11 Plus Exams Forum

Received results, 112!

Happy but slightly disappointed.

Live in Richmond, priority LGS, SGS, St.Bernard

I know this looks very tough for LGS, but slightly hopeful reg SGS, though,
being non-catholic, hopeful also for StB since this has been undersubscribe
previously.

Will appreciate other's views on my situation and also should I appeal now?

Thanks

same here, happy but could have been happier, bless the DD she worked so hard. but we will see, does any body know final offers made by SGS in past few years?

Hang on, you live in Richmond but wish to send your child to a school in Slough?!?

No wonder children who live in Slough find it so hard to get into grammar schools - they're not just competing against other children fromm Slough, but children from all of West London!!

What's so bad about the schools in Richmond that you have to clog up the schools in rubbish old Slough??

If you follow that logic, no-one from Bucks should sit the Berkshire test and vise versa, everyone is entitled to apply to whatever school they like.

(lights the blue touchpaper and retires... )

I don't mind people from the areas immediately surrounding Slough (South Bucks, Eton Wick, Iver etc) applying to Grammar Schools in Slough. Plus Burnham Grammar School is literally 50 metres away from the Berks/Bucks border, so I have no problem with Slough kids going to Burnham GS.

But for people who live a good 10 miles plus away, what right do they have to send their kids to state schools in Slough and deny local children the chance to receive a grammar school education?

When I was at Herschel in the 1980s, no other child I knew was from outside Slough or South Bucks. Now it seems that most of the Herschel pupils are from Southall, Hayes, Hounslow, Ealing etc. They may as well uproot the whole of Herschel, plonk it down in Southall and re-name it "Southall Grammar School".

I've heard that Herschel can't even put together sports teams as none of the pupils can stay after school since they have to take the bus back to West London! Pathetic!

I cannot comprehend how people think that their kids are better off wasting so much time going to and from Slough everyday.

I cannot comprehend how people think that their kids are better off wasting so much time going to and from Slough everyday.

Now you are on firmer ground here, the first bit is rather outrageous!

We don't live in slough but in Hounslow. so what you are saying BSG that we shouldn't be applying? on that basis if only slough people applied to their own schools, only slough children will have access to grammar schools, will that be fair then or will it not then be post code lottery system? as it stands SGS and Herschel have 45-50 seats each for their own catchment area. Is this not enough as a loyalty or benefit to own borough while offering a chance to bright children to neighbouring boroughs as well. If you look at the history of grammar schooling, you will find that these selective schools offered places to children of certain proven measured ability, no matter where they came from.

To be honest, it is a failing of the system that grammar education is not available in every county. In Bedford, for example, you either go indie or comprehensive - no grammar school for miles and certainly not in catchment.

I am sure that no body will deny admission to children from slough/ local area if they all passed and took all places with high ranks than any outsider. and if you look at it , most grammar schools up and down the country will accept applications from all candidates irrespective of their geographical locations. Perhaps you should write to government rather than having an outrage here.

Interesting discussion! I think for me the issue comes down to the different systems in play also - in Bucks - where we live - the pass mark is 121 - and all children who live in Bucks get a place if they pass. OOC children get a place if there are any left - based on distance.

In Berks you have the system where kids can pass the 11+exam and live close to the school and certainly within the county, and yet do not get into their local grammar school because places are given to children from much further away who happened to get a higher score.

I also think that travelling from Richmond could be horrendous! Kids at Grammar school get lots of homework - an hour a day just in year 7 and more as they get older.

I feel there is indeed a fundamental flaw in the system - if a child studies hard and passes the 11+ in the area they live in they should be entitled to a place locally at a grammar school - I do think only the 'spare' places should be given to OOC children.

Sorry if this offends - I actually hate this whole process - but we have to live with it!!