Tommies and the 235

[Chelt_Dad]

Given the growing consensus here that more girls have got into Pates this year, anecdotally correct or not as the case may be, what effect do people think this will have on the 235 boys that have qualified for Tommies and how far down the list offers will go? I see other years 220 or so boys have had offers with 215 being the lowest mark or thereabouts. DS scored 220 for Tommies so he is on the cusp but does have a little wriggle room over the 210. Waiting until March seems ridiculous to me for this all to play itself out, if they can mark the papers in a week, surely they can allocate in a week or a month, it is a simple algorithm after all or am I missing something in the process?

[EmeraldE]

I do think this year that Tommies may not go down as far as it did last year. There was a horrible business with 10 kids sitting on 215 and they had only 5 places. In the end the GCC drew lots which is apparently in their constitution (correct me if I am wrong here Tolstoy).

If more girls pass for Pates that means less boy entrants there than in previous years. As Tommies only takes 108 then there must be more boys, who might have gone to Pates but couldn't due to the higher number of girls, this year vying for the places. However, I do believe Tommies did take over PAN and that appeals were successful. I don't know how many of the 5 boys on 215 were amoung the appealants.

How far down the list they will go is anyone's guess. Unpleasant to have this all dragging out for so long but most families manage a happy outcome when the 'shakedown' happens after allocation. Hang in there, I reckon you have a good shot at it. Oh, and remember there will be boys in the Tommies cohort who will go to Crypt, Marling and Pates so that 235 gets wittled down nicely when they are out of the equation

[Tolstoy]

Chelt dad up until two years ago every DS who passed for STR got a place. Unfortunately they and DR did not always fill their places and I believe there was talk of making a cut in the no of Grammar places available deeming them unnecessary.

I believe part of the problem was due to the requirement of passing both papers. Tutoring was causing many un- tutored children to fail the first easier paper when standardised whilst scoring highly in the second harder paper. This is probably why both school's changed to a combined score.

Two years ago 265 boys passed but this led to them having too many passes so they stopped at 220/222.

Last year to they passed only 250 boys so the score went down to 215 as EE said it was literally on the draw of a hat. I believe it went down to 213 eventually. This year 15 less boys have passed again so it should go mean a lower mark is needed to get in.

I would feel quietly confident with a mark of 220 if I were you.

[Tolstoy]

p.s the wait is because they have to sort out all the school places not just the grammar schools in line with the countrywide allocation day. We are now very lucky in Gloucs that at least we know our DCs scores so have some idea what to expect unlike a couple of years ago when you had fill in CAF forms and wait it until allocations to find out the result. Birmingham still have this nonsense situation going on I believe.

That said I think a pass should equal a place like Bucks and Medway myself but until we have more Grammar schools this isn't going to happen.

[Chelt_Dad]

Cheers for the replies and thoughts, just going to have to find a way to park this until next year. DS was upset as he really wanted to know where he was going after yesterday's post and we have been trying to explain he did well to pass as lots did not and are going through that pain today. I have managed to flip flop nicely between confidence in DS getting into Tommies next March and despair at not for most of today, work tomorrow will help I am sure!

[Tolstoy]

Chelt dad we were in this position last year and thankfully ignorant that our DS2's name was in that hat. 220 is a much stronger position than we had. Also when we received his score we were all shocked and upset. Thankfully we did have a couple of appeal cards up our sleeves.

The uncertainty is annoying but as nothing much happens re secondary school until March the uncertainty actually becomes a minor irritation. Around Feb it will rear its ugly head and you may be glued to the CC admissions site come 11ish on the last day of feb but when you get the place it is so much sweeter as it is concrete in black and white.

Goodluck and as many EE included told me at the time your DS has passed.

[capers123]

Personally, I'm hoping for as many girls as possible taking up Pates places, especially ones who also ticked Stroud! Also, had the paper been more maths orientated, DD2 may well have had a higher score

Sorry for the boys, though.

[Tolstoy]

You remind me of me last year Capers. I had to stop myself advising all the DD's to go to Denmark and all the boys Pates.

If there was less maths then I am very glad neither of my DS's was sitting this year .