Beaconsfield High - undersubscription

Sally-Anne · Post by **Sally-Anne** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:26 pm

As a Foundation School, BHS can manage it's own Admissions, although the school recently handed back that responsibility for Year 7 - 9 to Bucks CC - presumably because they have not been undersubscribed for many years.

This year is a different matter of course, and I have heard that letters are being sent out to parents of girls in all parts of Bucks (including some who live very long distances away indeed) offering them places at BHS due to undersubscription.

The interesting nugget in the letter is: "... considerably fewer girls have qualified for a grammar school place than boys this year (70 in fact) This has resulted in there being some places available for Year 7 from September at Beaconsfield High School."

This is not actually as exceptional as it suggests - in 2008 there were 28 more qualified boys than girls, in 2007 it was 189, in 2006 it was 75 and in 2005 it was 186.

Thus, the problem is primarily geographic and peculiar to South Bucks, rather than being purely demographic, as this letter would like us to believe.

It remains good news for anyone wanting a place at BHS though.

Sally-Anne

Y · Post by Y » Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:34 pm

Does this reflect that there are more boys than girls, or that, on average, boys do better at VR tests than girls? In the past, VR scores were standardised differently for girls and boys - meaning, I understand, that girls didn't have to score as highly as boys. This would imply that if all the GSs were mixed, there would be more boys at GS than girls!

Sally-Anne · Post by **Sally-Anne** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 1:59 pm

The numbers of girls and boys taking the test is almost equal every year -for example, last year there were 3674 boys and 3618 girls.

However, with the exception of last year, when both girls and boys passed at a rate of 30%, there is usually a slightly higher pass rate among the boys - in previous years it has been 31%/29%, 30%/28% and 31%/29%.

In raw numbers that equates to somewhere between 100 and 200 more boys than girls passing each year so yes, there would be an imbalance.

Sally-Anne

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:39 pm

In the past BOYS were given extra marks ... so this is interesting!

Y · Post by Y » Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:49 pm

I was told by a teacher of long 11+ experience that it was the girls who were given extra marks!

raceytracey · Post by **raceytracey** » Sat May 02, 2009 4:19 pm

I know of three girls from our local primary school in Hertfordshire that went to see this school yesterday.

They all passed the 11+ but didnt get thier choice of Dr Chanellors or WGGS.

They have all been given Clement Danes.

If there are spaces in this school would it be first come first served so to speak as to who gets in.

I heard through the grapevine that were 19 places. Not sure if this correct.

Sally-Anne · Post by **Sally-Anne** » Sat May 02, 2009 6:17 pm

I suspect that it will now be virtually "first come, first served", especially if there are as many as 19 places.

However I also suspect that there might be some preference given to higher 11+ scores. Just a hunch ...

S-A

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Sat May 02, 2009 6:39 pm

Can they do that of the LA are allocating places? Not sure the 'foundation' aspect comes in yet.

Sally-Anne · Post by **Sally-Anne** » Sat May 02, 2009 7:49 pm

I was told that the letters being sent out are from the school itself. If that is the case, I suspect they can do pretty much as they wish from here - the published admissions criteria for over-subscription no longer apply.