What are our chances??

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anotherdad
Posts: 1763
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:33 pm

Re: What are our chances??

Post by anotherdad »

mintxy wrote:Support? I have been trying not to be pushy, when she decided a short time ago that she wanted this, I decided to let her try and get herself there hence “coming along for the ride” as Im aware of the competition. I didnt mean it to sound flippant but rather I have not driven this, Its her choice to do it and she sees it as a chance to be with others who value hard work. Today made me realise what she is up against and I was just looking for some suportive advice, but yet I have been met with “move to bucks If I want a slice of the pie”, being called selfish and even questioning my intelligence! Its a truly unfair system and I totally understand the resentment but all I was really asking for was some figures on our chances; which some have been kind enough to provide
The thing is, it's difficult to be supportive when one thinks it's not a good idea. Had you asked the same questions a year ago, you would have got some advice about what your chances are, where you would need to move to by when to be confident of gaining a place in the event of qualification, and tips for the test itself.

I can only speak for myself, your chances of success are very slim and consequently I think your daughter is embarking on an unnecessary journey that risks adding needless pressure at the start of year six. The impact on Bucks children is a consideration (although not directly for me, my daughter is through secondary school and out the other side) and I think it right that you've been made aware of that.
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: What are our chances??

Post by Amber »

OP, perhaps this research will help you to feel less deprived. I have posted it on another thread but here you can see that being in a selective area does not confer the simple advantage of 'a better school' as you might believe. As your little 10 year old has done all the research for herself, perhaps she would enjoy reading a wider view. (Disclaimer - I also do not live in Bucks, and am happy that I don't tbh as the 11+ there looks like a nightmare!).

http://dro.dur.ac.uk/24067/2/24067.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (original article)

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2 ... y-evidence" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(press report)
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: What are our chances??

Post by kenyancowgirl »

One other thing to check out would be how you would get your daughter there everyday, if she did squeak into the catchment area/score highly enough as out of county? I note you said you were 19 miles drive (but 8.1 miles as the crow flies) - not sure if you meant 19 minutes away? Is there a public bus that you could pay for to get her there, and is it a timely journey if so? How would you driving twice a day work if not? I note you say you are a carer - if you have other children who also have to get to school (particularly younger children) then that is very tricky - if you are caring for a child with special needs then that is additionally tricky. If you are caring for an elderly relative then, in my experience (I'm going through that now!) the demands on your time increase each day, rather than decrease. If you do work as well, and are planning to drive, I would suggest you do a trial run, during school traffic, at the beginning and end of the day.

Whilst this may seem a lot to cram in before she sits the test, it will help you understand whether it is actually worth her sitting for it at all, if the journey itself is unfeasible - too often, after results are announced and school places are allocated, we get frantic pleas from parents for help working out some ludicrous journeys - and whilst yours may be straightforward, (I genuinely don't know), as you said you were a carer, and hadn't really done much research into any of this as it was being lead by your daughter, I thought you might not have considered any of these aspects, that can be very real problems.
loopylala
Posts: 255
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2016 9:14 am

Re: What are our chances??

Post by loopylala »

mintxy wrote:Ive just come along for the ride; I think she may have delusions of grandeur !! but I have done very little research and am now starting to panic! she is also in for the berks on sat.
Have you taken her to visit any of the schools she has chosen for herself?
hel_tcw
Posts: 91
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2015 8:42 pm

Re: What are our chances??

Post by hel_tcw »

mintxy wrote:Im actually quite saddened to see some of these comments.... you are assuming that our other options are good and that I have no thought for other children! I get it.... You are lucky enough to live in a selective area; I am not so lucky; our other options are not good and I have a bright child who wants a chance to shine; after all isnt that what its all about? I was equally shocked to see the amount of children today who were less than enthusiastic about the whole process; yes they might pass after extensive tutoring but do they want it? thats questionable.... I know who I would rather have as a classmate! someone who is eager to learn and do their best. I cant see anywhere written that this test is a Bucks test for Bucks kids! its open to all.... we will take our chances!
You say that you live near Langley and that your DD is also taking the Berks test on Saturday - what is it about the Slough GS that has put you off/ make you think she won't get in?
As a Slough parent with 2 DC at one of the Slough grammars, it is nice to know that if something happens to the buses (the 81 has a habit of running late) that they are close enough to walk.

