Number of children sitting the 11 plus

pippy85 · Post by **pippy85** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:17 pm

My DD recieved no extra points due to her, being born very close to the start of September. We were told by admissions , that if she had been born a month or so later she would have been offered an automatic place in the Grammar School, she wanted. We did go to appeal, twice, but dispite being told we were one of the strongest cases, they declined to offer our DD a place.She was already on the waiting list and because of the process that follows, she went up and down , until finishing at position 2.This waiting list was scrapped on Aug 31st, But saying that she has settled into her new Secondary School really well, made some excellent new friends and continues to try hard in all subjects.
LS Sch took a total of 20 extra after appeal
R High took a total of 1
Over the past 3 years LsSch has taken a total of 58 extra boys after appeal
R high have taken 2

They allocate 94 places each year on the selection process, but infact, the local authority know that LS Sch, will always take up to an extra 20 after appeal.They cannot publish this because of equally oportunities.

Ed's mum · Post by **Ed's mum** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:27 pm

Yes, Pippy85, that is what I was told too. They ALWAYS go over PAN at LSS which is super for parents of boys and lousy if you have a girl.
We live in a little village in Leicestershire which is just out of catchment and a small amount of children here take the test - they tend to be the ones who have parents who are aware of the system in Rugby; most are not.
Any boy in this village who has received a qualifying score has managed to secure a place at LSS. Any girl here with a qualifying score has failed to receive a place at RHS.

pippy85 · Post by **pippy85** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:45 pm

This really needs to be addressed, our DD's are missing out. Boys that scored lower than our DD all now have a place at LS. LS are constantly expanding but apprently the L/A are unaware of this despite the local publicity.

Ed's mum · Post by **Ed's mum** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:49 pm

I agree it's not fair.
Some would say that it's also unfair for me to enter my children when they are out of catchment though!!
Conversely, I didn't choose for there to be no grammar option in this county, and we cannot always choose where we live...
I hope it works out well for you. I went to RHS and many of my friends from middle school that went to the local comp did just as well if not better.

Boredwithitall · Post by **Boredwithitall** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:50 pm

I thought I'd come out of the woodwork.

There will always be inequality where there are single sex schools.
DS is now in LSS from September - after appeal.
He was 12th on the waiting list on 1st March.
The waiting list included those out of priority circle boys not offered in the first round.
739 children tested for 2008 entry - 346 boys.
DS Position 206 out of 739
DS 110 out of 346 boys
Automatic cut off score - (standardised) 214
Children with 205 - 214 who requested LSS placed on waiting list - unless offered higher preference
Children with 203 - 214 who requested RHS placed on waiting list - unless offered higher preference
Children with 198 - 214 who requested Ashlawn - selective placed on waiting list - unless offered higher preference
The lowest score for a girl offered RHS on 1st March was 207 - DS was higher than this and was 12th on LSS waiting list!
This was apparently the first time ever that the girls' school entry (as of 1st March) was with a lower standardised score than for boys.

DD now in Year 9 wasn't successful with the 11 plus - but a September birthday didn't help. She wasn't in the next 20 below those automatically offered RHS - so we didn't go down an equal opportunities legal route - but probably would have it if she had been!

DS2 is currently in year 4............Having read preparation advice threads...........Would you like to rate my chances of getting him to read Little Women?.............And would it be much more effective for him to read it from his Grandmothers original copy from her childhood ......60 years ago?

Charlotte67 · Post by **Charlotte67** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:23 am

Hi Boredwithitall (you & me both BTW),

Thanks for posting those interesting facts. I'd like to add that I know of 4 boys who turned down places at LSS - presumably there would have been quite a few more as I don't know that many people in Rugby! Do you know whether those out of the priority area were placed on the waiting list in order of standardised score? If so it appears there can't have been many from outside sitting the test if your DS was only 12th on the list? The impression we're given is that there are scores of extremely bright children from miles around battling for places...

Another point - you mention that the lowest score offered a place at RHS on 7th March was 207; Do you know the lowest at LSS on that date? My understanding is that anything below 214 but above ???(waiting list score) would have been considered boarderline and looked at by the panel. The girl who scored 207 would have been assessed in for good reason (no, I don't know her!). I do know of one girl who scored 208 and was not offered a place, I'm sure there were many more.

Regarding the equal oportunities route - a friend tried that this year at appeal and was told in no uncertain terms that they would not discuss the matter and that it was not grounds for appeal.