Allocation Day Statistics, 2021 Entry

[starcrazy]

As expected, more total preferences for all the schools this year.

School: total preferences / first preferences
2021
DRHS: 586 / 194
Marling: 598 / 215
Pate’s: 857 / 580
RHHS: 676 / 120
STRS: 720 / 232
SHS: 503 / 249
Crypt: 1400 / 399

2020
DRHS: 373 / 164
Marling: 354 / 154
Pate’s: 259 / 192
RHHS: 463 / 182
STRS: 345 / 152
SHS: 368 / 201
Crypt: 675 / 172

Edit with link to source: https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/medi ... y-2021.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BusyandConfused!]

Interesting Stats. But I'm even more confused then..... we also know that Pates have gone lower than they normally would. I don't see how that works, if 580 people put it as first choice? Surely that would be more likely to capture the higher ranking passes?

We need a Stats expert on this!!

[2Socks]

I think we all suspected they would go lower than normal because some people wouldn't want to put them on the CAF as it's more difficult to gain a place than some of the others. People out of area may have only had 3 options, and if you are like us; living on the edge of the normal allocation area for 2 or 3 good comprehensives, but no good safe bets, then I can understand why you wouldn't take the risk. So that means that a good number of the higher ranking kids didn't have it on their CAF (or not as highest qualifying school). Pate's only qualify about 13% of the sharers, and a good number of those don't normally get a place.
I know of some Gloucester kids who decided against it, but had they had their results before the CAF date, may have applied. I suspect that many of the people in the Cheltenham area who sat the test would put Pate's first, as it's worth the risk for the reduced travel, but I think lots of those from Gloucester/Stroud decided that the other grammars were a safer bet and less travel. That said, my DD's rank was 200 places higher (closer to PAN) for Pate's than for Crypt... only just outside the qualifying standard, so many who didn't put it down may want to go on the waiting list as they may have qualified when they weren't expecting to.

[cazien]

Interesting Stats. But I'm even more confused then..... we also know that Pates have gone lower than they normally would. I don't see how that works, if 580 people put it as first choice? Surely that would be more likely to capture the higher ranking passes?

We need a Stats expert on this!!

Yes - definitely a weird year!
As people did not know where they were ranked, could it be because many people who put it as first choice did not qualify, and those who did qualify did not put as first choice?

[dodie102]

We live in Cheltenham and didn't put Pates as No 1 or on go on the waiting list come allocation day despite being in the 150. (There was much soul searching though ) Know a few others in the same boat too.

Interesting stats.

[CommonPeople]

Interesting stats. Do we know how many sat the test in the end? That's a total of 1989 first preferences across all schools, but I thought there were quite a few more who took it?

If so, that means people took the test, but then didn't put any of the grammars as a first preference?

[Brackenboo]

I would guess that a lot of people who didn't get a qualifying score out Pates as a choice or first not realising how hard the grammar school test is, especially if they live in Cheltenham etc. I know quite a few children who didn't pass but had grammar schools as preferences this year, where as in previous years they wouldn't. For most people in Gloucestershire 5 choices meant they could chance it

[Brackenboo]

I also wonder why Ribston for quite a low number of first choices. Will be interesting to see the male/female ratio at Crypt this year

[Legofan]

I also wonder why Ribston for quite a low number of first choices. Will be interesting to see the male/female ratio at Crypt this year

I think it’s kind of obvious. The reason Ribston has a lower number of 1st preferences this year is last year pupils who didn’t qualify for DRHS, SHS or Pates wouldn’t have put them as a preference and put Ribston as their first whereas this year they put the other schools first as that was their true preference and they didn’t know they hadn’t qualified.

Disclosure: my DD is at Ribston and is loving it. I think it is a fab school and can’t imagine DD at any of the others now, but had we had to fill in the CAF blind I think DRHS would have been 1st

[Legofan]

2 things I take from this:
1: some people don’t understand how the Caf form and 11+ results interact (evidence about 30 people putting pates as a preference last year who didn’t have a qualifying score)
2: some people still suffering under the idea that if they don’t put a school as first choice they won’t get in. (Evidence, higher number of DRHS and tommies 1st preferences this year)

It really annoys me when schools say that your best chance of getting a place at this school is to put them first.