Consultation on admissions - Skipton Girls

[hermanmunster]

http://www.sghs.org.uk/index.php?page=admissions-2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Main proposals as far as I can see are:

exam changed from NVR/VR to VR / maths / english

priority - siblings will come after out of catchment girls instead of before.

[Snowdrops]

OOH, the siblings rule could be contentious!

Interesting re: change from VR/NVR to VR/English/maths - wonder if the other two schools will follow, my feelings are probably, if this goes through!

[Gogi]

Thats interesting, why do you think they have done that?

Gogi
x

[hermanmunster]

They seem to have gone into a test consortium with the Lancashire schools

As for the sibling rule - Mitasol has had a look at the info and I have had another look too - it is not entirely clear - I think it may be leaving the siblings as they were

Best have some other thoughts on the matter...

1. Places will be offered to looked after and previously looked after girls who have
reached the required standard
then
2. Places will be offered to girls living within the School’s priority area who have
reached the required standard
then
3. Places will be offered to girls living outside the School’s priority area who have
reached the required standard
If there are not enough places for all the girls in one of these priority groups, the School
will:
(a) give priority first to those with sisters at the School at the time when the
prospective pupil would start (sisters are defined as sisters, adopted
sisters/foster sisters and stepsisters living at the same address); then
(b) to those living nearest the School.
If there are not enough places for all those with sisters at the School, we will
give priority to girls living nearest the School

[mitasol]

If there are not enough places for all those with sisters at the School, we will
give priority to girls living nearest the School

The last sentence is particularly confusing! Are the "girls" being given priority; proximity sisters or proximity girls?

The FAQ's are interesting

What is different about SGHS’s new draft admissions policy?
Until this year our selection tests were carried out by North Yorkshire Local Authority on behalf of
our Governing Body. This will no longer be the case. Instead the school will carry out its own
selection tests. Many grammar schools in England already do this, including the vast majority of
grammar schools in the North of England.
This means that there will be changes to:

• the content of the selection tests
• the number of selection tests
• the application procedure for testing
• the timing of the selection tests
• the location of the selection tests

I wonder if the GS are all going their own way or if they still intend to share a selection test?

[andy from embsay]

I bloomin' knew it! As soon as they went for academy status I knew they'd do something. Youngest has just started tutoring for the existing tests, and I suspect the tutor will not want to change to the new process, as she's really just working through the last few siblings of other kids she's taught before she packs in. Can't see her wanting to change all her materials and lesson plans now.

Issue is whether the maths and english they test them on will be the same stuff as they cover at school (in which case there seems little point in tutoring, as she's ok at both) or whether there'll be some benefit to familiarity with the type of tests they do.

The other frustration is the required level is less clear - all they're saying is it will be "about the same level of ability as before" - but at least before you knew that if you're in catchment if you're in the top 28% then you're in.

I'm sure it'll be fine (and maybe even better if they're being tested on stuff they do at school) but I do with they'd chosen a year or two later to change the system!

[hermanmunster]

I suspect that the "top 28% and in catchment means you will be in" will stilll apply.

For one reason or other they seem to want to test things other than NVR and are looking to B&R, Clitheroe and Lancaster for this. No mention of Ermysted's.

[andy from embsay]

Ermy's isn't an academy (yet), is it? So I think they still have to do what NYCC do.

Been having a look at the Lancaster Girls' website as they have a couple of maths papers on there. Received wisdom is some practice/coaching is worthwhile as they cover some things on the maths tests that aren't covered up to Y5 at lots of primaries, such as algebra etc. Just showed it to youngest and she seemed reasonably familiar with most of the question types (then wandered off to resume writing Christmas cards!).

[mitasol]

The governing bodies of Ermysted’s Grammar School and Skipton Girls’ High School are responsible for their own admissions policies. However, it does look as if Ermysted intend to stick with the current arrangements.

LEA consultation documents are here http://www.northyorks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=18405" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TraffordMum]

They seem to have gone into a test consortium with the Lancashire schools

As for the sibling rule - Mitasol has had a look at the info and I have had another look too - it is not entirely clear - I think it may be leaving the siblings as they were

Best have some other thoughts on the matter...

1. Places will be offered to looked after and previously looked after girls who have
reached the required standard
then
2. Places will be offered to girls living within the School’s priority area who have
reached the required standard
then
3. Places will be offered to girls living outside the School’s priority area who have
reached the required standard
If there are not enough places for all the girls in one of these priority groups, the School
will:
(a) give priority first to those with sisters at the School at the time when the
prospective pupil would start (sisters are defined as sisters, adopted
sisters/foster sisters and stepsisters living at the same address); then
(b) to those living nearest the School.
If there are not enough places for all those with sisters at the School, we will
give priority to girls living nearest the School

My interpretation (and I am being lazy and not looking up what the PAN is for SGS) is, say there are 90 places available on 1st March and 2 looked after girls, 58 girls in catchment and 50 girls OOC, then they would allocate to the looked after girls first, then to all in catchment girls leaving 30 places for the 50 OOC girls.

If 20 of those OOC girls have sibs already at the school then that 20 get places and the remaining 10 places are allocated on distance.

If, however, 35 of the OOC girls have sibs, then I suspect what they intend is that those sibs living closest to the school will get priority. However, that bit (I have bolded it above) isn't worded well.