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Eleven Plus (11+) in Bexley and Bromley

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virtualmomma
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:15 pm
Location: Thamesmead

Hello!

Post by virtualmomma »

I'm new to this forum (which I am sooo glad I stumbled upon), so I thought I'd introduce myself.
I'm Edi, mum to 4 children and 1 step-son. DD1 is 9 and has just started Year 5 and my step-son is 13 and is in Year 9 of a Grammar school in Bexley.

I'll shall be popping into this forum from time to time over the next year, whilst we go through the secondary selection process....again! :roll:
~I think animal testing is a terrible idea; they get all nervous and give the wrong answers.~
Bexley Mum 2
Posts: 851
Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:55 pm
Location: Bexley

Post by Bexley Mum 2 »

Virtualmomma - thought I'd say hello! We don't have enough posters on the Bexley thread so it's always nice to welcome someone new.

I see from your location that you probably face the same issues as we do/have done, as the north part of Bexley is fairly cut off from the grammar schools. Are you looking at any schools in particular?

I've also got a child in year 5 - it's hard to imagine, isn't it, that they'll be the next children to sit the tests! Mine is the 'baby' of the family and I can't imagine putting him through all that. I've gone through it twice in the last three years, so I know how stressful it is!
virtualmomma
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:15 pm
Location: Thamesmead

Post by virtualmomma »

Hi Bexley Mum 2.
Yep! I have been keeping up with all the furthest distances for all the Grammars in Bexley. Going by previous years, it seems that Townley is DD's best bet as far as Grammars are concerned although it seemed that Bexley Grammar was also a consideration at one stage then the distance dropped drammatically.
I'm still not sure if it is worth putting more then one Grammar school on a CAF. It seems very unlikely that if your child doesn't get into their first choice that their 'heavily oversubscribed' second choice Grammar is going to have space :?
We are also looking at the entrance exams for music scholarships + burseries for some of the independents. Their exams seem to follow a similar format so it might be worth considering as dd will probably be at Grade 3/4 violin by that time.
I've also got a child in year 5 - it's hard to imagine, isn't it, that they'll be the next children to sit the tests! Mine is the 'baby' of the family and I can't imagine putting him through all that. I've gone through it twice in the last three years, so I know how stressful it is!
I know how you feel, although dd is my oldest she is pretty much 'babied', it's hard to believe she will soon be hitting double figures, and travelling to school on her own :shock: ....now there's a scary thought!
~I think animal testing is a terrible idea; they get all nervous and give the wrong answers.~
Bexley Mum 2
Posts: 851
Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:55 pm
Location: Bexley

Post by Bexley Mum 2 »

We looked at Colfe's last year - a wonderful school. They offer scholarships for academic achievement (ie scoring highly in the entrance exam); sport and music. But I fear the scholarships are not necessarily very big. Happy hunting!
2childmum
Posts: 523
Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2008 4:02 pm
Location: S E London

Post by 2childmum »

You will be considered equally for all the schools you put on your CAF - the schools are sent a list of everyone who put them on their list in whichever position, without telling them where they are on your list. The schools then order everyone according to their oversubscription criteria and send that list back to the LEA who will offer you the one highest on your list which you got a place at. You have as much chance at a school 6th on your list as somebody who put it 1st. So you could list all the grammars and be considered equally for them all.

Hope that makes sense - I'm sure someone else could explain it better!

I have heard (or heard of) 2 heads in the last week say that if you don't put them first you won't get a place - it's not true. I wish there was something to stop them!
Bexley Mum 2
Posts: 851
Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:55 pm
Location: Bexley

Post by Bexley Mum 2 »

The thing is that, Virtualmomma's best chance is with Townley, because of distance. If she puts that down on her CAF then there's little point in putting down Bexley Grammar or Chis & Sids as they have shorter distances. So, if Virtualmomma junior passes her 11+ (fingers crossed) and Townley is her first choice she will get that if she qualifies on distance. If she doesn't qualify for distance on Townley, she won't get either of the others (unless she gets one of the top 180 scores of course!)
2childmum
Posts: 523
Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2008 4:02 pm
Location: S E London

Post by 2childmum »

Yes that's true - but it wasn't clear if she liked Townley best - she could put others down, followed by Townley and that wouldn't jepodise her chances for later preferences.

I do appreciate how difficult it is for those in the north of the borough who would like a grammar school place - the whole situation is so unfair! The grammar schools do seem to be clustered around one part of the borough. Maybe they should move one further north (huge outcries from all of us who live in the south!) :?
Bexley Mum 2
Posts: 851
Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:55 pm
Location: Bexley

Post by Bexley Mum 2 »

Bexley Admissions are very proud of the fact that no Bexley child who passed the 11+ last year failed to secure a selective place. Sounds good, doesn't it, until you enquire further and they tell you that they are including the selective stream at Erith. I think it's an outrageous claim because grammar schools are about so much more than teaching. And I don't believe the grammar stream at Erith is any different than the fast track they used to have at Bexleyheath, or any other stream of more able children in a non-selective school.

I was forgetting as well, that Virtualmomma has a stepson at a Bexley grammar school so, unless he's at Beths, the sibling rule would come into play and distance wouldn't be relevant.
Tracy
Posts: 1123
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:28 am
Location: Bexley

Post by Tracy »

A child passing the 11+ can expect so much more at a grammar than at Erith. Visit Erith and you will see what I mean. The behavoir is something else!
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