11 Plus Exams Forum

It was the same last year-our exam was September 2007. It stuffs up your summer holiday a bit and does mean that you have exams every 2 months until January if sitting all the boys grammars. However plus side is if you've passed you know in advance.

I was hoping the other grammars would follow suit as it is so protracted keeping them going over 4 months, but looks like they're not

I agree with you Surreymum, my son would have done better if the exams were within a few weeks. By the time Wilson's came round he was not motivated at all and I'm sure he was as fed up as I was.

I think having the test in September for Wallington is wrong as the boys are only just into Year 6 and have barely settled into their new classes. Last year we returned from holiday and had the test a week later, my son said himself he was still in holiday mode!
The only advantage is (obviously) to those who pass and are able to include it on their Caf forms knowing they at least have a chance of a place, although this is not always the case as some who passed did not get offered as the number passing was so much greater than in previous years. Heartbreaking for those who thought they had a guaranteed place.
Have I waffled on??

Yes I would be very wary of what your pass letter says. Wallington were very proud of their record up until this year of being able to offer a place to every child who passed, but clearly things changed a lot this year.

The pass mark is 326 and they offered to 339 and as far as I know up till now they have not offered significantly below this, so a large number of very disappointed children.

They sent out a variety of different letters. If you scored > 345 you got a "guaranteed place". Between 340 and 345 it said it was inconceivable that you would not get a place and I understand letters were more cautious below this, but seemed to imply it was likely a place would be offered-but don't know the precise wording.