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TIDDLYMUM
Posts: 881
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 10:19 pm

Out of area

Post by TIDDLYMUM »

Hi

I am interested in anyone who was offered places at St Ambrose, Altrincham Grammar or Sale Grammar in the past couple of years (coming from outside Trafford please?)

Did your children have very high scores?

I'm trying to establish the likelihood of getting a place (provided DS passes the exams for any of the above of course!!!!)

He is in Y5 now.

thanks.
TraffordMum
Posts: 593
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:29 pm
Location: Trafford

Post by TraffordMum »

You need to read carefully the oversubscription criteria for each of the schools in which you are interested because they are all different.

If you go to http://www.trafford.gov.uk/cme/live/dyn ... 912D9D8840 you can download the Trafford Admissions' Booklet for 2009 entry which sets out the exact criteria for entry for all Trafford secondary schools.

Briefly:

1. Ambrose, being Catholic, admits according to how Catholic you are ie practising, which primary school is attended etc. There are several levels. To the extent a category is oversubscribed the places are determined on score in the exam not on distance from Ambrose. For what it is worth, it is generally known that Ambrose struggles to fill its places and, certainly, I (non-Catholic) know at least 12 boys who attend Ambrose who, granted, are local, but who are very definitely not Catholic (ie come in the last category of oversubscription). I reckon therefore that if you are Catholic and out of area you have an excellent chance of getting in since the local non-Catholics get in and you would rank higher.

2. Alty Boys has a two tier admission. If you are local (Altrincham area and certain streets in Brooklands) then you are admitted first on the basis of distance from school. Once those places are allocated, out of area boys are admitted in strict order of score. My non-firsthand experience tells me that about 50% of the boys in each year are out of primary catchment.

3. Sale also has a two tier admission. If you are local (M33, M31, WA15, WA14, WA13 (Warburton only) and M23 (Trafford only) postcodes then distance from the school is what counts. Once all such places are filled then out of catchment places go to the highest scorers. I don't know the extent to which Sale fills its places in or out of primary catchment. There are a lot of kids who pass the Alty exams and the Sale exams in catchment who obviously can't attend both schools.
Zed 1
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:54 pm
Location: Manchester

Post by Zed 1 »

Can't say for the others but for Altrincham boys:

Last year 'out of catchment area' boys with scores over 348 were offered places.

The year before 'out of catchment area' boys with scores over 337 were made offers.

(Pass mark 334)
TraffordMum
Posts: 593
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:29 pm
Location: Trafford

Post by TraffordMum »

That's very useful info, Zed 1. Thanks for that. Is that info that the school publishes?
ConcernedMum
Posts: 64
Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:17 pm

Altrincham Grammar

Post by ConcernedMum »

I think from memory of 168 places the aim is to take 100 from within the area and the others from outside.
Zed 1
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:54 pm
Location: Manchester

Post by Zed 1 »

Traffordmum, that's info that was sent in the letters with this years test results.

I think the info may only have been sent to 'out of area' boys - to give them an idea of what to expect, given their scores. In 'catchment area' boys are guaranteed a place.

I think last year the ratio was 100(catchment area) to 80(out of area)....I'm sure I've read that somewhere!

This year, given the financial situation, I think there will be much fewer places left for out of area boys...but let's wait and see.
TraffordMum
Posts: 593
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:29 pm
Location: Trafford

Post by TraffordMum »

That's very interesting, thanks. I'm in catchment with a daughter not a son this year so no inside info on Alty Boys other than what I get from my friends with boys, all of whom are in catchment as well. I certainly haven't heard those numbers quoted so suspect you are right as to the info being given to OOC boys only.

It will be interesting to see what happens this year and what the cutoff score is.
ConcernedMum
Posts: 64
Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:17 pm

Post by ConcernedMum »

My son took the Altrincham test this year. This information was in the letter we got with his results, to give us an idea of whether he would get a place.

I think the results are moderated to ensure roughly the same number of 'in zone' boys pass, aren't they, but suspect a much higher proportion of parents will accept this year!
Zed 1 wrote:Can't say for the others but for Altrincham boys:

Last year 'out of catchment area' boys with scores over 348 were offered places.

The year before 'out of catchment area' boys with scores over 337 were made offers.

(Pass mark 334)
TIDDLYMUM
Posts: 881
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 10:19 pm

Post by TIDDLYMUM »

Hi all

Many thanks for the info, very useful.
TIDDLYMUM
Posts: 881
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 10:19 pm

Post by TIDDLYMUM »

Hi all

Many thanks for the info, very useful.
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