September 2018 registration now open.

[stroudydad]

Don't forget to register this month as it closes at noon on 30th June.

I have duly registered DS3 to sit at Marling, and of course done the right thing and only shared with the schools he is really interested in.. of course I am jesting, ticked them all out of curiosity:-)
Slap on wrists coming I think.

[cazien]

Don't forget to register this month as it closes at noon on 30th June.

I have duly registered DS3 to sit at Marling, and of course done the right thing and only shared with the schools he is really interested in.. of course I am jesting, ticked them all out of curiosity:-)
Slap on wrists coming I think.

Really - "ALL" the schools????? I think your DS will be slapping you if you have ticked them all

[stroudydad]

All available:-)

[YankBritmum]

I have to do the registration this month and I’m looking for some input from those with prior experience of the 11+ Test Centres.

We are looking at more schools on our visit back later this month, but I don’t really want to leave it that late to do the online registration. I’m concerned that the overseas address details may complicate it!!

I have heard that Pate’s, as a Test Centre, is often oversubscribed? Anyone know if this is correct? Assuming this to be the case, as my address is clearly going to be the furthest, and the first one ‘off’ the list, am I better off putting down a ‘safer bet’ as my Test Centre? (this is unlikely to be our first preference Grammar School though…) I don’t want to get my ‘wrists slapped,’ but at the same time, I want to try and avoid getting allocated somewhere that is not so convenient. I have seen Ribston, and think my DD would be OK with it. Perhaps the single sex schools are less likely to be oversubscribed as a Test Centre?

[Eromdap]

The choice of test centre that your dd sits her test at has no influence on either the outcome of the test or your choice of school after the test results are released. My dd sat at HSFG and ds at Crypt. These were our preferred schools at the time of the test, however after viewing all grammar schools after the test we changed our minds. Dd and ds are now at RHHS and STRS. No wrist slapping involved. I've heard that parking and the rosds around Pates are a nightmare, but Crypt last year wasn't too clever and HSFG the year before was busy, I can't comment on not getting your preferred centre.

[Octsmum]

Hi

We got our preferred test centre last year & all friends that also applied also did. We went to SHS because it was our preferred school but it does not make any difference where you sit the test.

For what it's worth, I thought SHS was quite well organised. We had good instructions before the day, we left early and parked 5-10 minutes away from the school & then walked down to arrive in good time but not too early. I made effort to avoid my DD getting stressed by other people's comments standing outside waiting to go in. It was efficiently organised - DD was very quickly taken up to her classroom - where there were a small group of them that sat the test to make it less daunting. I'm not sure whether the other schools do this.

DD reported that they were friendly & helpful - showing them to the loos at the break etc.

Hope this helps.

[jearund]

Hi

It was efficiently organised - DD was very quickly taken up to her classroom - where there were a small group of them that sat the test to make it less daunting. I'm not sure whether the other schools do this.

Ribston also put them in small groups in classrooms and try to keep people from the same primary school together. And I remember Crypt saying they did the same, whereas Pates apparently have everyone in one big hall together. Ribston said the classroom approach was to make it a bit less intimidating. It worked for our DD anyway!

[RayRay]

I don't think distance has anything to do with the likelyhood of getting your preferred test centre. This year we registered for Crypt as it was our closest school, but were moved to Ribston, whilst a friend who lives across the road from Ribston but had registered for Crypt as we were going there stayed at Crypt. My daughter came out very relaxed at Ribston, she was the only one from her school so can't comment on how they group them, but parking was easy, one way system to park register and leave and the same to pick up. Would sit there again (if I had another daughter). She is going to Crypt, as previously said, test centre has no bearing on school choice.

[YankBritmum]

Thanks everyone for all the input. That is great to know that people often sit the test at one school and then end up going somewhere completely different.

I think I am going to try for Ribston as it seems to have quite a lot of grounds and space. Anything that might give less stress on the day, is worth it. Also, great to have it clarified that they put them in smaller groups.

Now, just to hope that my US address is 'close enough' to get us a spot there, haa!

[Kaybee]

Hi

It was efficiently organised - DD was very quickly taken up to her classroom - where there were a small group of them that sat the test to make it less daunting. I'm not sure whether the other schools do this.

Ribston also put them in small groups in classrooms and try to keep people from the same primary school together. And I remember Crypt saying they did the same, whereas Pates apparently have everyone in one big hall together. Ribston said the classroom approach was to make it a bit less intimidating. It worked for our DD anyway!

They use classrooms at Pates too - not a big hall. They also sit them with their classmates.