Wandsworth Test Results

[gazzalw]

DS got 95% in his WT today - we are very proud of him but gather this won't be enough to get him a place at Graveney ....

[irisjohnson]

not that I can guarantee my children will be high scorers in the first place ... If only it were that simple.

[Blu]

irisjohnson - I agree with you re the desirability of having friends locally.

We live just the other side of the A23 and some people in our area do try for Graveney. We decided against it, even though DS does v well academically, because where possible, local seems to work. But then we are lucky to have another v good school v close to us. Even so, some people still try for Graveney - I think the fact that it is selective gets their competitive juices going. Other people do not have suitable schools close by.

[gazzalw]

So if my understanding is correct those of us out of Borough just have to hope that the brightest children are the ones on the doorstep of the school !

[sgray]

yes!!!!

[Blu]

erm, isn't it the opposite?

Because if they gave places on distance BEFORE giving places on the test, the ones who live on top of the school would not take up any of the 63 selective places.

However, the rules say they give places on test results first - so only 63 selective places, irregardless of how many of those do or do not live on the doorstep of the school.


sgray - the admission rules say that if a pupil gets in on the test but would ALSO that year have been eligible for a distance place, then the sibling place will be allowed.

[gazzalw]

I am rather confused because some posters seem to say that many of the 'selective' intake who get in would also get in on catchment and others seem to indicate that those places are only given to those out of catchment.

When we went to the Open Day this year and looked through the list of where the Year 7s had come from it didn't seem to me that 63 were from out of catchment at all - but then I was probably looking for the obviously out-of-Borough ones rather than DCs from Wandsworth Schools but just far away from Graveney.....

Who can say??? The whole process is shrouded in mythology and spin - and as you said you could end up on a waiting list for catchment and one for selectivity and how complicated is that???? That could well happen to us although still keeping fingers crossed that one of the 3 grammars comes up trumps for DS!

[Blu]

gazza, I think the confusion arises because people like my friend who has 2 DC at graveney, and sgray have been told by the school that they give 63 selective places in addition to catchment, whereas the admissions policy given on the Graveney website is on direct contradiction to that, and says that those in the top 63 will be admitted on test even if they are also within catchment.

Mythology, spin and misinformation......

[EdithWeston]

The website is the accurate version.

Perhaps the confusion simply arises because someone at the school phrased it badly when speaking. The selective places could, in theory, all be won by distant children (so coukd be seen as "additional" as they are ooen to anyone) but in practice they won't be. They are allocated by scores, irrespective of whether near to or far from the school gates, except when tie breaking when distance is used as the criterion.

[Blu]

yes, I am sure that it will be done according to the published policy, but that in the complicated nature of it misunderstanding and myth proliferate. I have seen the 'wrong' version rehearsed on Mn many times!

Why am I on this thread? My child didn't even take the test! (but I know many people who are hanging on the results and feel fro them)

[gazzalw]

Well I am lurking on the Trinity and Whitgift one, Blu, with a vested interest in hoping that all their DSs who also took grammar school exams and passed go for their Indie options instead

[EdithWeston]

I'm lurking and posting on a number of these threads (if you look in the various education forums there are oodles - some livelier than others), as quite a number of families we know are going through this. (Haven't recognised anyone, though).

I loads of sympathy for families going through this, in particular those in the stressy London hotspots.

[gazzalw]

The problem with any information and particularly stuff to do with schools is that I am sure sometimes we all hear what we want to hear rather than what is actually said!

Less than two weeks to go now :-( or :-). I am rather hoping for a Kent type booboo with the alloction results available online before they are officially supposed to be there...it only takes one clerical error!

I wonder what happens to staff who may work in an Admissions Dept who have DCs too - are they forbidden from finding out in advance too?

Anyone know when the secondary schools get the lists of who has been allocated places...and are there options for children allocated Graveney (or indeed any other secondary school) etc...to look around again before making a decision....???

On the subject of the Wandsworth Test though you might expect that children within Borough would outperform children out of Borough just because they spend time in class practising.... As I may have said already our DS said he found the WT very hard despite having done lots of VR/NVR practice papers.

Hey ho....!

[Blu]

Do Wandsworth primaries do practice for the test?

The problem with having a look round before you maka a decision is only practical though, if you end up with more than one choice on the table - which only happens, as I understand it, if you are trying for private as well as state? Otherwise you would turn down the top choice offered and then have to go on the waiting lists for any other school you were interested in.

