Application for John Hamden ,Bucks and living out of ccounty

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

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hasmum
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Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 11:56 am

Application for John Hamden ,Bucks and living out of ccounty

Post by hasmum »

Hi, I just wanted to ask is there anyone who was living as far as eg ealing 18+ miles and offered a place at the above school, and had put it at the top of thei CAF form.
I was told to put the Bucks schools at the top or they will not offer if a place becomes available. It is so stressful thinking for Berks GS's the top 70 -100 high scores get in then the rest is catchment and in bucks if you live nearby and pass you are sure to get a place. But if your child does not get the high scores then you have little chance of getting a place if you are out of county. It is no point moving beforehand which I did consider at first in case the child does not pass. Any replies with regards to John Hampden and distance will be appreciated, in previous years they have I see gone upto 10 miles and given to all that applied, but 18 miles? I dont know.
scary mum
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Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Application for John Hamden ,Bucks and living out of cco

Post by scary mum »

This year it is all offered which means living 18 miles away you would have got in, unless you were unlucky enough to have just missed the last place (others will know if there are still places available this year). However for JHGS this is unusual - in 2010 boys from a school where they have traditionally gone to JHGS did not get in at all, except for siblings etc. Who knows what next year will bring?

The only reason to put the schools at the top of the list is that they are allocated in the order you put them down, so if you genuinely want a particular GS in Bucks you will have to put it first so that if your DC passes the school will be allocated if there are enough places. If you put anoher school first, which is nearer, and there are plaaces, you will get allocated that one regardless of the 11 plus result. How would your son get to JHGS? It's quite a long way! If you are going to move anyway you can always go on the waiting list if your DC passes and you then move - I think, but others will be along soon who know better than me.

I'm not sure what you meant about not getting high scores, but in Bucks you are eligible for a place as long as the score is 121 or above. Beyond that is is down to the school's admission criteria (distance, siblings etc etc).
scary mum
Sally-Anne
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Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Application for John Hamden ,Bucks and living out of cco

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi hasmum
hasmum wrote:Hi, I just wanted to ask is there anyone who was living as far as eg ealing 18+ miles and offered a place at the above school, and had put it at the top of thei CAF form.
To answer the key question, there is no way that we can predict what will happen to John Hampden, or any school for that matter, but I really don't think that you can count on receiving a place from as far away as 18 miles. (Are you sure that it is only 18 miles? I reckon it must be at least 25 miles, possibly more.) The hardest call each year is the boys' schools in South Bucks - every year there are huge surprises.
I was told to put the Bucks schools at the top or they will not offer if a place becomes available.

Absolute nonsense! I don't know who told you that, but they are seriously misinformed.

Let's say that you have three spaces on the CAF, you name 2 Berks Grammars first and then a Bucks grammar in 3rd place. Your child does not gain a high enough score for entry to the Berks grammars, but does qualify in the Bucks 11+ by scoring 121 or more. You will be offered a place at your third choice Bucks GS provided you live within the allocation distance for that year.

If you do not live within the allocation distance for that school, your child will be allocated a place at the nearest Bucks GS with a space - in your case that is likely to be Chesham Grammar School. You could then go on the waiting list for JHGS and also appeal for a place.
Berks GS's the top 70 -100 high scores get in then the rest is catchment and in bucks if you live nearby and pass you are sure to get a place. But if your child does not get the high scores then you have little chance of getting a place if you are out of county.

I am also concerned about this statement. Scores beyond 121 are irrelevant in Bucks. Assuming that you know that bit and you are actually referring to Berks, I am confused about your statement that some GS allocate some places by score and then the remainder by distance. I am certainly not aware of that being the case. Are you thinking of the combination of score plus designated area for Reading School?

Sally-Anne
hasmum
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 11:56 am

Re: Application for John Hamden ,Bucks and living out of cco

Post by hasmum »

Hi, thanks for the reply, I was refering to the schools in slough with regards to the high scorers not JHGS. The slough grammars take a set amount based on rank and the remainder is catchment, so either you need to get a good score to get in the higher scorers or there is little chance due to competition with people that live in catchment and have achieved the lower end of the pass mark, hope this makes sense.
hasmum
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 11:56 am

Re: Application for John Hamden ,Bucks and living out of cco

Post by hasmum »

I am refering to Slough grammar and Herschel, I rung them and was told this regarding, either get a high score to be among the top 100 for SGS or top 70 for Herschel, remainder are offered to catchment.
Sally-Anne
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Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Application for John Hamden ,Bucks and living out of cco

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi hasmum

Just to check that you are clear on this: Both schools do indeed allocate the proportion of their places by score in rank order, but the places that are allocated by distance are also only awarded to children who have achieved the minimum score of 111. They are not allocated solely on distance.

Sally-Anne
hasmum
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 11:56 am

Re: Application for John Hamden ,Bucks and living out of cou

Post by hasmum »

Hi Sally Ann,
Yes I am aware they need to pass in order to get a place, but my concern is they will then give priority to people in the catchment than say us who live UB1. Going by the number that pass there is huge competition. With regards to the bucks schools and placing them on top of the CAF form, this was in the grammar school applications pack given by my sons tuition centre.(in Slough). Just have to pray hard for the next few months until this is all over, stressed would be an under statement.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Application for John Hamden ,Bucks and living out of cco

Post by Sally-Anne »

hasmum and I have exchanged PMs about this, and the text of the document she received is actually correct:
"BUCKS LEA will adhere strictly to the rules set out in the common application system. If you want a bucks GS they must be placed above othe Grammar schools and comprehensive schools on the list. i.e. if you are offered another placement elsewhere (because you put them higher on the list) you will not
be offered a bucks grammar school place , even if your child has passed the Bucks 11plus exam."
The advice is correct, in that if a Bucks GS is your first preference, then you must put it first. The same applies to the CAF in every area - always put your preferences in your real order of preference. Offers will then be made in descending order of preference, depending on qualification in the 11+ and other admission rules such as distance.
scary mum
Posts: 8841
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Application for John Hamden ,Bucks and living out of cco

Post by scary mum »

The only reason to put the schools at the top of the list is that they are allocated in the order you put them down, so if you genuinely want a particular GS in Bucks you will have to put it first so that if your DC passes the school will be allocated if there are enough places. If you put anoher school first, which is nearer, and there are plaaces, you will get allocated that one regardless of the 11 plus result.
That's what I said, although maybe not very clearly! At least, it's what I meant... :D
scary mum
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Application for John Hamden ,Bucks and living out of cco

Post by Sally-Anne »

scary mum wrote:That's what I said, although maybe not very clearly! At least, it's what I meant... :D
It's what I was hoping was the case as well, but there are too many occasions when people are told to play games with the CAF. (See Myths & Legends for the worst example I have come across. :roll: )
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