Out of county applicants for 2019 test

[ToadMum]

One would guess that considering the majority of Bucks kids sit the rest (for Bucks) that a significant amount do the same thing and sit mock tests in other areas?

Do you mean, a significant number of Bucks DC sit tests in other areas? I'm not sure why one would?

[scary mum]

One would guess that considering the majority of Bucks kids sit the rest (for Bucks) that a significant amount do the same thing and sit mock tests in other areas?

Do you mean, a significant number of Bucks DC sit tests in other areas? I'm not sure why one would?

I've never heard of anyone doing so. Apart from anything the Bucks test is one of the earliest so there wouldn't be the opportunity.

[Deb70]

I think many parents who use the Bucks test as a mock are not aware that Bucks grammars don't allocate places in order of test score. I know parents at my DC's school who STILL think they will have a better chance of a place on Friday because of their child's score. How can they still not have done their research?!!

[ToadMum]

I think many parents who use the Bucks test as a mock are not aware that Bucks grammars don't allocate places in order of test score. I know parents at my DC's school who STILL think they will have a better chance of a place on Friday because of their child's score. How can they still not have done their research?!!

They will presumably just home in on 'Apply to sit the exam' and do zero reading of any of the other information on the website? Just like the multiple questions in various areas that spring up at this time of year, the answers to which are generally found pretty close to (usually preceeding) the Apply bit.

Iirc, our LA used to (may still, for all I know) require you to tick to say that you had read and understood all the relevant info before pressing Submit, so at least if you hadn't, you knew that there was important information of which you should have availed yourself and that you were lying by saying that you had done so.

[Tinkers]

I think many parents who use the Bucks test as a mock are not aware that Bucks grammars don't allocate places in order of test score. I know parents at my DC's school who STILL think they will have a better chance of a place on Friday because of their child's score. How can they still not have done their research?!!

We see several posters every year asking if their DCs will get a place since they scored a zillion or whatever on the Bucks test, so obviously no they don’t do their research.

We also get quite a number local to me in Reading taking the test, when the allocations show they have next to no chance of a place at any Bucks school and haven’t done for a few years.

[Blue_Marigold]

I think many parents who use the Bucks test as a mock are not aware that Bucks grammars don't allocate places in order of test score. I know parents at my DC's school who STILL think they will have a better chance of a place on Friday because of their child's score. How can they still not have done their research?!!

I know many families from MK, Luton and Harrow who are insistent that they can get into a Bucks Grammar school based on their score. Even when you show them the evidence they don’t believe you. It’s very frustrating.

[dreams]

I think many parents who use the Bucks test as a mock are not aware that Bucks grammars don't allocate places in order of test score. I know parents at my DC's school who STILL think they will have a better chance of a place on Friday because of their child's score. How can they still not have done their research?!!

I know many families from MK, Luton and Harrow who are insistent that they can get into a Bucks Grammar school based on their score. Even when you show them the evidence they don’t believe you. It’s very frustrating.

I live in Pinner and I understand your frustration. I've got friends in Bucks and they're worried about their children too, it's all understandable.

What's frustrating for me and families like ours, that somehow there are 13 grammar schools behind some sort of invisible boundaries in the wonderful "Vatican like county" called Bucks and not a single in Harrow area.
The door to door journey from my or any house close to Pinner station to Dr Challoners grammar is 28 minutes, Chesham grammar - less than one hour, and we can't apply for those places, even if our children get very good scores, even if they get in a top 10% percentile, no one will care how bright and able they are. For children, living close to Northwood station it is 20 minutes journey.

Also there are Watford grammar schools in the reasonable distance from us, and again - they give away a handful number of places for such families like ours.

I'm wondering why do we treat grammar schools as something that belongs to specific county. Why we think that museums and other educational facilities in the City, for example, that are funded by all working people in this country can/must be shared but no grammar schools. Why don't we hear "them" saying - stay away from our museums, there is not enough space even for our own children? Ridiculous, isn't it?

I understand that reasonable score set by Bucks council is sufficient enough to identify local able children in the county and I understand that handful of good schools in Bucks can't deal with the problem. At the same time, Bucks is not Vatican-city, it's a county within the country and if there are not enough grammar schools in the country, it's strange to expect that people from "disadvantaged" areas won't try and won't understand why they should stay away.
Personally, I believe that the only factor that must be considered is a travel distance to school, unless Bucks residents pay extra special school tax to fund the schools in "their county".

The real problem is not "OoC heartless enemies" but not transparent and discriminating process of identifying children who want and must be academically challenged, not enough local grammar schools that care not just about % of children who score A*-C in GCSE exams but also have enough resources to make sure that majority of their children can get GCSE scores in the range A*-B.

I'm not challenging the current rules and not trying to start a small revolution here but trying to stand up for those parents who don't have any other options than just hope that something magical happens. I'm sure that if all those OoC children would have a decent local grammar school with the results that show schools in Bucks, SW Hertfordshire, the issue that is frustrating all parents on the both sides of the problem will be significantly resolved.

Sorry for the lengthy post here, not even in my regional part of the forum:)

[BucksBornNBred]

I feel your anger, dreams, but it is misdirected. Bucks have just continued with the old grammar school system whilst most of the country chose to move over to the new comprehensive system. Blame the fools that changed the system not those wise enough to stick with its old ways. Bucks (and other counties) suffer from the stupidity of the decision to close grammars.

Though I do like seeing our Swiss Guards striding around the local high streets

[Blue_Marigold]

Pinner seems to have some good schools. I had a look and some of them are Outstanding. I wish we had more outstanding schools in Bucks that were accessible to more children.

Everyone seems to think we are lucky for living in a grammar school area but it’s not really lucky at all. Most children are just normal kids who want to go to a normal school but they can’t because there aren’t any. There’s a choice of a local school which probably ‘requires improvement’ or a school which is Outstanding but you have to pass a test to get in. I would rather just live in an area with less stress.

[loopylala]

What's frustrating for me and families like ours, that somehow there are 13 grammar schools behind some sort of invisible boundaries in the wonderful "Vatican like county" called Bucks and not a single in Harrow area.

How do you feel about the secondary moderns in Bucks? Would you have been happier sending your DC to one of them rather than one of the comprehensive schools in Harrow, if they had not achieved the qualifying score in the 11 plus?

Also there are Watford grammar schools in the reasonable distance from us, and again - they give away a handful number of places for such families like ours.

The schools in Watford are not grammar schools. How many of your local schools set aside places specifically for children who do not live in Pinner?

Personally, I believe that the only factor that must be considerate is a travel distance to school

The Grammar Schools in Bucks allocate places based on distance to the school (after qualifying score). Do your local schools not allocate places in the same way?

also have enough resources to make sure that majority of their children can get GCSE scores in the range A*-B.

I'm pretty sure that the main reason that the majority of DCs at grammar schools achieve scores in the A*-B range is because they select DCs, via the 11 plus exam, that will achieve A*-B grades.

I'm sure that if all those OoC children would have a decent local grammar school with the results that shows schools in Bucks, SW Hertfordshire, the issue that is frustrating all parents on the both sides of the problem will be significantly resolved.

There are no Grammar schools in SW Herts. St Clement Danes allocates 10% of places for academic achievement (there is no catchment for those places BTW), the other schools allocate 25% on academic achievement. As previously mentioned, two of those schools set aside places specifically for children living outside of Watford. How many of your local schools do that?