KEHS Exam

[rahulbsp]

Hi,
Can anyone shed some light on approx how many girls sit for KEHS entrance exam ?

Also I know its format is different to 11+ for Birmingham Grammar schools , so a direct comparison cannot be made , but still is it comparatively easier or tougher than Grammar school exam?
(private so less people applying vs no catchment so still the number of applications high )

[Knitfaststaywarm]

Hi,
if I remember correctly, when my daughter took the kehs exam, more than 600 girls sat. It is very different from CEM exams. My daughter told me it was more akin to writing/lit/maths exercises taken at school.

As has been previously mentioned, the format does seem to point to KEHS looking for promise & I think the exam would suit some better than others.

She wasn't particularly frazzled on exit & enjoyed the experience - maybe because it took place after the 11+:exams.

My daughter isn't what I'd call uber intelligent, just a good all rounder, a quick study with a good working memory. She was offered an assisted place, for comparison she scored 242 in the Bham exam, 379 (I think!) in the Wolverhampton QM exam, so not bad, but not stellar either!

In her year at KEHS there are girls who scored ridiculously high in both 11+ exams, and others who didn't score 200 ( before priority score & catchments introduction). So its really hard to compare like for like or to devine what the school look for. I think it's always worth having a go, if they want.

Best of luck for your daughter in her future endeavours!

[rahulbsp]

Thanks for your post does KEHS also reveal exam marks or it’s just places offered or not offered .

242 for Birmingham GS is a good score so I guess you DD would have had an offer from camp hill girls too ? So did you choose KEHS over camp hill ? If yes then what we’re the main reasons ?


Also another question does applying for an assisted place impact the chances of getting an offer especially if they do not reveal any kind of score which can be compared with other peers who get offers , considering it’s a private school and would be more inclined to take candidates who would pay in full .

[Knitfaststaywarm]

In keeping with most independent schools, no score results were given, no idea of where your daughter has placed.

My daughter was placed on an assisted waiting list ( it was a VERY big ask, a full assisted place), & she was offered in March after state school offers, I had really tempered her expectations even before taking the exam; she knew it was a long shot, even longer if looking for fee assistance, but she's pretty mature & level headed.

She was indeed offered Camp Hill ( we're a 20 min walk) & deciding between the 2 was the most stressed I'd seen her during the whole process. KEHS allowed us a second vist, ultimately, she did the work & I was happy for her to make a decision. I did caveat she ought not to be dazzled by the beautiful grounds etc at KEHS, but let's be honest, she was 10, what 10 yr old doesn't want to go to Hogwarts ?

For me, I was more than happy with either. I'm not sure about the assisted place, but my best guess is exam papers are marked top 200 (?) are ranked (all Independents over offer), scholarship recipients, presumably at the top, then top performers, if they need assistance, they get first dabs on the pot until it runs out, although I'm guessing many girls wouldn't need assistance at all. I don't think receiving assistance is attached to academic performance per say but rather need (although of course you need to have done well enough ) unlike scholarship awards which are a direct acknowledgement of academic achievement.

The foundation does place a big emphasis on its bursary scheme, but of course it does need an income stream, so I can't honestly comment on whether asking for assistance 'hampers' a childs chances, other than in the most obvious way, ie,if girls with assistance hadn't turned kehs down, my daughter couldn't have gone there, simple as that.

As I said, I think it's worth trying for,if your girl is up for it, girls I know who didn't get a place , or turned a place down & went elsewhere (comps & grammars) are equally as happy & doing really well. It really does seem to work itself out in the end.

[Knitfaststaywarm]

Oh it was the sports opportunities at KEHS that swung it for the girl.Wish I could say it was the science labs or beautiful library.But no.
I really should have tried to get her into Sandhurst

[mike1880]

Assisted places used to be offered top down on performance in the exam (i.e. of those qualifying for an AP on the basis of need, the APs were first offered to those with the highest results) and I assume they still are. IIRC our daughter was initially offered a place at full fees but fairly quickly offered an AP when someone higher up the list turned down their offer; otherwise, as with Knitfaststaywarm's daughter, it simply wouldn't have been an option for us. I don't believe requiring assistance hampers a child's chances.

I would second the difficulty of making a choice between CHG and KEHS, although in our case daughter never had any doubts (it was the library that swung it) whereas I was convinced we'd struggle financially. It certainly was a challenge in that respect, especially towards the end as we qualified for less and less support every year, but I've never regretted the choice. Daughter certainly hasn't, the choices available at KEHS allowed her to take a direction at university that she simply couldn't have taken from CHG.

[ToadMum]

but I've never regretted the choice. Daughter certainly hasn't, the choices available at KEHS allowed her to take a direction at university that she simply couldn't have taken from CHG.

Is this a specific certain state school in an area not offering something that a certain indie does thing? Presumably not, there is a university / course where the entry requirements can only be met by sixth formers at independent school?

[hermanmunster]

but I've never regretted the choice. Daughter certainly hasn't, the choices available at KEHS allowed her to take a direction at university that she simply couldn't have taken from CHG.

Is this a specific certain state school in an area not offering something that a certain indie does thing? Presumably not, there is a university / course where the entry requirements can only be met by sixth formers at independent school?

I think the one thing that is beginning to not be available at state schools and still is at indies is Classics - many do Class Civ but not Greek and Latin at A level