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When should we look round AGGS

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:14 pm
by countrymum
Hi, DD shall be going into yr 5, in september. And I am quite keen on her taking the exam,( would that be a year later after she has gone back in september ) When should we be looking at having a mooch round the school. Is it a good school those in the know.... I believe is a toughy to get in, am I right?

Thanks

Re: When should we look round AGGS

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 1:24 pm
by TraffordMum
Unfortunately you have just missed the 2011 Open Day, which was a couple of weeks ago. The next one won't be until June 2012. As far as I know, the school doesn't encourage visits outside that time (unless you are moving into the area), but you could always call Admissions and ask.

You are right that, for a daughter going into Y5 this coming September, the exam will be in September 2012.

It is an excellent school - consistently high in the league tables, but also good at sport and music. It is the hardest (along with Alty Boys) grammar to get into in Trafford, yes. However, nothing ventured, nothing gained :)

Re: When should we look round AGGS

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 3:57 pm
by countrymum
Thanks Traffordmum, shucks about the open day. May give them a ring too, like you suggested. According to DD's teachers she is currently working around 2 years ahead in some of her subjects, literacy being one of them, so quite a bright spark, though doesn't get it from me :wink: She is happy to have a look round but doesnt like to talk tests at this stage, though I am working on her, mums and dads know best and all that :D

Questions I would like to know....as very much a learner in all of this

What generally does the AGGS 11+ consist of ( how many papers, questions, and how long is the test ) I hear alot about verbal and NV reasoning.

Should I be thinking of obtaining certain books/literature related to the 11+ ( presumably in yr 5/6 )

Are their mock 11+ papers she could take to see where she is at ( again nearer the time )

I dont know if this would be known, but roughly how many girls take the exam and how many get in...do you have to get over a certain score, (how would that score equate to a %, ie do they need to get 90% right kind of thing ) and even if they pass, could you still not get in because of other reasons.

Apologies to ask lots, but knowledge is power as they say.

Thanks again

Re: When should we look round AGGS

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 4:50 pm
by TraffordMum
http://www.aggs.trafford.sch.uk/index.php/admissions" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is the AGGS admission info. The exam is VR (50 minutes), Maths (50 minutes) and NVR (2 x 10 minutes) and is set by GL Assessment (formerly called NFER). You can buy packs of sample papers through this website to see the type of questions and standard.

The cohort that sits the exam are largely self-selecting, so I don't think knowing how many take it is that useful. In order to pass you need a total score of 334 or greater (maximum 423). This is calculated by taking the raw scores for the three exams, giving each of them equal weight, and then standardising the scores to give three scores out of 141, the total of which gives the final score. If your daughter has done CATs/NFER tests at school already, this works in exactly the same way.

Assuming your daughter gets a qualifying score of 334 or over you then need to look at the order in which places are awarded at the school. AGGS has an 8 mile radius that it uses, measured from the school in a direct line to your front door (ie as the crow flies). After *looked-after* children, they first admit sisters of girls already at the school who live within the 8 mile radius, then girls within the 8 mile radius, then sisters of girls already at the school outside the radius and finally girls outside the radius.

Looking at your previous posts you say that you are about 6 miles in a direct line from AGGS. When you ring Admissions to ask about a visit ask them how far they have gone out in terms of radius for each of the last 3 years (ie 2011, 2010, 2009 intakes) as this could help you establish your chances of a place. Before 2009 the criteria were different, so not as relevant. If you find that they have only gone out as far as 5 miles, then this will obviously have an impact on chances.

Please note that score achieved only comes into play if, say, there was one place left at the school and two girls lived equally close. In that situation the girl with the higher mark would get in. Other than that, score means nothing.

AGGS admits 174 girls in each year, although in some years (eg current Y8, Y9, Y10) they admitted 203. The current Y7 is only 174, though, as is the soon to be new Y7, so I understand.)

In terms of practice, there are plenty of VR, and NVR practice books to go at. Be aware that some of the publishers cover far too many types of VR questions than are actually used in the exams themselves. This link is one to a thread which gives excellent advice as to what order the practice material for VR should be attempted. http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... =12&t=4782" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Make sure that you tackle Maths. The exam tests all KS2 material even though it takes place in the September of Y6. Look at the GL papers and you will see that you may need to cover stuff like algebra, probability and volume of shapes, in particular, along with general problem solving techniques.

It is impossible to say what % you need to be aiming at in the practice papers. You could get 50% in the actual exam, yet if everyone else gets a lower mark still end up 141 as a standardised score. That said, based on my daughters who are both at AGGS, I think an average of 85% is a good target.

Re: When should we look round AGGS

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2011 10:46 pm
by countrymum
THANK YOU so much TM, really really helpful. I really am grateful and appreciative of you taking the time to help me out. Well after the summer, I seem to have acquired a DD who sees AGGS as quite an appealing proposition for secondary school, she has gone into year five with year 6 too in her class ( she is in a small yr 5 group, and has been used to mixed classes in primary ) and has been put on most working tables with the year 6s so hopefully she is being challenged appropriately and on the right track for taking the exam next year. I have not enquired about private tutoring and not sure if it is for us, but I am very keen on seeing where academically my DD is at and do feel a little lost as to how to go about this, I know she is bright, the teachers tell me she is bright, but is she bright enough to pass the exam?

Thanks again.