11 Plus Exams Forum

Just trying to get some idea as to how many take the Adams/QMS exam as a mock for the Birmingham exams?

We live in Newport and my DS achieved a score of 326 but I am panicking as a clerk from Adams has told a friend that the 96th ranked place scored 348. I imagine a fair few kids scored between 348 & 326 which would need a huge number of them top scoring kids to be from the Birmingham area with no intention of taking a place to make a 326 stand a chance of gaining entry. But the difference between last years cut off of 301 to a cut off of 320-odd this year does seem unlikely......Argh I am such a control freak! I am getting more stressed now than before the results were given! Hurry up March!

We are taking the WGS and Wrekin exams as a back up option (Wrekin an absolute last choice back up!)

I think a great deal of people would have taken the Walsall exam yet preferred a Birmingham grammar.

My dd didn't take it as a mock as I would have genuinely sent her on the train if we had no chance at Bham or Warks grammar schools. There are other girls - and boys - that go that way even from the south and east of Bham. However she has thankfully done well enough for a Bham grammar so I won't be needing the QMHS place.

We did exactly the same as um
DS has done well enough in the Birmingham consortium exam so we won't use the QMGS place

The cut off for the letters which have gone out this year is 309 from what I gather, we scored 309 after difficulties on the day and have received the strongly urge to apply letter though don't expect to get a place. I should think 320plus is in with a very good chance. That said while I think a lot would've taken QM as a mock for Brum just due for proximity of the testing centre, I'm not sure whether that applies to Newport ie you might travel from Brum to Walsall to take a test but would you go to Shropshire, though clearly I'm hoping lots did!
I'm not sure how much weight I'd attach to any info floating around there about scores and rankings, there are so many Chinese whispers where Adams has been concerned, I heard that 3 letters had gone out, namely "strongly urge" to apply, " May wish" to apply and "don't bother", and was over the moon to get the strongly urge, however there are only two and the strongly urge letter incorporates the waiting list. How long is the waiting list going to be, how many letters have gone out over the 97 places?
Sadly none of us know until March though I know of 6 boys with scores over 345 all of whom plan to accept places if offered.

Out of interest, what are your travel plans should your dc go to wgs?

Did Adams send out letters to all who sat the exam or only to those who expressed a preference for Adams? Last year it was only those who expressed a preference. So does the score relate to 96th in the text or just for those who expressed a preference? Also, how long is a piece of string..........

Doubt they would send letter to non Adams listed kids. How would they know?

All we can say for certain is over 350 deffo get a place anyone under 300 deffo do not.

On the registration form you had to tick which school(s) you wished the exam to be entered for, so for example, if you lived in Wolverhampton you may consider traveling to Adams or QMS and tick both schools.

FunkyMonkey wrote:Out of interest, what are your travel plans should your dc go to wgs?

He will be getting the WGS bus from Priorslee

Daffodil3969 wrote:The cut off for the letters which have gone out this year is 309 from what I gather, we scored 309 after difficulties on the day and have received the strongly urge to apply letter though don't expect to get a place. I should think 320plus is in with a very good chance. That said while I think a lot would've taken QM as a mock for Brum just due for proximity of the testing centre, I'm not sure whether that applies to Newport ie you might travel from Brum to Walsall to take a test but would you go to Shropshire, though clearly I'm hoping lots did!
I'm not sure how much weight I'd attach to any info floating around there about scores and rankings, there are so many Chinese whispers where Adams has been concerned, I heard that 3 letters had gone out, namely "strongly urge" to apply, " May wish" to apply and "don't bother", and was over the moon to get the strongly urge, however there are only two and the strongly urge letter incorporates the waiting list. How long is the waiting list going to be, how many letters have gone out over the 97 places?
Sadly none of us know until March though I know of 6 boys with scores over 345 all of whom plan to accept places if offered.

That's interesting I wonder why they chose 309 as the cut off if a score of 301 was entered last year (it must be a boarding score) I too know of 6 boys scoring over 345 who will accept places - lets hope its the same boys

We actually took Birmingham as a mock as Qm is 7 mins away Kech is 1hr 30mins.

Northern Gal this info has stressed me out. I thought DS was safe with 350 however if 97th place is 348 DS is significantly more borderline than I thought.

My concerns are:

1. children with a lower score will be accepted for Boarding places.
2.children who didnt put adams down initially and only put QM down may now have put Adams on to their Local authority form.

very very stressed as I thought 350 was definatly safe as it was well above the 301 stated in the letter as last years lowest.