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Original poster

Music and Language aptitude

31 replies

ElvenDreamer · 25/09/2021 06:49

Hi, does anyone have any recent experience of music aptitude tests for Herts and Essex and music and language at Hockerill? DD sits for both in the next couple of weeks. My question is how do you find out what their result means? We are told they will get a score shortly after sitting the test, but in the absence of any previous years data of scores of children who got in, this is meaningless. I've scoured the website and asked google all kinds of questions but can't find any historical information at all, does anyone have any insight?

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Hersetta427 · 11/10/2023 10:46

I think it just depends on the girls in your daughters friendship group. my daughter’s friends were lovely- not a scrap of bitchiness and they never had a crossed word in 5 yrs so it has been plain sailing for us.

I wished they were more inclusive in the sports they were interested in- really only netball and hockey. My daughter is national team level in a common team sport but she has never once played at school.

teaching is good though but a bright engaged child will do well at any school. I know twins one at h&e and one at birchwood who got almost identical GCSE’s this summer (all 7’s to 9’s).

Seamummy89 · 10/10/2023 06:58

Oh blimey that’s a big jump. I should really be patient and just wait!

Can I ask if your girls were/ are happy at Herts and Essex? We loved the school when we looked around but I still have reservations of it being an all girl environment. Lots of factors I like about that but I’m worried about the it being catty. Thanks 😊

Hersetta427 · 09/10/2023 22:11

wow that has gone way down for sport then. My daughter got a 2018 place and the 3 year average for 2015-2017 was 82%. I still have the letter on my fridge as Dd scored in the high 90’s.

Seamummy89 · 09/10/2023 13:27

Thank you ever so much that does make sense. 😊

TinyTee · 09/10/2023 07:14

So, H&E is odd in that they give the “average lowest % to get a place over the last 3 years”. So you never know what the score was last year - just what the average score was over the last 3 years.

For 2019-2021 the averages were music 71% and sport 72%.

For 2020-2022 the averages were music 70% and sport 66%.

I hope that helps.

Seamummy89 · 08/10/2023 21:14

Hi there,

sorry to jump on late but searching for info. My daughter sat the music and sports for H&E school this week. Does anyone know the approximate cut off numbers for lowest admitted score. Many thanks 😊

Original poster
ElvenDreamer · 06/03/2022 20:22

@TinyTee that's lovely to hear your DD got her Herts place, we put down Chelmsford grammar as 1st choice in the end and DD got in so very happy here!

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TinyTee · 06/03/2022 10:44

Hello again. Now that the school allocations are out I wondered how everyone on this thread got on? My daughter has been fortunate to have been offered a place at Herts and Essex after taking the aptitude test. I hope you all received the offers you were hoping for?

Hersetta427 · 23/10/2021 10:14

Tinytee, just put your choices in genuine order of preference. If you like h&e best, put it first. If doesn't effect the the chances of getting your second or third choices if you don't get a place at h&e as everything is done in an equal preference system. My daughter is in yr 10 if you have any questions.

TinyTee · 23/10/2021 08:24

Your DD has done exceptionally well ElvenDreamer to have so many to choose from!
I’m still trying to discover the ACTUAL cut off marks for H&E music aptitude in the last three years as my DD score is right on the cusp. So if this year is a ‘low’ year she will just scrape in and if it’s a ‘high’ year she will just miss out. So still lots of uncertainty for us here! I did find out that 160 girls took the test and they always look to fill the 9 places available.

Original poster
ElvenDreamer · 23/10/2021 07:15

Thank you for the information Hersetta. Yes, another desicion! When we applied to the 2 aptitude school plus 2 grammar I think I really expected maybe to end up with 1 possibility, which I would have been happy with as we liked all 4. Now results are showing all 4 as very real chances we actually have to come up with a preference order, daughter is no help as all as she'd like to go to all of them 🤣. We have made our final choices based a little bit on how easy it is to get to each one, as liking them all means things like journey times etc become quite important. Feeling very fortunate to be in a position of choice, but also wracked with angst over making good decisions. Of course, there is also still the possibility that come March we discover that every school has just been ridiculously high scoring this year so we also have a very good local back up we are happy with. Even that is technically not our catchment school though, but we are equidistant between it and our (definitely not prefferred) catchment school, which is frustrating. March now seems a long while to wait.

