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Original poster

Waiting for Results on 1st March

959 replies

GORGEOUSPSYCHIC · 13/01/2011 20:32

Thought it would be nice to start a support thread on here about the wait for our DC getting into secondary schools. Anyone else glad the tests are all over?

OP posts:

mummytime · 04/03/2011 09:13

Niecie I don't think she has a chance. But maybe the girl could still be in the youth Orchestra anyway? Different LEA/music services have different rules. The local Music specialist school runs its own Music lessons and doesn't use the county service, but you can still have County lessons at another school, in fact lots of kids commute eg. to school P for singing or G for Keyboard.

breadandbutterfly · 04/03/2011 10:06

starchilli - is your dd in yr 6 or 7? I didn't think levels above 5a were formally assessed at primary school?

snowegg · 04/03/2011 11:14

Gorgeous, what a lovely position to be in, but a dilemma all the same! I just have to keep reminding myself that actually all the schools round here are pretty good.

I'm a bit confused now by the waiting list thing. We are on the reserve list at Wilsons, but we dont know what score DS got there, only that he passed. Seems a bit odd that they wont tell us, there are obviosly other people out there that know the scores they have. Is it just different schoold different policies, or is there a way to find out?

GORGEOUSX · 04/03/2011 12:24

Snowegg Yes, it is a lovely feeling and I'm going to savour it; we've gone from not knowing whether she would be offered a GS place, to being able to choose!

As for Wilsons, it's ridiculous isn't it, but I'm not so sure that others at Wilsons DO know their scores. Certainly Wallington have not told any of us our DDs scores - unless it's in the letter I'm waiting to receive from them - haven't heard anything at all from them, even though that was the school we were offered!

How can it be right for DC to sit a test (a bloody hard one, at that!) and not be told their scores? Can you imagine that it any other situation - driving test etc.? It's complete madness. I will try and find out for you if ANYONE knows their Wilsons score and post back later.

snowegg · 04/03/2011 12:36

Gorgeous, that would be great. The thing I can't get my head around is, how would you construct an appeal if you wanted to go that route? They say they won't have compiled the waiting list until the end of March. The END OF MARCH! Surely, like Tiffin, they could tell you by how many places you missed out.

We were told score by Wallington, but only because we didn't pass. And get this - Glyn won't tell me if we got the place based on distance or score. Not really sure why my DH wanted to know, but now they won't tell me it has annoyed me!

BTW, why are you considering Tiffin if it was your third choice? Or don't you apply to them on the same form?

Niecie · 04/03/2011 13:03

Thanks mummytime. I don't think she stands a chance either. I don't think it is my business to say anything but it seems that they are putting themselves through a lot of stress for nothing if they don't stand a chance. The DD is a sweetheart but she does get very worked up about things.

OTH I think they run the risk of looking a bit daft if they go in to the appeal saying the child has to go to X school because they can't get music lessons at Y school and the panel is the one to tell them they got it wrong! Maybe I should say something after all.

GORGEOUSX · 04/03/2011 13:05

Snowegg We put Tiffin as 3rd because it's further away, but now other considerations are coming into play because, in all honesty, we never allowed ourselves to think she could get into Tiffin, so almost tossed a coin as to whether we put it 2nd or 3rd on the CAF.

We are now thinking, as she can't go to Nonsuch - walking distance - she'll have to travel anyway, so should she travel to Wallington or Kingston?

I loved Tiffin when we went to look round - DD loved Wallington.

Now DH wants to have a say in DDs education (unreasonable I know) and wants to mull over the pros and cons of both schools.

As for Glyn - how ridiculous is that - sounds like they don't know the answer! What reason have they given you for not telling you? Do you think it's because they can't work it out?

AndyMBAstudent · 04/03/2011 13:26

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet.

snowegg · 04/03/2011 14:16

GORGEOUSX You have a lot to weigh up there! As I think I've said, we're new to the area, but I've certainly picked up that Tiffin is the big prize :)

I think they don't tell you the result so they don;t have to deal with the fall out. But it makes it hard to make decisions. I mean, if DD surprised you with Tiffin, how do you know she didn't get closer than you think to Nonsuch, even on a bad day?

Wilson's is also a fair old distance, we looked at it when we were thinking of moving to Wallington, and all fell in love with it. DS would not hear of any other school going number 1. I nearly made him get up and yomp down to the station in the cold and get there for 8.30 one morning just so he knew what he might be in for. But DH made me see sense

GORGEOUSX · 04/03/2011 14:27

LOL! I think that's a really good idea actually - after all he's going to be doing that journey for the next 7 years. I think I'll try both journeys next week, and get DH to take DD to school whilst I brave buses and trains.