As for wanting to study, based on some of the comments DD says about her class mates and the number of detentions they receive (admittedly that is a couple of the boys) that isn't necessarily true :-)

I am now glad that my DD decided against going to Kendrick girls school in Reading as it would have meant a much longer day but I also feel bad for all the girls she displaced /lowered due to her score (she got a high standardised score which meant that her raw score was high - this would have effected the standardised score of all the other girls that year).

Take advantage of as many open evenings/days as you can, and talk to her about what she thinks. If she goes to a GS she will get good scores in her exams so look at the school ethos/ extra curricular activities/ subjects offered as well as the atmosphere (although Herschel was a bit nearer, my DD really wasn't interested. She knew where she wanted to go and is very happy there).

Good luck to your DD and to all the DC sitting the exams tomorrow/Saturday.
rhiane
Posts: 457
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2014 2:03 pm

Re: What are our chances??

Post by rhiane »

mintxy wrote:So today my daughter took the mock test- she said she found it relativley easy but she is very aware of Thursday being a different ballgame!
Taking the 11+ is completley her decision.... Ive just come along for the ride; I think she may have delusions of grandeur !! but I have done very little research and am now starting to panic! she is also in for the berks on sat.

To be perfectly honest, you sound like one of the least supportive parents I have ever seen on this site!

Can you not understand how others would read your post? You decided to post 2 days before your DD sits the exam, what is the point of that, surely you should have looked into all your options ages ago?

Not to know anything about this process when it sounds like your DD is very serious about a Grammar School is quite ridiculous, you make it sound like you are being forced to go along against your will!

Why not focus on the Slough schools where you stand more of a chance of getting a place should she qualify, you say you are in catchment for Langley, I'm not sure which area you would come in but i'm guessing Area 3?

Also to say that she has "delusions of grandeur" gives me the impression that you don't actually believe she is capable of qualifying.
rhiane
Posts: 457
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2014 2:03 pm

Re: What are our chances??

Post by rhiane »

You say you are 19 miles road distance and 8 miles straight line, maybe check on another online calculator as that's an unusual difference? Maybe you just have some very long straight roads from where you live to BGS?
I 'think' there's a distance calculator somewhere on the BCC website that is very accurate.
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: What are our chances??

Post by Tinkers »

hel_tcw wrote:
I am now glad that my DD decided against going to Kendrick girls school in Reading as it would have meant a much longer day but I also feel bad for all the girls she displaced /lowered due to her score (she got a high standardised score which meant that her raw score was high - this would have effected the standardised score of all the other girls that year.
The difference here between Bucks and Kendrick (and indeed most other GSs) is that plenty of other girls will have actually qualified for Kendrick but not got a high enough score to get a place. Your DD scoring highly but not taking a place will have indeed caused other girl to get a lower score, but as your DD didn’t take the place, that girl will have moved up the rankings and would got a place whether your DD had sat the test or not.
In Bucks, it will mean a child who would have qualified is pushed below true qualifying mark, and therefore has to go through reviews and/or appeal to get a place. We’ve seen in this forum DCs getting 120.9x in the Bucks Test, when you need 121. They did not qualify outright. If just one ooc DC who sat the Test, who is unlikely to actually get a place, had decided not to, the parents of a DC who didn’t qualify would have been spared the stress of having to go to review and jump through those extra hoops.

OP this is why you are getting some of the responses you are getting. You may think Bucks parents are lucky they live in a selective area, but I think you’ll find most of them do not regard themselves as lucky and deal with the system they have as best they can.
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: What are our chances??

Post by Tinkers »

rhiane wrote:You say you are 19 miles road distance and 8 miles straight line, maybe check on another online calculator as that's an unusual difference? Maybe you just have some very long straight roads from where you live to BGS?
I 'think' there's a distance calculator somewhere on the BCC website that is very accurate.
This one will also help

https://www.freemaptools.com/how-far-is-it-between.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: What are our chances??

Post by Sally-Anne »

This is the BCC distance checker - it will give you the precise distance as the crow flies: https://services.buckscc.gov.uk/school-admissions" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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