Common Entrance - will we hear today if DS hasn't passed?

[KingscoteStaff]

Or is this an urban myth?

Don't think I can last til Thursday...

newt - the head hasn't said anything about hitting phones or final scrambles (ds has no senior school as unfortunately didn't get the non academic scholarship needed to qualify for bursary funding) but his school still wanted him to sit the CE exams. Would a head do anything after the results in this situation?

To a layman, please may someone take the time out to explain all this? It sounds as if everyone passes, so what is the point? I know I'm missing something.

Thats pretty much the case lampshady. Each school sets its own % pass mark and what level Common Entrance papers they will accept. The more selective schools normally only accept level 2 or 3 and their pass mark would be 65% +, the next tier of schools down would have say 55%+ as a pass mark right down to those schools deemed as non selective who accept a lower level paper and around 50% pass mark.
There is a lot of discussion going on about common entrance and what point it serves as so many of the schools (even the less selective ones) are pretesting in Yr 6 and offering conditional places, so it does make the CE years seem rather pointless unless you are doing it for childs maturity to develop or because prep school fees are lower than senior school fees

RESULT!!!

He's in. Thank the lord.

And now WINE!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations xx

"To a layman, please may someone take the time out to explain all this? It sounds as if everyone passes, so what is the point? I know I'm missing something."

Think of it as like UCAS.

Between year 6 and about March in year 8, you seek a conditional offer from the schools you like the look of. The school in turn picks which candidates it likes the look of, by a combination of any/all of pre-test, interview, reference, taster day. The school then makes offers ie what level mark in Common Entrance exam. You can hold only one offer. but do so with some level of security as it is possible (indeed normal) for all to make the grade for their offer.

Congratulations!

Many congratulations Kingscote staff. Now you and your DS can have a fab weekend celebrating.

Congrats Kingscote! I remember you from the SW London girls thread. What a stressful few months for you - great to have both your DD and DS sorted. Time to celebrate I think.

Thanks chaps - he sounded so happy on the phone - not just for himself but for his mates who have ALL had good news!

Yes mertonmama, it's been a bit of a year, what with 11+ and CE. What's nice is that they are so proud of each other!

Hope that is well and truly flowing by now Kingscote - well done to both your children this year!

Came across this doing some research for a future common entrance mum...what a lovely piece of news to find!

Does anyone know how the marking for CE works. Level 2 papers. Own prep school has marked them and graded ds B for English, C for Maths, C for Physics and Biology and a D (!) for Chemistry. Humanities and Spanish all B, French C
They say that means hes passed, but what average % is that?

sorry - history was A

I think you'll need to ask the school what % that equates to. Have you a school sorted for September now. If not what does the head suggest.

And no one "fails" CE.

Lovely news, Kingscotestaff!

Thanks LIZ, couple of possibles, though they do their own entrance tests this late in the day. Head seems to have shrugged his shoulders and isn't suggesting anything as those he did suggest have already allocated their bursary funds or have waiting lists as well!

Inthename unless the prep school is marking particularly strictly these don't sound very good results for CE considering it's level 2 CE, particularly for the sciences and maths. On that basis he is not going to shine in any entrance tests.
Your DS may well have disengaged (apart for History) but it sounds as though he really needs that fresh start which hopefully will include some extra help for maths.

thanks summer. they test verbal reasoning etc, so may be ok. have a state option lined up as well. not very impressed to be honest as he was predicted at least a B in sciences until about 4 weeks ago. beginning of yr 8 he was A*. oh well, time to draw a line and fresh start awaits.

Let us know what happens, I am sure that there will have been some positives from his present school but, as you say, time to look forward to a new set of teachers.

inthename At our prep school and most (not massively academic) Senior schools those result would be approximately:

History - 75%
English/Geog/RS/Spanish - 65%
Maths/Physics/Biology/French- 55%
Chemistry - 45%

That's a 60% average so he would have secured his place at Lancing if he'd won the non-academic scholarship and bursary or paid full fees obviously.

Lizs - when you say nobody fails CE, surely some must? I mean if there are 200 pupils competing for 150 places say, then 50 will be disappointed.

There is no actual fail mark. Most secondaries make conditional offers to those whose Prep Heads suggest will meet the entry criteria and may have been interviewed. However now that many offer places on basis of their own entry tests or pretests CE is really an affirmation exercise. Occasionally they over offer or have a child who doesn't perform in these exams and the head will plead their case but reality is that few are left without a school after CE. Sadly though inthename's Ds is one such.

It's not a competition, though. If they have 150 places, they'll make that many conditional offers, plus have a waiting list. And the numbers all shake down between year 6 and about March of year 8. You can hold only one offer, so there isn't even the uncertainty of attempts to hedge.

The pass mark varies between schools too. So part of getting the right conditional offer is one where you are confident the pass mark is within capability.

Any school that failed 25% of offer holders would rapidly be shunned.