Getting an in-year GS place

[MrsSaltTree]

We have been going backwards and forwards about moving to Gloucs for a couple of years, and now personal circumstances are making it very likely.

My DD did the Gloucs 11+ last year with next to no prep (we were hoping to move last summer, but it didn't happen) and passed for SHS, Denmark Rd and Ribston - but all passes were reasonably close to the pass mark needed.

She also did the 11+ were we live currently and passed within the top 120, highly enough to get a place at the super-competitive, one and only GS in the area, where she is due to start in Sept.
She got 5s across the board for SATS in Y6, but no mention was made of 5A, 5B or 5C - I don't know if this is common to all Y6 or if the school could tell me.

My question is, if the move to Gloucs goes ahead, does anyone know how likely it is that she would be able to transfer to a GS in Gloucestershire, possibly in the middle of Y7? We would be most interested in SHS or HSFG. Would the best idea be to appeal or to go on a waiting list? Or is it impossible to transfer in year and she would have to go wherever there is space?

Thanks for your help.

[Stressed?Moi?]

I would be interested to know this as well as there seems to have been a lot of tooing and froing in year 7 at dd's school, with a girl joining at about Easter time and a new girl starting year 8 in September. I had just assumed that if you didn't pass the 11+ for year 7 then that was that. Hope you get sorted for your dd.

[Amber]

I had just assumed that if you didn't pass the 11+ for year 7 then that was that.

I think a lot of people assume this. It isn't true. My son joined GS in Year 8 along with several others in his year. Several new ones are joining both my sons' years in the new term, and I know of girls who have joined both the schools you mention, Mrs ST, in Year 9. I would strongly advise you to contact the schools - they are keen to have 'bums on seats' and often have their own in-year admissions policies which do not require VR-style exams. As one admissions officer told me ' VR exams give us children who are good at VR. We want children who are good at other stuff too'. Good luck.

[NancyB]

It is possible to get a place in-year, but it depends of course on places being available. As you're looking at Y7 and she took, and passed, the tests, this should make it easier in that the schools would be unlikely to ask them to take a fresh test. Were it Y8 or above they would probably ask them to sit new tests (maybe English, Maths, science) and then compare the results with the current Y8's.

Passing the test is all well and good, but if the school is full, you might have to appeal. Several of the schools are now 'topping up' - which means they will take children from the top of their waiting list (which in itself fluctuates) to top up over the Published Admissions Number to the maximum they can fit in the year - while PAN for a school may be set at 112, they might be able to fit in 120. This is after appeals have taken place for Y7, and at any time that a space becomes available for Y8 up.

My question is, if the move to Gloucs goes ahead, does anyone know how likely it is that she would be able to transfer to a GS in Gloucestershire, possibly in the middle of Y7? We would be most interested in SHS or HSFG. Would the best idea be to appeal or to go on a waiting list? Or is it impossible to transfer in year and she would have to go wherever there is space?

Go on waiting list and appeal as well. Neither has any effect on the other, so you can get a place off the top of the list even if you loose an appeal.

Your problem is that you may have to send your daughter to another school while waiting for a space to come up.

Speak to the Admissions Clerks at either school, just for an 'in principal' chat - they do tend to be helpful - don't treat them as the enemy but as a friend.