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Hersetta427 · 22/10/2021 20:53

In my experience (DD took them 4 years ago) the numbers don't move hugely (not more than 2-3%) so if you are well above the average then I would say you are in with a very good shout. Another decision to make !

Original poster
ElvenDreamer · 21/10/2021 06:20

Yes I'd like to know that too. Had DDs score today and it was well above the last 3 yrs average but would be very interesting to know what the highest lowest score to get in has been in the last few years if you know what I mean!

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TinyTee · 20/10/2021 22:14

The results are out today for the Herts & Essex music aptitude test. They give your childs score and then the lowest average score that secured a place over the last three years. Does anyone know what the actual cut off scores have been in 2020, 2019 or 2018? Or how many girls actually take the test?

hoxt · 19/10/2021 19:56

Yes she did. Great facilities & good teaching.

Loops1981 · 19/10/2021 17:56

This is good to know too thank you. Leventhorpe is still one of our choices did your child enjoy it there?

Loops1981 · 19/10/2021 17:55

Wow your DD did amazing too! Xx

Original poster
ElvenDreamer · 16/10/2021 12:20

Thanks guys, it will still go on the list as a choice as language there is a possibility of, but grammar is going to be the 1st choice and scores there suggest we may be ok. Nothing known until March however, constant anxious waiting! Herts and Essex results not back until next week but can't imagine if Hockerill music result was on the low side that H&E is likely to be much better.

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Amchairbackpacker · 16/10/2021 10:26

Elevendreamer, it may still be worth putting it 1st if that's what you want. Last year was 95.9% language but in previous few years it was around 94% so it could return to that this year. Also in previous years combined music/lang has varied between 87-91%. Good luck x

Hersetta427 · 16/10/2021 08:38

elevendreamer, if it came down to it would you choose hockerill or the grammar as 1st choice. 95% is really good (last year required a little over 93%) so you are in with a shout definitely so a decision to be made what order to put schools on your CAF.

hoxt · 16/10/2021 08:08

My dd has just gone to Hockerill for 6th Form, after being at Leventhorpe y7-11 & aceing her GCSEs. She sat the Hockerill language aptitude test for y7 & got a score in the 90s which was below the cut off. It all works out in the end! I know kids flourishing at all the different Stortford schools & there really are no bad choices. IB is a lot more work than A levels tho!!

Original poster
ElvenDreamer · 16/10/2021 08:00

Well done to your DD @Loops1981 , music out for us too here with only low 80s , still super proud of her for giving it a try and she thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Language she was really close with just above 95 but going on previous years even that won't be enough sadly! Still, as I say, she had great fun doing them and the joy of trying out for all these places is she's had fun seeing in lots of different schools and is really positive about the idea of secondary which a few months ago we were in full denial about 🤣

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Loops1981 · 15/10/2021 22:48

Thank you! She got 87.7% she did so well but not enough for day xxx

Amchairbackpacker · 01/10/2021 23:12

Look at the year 7 allocation information in admissions. The scores are fairly consistent though they have been inching up slowly. The lowest was for combined language and music at 90% but it will also come down to distance if your dc hits the minimum level needed ie maybe someone else with same score living nearer.

My Dd did both Hockerill and H&e tests a few yrs ago but got a much higher score for the Hockerill ones . The H&e music one can be practised for in theory but not the Hockerill one.

Hersetta427 · 01/10/2021 12:44

@Loops1981

My daughter is also taking the aptitude. I want to find out the pass mark or percentage which would give you the opportunity to apply for a day place for Hockerill xx
It changes every year but last year was 96% for language and 92% for music. Information is on their website (albeit hidden away a bit).
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