11 Plus Exams Forum

Can anyone help? Trying to sort preference order for schools - currently WHSG 1st SHSG 2nd then local comps 3rd and 4th. I have read on here that scores needed for WHSG and SHSG are usually of a similar level - around 60% for out of borough - is that right? So if she got enough for either of grammars it would come down to how many out of borough places they had and where she ranked in those? Not sure about Chelmsford - have heard they won't consider you unless you put them first but don't think that can be right? I have a feeling I may be making this more complicated than it actually is???? All advice welcome

Your assumptions are correct Kate West. DD will be offered a place, providing she achieves the schools respective criteria (including Chelmsford), in the strict order of your list. Keep it simple and just put down your schools in order of preference.

I don't think the schools know where you put them on the list. I think I am right in saying the council awards the children their places based on (in the case of grammars) your DC's score and which school you put first. Look at all the schools, decide which one best suits your DS and put that first. Try no to get too hung up on how many places are allocated to out of borough or in borough children, just put the schools in order of your preference. Good luck.

Absolutely - the schools DO NOT know which preference you have put them.

The reason for the Chelmsford myth is that the pass mark required for the Chelmsford schools is always higher than the others, therefore you would never be allocated Chelmsford if you were to put it as second choice after Southend because if your DC got a high enough mark for Chelmsford they would definitely have got into Southend, but if they don't qualify for Southend they will not qualify for Chelmsford either. Hope that makes sense!

As the others have said, put the schools in your true order of preference.