Redbridge 11+ record applications? Does this mean it will be superselective? If so is that a good thing?

[tricot39]

I live in the catchment for the Redbridge 11+ although not in RB itself. I was wondering if anyone had information to share about the record numbers of applications for this year's (ie 2014 entry) 11+?

I understand that normal years have several hundred applicants but that this year that total is into the thousands. Is this correct? If so I am led to believe that instead of the Grammars taking the top 20% or so, it will be more like the top 5% which are offered places?

We have always discounted Redbridge as a place to move to because of the 11+ system. BUT if it is a superselective area and local kids are sent to the local comps then it becomes a whole lot more appealing to us......

So my main questions are for people with local knowledge -

1. Are local people planning to send their kids to the local comps? If so, which comps are better than others? Or are they making other plans?
2. Any idea if this is a blip year? Or likely to be the start of a trend?
3. Does anyone know if this will mean that the catchment area is reduced to only cover Redbridge addresses in future years?

I know that these questions are almost impossible to answer, but I am very interested!

Any thoughts or information gratefully received.....

(Also posted in Local Talk)

I don't know the area so can't answer most but I think that super selective is much better. It is far more difficult to tutor a child for a place and it leaves the comprehensives with a much better and bigger top end. I wouldn't have thought that all those who failed would be able to afford private.

I know the area, but don't live there either.

As far as I know, the two grammars (Woodford County High for Girls and Ilfird County High. for boys). have always been super selective. Even when there was full 11+ there back in the 70s, those two shools were the top choices as everyone knew they were staying grammar.

So yes, the comps are proper comps.
Take a look at the league tables, one of the Comps is Seven Kimgs High School which is one of the best performing comps in the country.

Redbridge has been effectively Super selective since the 70s. There are lots of students and only two grammars. It does mean there are good Comps. And I have known pupils get into Russell Group Unis from even the less good Comps.

thanks mummytime.
academically i am generally of the view that able pupils will do well at any school. however socially things can be quite different.... are there any comps which have more of a "learning culture" than others?

I thought a superselective grammar school just gave its available places to dcs who scored highest in the 11+ regardless of where they lived. If the school has a catchment or you have to live in the borough to get a place then it isn't a ss

the redbridge grammars have a catchment which extends outside the lb of redbridge to include all/parts of neighbouring boroughs. anyone in that catchment can sit the 11+ to be considered for the grammar. in theory people outside the catchment could apply to ait the test if there were too few applications, but that never happens in practice. Other schools use the travel time limit of 1hr to set a catchment area - which is roughly the redbridge catchment area.

that still makes it a super selective doesn't it?