Hockerill Anglo European Collage - entry via aptitude test

It is also very competitive. My friends son got a music place for this September and he scored 97% (they only have 3 dedicated music places)

It's not like the standard mat that the other secondary schools in the area used - they make up their own questions.

Hi RogueApostrophe,
Someone may come along who did the tests in 2017 as my memory is a bit hazy but language had some similarities with something like this lltf.net/mlat-sample-items/ . Music harder to pin down and not like your standard Music aptitude test online (unlike H&E music test which was). Dd found it hard to describe but some questions were quite subjective eg which piece sounded better? Dd said the preparation she did for the standard music test at H&E wasn’t much use for the Hockerill one.

Has anyone got details of what kind of test this involves, is it the standard 60-question MAT test that can be found online?

Oh yes just found that. I don't recall seeing anything as complete as that before although some snippets.

They have actually got all the facts and figures on their website this year under year 7 admissions page, I don't know if that's a new thing but I found them when trying to look for details on transition days! It says % for this year, number of siblings, max distance from school etc.

Not on sibling rule. Yes they tell you the scores and previous minimums but the minimums change each year (I have gone through it three times and always different) so you don't really know for sure what is the level in the current year. That said if you live miles away and have no siblings then it is pretty obvious :)

HertsandEssex did your DD get in on sibling rule this year or aptitude test?

River and HertsandEssex, my DD has got a place this year and I got told her scores on the aptitude test for language, music and a combined score and the minimum scores needed to get in for the past 2 years. She scored a couple of % above the minimum so I knew she stood a good chance. I think a few years ago they didn't used to tell you scores but they def do now.

It is unfair. It is not unbelievable that it exists as much as unbelievable that there aren't more schools like it :)

No you don't get told if it is language or music. You don't even get told if it is an aptitude place or based on distance or staff or sibling etc. Although of course sometimes it is obvious. There are two sittings with at least 100+ in the hall each time. I think quite scary for some of the kids. Last year somebody was sick everywhere so less pressure the better from parents.

Hi HertsandEssex - ah just seen your DD got a place! So you don't get told if it's language or music? I suppose you can work it out from scores though - not that it matters so much if you have got in :-) Is it 200-300 sitting in one room?
thanks

I find it unbelievable that this school exists at all. The English school system is so unfair.

River - they never tell you. In fact they don't even tell if you have got a place via aptitude or one of the other entry routes although in some cases of course. Yes the scores required are high - not many places and perhaps 200-300 people trying but you never know....

Planning to do aptitude tests this autumn. I have also noticed that Herts and Essex across the road has a musical aptitude entry too - though this doesn't appeal as much. The minimum scores for entry seem very high? Those of you who have places - was this based on the language, music or combined?
thanks

yes, me too for mine! Are you local?

Yes got a day place for my daughter. You?

Anyone got a place at Hockerill and starting in Sept?

We had the aptitude test as well and will have boarding interview in a couple of weeks.

Interesting reading all the above comments as a current parent. Certainly there are many things going on that are not as good as one would hope but it remains overall an excellent school and tremendous value for money.

yes! mine!

Anyone here whose DD/DS did the aptitude test this weekend?

MmeMorrible, I appreciate you asked for your offensive comments to be removed. Your school support comments were also removed at the same time. This coupled with lack of apology makes me wonder whether you actually regretted it.

Yes, a 200m catchment means nobody is doing any checking...

But day boarding is probably a better way to buy the place - you have a lot more applicants than places but not the high rates you get on free places.

You must be aware that they have longer holidays than many indies?

I have not seen evidence of selection but the above is a perfectly logical explanation for the very high year 6 attainment. Still, the ones that keep joinining in later years appear to be a more mixed bunch.

With the selection and the resource$ they have, it is amazing it keeps quoting comparisons with the England average to parents.

As a local poster, I know a lot of students and parents from Hockerill. For years it prided itself on being the top comprehensive in the country but whether that was at GCSE or IB I don't remember. It does select a lot of it's intake so it stands to reason it should have good results. For a good few years according to it's stats 50 out of a 77 intake were siblings which is very high!
To get in on distance you need to live very close as only about 20 places are awarded this way after siblings/aptitude are taken into account. This is why parents are very creative about their 'need' for boarding.