Hello there,

Exam done. Kids back to normal routines. Now we wait for 4 weeks. Obviously, we want to know how our children did in the exam. Of course, they can't remember a thing!

Our DD2 took the exam at WGHS on Monday. She went in laughing, came out smiling. Can't complain about that. We all had to wait for over 20 minutes in the rain when we went to pick up our children because they ran over because of many late parents.

Now we wait. What will our scores be? What should we be looking for? What did we get? Lets see....

[Past experience]
3 years ago, our DD1 scored 321. Good score for WGHS we thought. In 1st March, we found out she got a place in Newport (2nd choice). We were on a waiting list for WGHS. She was 3rd. We got a call 2 weeks later to ask if we wanted the place. We accepted and now she is in Year 9. Other children got a place in WGHS on the 1st March with 321. When asked why our DD had not been given a place, we were told she had scored 321.45 and missed out by 0.15. Looks like they score in decimals. Keep this in mind folks.

We will fill in our CAF online this weekend, regardless of score. Then, we will reassess when the scores arrive. That way, we know that the job is done.

Personally, we think our DD2 may score around 312-320. She may surprise us; she has done so in the past in many different areas. She has always been the 'dark horse' of our family. Then again, she may 'crash-and-burn'!! Whatever happens, we will adapt. It is not the end of the World. Best not to let all this 11+ ing go to our heads.

Feel free to add your thoughts and your results when they come. It always helps to share experiences and advice here on the forum. We found it invaluable when we went through the 11+ process with our DD1.

Well done for going through this before-- it is draining. I have an elder one in local comp and younger one just gave the 11 plus after we moved to the midlands.

Mine gave Bham and Walsall -- found Bham hard and Walsall ok-- doesn't remember anything and really can't say anything till the results

As we moved midterm before my question is what forms do we fill in to the local authority now and what's caf

Thanks

Hi Moonsun. Welcome to the Midlands.

Our DD2 said both exams were OK. No more information than that!

I'm sure the admissions form used to be called a CAF form. Anyway, you have to register with your local authority school admissions and get your unique identifying number (UID). You can then place your school preferences in order, usually from 1 to 5. This is now done online through the parent's portal. This has to be done by 31st October 2017.

We received a letter from the Wolverhampton City Council with our UID.

The information of child's school place allocation will be released to all on 1st March 2018.

Many thanks will look into this

Just looking at QMHS and it seems that last year the cut off was 320 on offers day and 315 was offered in September.
My DD only took the test on Tuesday ( she was given allowances for her dyslexia) and I can't believe we'll get the results in just over 2 weeks time. It was a long wait last time when the exam was in July.
DD felt that both exams were easy however this means nothing. If I'm honest I will be absolutely gobsmacked if she gets any where near the admission score.
Seems odd that QMHS have an open day the week prior to the results being posted. Has anyone heard anything other than them being sent week commencing the 16th?

On the surface it may be the case since QMHS are reserving 25% of places for pupil premium children the cut off mark for the other children may go up.The marks vary from year to year in any event and this is not an exact science.

Was your dd in the allowances she was given allowed 25% extra time for any processing difficulties ?

I know WGHS are sending out their results also in the week beginning the 16th October 2017.

_________________
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln

Oh no quasimodo I hadn't realised they too were introducing pp scores this year.
No, no extra time allowances were made despite school and ed psych report requesting it. I've been very disappointed with both Birmingham and Walsall with their responses to any support I'd requested. Birmingham even refused to allow her to use coloured paper insisting on her using an overlay.. you can imagine how much longer that would take. Oh and they gave her an oversized answer sheet that she struggled to fit on her writing slope ( she had to put the paper on her hand to be able to write on it) All very frustrating. Depending on her scores I will consider appealing. Walsall were much more sensitive to.the point that they hold the exam on a separate day so that they all sit in a room together and seemed to have 1 to 1 support.
Quasimodo do you have a child sitting this year? I have been a lot more chilled this time arounď after DS in 2015 so haven't been on much. Nice to see some familiar names around though

The new arrangements apply for admission for the 2018/2019 year, which is the year these exams are being taken towards.When I read the admission arrangements I initially thought they applied next year.

From what I have read you wouldn't get any extra time as these exams were multiple choice.You can expect extra time in future public exams should extra time become the normal way of working in school.

I don't have a child sitting the exam this year.My youngest is in year 9.My eldest has graduated and begins work in January 2018 in her graduate employment.In the meantime she will be working with young girls many with disabilities in Northern Ghana with VSO for three months.She is hoping to assist in changing attitudes where girls and children with disabilities are denied an education.I think while she will find it rewarding, she will also find out a lot about herself staying in a remote village where water has to be obtained from a well, eating local food and living in the intense heat in a simple hut.There will be many challenges.The school where she will assist in the project has only recently been able to provide tables and chairs for the children.Assisting in a class of eighty children will not be easy.Coming from her privileged background which is what we all have puts into context real life struggles which she will experience.My only part will be to drop her off at Heathrow this weekend.

_________________
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln

QMGS is also reserving a maximum of 30 places for PP, so not sure how this would affect my DS's chances of getting a place. From what I understand, the PP places are subject to a qualifying score (whatever that may be) and then the places allocated in rank order. So, effectively, the cut off from previous years could go up (higher than 327) if I'm understanding this correctly, not sure? But surely this would mean that a PP child could gain a place with a lower score than a child who misses out, unless the qualifying score is high enough to ensure this doesn't happen. I'm confused! Lol

Hi A_Mum, yes, a PP child could gain a place with a lower score than a non-PP child who misses out. BV introduced PP for the first time last year, but there was no real impact on the cut off score which was a surprise. In effect, a PP pupil with 315 could gain a place, whereas a non-PP pupil with 325 did not.

The majority of GS now have a proportion of places for PP children, and this cut off score is lower. HGS do not apply this policy as they already have a higher than average (for a GS) proportion of PP pupils.