Judd score

[elevenplusforum78]

I am querying this for a friend of mine - her son achieved 393 in the 11 plus and is concerned he may be at the bottom end of the year group. Do you think her concern is valid and how relevant is the score in terms of educational outcome at GCSE and higher- is there a clear correlation that those who scored above 400 perform better in the classroom? Afterall, I keep telling her that its probably only 1 question between 393 and 400! any responses are welcome. Her other option is Skinners- do any of you think its becoming less academic , given the slightly lower entrance requirement issued 3 years ago?

[Sevenoaks mum]

Personally I think her concern is totally invalid. There will be plenty of boys who have been tutored through the teeth to achieve their high score and once at secondary school and the tutor is taken away will just be achieving their natural levels. Similarly there will be some very bright boys who weren't tutored at all with lower scores who will end up being top of the class. Also boys mature at different paces. My son had a friend who was distinctly average at primary school and didn't score enough to get into Skinner's or Judd. He got eight 9's and three 8's at GCSE last summer! Better results than all the high scoring 11+'ers.

Skinner's is a very good school, my son is in the sixth form there so can't comment on the lower entry requirements now but I would say there is a lot more to school than just academics. If she lives close enough to Skinner's I would seriously consider it. Having friends all living close by and being able to easily participate in after school clubs and weekend sports matches because they are on your doorstep is a huge advantage. When do the forms have to be submitted? Hasn't the deadline already past?

[elevenplusforum78]

The deadline has passed but she’s having doubts over putting Judd as her first choice.
Her child didn’t work as hard as many. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply - I’ll pass your response on. I can’t say I disagree with you regarding tutoring And even all the private school boys who end up at Judd ( or so I hear )

[Sorrel]

Yes, she shouldn't worry, anyone who can score high enough to enter these schools should be fine. I can't remember where I saw it but they looked at 11 plus scores and GCSE results for another very selective school and there was no correlation.

Skinners' is a great school and it still has plenty of boys scoring 400+ after the admissions change. I have one son who got in before the admissions change and one who got in after, and I don't get the impression it's different academically. There are differences obviously with nearly everyone in the lower years living in Tunbridge Wells. It took the PE teacher a little while to realise my son and another from ooc had never played cricket...

[elevenplusforum78]

Thanks Sorrel- If you don't mind, would you mind clarifying what you mean by the differences in the children living in Tunbridge Wells in the lower years. Thanks - I found your post really interesting, especially that academically , you can't discern a difference between pre. and post admissions change.

[Sorrel]

I just meant that before they had boys coming from a much wider range of areas including London, and now it's mainly drawn from Tunbridge Wells itself, which is going to be a difference in terms of diversity and previous experiences. It's still a great school and academically stretching etc though.

[elevenplusforum78]

Thanks Sorrel. I really appreciate your replies. Mt friend actually did some further investigating and discovered that the Judd entrance score three years ago was 372 and the year before it was in the high 360s. Its only in the most 2 recent Years that scores are so high, due to a higher number of applicants/ birth rate. I doubt very much there is much between a Skinners and Judd pupil ,once all the over tutoring and private schooling is taken away.

[Sevenoaks mum]

Three years ago Skinners changed their admission criteria, they introduced a catchment area and said that anyone scoring 360 or above within that area could get in and it would be done by distance for everyone scoring over 360. Before that they had just taken the highest scoring pupils no matter where they lived. This meant that the really high scorers from further afield and even within the catchment area, Sevenoaks etc, didn't get places at Skinners. Consequently instead of the highest scorers being split between Judd and Skinners they then all went to Judd instead which is why the score required to get into Judd is much higher now. It has very little to do with high birth rates or number of applicants.

[Sorrel]

Exactly, the highest scorers within Tunbridge Wells will mostly still go to Skinners', but Judd is now scooping up people in Kent but outside the <3 mile radius. Which also means TWGSB is probably getting some higher scorers from Sevenoaks etc who haven't quite made the higher Judd cut off.

[doodles]

Tell your friend not to worry, once everyone is in and settled things soon level out. Both my sons went to Skinners' (the younger one left during the pandemic nightmare) and are at opposite ends of the work ethic scale! They both did very well there and enjoyed it enormously, however, they both had friends at Judd who did equally well and enjoyed their school days just as much.