Who Knows......

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stressedaddy
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 2:49 pm

Who Knows......

Post by stressedaddy »

A questiion regarding applications to KEGS and not Independent schools.


Other than the LEA, who else in the process knows which children have been successful in gaining a place at one of the KEGS. Much has been said that heads of primaries know well in advance, but I am not convinced that is the case.

The LEA letters informing parents which school their children will be going to are already printed and ready for the posting ( I assume). So, someone other than the LEA must know, it would be nice to know the process of communication.

For example, do the heads of KEGS know?, do the governors know?

Why am I asking, just out of genuine curiosity, and no other reason.
fm

Post by fm »

Well, yes, the heads and admininstration staff at KEGS will know because they are going to be sending out letters to the successful candidates which will arrive at the successful candidates' homes very soon after the 1st March.

But then it will be just a list of names to them unless they happen to have a son or daughter on the list.

It is much more meaningful to the primary school staff who, I know, have been known to gasp in amazement at some of the children who make the cut because they don't realise it is testing something quite different to what is taught in primary school.
freddy
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2009 2:50 pm

Post by freddy »

Do the letters to children who have gained a place at KEGS go out earlier than the 1st March ?? I only ask because last year a boy at DS's school knew he had passed for KEFW the day before everyone else got their emails from the LEA. I'm sure I heard they had received a letter from the school.
stressedaddy
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 2:49 pm

Post by stressedaddy »

I only ask because last year a boy at DS's school knew he had passed for KEFW the day before everyone else got their emails from the LEA. I'm sure I heard they had received a letter from the school.
If that was the case than all children with offers would know. Unfortunately, there have many rumours and speculations surrounding this.
fm

Post by fm »

Well, none of my pupils received their letters before their e-mails. I remember one receiving a letter from Five Ways the day later, having not signed up for e-mail.

Two years ago, the order was e-mail, letter on the same day, letter telling scores for Sutton exam on same day, regardless of whether it was your destination school, letter from King Edward a day or two later. I remember this because I didn't bother waiting up to open the e-mail (I need my beauty sleep and had already decided not to tell my daughter until she returned from school so chose to wait until she had gone to school before finding out results) and, when I did get round to logging on, I hadn't received any e-mail anyway so had to log on to the Education Authority website and eventually discovered the result about 10.30am, only half an hour before I received the letter in the post along with the letter with Sutton Grammar results.

Last year, my pupils who had registered by e-mail received their results a clear day before snail-mail as I believe will be the case this year. Last year no results for Sutton were posted (2008 being the first and last year this was done) and, if you wanted them, you had to write to the education authority.

There are always rumours going around of anomalies but I suspect most are just rumours. Also both children and parents can be economical with the truth when it comes to such matters.

I would recommend to anyone who has a disappointing result that they write to the foundation office immediately to get their child's scores. Not only will this give you a realistic idea how far child is away from achieving desired school so it does not prolong the agony, you are in with a better chance of a fairly immediate reply before they are hit by a deluge of letters requesting scores, often from people who have actually achieved their first choice school.
freddy
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2009 2:50 pm

Post by freddy »

Thanks for clearing that up fm. Sorry to be a pain but how does it work if my DS is not successful ? I write to foundation office for scores, do they then tell me how far off the mark he was or do I have to request that as well ?? I was told there is a waiting list - is that something you have to ask to be put on if your score is close or are you automatically on that list ?
Can you go into foundation office and ask for scores or does it have to be in writing ??
My DS was so negative after the test, I want to be fully prepared !!!
fm

Post by fm »

No, that's fine. It is much wiser to be prepared for failure.

I would have your letter written beforehand, requesting scores and enclosing a SAE, and take it down to the Foundation Office on the day if you really want an urgent reply. They usually want a request for scores in writing so this way you are prepared. If they are too busy or not willing to deal with it immediately, then you can always leave it and know you are going to be top of the pile for a response.

As to scores and waiting lists, I can only give you what has happened in the past and may not be valid for this year.

Generally, if you are one point off the cut off score and there aren't too many people on that score who live nearer than you do, then you can be reasonably hopeful that you may eventually get your school some time after allocation day. If you are two points off, then your chances are fairly slim but better for some schools (e.g. Handsworth Girls') than others. Any more than this and you would not normally get high enough up the waiting list by September.

I believe you will be automatically on this waiting list until the 31st of August when it will then be torn up. When you request your scores, you will be told where you are on your waiting list.

After the 1st September, you have to request to be put on the waiting list for any resits that usually take place in the second term of Year 7 if any vacancies have arisen at a particular school.

Again, things may be different this year. I heard that Camp Hill Boys is no longer going to over-offer to the extent it usually does. Normally it makes offers to 120 boys for 93 places, betting that about 30 will choose KES over it. If it decides to reduce its offer number, assuming the recession means less take KES instead of it, but turns out to be wrong in its assumption, then there may be more movement than usual because of this.

From the point of view of your sanity, however, I would assume that 1 off is hopeful and anything else would be a delightful surprise. One of my pupils had this delightful surprise in July one year, having been 2 points off for Aston.

As to appeals, very few are granted (about 4 or 5 of 180 lodged) so I would think long and hard before going down this route.
KenR
Posts: 1506
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Birmingham

Post by KenR »

The only caveat I would add to fm excellent advice is for non Birmingham residents who may have been limited in the number of preferences. (e.g Worcs and Dudley)

If you only have 3 preferences and have to reserve 1 for the local catchment school, then you may find that you have failed to get into your 1st choice KE Grammar (e.g. KEFW or CHB) but would have been successful regarding other KE grammars or Sutton Grammar if you had been able to put them on your list(but could because of limited preference numbers)

If you find yourself in this situation then it is possible to try to go for a late application through your LEA. Drop me a PM if you find yourself in this situation. I am aware of one situation a couple of years ago for a parent whose child got into KE Handsworth Girls via a switched late application.
fm

Post by fm »

Yes, of course, Lottie, who actually managed both feats-- a late acceptance to Handsworth Girls' followed by a successful resit for Five Ways.
stressedaddy
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 2:49 pm

Post by stressedaddy »

....Can anyone clarify the point, do primary heads know in advance of places gained at KEGS in the B'ham and Solihull Area. I have heard conflicting stories and no one can confirm this. It would be nice to know.
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