In year admission

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

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Eccentric
Posts: 738
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 8:58 pm

In year admission

Post by Eccentric »

Can anyone help me with an in year admission to AHS?
My DD got surprisingly low 11 plus result last year despite being top of her class in all subjects.we decided not to appeal and trust the process She has been at her secondary school for one term now and it is a disaster. She is absolutely top of all subjects in her new school. She is not being stretched at all, is very angry and resentful because she wants to learn and is not being taught. In fact she is actively being held back. The teachers love her, I keep getting phone calls and cards home saying how brilliant she is. She is on the school council. Is chosen for everything but she hates the school says she is an alien and doesn't fit in. She says she can't find anyone to have an intelligent conversation with. She is spending hours in the evening and at weekends self teaching because the school piques her interest and then teaches a subject to such a shallow level that she is having to extend all work herself. Basically it is quite clear that she was grammar material after all. I rang AHS today and they told me to submit an application form to be found on their admissions site, and they will app contact DD's current schoo, to get a report. They will then call her in for a test Can anyone tell me what the test will consist of?
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: In year admission

Post by Guest55 »

This is 12+ admission as she has already taken the Transfer Tests; not technically 'in year' admission.

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/education/sch ... dure-2015/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This gives the details and I would suggest you also name the Floyd to maximise your chances of a GS place.
Eccentric
Posts: 738
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 8:58 pm

Re: In year admission

Post by Eccentric »

I am confused. I rang and explained the situation to AHS The school quite clearly told me to complete the application form on their site for in year admission. Are they mistaken?

I was pleased when thy said to fill in their application because they will contact the school and I am sure they will give dd a glowing report.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: In year admission

Post by Guest55 »

Yes - did you say she has already taken the Transfer Test?

You have to register and go through Late Transfer for her to join the school next September.
Moon unit
Posts: 654
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:14 am

Re: In year admission

Post by Moon unit »

Sorry she is having such a tough time.
Is it an Upper or a comprehensive?
scary mum
Posts: 8840
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: In year admission

Post by scary mum »

Moon unit wrote:Sorry she is having such a tough time.
Is it an Upper or a comprehensive?
There are no comprehensives in Buckinghamshire.
Is the school really that bad, or is she also resenting the fact that she didn't get into her chosen school? That's a genuine question as I am shocked that a school could be that poor. Bright children here who don't get into grammar schools tend to do very well at the uppers, but maybe we have better ones here.
scary mum
Moon unit
Posts: 654
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:14 am

Re: In year admission

Post by Moon unit »

Sorry I mistakenly thought if you were on the edge of the county you might go to a comprehensive over the border.
Awful to hear that a child is actively being held back.
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: In year admission

Post by southbucks3 »

Hopefully your daughter will pass her twelve plus for a shot at grammar school next year and I wish her well and hope she does well enough to transfer to ahs of shf.

In the mean time I do worry slightly that there is a psychological block to her current school.
I will be brutally frank in saying this comment is the telling point:
"She says she can't find anyone to have an intelligent conversation with"
I simply fail to believe there are no other bright, interesting peers in her school, I really would be worrying more about that element of her thinking, rather than any academic restrictions, particularly in the first term before she can have properly met everyone.
I understand you did not appeal, but did you submit a review for gs, were her hopes dashed twice?

The teachers are clearly trying to get her involved, encouraging postcards are great at all levels in all schools if the child is showing enthusiasm, so she is obviously still trying her best to get stuck in. As far as shallow teaching, your daughter would be expected to research and extend classroom activities with one and a half to two hours homework per night at grammar school, so doing the same at upper is good practice for the possibility of a successful transfer. Much of the homework, other than maths and languages, is pupil driven, ie. researching to produce the best, fullest answers possible, obviously there will be more academically driven children to compete with for the top mark at the gs, but there must be others in your daughters class who are bright, there certainly are several very clever children in our local upper's year 7, but obviously they have to cater for a broader mix of ability.

Good luck with the process, definitely ensure you apply for both gs as guest 55 suggests and make sure her speed is up to scratch, pass rates for the 12+ are historically very high, so it should be ok if she has matured her test taking skills since the last time. Obviously the allocation of places will be the stumbling block, but I know shf has seats available, so if you live in catchment you should be fine.
Eccentric
Posts: 738
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 8:58 pm

Re: In year admission

Post by Eccentric »

Thank you for your replies. I am very glad I posted on here otherwise I would have got the procedure wrong and she probably would have missed out on the 12+

DD does have people that she hangs around with at lunch time but she says that ther is no one in her form class that is any where near as capable as she is. They go around the lessons in thier form all except maths which she is set for. She says there are some nice children in her maths set but she never gets to see them at breaks. I am absolutely sure that you are right about some of her difficulties being down to her perception of the school. And yes many children do very well getting lots of As and A *s but they tend to be in less academic subjects. The school only has 2 science lessons a week until year 9 and then still only offers dual science. DD is very keen on the sciences.

She is being subjected to what I would term bullying in class (she says it is not, just meaness) when they are put into groups with other children no one will go in a group with her and she has been told by other children that they don't like her. She was very popular at her primary school. From what the head of year says it does sound as though she stands out. She is top in all subjects including music and wood tech. As I say the teachers love her, but that is probably not helping her to make friends.

I am worried that she may not do well in the 12+ I think she went into a complete tail spin in the 11+ because it was so important to her to pass. I have always promoted her current secondary school as the best option, right from the start, but once she had set eyes on AHS that is where she wanted to go. Big mistake taking her around.

Are there any techniques she should learn for the 12+ will he test be the same as the 11+? Does anyone have any information on what she needs to learn are there any books out there now? It was a bit of a stab in the dark in Sept 2013
Moon unit
Posts: 654
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:14 am

Re: In year admission

Post by Moon unit »

Just so you cover all the bases is there anything you can do to help with friendships in her class? At both of the schools my two go to friendships don't seem to be made particularly based on similar academic ability,if anything I would say the opposite is true.
Children at the top of the year have often had best friends who needed learning support.
Can you help facilitate friendships based on things other than academic ability?
Presumably this is your local school so there are children there from her primary that she liked or did they go to a grammar and that's making things even harder for her.
Will your dd definitely get a place at her chosen school if she passes the test?
Really hope so.
Could I also ask how she is " actively being held back" do you mean by her peers or the teachers? That sounds dreadful.
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