The 16th Nov is Over - Can Info be Shared?

[stressedaddy]

Hello,

Seeking advice. I have recieved several PM's asking for advice on the test and format and help etc, etc. So far I have avoided the questions and request for help, (not that I am any expert on the subject) until the 16th when second round was taking place. Now that the 16th is out of way, is it ok to post info and help for next years potential parents?

Your inputs and advice would be appreciated.

[mike1880]

I think KenR has said in the fairly recent past that the same exam is taken by various groups all the way through to February (presumably people moving into the area, people who've been ill throughout the main and follow-up exams, etc.) but I can't find a post to confirm that I'm remembering correctly [edited to make clear that I don't trust my memory on this!].

Mike

[stressedaddy]

Found the post from KenR which supports the post above, thank you.

I'm not sure if today was the last date for bulk resits or not, but don't forget that there may be further exams at a later date for children moving into the region.

There was an exam last March for example to cover children of new relocatees. We know a family who relocated from Europe and whose child took the exam then.

Don't ask me how they allocate places from exam groups like this - I haven't a clue. Durham must have a sophisticated normalisation methodology I guess.

Presumably this would only apply to children who have not been given the opportunity to take any sort of 11+ exam elsewhere in the country.

Raises an interesting general question about what happens when a child passes an 11+ plus exam in one LEA or county and the parents move to another area? How do you compare 11+ exam scores between regions.

viz. If you take an 11+ exam in say Essex and pass with say a standardised score of 121, do the KE foundation just simply treat that as an equivalent score for their exams? Or do they take the Headmasters reports from their previous school?

[DIY Mum]

I'm not sure if today was the last date for bulk resits or not, but don't forget that there may be further exams at a later date for children moving into the region.

There was an exam last March for example to cover children of new relocatees. We know a family who relocated from Europe and whose child took the exam then.

Don't ask me how they allocate places from exam groups like this - I haven't a clue. Durham must have a sophisticated normalisation methodology I guess.

Presumably this would only apply to children who have not been given the opportunity to take any sort of 11+ exam elsewhere in the country.

Raises an interesting general question about what happens when a child passes an 11+ plus exam in one LEA or county and the parents move to another area? How do you compare 11+ exam scores between regions.

viz. If you take an 11+ exam in say Essex and pass with say a standardised score of 121, do the KE foundation just simply treat that as an equivalent score for their exams? Or do they take the Headmasters reports from their previous school?

[/quote]

I am confused... how exactly are tests administered at a later date for new relocatees? Isn't there a cut off point for all applications?

Just wondering as from our experience we were never under B'ham LEA. In fact, the academic year before DS took the KEG's exam we were living abroad and were told to return to the uk in order to register DS to sit the 11+ exam.
When we did return, (during the year he took the test) we were under a different LEA. He sat the exam on time, nevertheless, along with several other exams under various LEA's. And although, he did win 5/6 grammar school places- I wouldn't imagine that the KE Foundation would treat those scores as equivalent, as they are all based on different types of assessment. But also, if some children sit and pass the KEG's exam in March, will they be guaranteed a Y7 place even when they're full?

[clarendon]

I fully agree with you DIY mum. Even if children are sitting the test in March our children will have had their results so we should be free to discuss it now??? I, too, am confused as to how these "extra" pupils are awarded places.... I can understand children who are still ill on the resit day being given another chance but not so sure about "various groups"... who are they.. all sounds a bit mysterious!

[mike1880]

I can understand children who are still ill on the resit day being given another chance but not so sure about "various groups"... who are they.. all sounds a bit mysterious!

Well, if you were moving into the area after the cut-off date I imagine the process would be something like: put in a late application, take the test at some late date and then, if reaching a qualifying score, appeal against oversubscription. In which case it doesn't much matter what we post. (FWIW, final allocation is mid-Feb, but schools have had initial allocation by at least mid-Jan if not before.)

Personally, I would doubt that anything posted here is going to give anyone an advantage unless (a) someone's offspring manages remember a whole section of antonyms or something and (b) said parent is rash enough to post it verbatim.

Mike

[KenR]

I think they use a variety of methods and this depends to some extent of the school and the age/year of the child.

The particular scenario I mentioned was for a child who moved into the B/Ham area in March when the child was in year 6 and took the same test in March. In this situation, the results were already out and KE School offers made so as Mike states, this is treated as a late application.

A child who then achieves a suitable score is simply put on the waiting list at the appropriate position - probably at the top or very close to the top. There are always a few late offer rejections or parents/children who move out of the area and hence places available.

This scenario only applies for late applicants who are in year-6.

For other years the individual schools run their own tests and also look at the Yellis scores etc.

I believe Lottie's daughter decided top try to move from KE Handsworth to KE 5-Ways and took at test at the end of year-7 and got in. There were a small group of children taking the test at the same time.

This is probaly a fair way of handling it although I guess it might be frustrating for some parents whos child is on the list as they would effectively move down the list.

The other thing to bear in mind is that the waiting list officially closes in Sept of each year so the schools are free to make their own arrangements at that stage outside of central KE Foundation Office control. In KE schools the Head is King as most KE Parents know full well!

Hope this helps

[KES Parent]

If you are right, Ken, then out of area children whose parents glean useful information about the content of the test might end up pushing some of our children further down the waiting list if they don't secure a place in March. Maybe better to restrict any detailed discussion to PMs between members who know from earlier threads that their children have already taken the test. Not that I want to take over your job as Mod!

[nero hero]

Man are parents that deceitful? If this is the case I would blanket ban all post in relation to questions taken from the exams and thus prevent parents / tutors fishing.
I would be furious if I thought somebody pushed my DC via a loop-hole out of the running.. its tantamount to treason

oooooo.