Bucks 11+ test dates 2016 (2017 admission)

[Sally-Anne]

Can we not have a rule that says you must live within 15 miles of a grammar school in order to sit the test?

Unfortunately not.

The School Admissions Code states the following (my underlining):

2.1 Applying for places - For applications in the normal admissions round, local authorities must provide a common application form (CAF) that enables parents to express their preference for a place at any state funded school, with a minimum of 3 preferences in rank order, allowing them to give reasons for their preferences. While parents may express a preference for any state funded school – regardless of whether it is in the local authority area in which they live - admission authorities must not give any guarantees that a preference will be met.

If the test were to be limited to applicants living within 15 miles of a grammar school, it would effectively deny other parents their right to apply for (i.e. to express a preference for) any state funded school, and would thus be a breach of the Code.

[scary mum]

If the test were to be limited to applicants living within 15 miles of a grammar school, it would effectively deny other parents their right to apply for (i.e. to express a preference for) any state funded school, and would thus be a breach of the Code.

I'm sure this has been done to death in the past, but don't DAO limit who can take the test?

[noonynunu]

Thank you Sally-Anne; this information is both useful and horrifying. Can we not have a rule that says you must live within 15 miles of a grammar school in order to sit the test? I am absolutely livid that deserving local children are being denied places at our local grammar schools.

The map highlights the "have score, will travel" mentality.

I wonder how many of these people have actually visited the Bucks schools they are applying for.

[Sally-Anne]

I'm sure this has been done to death in the past, but don't DAO limit who can take the test?

Yes, they do, as do Redbridge, and it's only a matter of time before the OSA (Schools' Adjudicator) catches up with them. IIRC, Latymer got hauled over the coals for the same thing. I can't remember what conjuring trick they pulled, but I think they wriggled out of it.

[ToadMum]

I'm sure this has been done to death in the past, but don't DAO limit who can take the test?

Yes, they do, as do Redbridge, and it's only a matter of time before the OSA (Schools' Adjudicator) catches up with them. IIRC, Latymer got hauled over the coals for the same thing. I can't remember what conjuring trick they pulled, but I think they wriggled out of it.

Over in 'Essex - Redbridge', someone has posted that their DD was allowed to register for Redbridge even though they are resident in Newham (not part of the 'common catchment area' or whatever they call it, I don't think?) - and were also given an exam slot, having already registered to sit at CCHS.

I thought there had been a ruling against Redbridge quite recently(?) and assumed it was apropos of that?

[Sally-Anne]

I thought there had been a ruling against Redbridge quite recently(?) and assumed it was apropos of that?

Ah, yes - May 2015, Ilford County High School. I think I even posted about it somewhere!

The OSA caught up with Latymer back in 2012, although I'm not sure how much has changed as a result of that.

[kittymum]

I'm sure this has been done to death in the past, but don't DAO limit who can take the test?

Yes, they do, as do Redbridge, and it's only a matter of time before the OSA (Schools' Adjudicator) catches up with them. IIRC, Latymer got hauled over the coals for the same thing. I can't remember what conjuring trick they pulled, but I think they wriggled out of it.

it does seem a bit of one rule for one ...

One solution wouldbe if they standardised the ooc applicants seperately and viewed tgem as two entirely defferent sets of results with ooc only being able to apply forplaces left.

[HJJ]

Apart from big contingents from Slough and MK, the vast majority of the rest are from Greater London - the biggest areas are Harrow (158), Hounslow (110) and Pinner (100). There are however quite a lot of applicants from further-flung boroughs that really aren't within allocation range. Ealing (52), Stanmore (13), Wembley (8), etc.

Would all buck schools be out of allocation range for Stanmore?

[justanothermother]

One solution wouldbe if they standardised the ooc applicants seperately and viewed tgem as two entirely defferent sets of results with ooc only being able to apply forplaces left.

Do you mean Out of Catchment or Out of County or both?

[Sally-Anne]

Would all buck schools be out of allocation range for Stanmore?

Chesham is within theoretical reach of Stanmore in terms of straight-line distance and allocations, but the journey is at the extreme end of what is usually considered to be the maximum recommended time of 90 minutes.

A minimum of 1 hour on the tube, plus a 10 - 15 minute walk at the Chesham end, plus whatever time is involved at the Stanmore end. 3 hours a day for 7 years ...

We believe that some children left Bucks grammars shortly after the start of this term because the journey they faced was too overwhelming. I have also heard that some places were declined very late in the day because parents had suddenly worked out that their child simply couldn't get to the school they had accepted a place at!