HBS 2020 Consultation

[Aqua]

https://www.hbschool.org.uk/userfiles/h ... tation.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There are three proposed material changes to our admission policy, as follows:
1. Non-Verbal Reasoning and English tests to replace the current Numerical Reasoning test, to be sat in our Year 7 Entry Round One test (along with Verbal Reasoning which will remain part of the tests).
2. A new oversubscription priority to be introduced for Year 7 Entry (after Looked After Children and Pupil Premium candidates) for those who get through to Round Two (top 300 candidates) and live within 3 miles of the school.
3. For Sixth Form Entry, a slightly altered list of GCSE subjects from which the top 7 subjects will be used for ranking (to bring it in line with the subjects offered at HBS).

[ToadMum]

Re point (2):

Candidates who live within 3 miles of the school at the point when they submit their application to the
Local Authority (statutory walking distance as defined in section 444 of the Education Act 1996),
but
Distance from the School will be calculated as measured by the London Borough of Barnet. Distance is measured in a straight line between the address point for the child’s home, supplied by Ordnance Survey, to the school’s main entrance on Central Square using the Council’s computerised geographical information system.

True, it appears that the latter is only to be used to differentiate between two candidates with the same score in the 'all other applicants' category, but the policy could be more clearly set out.

Also, 'walking distance' is very helpful to know when looking at primary school appeals, but using it as a defining measurement ('statutory' or not) is bound to open a can of worms somewhere in the process that straight line distance is likely to.

Will the 3 mile category mop up girls from backgrounds which are disadvantaged, but not to the extent that they qualify for Pupil Premium places?

[loobylou]

,

Will the 3 mile category mop up girls from backgrounds which are disadvantaged, but not to the extent that they qualify for Pupil Premium places?

I wouldn't have thought so. It's a wealthy area of London. There are pockets of significant deprivation within 3 miles (eg Strawberry Vale estate and another opposite whose name I can't recall) but most of those children are likely to be PP and also educational attainment is generally so poor that teachers etc would have to be informing parents of their child's potential and encouraging their child to access support for the process very young - when it's difficult to know.
I'd have thought most of the 3 miles would be made up of the relatively well off...

[leanmeamum]

NVR is added - no indication if it will still be CEM

[Jean.Brodie]

https://www.hbschool.org.uk/userfiles/h ... tation.pdf

There are three proposed material changes to our admission policy, as follows:
1. Non-Verbal Reasoning and English tests to replace the current Numerical Reasoning test, to be sat in our Year 7 Entry Round One test (along with Verbal Reasoning which will remain part of the tests).
2. A new oversubscription priority to be introduced for Year 7 Entry (after Looked After Children and Pupil Premium candidates) for those who get through to Round Two (top 300 candidates) and live within 3 miles of the school.
3. For Sixth Form Entry, a slightly altered list of GCSE subjects from which the top 7 subjects will be used for ranking (to bring it in line with the subjects offered at HBS).

Hi Aqua! Thanks for sharing this.

93 girls started in my daughter's year in September 2010. Very, very few lived within 3 miles of the school. Isn't this proposed rule change absolute dynamite?

Has this been decided or is there a consultation underway?

[ToadMum]

https://www.hbschool.org.uk/userfiles/h ... tation.pdf

There are three proposed material changes to our admission policy, as follows:
1. Non-Verbal Reasoning and English tests to replace the current Numerical Reasoning test, to be sat in our Year 7 Entry Round One test (along with Verbal Reasoning which will remain part of the tests).
2. A new oversubscription priority to be introduced for Year 7 Entry (after Looked After Children and Pupil Premium candidates) for those who get through to Round Two (top 300 candidates) and live within 3 miles of the school.
3. For Sixth Form Entry, a slightly altered list of GCSE subjects from which the top 7 subjects will be used for ranking (to bring it in line with the subjects offered at HBS).

Hi Aqua! Thanks for sharing this.

93 girls started in my daughter's year in September 2010. Very, very few lived within 3 miles of the school. Isn't this proposed rule change absolute dynamite?

Has this been decided or is there a consultation underway?

It is out for consultation, which is a statutory requirement.

It will only be 'dymamite', if there are usually PAN or nearly PAN girls who live within three miles, but they have always come within the bottom half/ third of the top 300. Or, if it encourages so many bright locals to apply, that they squeeze all but the topmost of the top scoring further-flung candidates out of the 300.

If there isn't a significant number of locals who sit the test, let alone come in the top echelons of the top 300, the bulk of the places will still go to those who get the highest round two score, whether they live in Golders Green or Aberystwyth.

[nyr]

My impression is that the only realistic hurdle for most of the most local girls, within a 1-2 mile radius, has been the top 300. If they jump over that then a final ranking high enough to get in on the waiting list by September is, in some sense, already long established. Most of these girls will have tapped into a couple of years of expensive, 1-1 private tuition which really does alter the girls' apparent ability. I live in the area and I've seen this again and again, over several years. I guess it may be a little different further outside the 1-2 mile radius where there really might be some very bright girls who ace the Round 1 test but stumble on the Round 2 test, maybe because they haven't been able to access private tuition or simply lack the cultural capital that would help them with the written tests, but my guess is that there are few of them. In response to a recent FOI request, https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ ... ng-1262205" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, the school revealed just how few disadvantaged girls make it into the top 300 (3 for September 2017 entry and 5 for September 2018 entry which contrasts quite starkly with the 64 and 58 independently educated in each of those years).

[Aqua]

I hope that, they will not publish second round of result until 31st Oct to stop - temp/perm migration to near school.

Same time , they are offering lottery to desperate parents - Get in to top 300 and move & forgot about second round results.

[thisisnuts]

NVR is added - no indication if it will still be CEM

NVR and English added.

As far as I'm aware, CEM does not have an "English" component. CEM VR covers all vocab work and English comprehension. So unless they are playing fast and loose with the CEM definitions (or maybe planning to use multiple providers), it does look like round 1 won't be CEM next year.

[Daogroupie]

It says "from a nationally recognised body" so it is going to be from one provider.

You could certainly call some aspects of CEM VR "English". DG