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Finding out the results

Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 9:28 am
by Debims
So, we're nearly there everyone and good luck. My question may be answered by someone who has been through this before - how do we know whether our child has attained the qualifying score and whether or not they have a grammar school place, so that we know whether to include the grammars on our secondary school preferences? Our tutor said you only really know for sure you have a place if you're in the top 120 which frankly is unlikely in our case. I'm confused as to how the schools let you know how/if you have gained a place when we have all probably shared the results with more than one school? Any advice would help, thanks

Re: Finding out the results

Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 10:04 am
by DC17C
As far as I can tell you may not know unfortunately. This year there is I think a ranking given for each school you have asked for results to be shared with. Places will be allocated according to ranking. That does I guess mean that the highest scorers could be the top for all the schools they share results with ....but they can only go to one school. There are just over 800 grammar places in all roughly 400 boys 400 girls so if they all shared results with all the schools - I guess the rank order could go into the 300-400 for some schools. I don't know if they will only give a ranking if the score is competitive. Would be awful to have a ranking in the 1000's :(
My guess would be top 120 for Pates will be top 60 for the single sex schools so you are in to the school you want
Top 120 for the single sex schools - you will get at your first choice school but since the same kids may be top at 3 or 4 schools and can only go to one then there are still a lot of places to fill and that is where you will be in the twilight zone. The higher ranking the more confident you can be of a place at your chosen school. For example 2 yrs ago my dd had a ranking of 224 for SHS which I think would have allowed her a place if she wanted it but ended up going to Ribston so I guess someone ranked lower down was then given a place at SHS.

The most important thing is to put the schools down in your true order of preference with the system based on ranking then there can be shuffling about on a waiting list if you are not in the first allocation there may be a further allocation once offers have been made and rejected. There may be others out there with more advice and info.
Good Luck to everyone taking the test this year.

Re: Finding out the results

Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 10:11 am
by stroudydad
Hi there, the simple answer is that the only thing you will find out for sure on results day is if you DC has achieved a qualifying score (ie passed) for each of the schools you chose to share with. Pates, Marling & SHS have previously given an indicator if the obtained score is in the top 120 and a rank below that( I believe that Marling & SHS didn't give ranks below 120 last year though, only standardised scores). The other grammars only gave scores. This year I believe rankings are being give for each school. These results will give you the basis on which to fill out your common entrance form.
Schools themselves are unable to offer places, only the lea can do that. So although, depending upon the test scores/ranks, you may be quietly confident, you will know nothing for sure until allocations day(March).

If I'm wrong about any of this I'm sure people will correct me.:-)
Hope this helps:-)

Re: Finding out the results

Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 10:46 am
by MountainDweller
I'm glad someone asked this question...although I'm still pretty confused.

I am pretty confident DS won't be a definite 'in' and if he does get there it will be via the places shuffle.

So I presume on the forms I put a couple of the GS's at the top of the form (unless he completely flunks it...which is entirely possible :D ) and then other schools after that. I think the way it works the local comp will become his first choice if he doesn't get a GS place (and he won't be penalised for listing the GS's first?)

Obviously if he performs highly or completely flunks it the form will be very easy to fill in!

Re: Finding out the results

Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 11:17 am
by stroudydad
Hi Mountain Dweller, you are correct in the statement that there will be no prejudice on your lower ranked schools if you don't get a place at a higher preference, as has already been said put them in your real preference, but make sure you have at least one safe school on your list.

Re: Finding out the results

Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 11:18 am
by Stressed?Moi?
Agree with SD.

As mentioned above, you will only know for sure if you have qualified for the top 120 of your chosen school on results day.

Not sure what information you can glean from a standardised score - anyone know?

If (and you won't know this on results day) you are 127 say for HSFG and 7 people go for either Ribston, SHS or Pates, you move into the top 120 and are therefore eligible. As I understand it though, you won't know this until the March allocation date.

If you applied by email, they email the results to you. If it's anything like before it is ad hoc. After the one week marking week (those were the days!) we got HSGF's and Pates result through on the Friday night and SHS and Ribston through on the Saturday. It would be very much better to get them all in one go. Does anyone know if this will happen?

On your LEA form at the end of October, you would put your chosen grammar as no 1 and state schools in the order of preference thereafter. Not sure what happens if you pass for a grammar and want that grammar ie, top 120 Ribston and it's what you want. Do you just put that on the form as anything else is unecessary?

