At last - some facts!

[Sally-Anne]

A little digging around on the Bucks website has paid dividends - many thanks to one of our Bucks regulars for finding this information about the difference in the pass rate (especially in South Bucks) for this year compared to last year.

I have to say that it is very difficult to post exact numbers here, because no two sets of numbers from Bucks CC ever seem to agree with each other!

However, the statements that Bucks are making are:

:: In 2008, 32 fewer boys qualified than girls; in 2009 there were 111 more boys than girls. The increase in boys qualifying was seen in both state and independent schools.

:: There were 62 additional Bucks resident pupils registered for the 11+ in 2009.

:: Among those were 37 more boys from independent schools than registered for the 11+ in 2008.

:: As at March 2nd there were 100 boys in total on the waiting lists for either or both of Dr Challoners Boys and Royal Grammar (approximately 60 for each school, with some duplicates).

On March 2nd there were surplus places at:

Beaconsfield HS (16)
Burnham GS (1)
Chesham HS (12)
Challoners Girls (1)
Sir Henry Floyd (15)
Royal Grammar School (11)!!

The spare places at RGS must be vacant boarding places, which will undoubtedly have been converted very hurriedly to day places.

All of these numbers will have changed since then, and will continue to change as Appeals are heard. We should be able to publish an update later in the summer. The only obvious implication at present is that the 12+ may be a much closer call next year for places than it has been in the last few years. However, we just have to wait to see how things shape up.

Sally-Anne

[All Too Much]

Very interesting Sally-Anne, thanks for that.

Good to see Burnham is filling up, deserves it.

I believe RGS only take 10 boarders per year.

Presume the schools not mentioned i.e. Wycombe High, are full.

You are right - the 12+ route next year may be very tight, but not a reason for anyone to give up hope, things change all the time.

[Sally-Anne]

Good to see Burnham is filling up, deserves it.

I think the final figures will be very different for Burnham though. It only attracted 38 first preferences this year. A further 23 Bucks children were allocated it - presumably those who didn't get their first choice of RGS or DCGS, and some of those will now have been given their first preference. The remaining 88 places went to OoC applicants, and we have no way of knowing whether BGS was their first preference, so they may have been allocated a higher preference Berks school since March.

I believe RGS only take 10 boarders per year.

Yes, it is only 10. To be honest, my first thought was that the figure of 11 vacancies was a typo, but I was feeling too polite to say so! I would guess that some of the apparently vacant places are boarding though.

There are some errors on the list - the most notable being that The Beaconsfield School doesn't appear on it at all!

Presume the schools not mentioned i.e. Wycombe High, are full.

Yes, all the other Grammars were full on March 2nd. Wycombe High took 179 Bucks girls, and 1 OoC applicant, but that will undoubtedly have changed since.

S-A

[Sally-Anne]

Some new numbers found today - nothing to lift the gloom, I'm afraid ...

As of 11th May there were 46 catchment boys on the waiting list for DCGS, 36 on the list for RGS and 1 on the list for SWB (plus 5 non-Bucks resident catchment children). (24 of the boys were on both the DCGS and RGS lists.)

Dr Challoners Girls still had 7 catchment girls on the waiting list.

Among the Upper Schools, Holmer Green still had 13 catchment children on the waiting list, and Chalfonts Community College had 1 still on their list.

Sally-Anne