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Original poster

Kingsdale School banding tests - how does this work?

35 replies

JuneMyNameIsJune · 15/10/2018 14:11

I can see dates on the website but not an explanation of how this works.

Do you name the school on the CAF and they contact you after the final date?

There are two banding test dates in September - do parents have to request a banding test before submitting the CAF?

OP posts:
bookmum08 · 18/10/2018 13:46

Kingsdale admissions seems to be a whole planet to itself.

chandellina · 18/10/2018 12:23

So everyone entering the lottery has to take the banding test, but it has no impact on the lottery? Seems like a massive waste of time for them. What if a child doesn't take the banding test? Are they out of the lottery?

onewhitewhisker · 15/10/2018 17:26

I exchanged some emails with Kingsdale about this. They told me that so long as you name the school on your CAF, you will receive an invite to sit the banding test in November. The early (September) dates are for families who want to know which band their child came in. Though why you would wish to know this i have no idea and i also can't see how they can tell you, as surely they band the children after they have all sat the test according to the distribution of scores for that particular cohort of children, rather than having predetermined cutoffs? Agree the info on the website is remarkably unclear, also so for the dates/deadlines for the scholarship process, though that's another story. I also THINK (but do double-check) that for Kingsdale you only had to do a SIF if your child was applying for a scholarship.

Original poster
JuneMyNameIsJune · 15/10/2018 14:45

I feel like my life is one big black hole of school visit's, form filling, and ridiculous nuances in admissions procedures. It's like the very worst part-time job ever, especially as there's no pay Grin.

I am also sick to death of looking at identical maths/english/spanish etc. classrooms.

OP posts:
bookmum08 · 15/10/2018 14:41

(is it just me or does it feel like you have fallen into a tin of Alphabetty Spagetti with all these blimmin forms)

bookmum08 · 15/10/2018 14:36

I haven't applied for Kingsdale but have for several schools nearby in Lambeth. The banding test for those is on Nov 10th. For those you apply for the schools on the CAF but have to also fill out a Supplemently Information Form (SIF) that is given to each school and then they contact you with info about when/where. Check if Kingsdale needs a SIF. Also the SIFs for the schools had to be in earlier than the closing date for the CAF (1 had to be in last Friday, 2 this Friday).

Original poster
JuneMyNameIsJune · 15/10/2018 14:30

Thanks for that - just emailed them.

I bet some parents don't realise they need to request this though. I was wondering if they wait and see who applies and contact the cohort after submission.

OP posts:
PatriciaHolm · 15/10/2018 14:24

Yes, because you can apply before sitting the test. You can sit the banding test before or after application. You request to sit the test, they won't proactively ask you to do it.

It doesn't matter; all the school need to know is where your child came in the tests when they come to do the overall rankings of all children for admissions which won't be probably until Jan.

Original poster
JuneMyNameIsJune · 15/10/2018 14:19

But 5/7 dates are in November/December - after CAF submission.

That makes me wonder if they also contact people to sit banding tests after submission of the CAF?

OP posts:
PatriciaHolm · 15/10/2018 14:15

Yes, you need to contact their admissions office. Your child sits the test in Sept/Oct previous to you applying by end Oct.

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