Stressing already about NEXT years Fort Pitt admissions :(

tiredmum · Post by **tiredmum** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 3:20 pm

well i think the problem is that the council use their measuring system, and that isnt always the way we would measure the distance - i looked on google an the distance was just under 4 miles but the geo measuring system may measure it differantly.

also with what you are saying my friends dd was probably just on the cut off distance, then they may use scores i think

rubyhettybetty · Post by **rubyhettybetty** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 3:19 pm

I emailed Fort Pitt and asked them, and they replied that the furthest offer of a place was just over 4 miles away; we're 7.2 miles away!

I wonder if they might consider upping their intake again next year?

I would imagine DD1 would get offered Rochester Grammar on score (I think she will do well) but then DD2 would not make that grade - and I kinda wanted them to be together

medwaymix · Post by **medwaymix** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 5:45 pm

Am also preparing for next year and avidly reading all the posts which has been very helpful if rather daunting. Like rubyhettybetty I have been investigating the current situation and there is only one girls' grammar still with places this year apparently. If this were to happen next year and you didn't get Fort Pitt or Rochester am assuming you would be given the other one as long as it is on the form. Is that right?

Am interested to see that if you don't get Fort Pitt you will get Rochester on score - how does that work?

Sorry to seem a bit dim here.

tiredmum · Post by **tiredmum** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 6:40 pm

If you put on your form - for example -
Fort Pitt first
Rochester Second
Chatham girls third

Admissions will first try and get you into fort pitt. They look at the distance, so after kids in care etc they have places allocated by distance. Nearest first. So if 120 were nearer than you then they would look at Rochester grammar. Rochester look at scores. Once they have allocated their 165 places they stop. If your dd was not in the top 165 scores of those who applied your application would then go to chatham girls. Hope that helps

medwaymum · Post by **medwaymum** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 7:08 pm

medwaymix wrote: Am interested to see that if you don't get Fort Pitt you will get Rochester on score - how does that work?

No thats not how it works. Tiredmum has it correct. When you submit your CAF form, the LEA looks at each school preference and whether you conform to that particular school's oversubscribtion criteria. You would not get Rochester in this instance unless you (as Tiredmum stated) was in the top 165 (scores) that applied to Rochester.

Caution to everybody with children in year 5. When you receive your Secondary Admission booklet - read it front to back, back to front and over and over again until you are sure you understand it. It is more difficult to change/correct things at a later stage.

medwaymix · Post by **medwaymix** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:35 pm

Thank you tm and mm. To summarise and to check for myself - if we put Fort Pitt as our first choice but don't get in on distance - and if we have a very high score we will get Rochester regardless of distance?

Having been to the Open Evenings and some of the Open Days we do want Fort Pitt, but we also liked Rochester so - as long as DD does the stuff - we could get one of the two.

At least in Medway it seems that if you are assessed grammar you will get a grammar school which does not appear to be the case for some poor parents currently in Kent from what I read on their forum.

Thanks also for the advice about the admissions book, I shall certainly read it thoroughly with a view to appearing on Mastermind with it as my special subject

tiredmum · Post by **tiredmum** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:06 pm

Yes if your dd is a high scorer then if Fort pitt could not give you a place on distance and you had Rochester second then your daughter should be allocated there if she is in the top 165 scores. The cut off score for Rochester obviosuly changes each year

medwaymix · Post by **medwaymix** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 6:34 am

Many thanks tiredmum. I have no doubt I will have many other questions as the year goes by, but that is very helpful and confirms our intial thinking here.

rubyhettybetty · Post by **rubyhettybetty** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:14 am

You are in exactly the same position as me then MedwayMix - yep, the admissions criteria are different for Fort Pitt & Rochester Grammar - Fort Pitt is distance after the usual looked after/ siblings, whereas Rochester Grammar is score - so i would put down
1 Fort Pitt
2 Rochester Grammar
3 Chatham Grammar

but expect to be offered Rochester Grammar...hoping that DD does well in the test. Obviously this is super (if it comes off!!) but DD2 is not as academic so doubt she will make the grade for Rochester Grammar

then DD3 comes along as well!!! Aaargh, going through this 3 times in 4 yrs

As a matter of interest, there are very few girls in Year 5 at our school, anyone else got this ?

dadofkent · Post by **dadofkent** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:44 am

rubyhettybetty wrote:
but expect to be offered Rochester Grammar...hoping that DD does well in the test. Obviously this is super (if it comes off!!) but DD2 is not as academic so doubt she will make the grade for Rochester Grammar

There really is not much difference between a "basic" Medway pass and an RGS pass. So if you doubt DD2 could make the grade for RGS you should maybe consider whether she would pass11+ assessment test. Conversely if you feel she could get a "basic" pass, not much more is required for RGS.