11 Plus Exams Forum

Okay, so the pass mark is 525. Quite high this year according to previous years. We are OCC and aiming for Rochester Girls - DD scored 509, which according to another website would have been a pass in the past previous 3 years, so she is very disappointed right now. can anyone advise whether a review might be worth a shot - especially as we were aiming for Rochester? (We wouldn't get her into any of the others we don't think). Any advice is welcome even if it isn't want we might want to hear! Thanks

There is a lot of good advice on the other website you have referred to.

I'm not sure what you lose by a review - I know that in theory, it is supposed to prevent you then from making an appeal, but there is so often a procedural mistake which will then allow you to query the review and go to appeal. I suppose the only reason that I wouldn't, would be if the school work was not of a very good standard - then it might be better to hold your nerve, carry on working and try and show a big improvement by appeal time.

Not that it will help, but the level of the mark doesn't relate to relative difficulty year to year, but is a function of how they standardise in Medway and how many took the exam - so sadly it doesn't mean your DD would have passed in the past three years.

I suppose one argument against review is that the RGS entrance mark is almost invariably higher than the pass mark, and if your DD was passed on review, she would get the pass mark, nothing higher. Two years ago they took all the girls who applied, even those who passed on review - but that was the smallest year of applicants following a run of lower birth rates. We are now on an upward curve, (and I think there are more applicants from Kent), so I would expect the entrance mark to be above the pass mark.

Presumably she also took the Kent, unless you are really OOC, so you still have another chance?

Good luck with whatever you decide.

I'm sorry that the results were not what you were hoping for. How far OOC are you? What level was your DD at in Y5 SATS.

Unfortunately that is not a near miss and RGS over subsciptions criteria is based on results and then distance in the case of a tie. I hate to be the one to ask if the result is a true reflection of DD ability? As previously posted, there is nothing to lose in a review but keep your expectations in check and start looking at plan B as well.

The Medway test results from my DDs cohort seemed fairly accurate based on the kids and their abilities. Feedback from my DD and her friends who took both Medway and Kent test is that the Kent test was alot harder. I know a number of parents who opted for the Medway test who live in the bordering areas because they were fearful of the new Kent test. If the Kent test results throw out some unusal results, it will place more pressure on the Medway GSs.

Good luck