Wallington Grammar Results 2010

[mydaddy]

My DS received his Wallington letter today, he was one of the lucky 445 not 450.
Does anyone know when Wilson's will be released?

[parent1965returns]

Thats just great not only did the results not turn up but despite what we had been led to believe they will have no mark when they do. The whole system seems geared to prejudice Surrey parents who can only put down 3 choices despite living relatively close to the Sutton grammar schools. The sooner this corrupt system is overhauled the better.

[Giulio]

I would share your frustration of not knowing the score.
From my experience 2 years ago, DS just passed Wallington, we knew the chance was small, but we put the school on the list anyway, but of course we had 6 places and you have 3
I think they usually end up offering a place down past position 350, so less then 100 families would waste a choice
unsure if this can make you feel better
Wilson would give you an indication if your DS passed with a score that last year would have been assigned a place
strange if Wallington doesn't do the same, let us know the wording of the letter

[Amoda]

parent1965

Like Guilio, I'm surprised Wallington has not provided you with a score. They normally tell you what your overall score is and you will receive one of 5 letters:

1. You were one of the top 120 boys who passed and they can guarantee an offer
2. You passed and it is very likely you will be made an offer
3. You have passed and it is highly likely you will be made an offer
4. You have passed but it is unlikely you will be made an offer (tends to be those who score just over the passmark of 326 into the early 330s.
5. You have not passed - they normally provide a breakdown of your ds' mark across English, Maths and VR

They also provide you with your ds rank order as well.

My ds passed the test last year and has just started there and the information above was from when we attended an induction evening in March this year.

Hope that helps.

Amoda

[Shaftsbury1]

Amoda i think that Wilsons and WCGS got together last year, and decided to change the way they release their results, and would not be as detailed as they were before.

Now that Wilsons also has its test at the same time and will be giving its results (before the caf form deadline), i do not see the harm in giving a more accurate indication to parents.

[Amoda]

Shaftsbury1 - thanks for clarifying that. Its a shame they cannot provide the level of detail as before. Now I understand the frustrations felt by others.

Like yourself, I cannot see why they cannot continue to provide that level of detail. Anything other than that is next to useless.

[MertonMum]

I believe these schools cannot give more detail until the adjudicator has made her decision about admission to the LB of Sutton boys grammar schools. I know a boy in my sons' school came first in the Wallington test last year. If they gave this detail this year and they decide that only Sutton based children can go to these great schools you can imagine the uproar from parents whose boys did well but live outside the possible new location criteria that may be put in place. The adjudicator apparently tries to give a decision on the outcome by three weeks after the final cut off point for comments to be received - which is 13th October. Hence we might not know the possible outcome until beginning of November. I totally sympathise with Surrey parents not being able to put more than three choices on the school admission application form - it should be a level playing field - and maybe this is what you need to address with the schools adjudicator.

[grammer_mum]

Hi Mertonmum,

The adjudicator for the LB sutton grammar schools will be announcing her decision before the last date of CAF i.e. 31/10/10 (As mentioned by the HM of wilsons) .Wilsons and WCGS have decided not to send in detailed info to parents this year makes us worry even more and need to wait till march '11. This is all too much for a parent like me and all the kids who are trying their best.

We still have to take all other school entrance exams till Jan'11.... and this has to stop somehow...

Worried parent..

[Plum]

I think the reasoning of the schools not giving more detailed information about the boys' scores is so that parents put on the CAF forms, their true preferences in their preferred order. Last year and going back several years before that, parents were getting caught in the "Wallington Trap", whereby the letter they received said that "your son is guaranteed a place a WCGS if you list it first on the CAF", parents were then doing this as they knew their son would get a place but then going on the waiting lists for the other grammars when those results came out, as they preferred them. This meant a lot of toing and froing on the waiting lists.

I can understand why the schools have done this, but it would be useful to get more of an indication of whether you DS is likely to get a place or not.....

[runningmum]

Without giving the score or rank to 'successful candidates', schools are merely paying lip-service to the Code and are not providing parents with any useful information. It would be simple to give out this information, without implying that the score would result in a place.
It is up to parents to then decide whether to take a chance or not. I think that they are scared that parents don't understand that there will be candidates who score highly in every test they take and think that their school won't be included if their child isn't in the top ***.
Historical information regarding previous years is only useful if the testing situation is stable and now that the tests have been moved forward to September, the situation is anything but stable. Some might suggest that it is a very expensive exercise for all concerned (parents, schools, LEAs) with little benefit to the intended recipients.