TBGS updates - Transfer Test 2020 and COVID-19

[Tinkers]

Lots of regions don’t have GS, so changes to test dates and getting results back in time for a CAF is really not an issue for them.

They will want the same amount of time to sort out allocations as they’ve had before, certainly if they are short staffed and have people working remotely etc, they may be pressed trying to do all the various checks they do before and after exchanging data with other LAs.

[patricia]

Dates for the Transfer Test have been confirmed

24 July

​The Department for Education has today published its guidance on selective school admissions. DfE has strongly advised that testing should be delayed to late October/November. In the advice DfE recognises that children are unlikely to perform at their best if tested at the beginning of September and also the logistical challenges for schools of carrying out testing this year. The publication of this guidance means that TBGS is now able to confirm test dates for this autumn as:

​27-30 October (out of county children) and

2-5 November (children attending Buckinghamshire primary schools and Partner schools).

​Further information will be provided in due course

https://www.thebucksgrammarschools.org/news" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... =immediate" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Patricia

[patricia]

Latest letter from TBGS

https://www.thebucksgrammarschools.org/news" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

4 September 2020

Dear Parents and Carers,

Confirmation about arrangements for Secondary Selection Testing for Year 6 children moving up to secondary school in September 2021

Since my letter to you in June, the Department for Education has published guidance on selective school admissions. This was published after the end of the summer term. The guidance strongly advises later testing and supported the preference of The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools to delay testing this year until later in the Autumn term. As detailed in the DfE guidance, the grammar schools had to seek permission to vary their admissions arrangements for 2021. That permission has now been granted.

We posted details about new dates on our website at the end of July but in case you have not seen those the
confirmed dates are:

• 27-30 October (out of county children testing) and
• 2-5 November (children attending Buckinghamshire primary schools and Partner schools testing);
• 30 November (results).

As in other years children will take the practice test before the Transfer Test with one day in between. Out of county children will take the tests on either 27 and 29 October or 28 and 30 October. Parents will be notified about the date and venue for testing by the Bucks Admissions Team later this month. If your child attends a Buckinghamshire primary school or a Partner school the test dates (2 and 4 November or 3 and 5 November) will be determined by their school.

In my last letter I explained in detail our reasons for later testing. We have provided further information about this on the FAQs page on the TBGS website and have also added addressed queries parents have raised with us.

As stated previously our priority is to keep everyone as safe as possible during testing and to make the process as manageable as we possibly can for the schools administering the tests. As in all years if a child is ill on the day they are due to be tested, they will have the opportunity to take the test at another time when they are well. This year that will also be the case if a child has to self-isolate or shield.

Finally, the later dates for testing mean that this year parents will need to submit applications for their preferred secondary schools before the results of the test are known on 30 November 2020. This means it will be particularly important to make sure that you include non-selective school(s) as well as grammar school preference(s) when you apply to ensure your child is allocated a place at a secondary school so do please follow the LA guidance. The deadline for expressing preferences is 31 October 2020, but exceptionally Buckinghamshire Council will allow you up to 10 December to amend or add preferences to your application to include a school for which your child has qualified if you have not already done so. Please check the arrangements in your own area if you do not live in Bucks.

Patricia

[patricia]

Please note in particular details regarding CAF

Finally, the later dates for testing mean that this year parents will need to submit applications for their preferred secondary schools before the results of the test are known on 30 November 2020.

This means it will be particularly important to make sure that you include non-selective school(s) as well as grammar school preference(s) when you apply to ensure your child is allocated a place at a secondary school so do please follow the LA guidance.

The deadline for expressing preferences is 31 October 2020, but exceptionally Buckinghamshire Council will allow you up to 10 December to amend or add preferences to your application to include a school for which your child has qualified if you have not already done so.

Please check the arrangements in your own area if you do not live in Bucks.

Patricia

[ToadMum]

Not in Bucks, but may I add a piece of advice? If you are considering making amendments to your CAF, check carefully what the cut-off time is on the final date. As far as I am aware, our own Borough and the neighbouring LA set it at 23.59 on any deadline day , but I have seen other places use earlier times, e.g. 15.00 / 18.00. Better still, don't leave it until the last day in the first place .

[Blue_Marigold]

Do you think there could be another lockdown which would stop the 11+ going ahead. I don’t have a child in Year 6 this year but a lot of my friends are worried. What do people here think?

[scary mum]

Do you think there could be another lockdown which would stop the 11+ going ahead. I don’t have a child in Year 6 this year but a lot of my friends are worried. What do people here think?

It must be very worrying, but no-one knows at the moment. I think given the predictability of the second wave it might have been wiser for the exams to have gone ahead as originally planned.

[Deb70]

I think they will go ahead, because the government absolutely do not want to close schools or disrupt children any more.