Manchester Grammar School - any tips for assessment day year 3

[cdfmum]

Hello, does anyone have any tips/suggestions to prepare my boy for the year 3 assessment at MGS? They suggest not to tutor your son, but I know that loads of kids who got in have been tutored (which is something we don't want to do). I know it's a full day during which boys are assessed for their potential rather than for what they already know and that they teach them brief lessons and than they test them to see how much they have retained? And I've heard kids are asked to write an essay/paper and work on team projects? Does anyone have any more specific examples? Like, what kind of topics they cover for maths or what kind of papers they ask the kids to write? Anything would help. Thanks!

Hi, my DS was in the assessment day for year 3 entry last month and we've received a rejection letter last Saturday. We did not prepare my DS as we did not want to put too much pressure on him. He seems had a fun day there, the day lasts about 4 hours. Boys were assessed throughout activities covers reading, spelling, writing, comprehension and time tables etc. My DS did not say much after the day, there was a short report along with the result includes these areas. Hope this helps, good luck to your DS.

Thank you, it helps a lot!

Mgs has first intake in year 3. It's a private grammar school, maybe that's why I take is earlier than other grammar school? Not sure though.

Did you try anywhere else? Cheadle?

No, we only entered him (7years old ds2) for the MGS as my DS1 did 11 plus this year and he passed all the grammar schools in Trafford. Ds1 also sat for the MGS, he has really good chance to pass, so we thought it would be nice to have both of them in the same school. We will find out the result for ds1 next month, if he passed, then we have to choose between the MGS and AGSB.

Hello, we decided to go for it without any additional tutoring and we are waiting for a date for my boy's assessment. Has anyone's boy done the assessment this year and has any tips? Cheers

My DS went to the assessment last week. My son said it is harder than his current school. Anyone has results yet?

My son did it last week too, but he didn't say much. He enjoyed the day but said he still prefers his school!! I think he found it quite hard! Results will arrive on Saturday by mail.

Also, does anyone know why MGS asks the boys' current school for reports etc?

The current school reports is the part of application document. My son did nt remember lots, but he said the maths are much harder than what he learn at the current school.

yes sorry, I meant reference not report. We sent the report with the application form, but I know they ask the current school for a reference too.

I understand from the previous years parents. Some of the current school did not response the reference so that the child lost place. Hopefully it is not the case for everyone here. I also don't know why they can not send email to inform us the decision as they did for the assessment day information.

MGS request the reading and spelling age as part of the reference. They also want an idea of whether or not each boy will be able to cope in the MGS environment. Hope you had good news last week!

We did have great news: my boy was offered a place! :-)

Congratulations! Same here. We are super excited. The tour morning just reinforced how incredibly talented & confident MGS boys are. Can't wait!

Great! And yes I totally agree: we were so impressed with the boys, the school, the staff! It will be a great adventure :-)

A fair number of grammar and independent schools now take children in from aged 7 (if not before) through to 18: Bury, Bolton, Bridgewater, Kings, MGS.

MGS is a private school so don’t confuse with a state grammar. Its selective so lots go at Yr3 from state primaries across Manchester if they want an MGS education at High School level.
There are burseries available for Yr3 entry also: albeit most pay full fees

Hi
My son is in year 1 and I'm thinking to ask him for year 3 admission? Can anyone plz give me a suggestions about the entry assessment? I have no clue about this process. Any extra tution needed if then where it is from?
Thanks in advance.

Hi,
my boy did the assessment when he was in year 1 and he was offered a place so he is now at msg.

He was not tutored, but I know a lot of the kids are (probably the majority). I don't think it makes a difference as during the assessment day they are looking at potential rather than what the kids already know. During the day kids are asked to read, to write a story on a specific topic, they are taught a maths lesson on a topic they have not done in school yet and tested to assess how quickly they get new concepts. They are also asked to participate in group discussions and to play with their peers. My boy was evenly pretty strong on all subjects in his previous school but I know of boys who struggled with one subject in their previous schools and who were still offered a place and I guess this is because msg saw potential in them and were confident that they could work with the boy and help him get up to speed with everything.

We did not put any pressure on my boy and did not expect anything: we just sent him, confident that if msg saw potential, they would have offered him a place. The day before the assessment we just told him that the day after he would have gone to have a look at a school, but I know the vast majority of parents are very clear with their boys about their expectations (as in, boys HAVE to get in) and they heavily prep them. I personally think this is the wrong approach, or at least, this would have definitely not worked with my boy.

I hope this helps but please let me know if you have other questions.

Just checked the website but couldn’t find details of the next yr3 assessment days. What time of year are they usually held? Do the boys take the test in yr1 or yr2?

You need to contact the admission office for dates. They will ask you to fill in a form and and they will send you a date. For intake in year 3 yourboy will do the assesment in year 2 (sorry, I wrote year 1 in the previous post!). Dates will be From October on wards. They asses up to 12 boys each assesment day. Cheers

Thanks cdfmum!

hello. We are thinking of entering my son for Yr 3 mgs assessment. How competitive is it? We don't wish to put too much pressure on our son. From the posts I believe there will be a lesson which kids will be tested on. A maths paper and possibly comprehension and a story to write.

Does anyone know whats come up in the past? Any advice much appreciated especially on how we should prepare him

Thanks dave