Graveney - various queries

[ClappedOutMum]

Hi GraveneyLady

I supposed I'd like help judging whether DC has a chance of doing well enough this coming Sept. What sort of mark should DC be getting in what sort of practice paper to see if it is a runner or not?

Thanks for any guidance you can give!

COM

[GraveneyLady]

The maximum score achievable in the combined papers is 282.

In most years, we are offering at 275 on March 1st, and around 270 by September 1st.

The scores this year were quite low across the board, but it is safest to assume that the higher scores are normal.

[ClappedOutMum]

Thanks, but those are standardised scores which don't really tell us (or at least me) enough to guage whether we are being realistic.

If I got a set of fairly typical Bond practice papers, should we be aiming for my DC to get 95% or 100% (or whatever) to have a realistic chance?

I know its hard to compare the supposedly unavailable Wandswoth test with those commercially available, but someone out there somewhere must ( ) have some idea of how it compares and what "raw" score (approximately) would be needed on those practice papers.

And also how it compares with the Tiffin tests.

[tiffinboys]

Hi all - I'm back under a new name.

Welcome back.
Very happy to see you again in the forum.

[GraveneyLady]

I've never seen a Tiffin test so can't comment on that.

The guidance given by Wandsworth is that the following packs are recommended by GL Assessment for preparation for the Wandsworth Test, if you choose to prepare your child before the day.

• Multiple Choice Verbal Reasoning
Pack, ISBN 9780708719879.
• Multiple Choice Non-Verbal Reasoning
Pack, ISBN 9780708719862.

In previous years a child would have needed a score of over 95% to be reasonably sure of being offered a place at Graveney under the selective criterion.

I suggest that parents who do preparation and who are using Bond have a look at the recommended tests to see how they compare.

[ClappedOutMum]

Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts as to why the "cut-off" was so low this year - 253 compared to something normally like 270 (out of 282).

Also - for the staticians! - what does 253 mean in terms of percentile? I believe 270 means you need to be in top 2-3% of exam takers (the famous you need to score 95/96/97% to get into Graveney). What with the bell curve, 253 is presumably much much lower. But how much?

So this tells us that loads of kids taking the Wansdworth test did much much higher than those who actually applied for Graveney. What's going on this year?

More importantly - is this a trend for the future?

[London_Mum]

I am very definitely not a statician but wondered whether this being a very low birth rate year had an impact on required scores? The in catchment mark required for Nonsuch was much lower than normal too.

[Snowdaddy]

In previous years a child would have needed a score of over 95% to be reasonably sure of being offered a place at Graveney under the selective criterion.
.

I think this year (and it applies to a number of schools, not just this one) is that this year schools had to give indications of test results before applications. However parents could only guess pass marks based on the old blind system (as its the first year of pre-application results). I suspect it has distorted the applications, as previously there would be many that sat a test hoping to get in, but now maybe if you were a few marks below the historic September pass marks might have changed your plan and considered it a waste of one of the 6 choices on the application form.

Eventually there may be figures issued for numbers who sat the test and numbers of applications, my hunch is applications (one of the 6 choices on the CAF) will be a lot lower than previous years even if numbers tested are similar.

[tiffinboys]

Just to clarify, Graveney tests were after CAF deadline this year. So parents would not have known the scores.

However, most applicants in the top order would also have taken the tests for other schools and may have put Graveney lower in their order of preferences.

253 would still be in the top 4% or so of those taking the test. If some one knows the number of children who sat for the Wandsworth test, the cut off rank could be estimated. As I understand, all the children in Wandsworth primaries have to take this test, together with children from other boroughs interested in selective places in Wandsworth secondaries.

Clappedoutmum, if you are concentrating on Tiffin test, Graveney and Slough consortium tests would be more than adequately covered. And of course, covering for Indies tests would also prepare your kid very well for the Sutton grammars test, which are in English/maths only this year.

[ClappedOutMum]

Eventually there may be figures issued for numbers who sat the test and numbers of applications, my hunch is applications (one of the 6 choices on the CAF) will be a lot lower than previous years even if numbers tested are similar.

Actually, the number of applications seems to be consistent with previous years - over 2100 for Graveney. Its just that the standard of even the best 63 of those applicants is much lower than normal.

I am very definitely not a statician but wondered whether this being a very low birth rate year had an impact on required scores?

Another good hypothesis, but not sure that is correct either. As just mentioned, the number of applications was consistent with past years. Its just that most of those applicants would seem to have received offers from a higher choice.

However, most applicants in the top order would also have taken the tests for other schools and may have put Graveney lower in their order of preferences.

Yes - it might be something like this. But why then this year did so many of the "better" applicants put down the other schools compared to previous years?

253 would still be in the top 4% or so of those taking the test. If some one knows the number of children who sat for the Wandsworth test, the cut off rank could be estimated. As I understand, all the children in Wandsworth primaries have to take this test, together with children from other boroughs interested in selective places in Wandsworth secondaries.

There are around 2000 Y6 leavers from Wandsworth primaries this year (according to the Dept of Education site) - all of whom take the Wandsworth test. However, not sure how many non-W DCs take the test and can't think of a way of finding out. Perhaps GraveneyLady knows?