11 Plus Exams Forum

Hi all

Some of my friends whose DC's has sat in Eleven Plus around London area (Slough actually) has said that they got marks in December and from that information they could actually felt confident about their result in March which rightly came true So I was wondering if this is the same for all regions or only limited to certain areas? As with Birmingham, my neighbours said they haven't got any clue how much their DC's has scored in their attempt last year? But from this forum, I could read that most of the members are telling about how much the actual scores were and by how much they have missed closely their top preference by scoring few marks less

So can someone please throw some light on how all this works out? I am sure there's some way of knowing the marks even if we do not able to see the actual paper and hence I am confused..and I got 2 kids to wait until March

In Bucks we have a qualification mark (121) which means that if they achieve this score they will be offered a grammar school place, because our system is entirely selective, ie there are no comprehensive schools. Of course if schools are oversubscribed or you live too far away, you may not get the school you want, but you will get a GS. I don't think the sytem is quite the same in Slough, but they do have a qualification mark too. I'm sure someone from Slough can explain how their system works.

Edited to add: we don't get the results before we have to complete the CAF form, but we do get 6 choices on the form to take account of this I suppose - it does mean some school open evenings could be avoided if the results were know earlier.

The people who refer to their DCs scores in the Brum section only found out what their children scored after the results came out in March. It will be the same for us - we will know what they scored after 1st March allocation of places (although I think they don't give the score if the child achieves their first preference). Perhaps actual scores can be requested if they are not given in the first letter?

It is a shame that we don't get any indication of how they did before the results are our as I am sure they have marked them all by December. It would be a much more straightforward process if DCs sat the exam in September and we got their score before end of October, in order to make realistic choices on the preference form - surely that would just be common sense?

The Consortium will fight tooth and nail NOT to tell you your score if you qualify. I don't believe anyone will be told their score if they qualify for a Consortium school as second or lower choice either, unless they decide to appeal for one of the higher choices (but I may be wrong there).

If you don't qualify, you automatically get your score in March. If you qualify but don't take up the place, or have a non-Consortium school as a higher preference, they will happily tell you your score after March.

The new Admissions Code, if adopted as it currently stands, means that next year everyone will have to be given their score before filling in their form.

Mike

mike1880 wrote:
The new Admissions Code, if adopted as it currently stands, means that next year everyone will have to be given their score before filling in their form.

Mike

That is good news as far as I am concerned. I am assuming that would mean the exams would have to be sat early September which may not go down so well with some parents but everyone would be in the same boat.
I understood they have have consultation process about admissions and wanted to give my penny's worth: I have searched the LEA website but couldn't find any details. Am I wrong in thinking that they have an opportunity for consultation with parents?

UmSusu wrote:.. which may not go down so well with some parents but everyone would be in the same boat.

I think this is the key - everyone will be in the same boat. In some areas now it is all done and dusted by the second week of September with results out a month or so later. Lower risk of ghastly winter virals and less time for lots of other work / activities to come winging their way

In Glos we have the exam first week of October and the results a week later specifically so we have better info when filling in the CAF. It seems to work fine and I for one am glad we didn't have the stress of waiting longer before the exam.

hermanmunster wrote:

UmSusu wrote:.. which may not go down so well with some parents but everyone would be in the same boat.

I think this is the key - everyone will be in the same boat. In some areas now it is all done and dusted by the second week of September with results out a month or so later. Lower risk of ghastly winter virals and less time for lots of other work / activities to come winging their way

This even works in boroughs like Trafford where I live - another borough to be totally grammar/secondary - but which has separate exams for all 7 grammar schools. Depending on your child's sex and religion your child could take up to 5 separate exams. We start the first weekend in September, all 7 exams are over by the middle of October and all results are released prior to the CAF having to be submitted by the end of October. So it certainly can be done.

mike1880 wrote:The Consortium will fight tooth and nail NOT to tell you your score if you qualify. I don't believe anyone will be told their score if they qualify for a Consortium school as second or lower choice either, unless they decide to appeal for one of the higher choices (but I may be wrong there).

Mike

Not at all, they were perfectly happy to tell me my DS's score last year and he qualified for his first choice Consortium school. I did wait a little while before asking though, as I am sure they are very busy in March with children who haven't passed and appeals etc.

[quote=Lower risk of ghastly winter virals and less time for lots of other work / activities to come winging their way[/quote]

I completely agree with that one...both ds1 and ds2's exams were marred by really nasty viruses - November is the worst month for them!