Oversubscribed or not

Eleven Plus (11+) in Lincolnshire (Lincs)

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Oversubscribed or not

Post by Guest »

Went to the head's talk at Carre's in Sleaford tonight. Spoke to the head afterwards and learned that 2 years ago the school was so oversubscribed that applicants as near as just over 3 miles away did not get in. Last year (people scared off I assume) they were undersubscribed and anyone applying even from outside the 12 mile radius with a minimum score would have got a place. The interesting thing is that in the "Going to School in Lincolnshire" booklet it says they were oversubscibed by 22. Of course the oversubscription figure in the booklet only refers to the number of children who passed the 11 plus in the area and so would include those who may have chosen to go to King's, Grantham instead or to the comprehensive. It is irritating that the booklet does not really give any indication of the true picture.

Demographics are peculiar - so many girls got through last year in Sleaford area that the school took in an extra class of 30.

It sounds as though the boys' school will be willing to tell us as much as possible about numbers and scores after the results come out to help in the decision making.

Sara
SJ
Posts: 171
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 11:14 am
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Oversubscribed or not

Post by SJ »

Anonymous wrote:Went to the head's talk at Carre's in Sleaford tonight.
It sounds as though the boys' school will be willing to tell us as much as possible about numbers and scores after the results come out to help in the decision making.

Sara
Well at least it sounds as though you may get some assistance before having to make your choices. Good Luck to you
Guest

Post by Guest »

The pass letter from Queen Elizabeths in Horncastle says that my son has a good chance of getting in if he puts the school first but I am a bit worried by the above post because we are 10 miles away from the school (in Coningsby). Its a long way to travel to Boston (or even Sleaford) if Queen Elizabeths is oversubscribed. Looking at the going to school in Lincolnshire book the school was hugely oversubscribed last year (56 I think). Does anyone know what the position will be in Horncastle this year (or was last year)?
Annie

Post by Annie »

Don't forget that last year there was the issue of not knowing if the children had actually passed the 11+ or not when making 1/2/3rd choices of schools - I'm suspecting that a lot of the parents went with the safer bets as their first choice, rather than gambling on their children's results.

The situation was worsened by some of the comprehensives using the whole "First First" theory (ie: if you don't select the comprehensive as your first choice and you failed the 11+, you got shuffled off somewhere awful). A friend of mine got caught like this - her son missed the 11+ by just a couple of marks, and then William Robertson Comprehensive wouldn't accept him because it had been his second choice... She's ended up sending him to the Minster School privately rather than the appalling school she was offered.

I suspect that things will even off this year, as we are lucky enough to know results before making choices.

Having said all that, we're opting for King's as we fall inside their catchment, and will be guaranteed a place - I don't think my nerves would hold out any longer!

I'd say that if you were in the 12 mile radius, go for it. I would - we went to the open day and it seemed like a fantastic learning environment.
Guest

Post by Guest »

I don't imagine Queen Elizabeth's Horncastle would have said you had a good chance if that had not been the case. If you want a better idea of the odds ring the school and ask some specific questions about how many children have passed in area (remembering that they may not all take up places); how many children who registered with the school to take the exams from out of area have passed and what their scores are like. You will also need to know your own score to work out whereabouts you may come in the pecking order. I have found the boys' schools at Sleaford and Grantham have been very happy to give as much information as they can to help make a decision about the CAF form.

You cannot rely on the oversubscription number from last year to be an accurate reflection of the position - it only tells you how many children in the area passed the 11 plus but did not go to that school - not how many applied as first choice and did not get a place.

It appears anecdotally that numbers of children both taking and passing the 11 plus are lower than last year.

Sara
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