11 Plus Exams Forum

Thanks all for your sensible advice!! I think having a go at the journey is a fabulous idea. I have told him that he wouldn't get back until 5.30pm each night but actually doing it might bring it home to him! There is a Green bus and if it wasn't for this I don't think I'd consider it at all! We are 12.5miles away/30mins in car or 1hr+ on bus. The other thread about the Green Buses is making me worry that they might withdraw it and that would be a major issue.

Um I suspect this is the truth that as he knows he has done well in QM and felt KE did not go well that he is persuading himself that its the best option.

Diseyp. I've looked at the various results lists of last offers year on year and came to the conclusion that they only fluctuate by a small amount (less than 5 points) year on year and that a score more than 10points higher than last years cut off 'should' be ok. Then because I tend to stress about things I factored in high birth year etc. So I said to myself 20points above the last score in was comfortable and a score that I shouldn't stress about. He scored more than 35 points more so I am calling it comfortable! I can only hope that he did as well in the KE test but feedback from him is making me think it might not be the case! I think pressure has a massive part to play. He did QM with no pressure/little preparation and very relaxed. For the KE exam he had worked all summer which obviously piled on the pressure!

Great advice on here. UmSusu has basically expressed my thoughts !

Had the same situation with DD, desperate to go to KEVIHS (which I was persuaded to put first!) even though KECH is so much closer. Spoke to lots of people, discussed her "reasons" which were not really concrete reasons, more the thought that one school was friendlier than the other, a bit like your son not liking KEFW because of one single teacher! Open days and Exam day are stressful for teachers and children alike, no wonder the teacher wasn't likeable! In any case it might not be a teacher he has contact with if he goes!

Ultimately for us, it was doing the journey itself that helped swing it. Took her by car, in rush hour traffic, it took far longer than she expected and I told her it would impact significantly on her school day as she's used to being schooled 5 minutes away from home.

Fortunately I managed to change preferences a week after deadline so she's at KECHG now. Looking back, I realised that kids don't really know what they want at all! Also unless there is a very specific reason for a school e.g going to KES as you want to do something that KES only offers, there's not a great difference between schools.

I wouldn't over discuss it until the KE results are out, I prefer to deal with realities rather than hypotheses. Knowing which schools are the realistic options helps to put things in perspective more than when you aren't sure.

Also there may be opportunities to revisit the school on a working day, which schools allow at this "deciding time" which is completely different IMO to going on an Open Day. For us, this helped make the choice between an independent secondary and a Grammar as we felt we got a clearer picture of life at the schools in question on a day to day basis. Good luck with your choice!

It all depends on where in Birmingham you are .QMGS is actually nearer to get to from some parts of Birmingham than to Five ways .If you are travelling via the City centre the Walsall school is nearer and also much nearer from Perry Barr and other places .

Email from QM this morning inviting us to an additional event this Friday morning 9.45am. May attempt the trip early to catch rush hour!

]Email from QM this morning inviting us to an additional event this Friday morning 9.45am. May attempt the trip early to catch rush hour


I got one too .... unsure whether to go as we only sat QMGS, my older son already there, and we have put it top on the pref. form ... OH suspects some hidden agenda but I am sticking with my theory from the other day, and hoping that we still get a place despite the attempts to entice people away from KES !

Just had a lightbulb moment ... I wonder how far down the list they have gone with the invitations ...

nostress wrote:Email from QM this morning inviting us to an additional event this Friday morning 9.45am. May attempt the trip early to catch rush hour!

Yes! It's worth attempting the trip at normal morning school time! For a 9.45am event, I'm guessing most would be leaving after 9am, after the bulk of the traffic has died down.
Therefore they wouldn't get a true to life picture. Hopefully your DS will understand your concerns now!

It's normal to have events prior to KE Foundation results. If after, a lot of parents wouldn't bother and it would disadvantage the school. They just want to catch people who might give the school a chance.

You all know your scores so wonder who the lowest score is with an invite?

Yes I was thinking that! Secure those pupils before KE results are out. I'm guessing sent to all those over 305? Or maybe 318?

Qmhs don't seem to be doing the same thing. There was an additional open morning but it was not a hard sell by any means. A tour with a current pupil and that was it. Was good to go back around it but it was made clear that you should have attended the evening to get a full flavour of the school.