PAN News

[Turtlegirl]

We went on a visit to KE Camp Hill Boys today. Before our tour with an impressive sixth former, we had a short session with Mr Garrod in his office.

He told us that Birmingham Council were the ones who imposed the rule that the grammar schools were not allowed to offer over PAN last year, and that this would be the case again this year. Only 120 boys will be offered places at Camp Hill Boys on National Offers Day.

So if your score is above last year's lowest admitted for any of the schools, don't lose heart if you don't get an offer on 1st March. The waiting lists will operate like last year.

[MSD]

Turtlegirl - What was your initial impression of the school?

[ABJ]

That's exactly I said in the post about this year cut off score will be higher and I was told all sorts of things by the people who thinks they got more knowledge than others and my post was deleted ...

[Yamin151]

That's exactly I said in the post about this year cut off score will be higher and I was told all sorts of things by the people who thinks they got more knowledge than others and my post was deleted ...

In fairness ABJ your post was written in a far more inflammatory manner (much like this one) and someone swore in their response to you, and it got pulled as a thread as it was never going to go anywhere but nasty.

[quasimodo]

That's exactly I said in the post about this year cut off score will be higher and I was told all sorts of things by the people who thinks they got more knowledge than others and my post was deleted ...

Why do you say cut offs will be higher when they are only going to offer at pan initially same as last year? As a result a lot of children got places off the waiting lists bringing the cut offs dramatically down.The only significant thing which may happen at the girl only schools in the KE schools is that they may have a greater uptake of PP places which can slightly influence the cut offs.

[ABJ]

That's exactly I said in the post about this year cut off score will be higher and I was told all sorts of things by the people who thinks they got more knowledge than others and my post was deleted ...

In fairness ABJ your post was written in a far more inflammatory manner (much like this one) and someone swore in their response to you, and it got pulled as a thread as it was never going to go anywhere but nasty.

I don't know anything inflammatory in saying about the cut off score going higher ( I got the proper reasons for it ) also the reason I posted because I see everywhere post which giving false hope to the parents that cut off score will be low and they will have a chance in my humble opinion that is inflammatory when someone playing with the emotions of parents who are going through a lot during this time ...

[Turtlegirl]

MSD - we really liked the school. Mr Garrod came across as very straightforward and approachable. And the sixth former was confident, helpful and polite, as well as obviously interested in the world and different aspects of learning. We chatted to a cleaner in the dining hall and she was lovely and caring - she said how all the staff keep an eye on the boys and make sure that nobody gets left out.

The journey was do-able. Bit longer than our older boy travels to KES just now. It will be top of our list.

I did not get the impression from Mr Garrod that cut offs were likely to rise significantly. He said he had a different talk for those on 235-240 scores, but didn't give it as those in the room had higher scores. I thought perhaps it was a talk about those scores being somewhat more precarious but still in with a chance. As last year.

[nervousmom]

No one is giving anyone false hope, we are saying it as it is.

Cut offs were higher this year due to PAN being offered. The original scores were reduced over the next few weeks from the waiting list.

CHB score was 243 on offers day - approx 43 offers were made from waiting list and last score offered was 236.

KEFW score was 232 on offers day - approx 58 offers made from waiting list and last score offered was 227.

This is not giving parents false hope, this is based on fact and shows parents that the school is actually more achievable than they have been led to believe.

There is no evidence to suggest a dramatic increase in cut off scores. Very similar number of children sat the exam to last year and the overall scores are also very similar to last year.

I would therefore say to those parents with DC having a score of 235-240, that yes some of those scores maybe borderline, but at the same time, there is a good chance that some of those children will get a place.

I would also recommend that these parents definitely put CHB as their first choice on their CAF if CHB is their first choice preference, because you just never know.

Some little sayings spring to mind

'You've got to be in it to win it'

'If you don't ask you don't get'

'You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain'

[thirdtimemum]

I have to say I find that I can see how lots of people get the caf form wrong and are confused by the whole process. Even those of us who are making an active effort to learn about the process disagree about where we should place our schools on the list. I really do think that they should also put on the form last admitted place from waiting list score. A friend of mine almost didn't put down scgsg on her caf as at 213 she felt the score wouldn't come down from 215. She felt she probably only had a 5% chance of getting in and didn't want to get dd hopes up. I obviously explained the waiting list and she now is quite optimistic about getting in. None of the majority of scores are guaranteed a place it is all about odds and popularity but it's a shame that the process is not explained better to parents.

[Turtlegirl]

Mr Garrod told me that he thought the schools should explain more clearly about the fact that they have only offered PAN, so that parents would understand that the March offer was likely to change. Unless you read this forum you would almost certainly think that you had missed your place if you'd scored 3 below the March cut off they tell you in the letter, whereas for most schools, you are still in with a good chance at 3 below. Maybe next year's letter will be more informative!