TGS cut-off scores - why so much higher for 2017 entry?

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mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

TGS cut-off scores - why so much higher for 2017 entry?

Post by mystery »

The cut-off scores for 2017 entry were much higher than the cut-off scores for 2015 entry.

Was the overall pattern of scoring different in 2017 in the Kent 11 plus test as a whole (that seems unlikely somehow) or was there more competition for places at TGS for some reason? e.g. were high scorers putting TGS first who might have chosen Weald but didn't want the first year of the annex?

Just puzzled. I wonder if the difference is noticeable in the classrooms or if these differences in scores are not really significant anyhow.
franticmum
Posts: 139
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:16 pm

Re: TGS cut-off scores - why so much higher for 2017 entry?

Post by franticmum »

Hi Mystery.

My DD is at TGS, in the sixth form now. I believe you are correct in that a couple of years ago, they increased the intake, at Kent's request, to provide another whole form. They had to produce another 'house' group because of it so it sticks in my mind and was about the time you suggest. I believe Judd were also asked to increase their numbers. TGS was 135 places when dd first went there but regularly 150 through appeals, etc. I think it is now about 170 offered places in the admissions criteria.

I'm afraid I've not been following admissions so closely recently, for obvious reasons, but I think they've also now revised the percentage numbers for in and out of county to give more opportunity for those in area. I believe that may also affect scores slightly but I'm not sure when that was due to come in.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: TGS cut-off scores - why so much higher for 2017 entry?

Post by mystery »

Yes - you are right that the intake has increased in recent years and it should be easier to get in from West Kent areas under the new policy. So why was it harder to get in, in terms of score, in 2017 than 2015? WAs it a bliP at TGs or was the whole scoring system different in 2017 to 2015? E,g. did a higher percentage get 400 and above in 2017 than in 2015?
tilmai
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2016 5:29 pm

Re: TGS cut-off scores - why so much higher for 2017 entry?

Post by tilmai »

A parent asked this very question when we attended the TGS open evening in October. Apparently, 2015 was the first year of the 'new' style 11+ exam and scores across the board dropped considerably compared to previous years. They think this put people off applying as they were worried their score wouldn't be enough and so when combined with the extra class the cut off dropped quite a bit. By 2016 people had sussed out the new system so applications were back to what they'd usually expect.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: TGS cut-off scores - why so much higher for 2017 entry?

Post by mystery »

Oh that's interesting. Yes, KCC was not particularly helpful that year when they doled out the new style scores. They could easily have put together some kind of equivalnce between the new and old scores in terms of centiles but I guess they had not paid GL assessment to do this so they didn't have the info. They did, after many FOI reqests about the new scoring system, eventually put up that massive spreadsheet with how many boys and how many girls on each score point at each school! It was interesting as it did enable us to spot one or two liars at our school.

I wonder if the 2016 entry cut off is more the norm as if the 2015 cut off was unusually low the 2017 cut off may have been unusually high as some people wold have put TGS first to avoid the first year of the annex.
FortyNinePence
Posts: 193
Joined: Wed Oct 02, 2013 10:06 pm

Re: TGS cut-off scores - why so much higher for 2017 entry?

Post by FortyNinePence »

I think the Sunday Times school of the year thing probably had an impact on the school’s popularity as well, forcing cut off scores up.
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