Re: Finding out the results

Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 12:35 pm
by cazien
stroudydad wrote:Schools themselves are unable to offer places, only the lea can do that.
The LEA offers places in the first instance. But GSs have offered places after the reconsideration process if they have not reached their allocated admission number.

I would suggest if your child has scored reasonably well in the test but is a few points short of the pass mark, put the Grammar School choice first. Then put your school preferences in order. On allocation day if you DC has not reached qualifying score you will not be allocated a GS place but should be told why not. My DS (who was one point under) had the reason "the 97 children who achieved the qualifying score have been allocated places" - ie we then knew the GS did not reach allocated admittance number so guessed we "might" have a chance for a successful appeal. We accepted Comp offer (WHICH YOU MUST DO) but asked LEA for reconsideration for GS. They replied on Friday with "no" (because he hadn't reached qualifying score) but then on Tuesday we received a letter from GS offering him a place. :o

Allocating schools is a time consuming process - ie. 1) you send your choices to LEA. 2) LEA allocate places 3) you then either accept place offered /accept but would like reconsideration for another school / or reject the place offered (not recommended :x ). 4) Lea then have to reshuffle those who want reconsideration. Then if you are still not happy you have to appeal directly to the school you wanted.

During the reconsideration process, if your DC passed the test but did not initially receive an offer of a GS place - they could this time 8).

Good luck to one and all now "that date" is drawing near :|

Re: Finding out the results

Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 12:36 pm
by kenyancowgirl
Stressed?Moi? I would never assume anything!!! Definitely put your schools in true order of preference and make sure that you have at least one comprehensive that you have a real chance of getting in to - i.e. you are catchment and/or it is not massively oversubscribed - and that you are "happy" with (I know this can be hard for some people!) If you do not get a place at a GS, the LEA will go down your list in order of preference, treating the schools listed as if they were your first choice - if you do not have a realistic "back up", you run the risk of being allocated a school you have not listed.

And I will say it again, LIST SCHOOLS ON THE CAF IN YOUR TRUE PREFERENCE ORDER - every year we have numerous people on here saying they listed a state comprehensive above a GS (which they really wanted) but weren't allocated, despite having passed and ranked high enough, because it wasn't their first choice!

(Cross posted with cazien)

Re: Finding out the results

Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 12:45 pm
by DC17C
It needs to be noted that the PAN for some of the Gloucester schools is slightly less than 120 - STR = 108 Crypt =112 and Ribston =114

Re: Finding out the results

Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 12:54 pm
by Stressed?Moi?
cazien wrote:
stroudydad wrote:Schools themselves are unable to offer places, only the lea can do that.
The LEA offers places in the first instance. But GSs have offered places after the reconsideration process if they have not reached their allocated admission number.

I would suggest if your child has scored reasonably well in the test but is a few points short of the pass mark, put the Grammar School choice first. Then put your school preferences in order. On allocation day if you DC has not reached qualifying score you will not be allocated a GS place but should be told why not. My DS (who was one point under) had the reason "the 97 children who achieved the qualifying score have been allocated places" - ie we then knew the GS did not reach allocated admittance number so guessed we "might" have a chance for a successful appeal. We accepted Comp offer (WHICH YOU MUST DO) but asked LEA for reconsideration for GS. They replied on Friday with "no" (because he hadn't reached qualifying score) but then on Tuesday we received a letter from GS offering him a place. :o

Allocating schools is a time consuming process - ie. 1) you send your choices to LEA. 2) LEA allocate places 3) you then either accept place offered /accept but would like reconsideration for another school / or reject the place offered (not recommended :x ). 4) Lea then have to reshuffle those who want reconsideration. Then if you are still not happy you have to appeal directly to the school you wanted.

During the reconsideration process, if your DC passed the test but did not initially receive an offer of a GS place - they could this time 8).

Good luck to one and all now "that date" is drawing near :|
Thanks Cazien and well done your ds for achieving his place.

The thing I'm stuck on is, I get that if you don't get in say the top 120 you are just given a standardised score. If there isn't a published passmark, how do you know if they are just one point short. I suppose also you've no way of knowing just how many other dc's are one point short as well, so it's all a bit pointless giving out the mark.

Take your point kenyancowgirl, I was just assuming you are "safe" if you are top 120. The school ds is trying for has I think 115 places, so therefore the other 5 would be disappointed.

I think you've answered that DC.

This is probably all academic though as he's only scoring 66-70% on Bond. Even taking into account the age standardisation (just turned 10) I think it's a non-starter. :(