Should we have put 4 schools?

[Jackie]

Hi, have been trying not to dwell on the allocation date but this week I have been told that I've limited my childs chances by only putting 2 grammars then 1 comp and that the grammar I didn't put is less popular so you get a better chance. Any thoughts?

[Guest]

Hi, have been trying not to dwell on the allocation date but this week I have been told that I've limited my childs chances by only putting 2 grammars then 1 comp and that the grammar I didn't put is less popular so you get a better chance. Any thoughts?

What did you put down as your grammars? It would probably have been best to put 3 grammars just to maximise your child's chances but you have the comp on there which is important.

[Karen]

We only put 2 grammars and 1 comp because they were the only schools my son was interested in attending. It's important to put your genuine preferences. If you had only three, then that's ok. Better to get what you really want, rather than any school - as long as it's grammar. That could be dangerous, especially if it's a "less popular" school. Would your child be happy there?

Best of luck.
K

[Jackie]

You're right, we only put the schools she liked but now realise that this could mean that she may not get a grammar place at her chosen schools but may possibly have got into the other if it's less popular. I hope she's done well enough to gain a place at one of the 2 grammars but the we really liked the comp too so it's not the end of the world. We put Chelmsford, then Southend and local comp have n idea if she's done enough as I still don't understand the scoring, I only know that the reserved places for the Southend Council scores are to take in the top 25% of ability. Would love to know how much more those outside need to score to get in.Glad you're all out there and I'm not the only one who's still got the 11+ on their mind.

[Shrimpergarry]

Oh we're still all here!

It's a bit like panning for gold, keep returning to the river every day sifting for a tiny piece of information to help the weeks pass until 1st March!

[Guest]

You're right, we only put the schools she liked but now realise that this could mean that she may not get a grammar place at her chosen schools but may possibly have got into the other if it's less popular. I hope she's done well enough to gain a place at one of the 2 grammars but the we really liked the comp too so it's not the end of the world. We put Chelmsford, then Southend and local comp have n idea if she's done enough as I still don't understand the scoring, I only know that the reserved places for the Southend Council scores are to take in the top 25% of ability. Would love to know how much more those outside need to score to get in.Glad you're all out there and I'm not the only one who's still got the 11+ on their mind.

When my daughter sat it last year we put Chelmsford, Westcliff and Southend. When we got the results, the position she came for Westcliff and Southend were different by about 40 odd places. She came higher for Southend (around 30th) so her chances of a place there were obviously higher as well. She actually managed to get a place at Chelmsford but they don't have the same rules as Southend in terms of living in and out of the borough. Looking at the league tables this year, Southend did incredibly well and beat Westcliff (they seem to be taking Westcliff over at the moment maybe due to the head who was deputy head at KEGS before). We were told last year that the children outside the borough had to basically get 7-10% more. Don't believe them when they tell you they have to get 85%+ in the VR for the Southend schools - it isn't true!

[Jackie]

Thanks guest it's good to hear from people who've actually been through it as there is so much speculation. I hope your daughter is enjoying Chelmsford, we were surprised how much we liked it when we visited based on it's former reputation as a 'hothouse', how did you manage with the wait, were you confident in getting the place?

[Guest]

Thanks guest it's good to hear from people who've actually been through it as there is so much speculation. I hope your daughter is enjoying Chelmsford, we were surprised how much we liked it when we visited based on it's former reputation as a 'hothouse', how did you manage with the wait, were you confident in getting the place?

My daughter absolutely loves it there and is thriving (I keep asking her if she is struggling or finding it difficult but she says she is fine and the teachers are all lovely). We were the same when we went to visit it. We took our daughter when she was in year 5 and year 6 to see if her opinion of it had changed but she still wanted it as her first choice and I have to say I thought it was the best of the bunch and the fact that they made such an effort on the opening evenings was encouraging (I wasn't sure they would as they have so manny girls trying to get in there anyway). The wait was agonising. When my son did it he sat the 11+ in January and that wait was bad enough. This was worse as we knew she was desperate to go there and I was more worried about her feeling that she 'failed' if she didn't get a place. I was not confident at all about her getting a place as her primary school let the kids down in year 6 with poor teaching etc and when she came out of the exam and started to give some of the answers she gave to the maths questions (which were wrong!) and said she found the English difficult and guessed, I convinced myself she hadn't made it. Just shows that you mustn't read too much into their feedback!! I hope your daughter gets the school she wants. I really know how you feel with the wait - it is horrible especially as the schools know the results much earlier.

[Jackie]

Thanks guest, do you think the papers have been marked and the allocation of places is going on? To think there's a list somewhere with their marks on and we don't know is an odd feeling. I'm not loking forward to opening the letter either, should we or should she?

[Guest]

Thanks guest, do you think the papers have been marked and the allocation of places is going on? To think there's a list somewhere with their marks on and we don't know is an odd feeling. I'm not loking forward to opening the letter either, should we or should she?

Yes, the papers have been marked and the schools have been given the list of names of pupils that have been successful. It is a horrible thought I agree, but there is nothing you can do but wait for the results. I think January tends to be a slow month anyway following Christmas so once that is out of the way, it will fly by. I think as long as you or a family member are with her, let her open it, but this is something that always causes a debate - you have to go with your own instincts and the type of child you have (and how you think you will react depending what the letter says!). Some parents open it so they are ready in case it is bad news and then they can compose themselves for when the child sees it. I know I tossed and turned the night before and the next morning was awful waiting for the postman (plus I was at work so had to get my mum to check it had arrived). Good luck!!