11 Plus Exams Forum

having got one daughter into SGHS I see they've applied for Academy Status and I wondered if anyone knew what effect that might have on their admissions policy. I know they're responsible for it now, where they take the top 28% of in-area childrena dn set the pass mark based on that. However i was wondering if they had indicated any change to that whereby they do away with "catchment", which presumably would mean they just took the top X% of applicants - with some effecton the pass mark as the children taking the test would potentially be from further afield.

There's nothing on their webnsite beyond the information from a meeting back in january, but I see from the government's website that they have now been accepted as an academy. Anyone with a daughter there have any more information (or anyone know how it works with academies)?

Thanks

Hi Andy

I haven't heard anything about changes to the catchment area, in fact haven't really heard much about their plans at all - they aren't the most communicative place....
I suspect though that they might like the idea of doing without a catchment...


edit: seems as though they have changed their name already - I have a Standing order with them and have to now change it to Skipton Girls High School Academy Trust

I was wondering whether that might be the case (although according to the stuff they already do), but I would also question whether they'd change unilaterally if Ermies didn't. There's also the question of who they'd get to administer it as presumably that's a service they "buy" from the LEA. I'm not sure how much it would skew the passmark, or indeed whether they'd be prepared to suffer the PR backlash in exchange for slightly more able children (it's not as if their results are poor now anyway!). Is there any evidence that schools with no catchment have higher entry standards than those like the Skipton schools that do, but also take a significant proportion from elsewhere?

They'd have to announce a change by April 15 2012 to affect the 2013 intake, apparently.

I think the Skipton schools are curious - the passmark is set at 28% of the local kids then OOC have to reach the same score.

I don't really feel that 28% is particularly selective compared with some other schools around the country but nevertheless the results at t'other end are impressive - particularly at A level, and it is not as though there is a huge intake of kids into the 6th form to skew these.

Currently OOC kids who pass have a very good chance of getting a place, some amazing balance of the score and the number of parents opting to give it a go .... the total passing is often close to the 112...

I really can't work out if opening it totally and taking the top 112 would have THAT much effect on already good results - might have kids travelling quite a long way - the trains and buses from 'arrygate, ilkley and Leeds might be busy busy but would it be worth it?

Sort of "watch this space "i think

They'd have to announce a change by April 15 2012 to affect the 2013 intake, apparently.

They usually consult on changes to admissions policy in the January, for the next September intake.

I personally think it unlikely they would remove the catchment area. It would be too contentious!

On the government's academy page it talks about admissions policy changes, and that says that they have to have agreed changes (following consultation) by April the year before any changes. Guess that'd make sense as offers for the September of the same year would have been made in the March.

I too think it's doubtful they'd change anything in the short term - the reasoning for the move is to give them more control of their budget and to get the "top up" £300k that currently the LEA takes for the services they provide. To then stop being a "Skipton school for Skipton children" (which is how it would be reported, presumably! In fact I saw a letter in the local paper that suggested that now they ought to take a higher proportion of the intake locally) would leave them open to a charge of being disingenuous at best. I agree with HM that it's difficult to predict what it'd do to the passmark - how many extra bright children from further away would there be who currently don't apply because they feel they're too far away? As you say the number passing at the 28% mark do seem to be very close to the 112 in many years - don't think they even got that many this year, did they?

Guess that'd make sense as offers for the September of the same year would have been made in the March.

Yes, I worded that poorly. In January 2011 they would have been consulting about admissions policy for entry in September 2012. http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/lea ... rangements" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I expect there will be changes as they are considering a simplified admissions code.

Is that SGHS who are considering or the government?

Haven't seen anything on the SGHS website (but it does seem to be somewhat infrequently updated...).

I was referring to the govt. School Admission Code

govt. wrote:The current School Admissions Code and School Admission Appeals Code were presented to Parliament on 4 December 2008 and came into force 10 February 2009. The codes apply to all maintained schools and academies in England.

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adm ... egulations" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No plans to change, we hear.