Re Nonsuch - I know her score for that, they told everyone their scores months ago. She passed the test, but unfortunately others passed it with a higher score than her, and there just aren't enough places, so it, quite rightly, goes in the order of scores. She is on the waiting list for that, but at this stage we have no idea where on that list she is.

thetasigmamum · 04/03/2011 14:55

@GeorgeousX - I don't understand how you can be 'holding' two offers though? When my DD did the exam for Colyton and Torquay Girls Grammer, we put Colyton as first preference, she passed, so that was her offer. We don't know whether she passed the Torquay test, because having been offered a place at her school of first preference she was immediately ineligible for an offer at the other schools on her list, wherever she came in the test scores. Does it work differently in surrey, then? That must be very handy for people considering Grammar schools (I guess it's irrelevant in Devon since for most of the county there is only one option, unless you live quite West in which case the Torbay ones become a (logistical nightmare) possibility.

Colyton don't give out the scores either, incidentally. It's probably for the best.

GORGEOUSX · 04/03/2011 16:20

Hi - I'm not strictly speaking holding 2 offers - you're right. What's happened is I have accepted my 2nd choice offer, but according to the 3rd choice offer school, my DD has exceeded their lowest offer of 235, so I can go onto their waiting list. As all the girls on the list (except for others like myself) will have a lower score than DD she will be higher than them on the list - either at the top of it, or, in the case of others in same situation near it. As in the past there have always been several offers made in the 2nd round, it is pretty certain DD would get in.

Also, I may be wrong, but I can't imagine there are many considering changing to a LOWER preference school, so I'm thinking she will be at the top of the list.

GORGEOUSX · 04/03/2011 16:34

Sorry, I don't think I've explained that very well.

I only have one offer, but having gone onto the waiting list for the other school, DD is almost certain to receive an offer from that school too. I would then have to make a decision to accept it and decline the other one, or vice versa.

That's about as clear as mud then!

timetomove · 04/03/2011 16:35

Gorgeousx, I thought Nonsuch had a lower cut off point for in catchment children (something like 212 for in catchment as compared to 236 for out of catchment?) Given you are in walking distance are you in catchment? If so, your poor DD must have had a tough day at Nonsuch given her excellent Tiffin and Wallington results. I think it is a lesson worth noting for those going through this in future years that for all the preparation people do, and amounts they pay to tutors etc, even the most able child can just have a bad day.

GORGEOUSX · 04/03/2011 16:45

I couldn't agree more.

GORGEOUSX · 04/03/2011 16:47

Sorry timetomove, I didn't answer your question. Yes, that's right, we are in catchment and she got less than 212.

snowegg · 04/03/2011 16:47

timetomove, sadly I think you're right. I also think you have no control over differnt levels of motivation. My (Ok, I'll say it, bright) ds is in the mad situation of having passed the GS test everyone tells me is the hardest but not Wallington, what a co-incidence he had already decide wanted to go to Wilsons and didn't like Wallington. Hmm

GORGEOUSX · 04/03/2011 16:49

And more than 235 for Tiffin!

I don't know what she got at Wallington, but she's been offered a place

Crazy isn't it?

GORGEOUSX · 04/03/2011 16:50

snowegg That's right. Wilsons and Tiffin Girls are considered to be the Prize. Sickening isn't it?

GORGEOUSX · 04/03/2011 16:52

Snowegg I asked around at the school gate about Wilsons, but not a single child passed the test at DDs school , so, sorry I still don't know if anyone knows.

CointreauVersial · 04/03/2011 17:45

Gorgeousx - I've been reading all your stuff about the Sutton grammar schools with interest (DD1 currently Y5).

Looking at Wallington and Nonsuch, do you think one is traditionally harder to get into than the other, or does it just depend on how you do on the day?

Good luck with the Tiffin application; maybe you should have put it 2nd if it truly was your 2nd preference?! It's too far away for us, but the other two are manageable. But we're not in Sutton so it'll be a long shot either way....

snowegg · 04/03/2011 17:59

GORGEOUSXsounds like they haven't given them the results either then. All we know is 390 passed, 150 places

snowegg · 04/03/2011 17:59

GORGEOUSX - sorry, should have said, thanks for asking!

GORGEOUSX · 04/03/2011 18:00

Cointreau It's not really my second choice, I'm just savouring it all, and enjoying thinking she would almost certainly get in. I think it's gonna be too much hassle to get to and too pressured. But I'm figuring, seeing as I've waited 6 months for this, since she sat for Nonsuch, I'm going to take my time - tee hee - and muse over a

With regards to Nonsuch and Wallington, Nonsuch is harder to get into, because the tests are harder. The general consensus of the DC at the school-gate was that it was very, very hard. The Wallington test, by comparison was easy. (It's still bloody hard!)

If your DD is good at Maths, you are half-way there at Wallington.

If your DD is a 'reader' she'll probably be OK with the verbal reasoning.

IME DC find the non-verbal reasoning the hardest.

Having said all that, more girls pass the Wallington test and there are still only 180 places, so from that point of view it's hard to get into IYSWIM. Lots more pass, but they can't all get in. Even though they don't all get into Nonsuch, not as many pass.

I have a few books which explain how to do it, and get harder and harder - until they're nigh on impossible! If you want to PM me your address I'll post them to you, though I completely understand if you wouldn't want to!

GORGEOUSX · 04/03/2011 18:01

That should read .... explain how to do non-verbal reasoning!

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