anyway, we will set our sights on QE and hope they have a fairer system!

Sorry to hear your child did not get through the first round od Latymer. My son had it on his LEA form in fifth position and managed to get through to the second round on November 27th.

Good luck for QE. We are also going there on December 1.

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply. Well done to your son - do you know what his score was? Is QE your preferred option?

Sorry to hear your son didn't get through to second round of Latymer. However, I'm pretty sure that the schools don't know where you rank them in their list of preferences - this is information only the LAs have. From my past experience (2 years ago) you only get to find out your child's NVR score if you don't get through the first round, or if you take the second round and don't get an offer. My son got through the first round but after the Maths and English didn't get an offer. It was only at that point we were told that his NVR score was 105 which was exactly the cut-off point that year - so he had just scraped through! If the same system is in operation then it's unlikely 97 would be enough to pass. Don't despair though - a friend of mine had a child whose score in the NVR was in the 80s but he subsequently went on to get a place in a very highly regarded grammar school and is now doing brilliantly. Good luck at QE.

Thanks so much for your support...the main reason we are finding it hard to take is that he has been tutored and has consistently scored 100% on all the practice papers you can think of...on the day of the exam he was confident and relaxed and so were we....his tutors other children all got through and she told us he was her top pupil....she is also in total shock!

We think he may have missed a page by accident or something...it doesnt seem consistent with what we know. Anyhow, it is done now and we have to press on with QE on 1st Dec. I am taking the view now that its a long shot there too, but hey, miracles do happen sometimes!

You are right about things working out for the best in the end - my daughter didn't pass either and gained 11A"s at GCSE this year...maybe the selective schools are just not for us....I could have taken the disappointment better if he at least had got through the first stage - the competition seems to be worse each year - thank God I don't have any more children to educate!

Hi Proud Parents,

Congratulations on your news ! I have just moved to the area and was led to believe that the Latymer School was one of the best in the area and was intrigued to know why you have put them down as fifth choice ? Is it a distance issue ? What were your other 4 choices ? In a couple of years time I will need to start looking for my 9 year old !