What are our chances??

[Dollydripmat]

I’m sorry to be blunt but are you in catchment for Bucks ? It’s quite unfair to take the test if you have zero chance......and one less chance for a Bucks child .

[anotherdad]

She is still convinced that she wants to take it..... and TBH i dont think it can do any harm , thanks for all of your advice!

It might not do your daughter any harm but the Bucks system is such that were your daughter to qualify but not be allocated a place (or you choose not to take a place if offered), you have deprived another child of that place and put them into the appeal system which can be a bit of a lottery.

[Dollydripmat]

She is still convinced that she wants to take it..... and TBH i dont think it can do any harm , thanks for all of your advice!

It might not do your daughter any harm but the Bucks system is such that were your daughter to qualify but not be allocated a place (or you choose not to take a place if offered), you have deprived another child of that place and put them into the appeal system which can be a bit of a lottery.

Couldn’t have said it better! Just sad people still don’t have a clue, move to Bucks if you want a slice of the cake !

[Guest55]

It's actually another two children ... Bucks has a flat qualification score and everyone's raw mark is used in the standardisation.

It would be better to focus efforts on schools where she could get a place.

[mintxy]

Why does it deprive a child? everyone has the right to take the test don't they?

[Tinkers]

It deprives another child because approx the top 30% qualify. For every child that qualifies that doesn’t take a place, that means one child has been pushed under that threshold to qualify, whereas they would have qualified.

[mintxy]

But I never said we wouldn't take the place? in fact we would relish it; so if she makes the top 30% where is the harm? are you suggesting the less kids take the test the better it is for residents of Bucks? so that makes those out of selection areas the ones who are deprived doesn't it?

[Tinkers]

But you are unlikely to get a place. The last couple of years you wouldn’t have got one in the first allocations round, and it’s very unlikely you would this year either as allocation disctances are shrinking. You might be lucky, as in the last couple of years, and get one in the second round.

However, the responses you got were in reference to the fact you said it wouldn’t cause any harm for your DD to take the test, (and to your DD that could well be true, you know her we don’t) but actually it might cause another child not to even qualify if your DD qualifies but doesn't get/take a place.

[mintxy]

Thanks, I see the point but..... as you have mentioned before catchments are fluid and depends on who applies..... Im sorry but there is a chance for her and she wants to try; I dont know many other 10 year olds who have researched this all themselves and presented this as something she wants to try for; Its only right I support her choice! I met kids today who didnt even want to sit the test and their parents insisting they do so! crazy system!!!

[Guest55]

Does she actually realise she has a near zero chance of a place for all that hard work?