Or is it possible to get offered a Graveney selective place AND a grammar place at the same time? Do they not all come through the CAF offer?

I know someone who is now dithering and may well ask to go on the waiting list for lower choices if they are offered the first choice!

[gazzalw]

No you only get one option - think I'm going a bit mad! If DS does get Graveney rather than one of the grammars we wouldn't turn it down even if not totally convinced....Do have to say though that DS wasn't totally convinced by Graveney and it was with some parental pressure that he agreed to it being 4th rather than 5th on his list!

Think I'm getting a bit confused because I'm sure one of the grammar school Heads implied that there was an option to look round again in March...but maybe that's wishful thinking! Or maybe that's once they've actually accepted the offer of a place?

[basildonbond]

They do practise a bit in the autumn term of y6 but it was all fairly low key in ds' primary

And as a lot of them are guaranteed to get in on distance and the banding isn't done solely on the test result it's quite hard to motivate themselves into taking it particularly seriously (ds got 'bored' and drew a load of smilies on his paper

No you can't have an offer from Graveney and for example Sutton Grammar
School .. All the same form

[SWStressed]

Am totally confused about how to work out DS' standardised score from NFER website as it says figures change with every test. Help anyone? Do you think Wandsworth would tell us?

[gazzalw]

Glad I wasn't the only one, SWStressed . Given that Wandsworth obviously do take into consideration the DCs birthdates, that didn't at all seem to have been factored into the NFER scores on the website....

Don't really know why Wandsworth couldn't actually give on the standardised scores - I dare you try to find out SWStressed!

Feel pretty sure they won't though otherwise it could be construed as the same issue as the grammars telling one one's child's 11+ score - people could use it to construe that their DC would be offered a place!

[sgray]

IF YOU READ NFER WEB SITE IT DOES EXPLAIN THAT THE CHART SHOWS PERCENTILE SCORES AS OPPOSED TO PERCENTAGE . IE IF DS GETS 98% PERCENTILE IT ONLY MEANS HE IS IN THE TOP 98% PERCENT OF CHILDREN TAKING THE TEST NOT THAT HE ACTUALLY ANSWERED 98% OF THE QUESTIONS CORRECTLY. sO DO SELECTIVE SCHOOLS USE THE PERCENTILES OR PERCENTAGES AND ACTUALLY WE ONLY HAVE A FEW WEEKS TO FIND OUT!!!! SO BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF YOU BECAUSE SOMETIMES IN LIFE WE WILL NEVER HAVE THE ANSWERS AND ISNT THAT GRAND!!!

[gazzalw]

Did realise that that there is a difference twixt % scored and the NFER ones.... but I am not exactly a mathmo and I wasn't ever claiming to be! Thank you for enlightening me!

So what you are essentially saying (or should I say shouting?) is that the Wandsworth Test allocation of places to Graveney and the other schools relies on the percentile scores rather than the % scored or is it the other way round?

No you are right and I am fast coming to the conclusion that deliberating over such issues is equivalent to dropping a stone in a pond - it generates ripples (more questions) rather than resolving anything!

Think I will retire from this thread until 1st March

[drosophila]

Not all wandsworth schools practice. Our head for instance believes it is not in the interest of teh child to practice proactice practice for a couple of reasons:

• test will not be a true reflection of their ability
  
• too much pressure on the child.
  

I had my own views and we did practice mainly the level playing field argument but I think he has a point.

[gazzalw]

I think a lot of the Heads are totally against the whole selective education system anyway.....

[KandyBarr]

gaz My DSS is in Graveney extension stream and got a place via Wandsworth test a couple of years ago. It was his top choice - distance, co-ed preference, etc - but the Sutton grammars were 2, 3 and 4. Wilson's was second choice, and he passed that test.

On March 1 we received a letter from Wilson's inviting us to join the waiting list should we change our minds about our preference. I thought that was odd, because I had thought that the pan-London form meant he only had one choice. Perhaps that is what the head you heard was talking about? We didn't take Wilson's up on it, by the way, because DSS wanted Graveney, but the option would have been there.

[gazzalw]

Yes, that must mean that your son passed very well (for Wilson's) and they were trying to lure you/DS away from your Graveney choice.....it's rather underhand isn't it.....

Well done for your DS getting a place at Graveney in the first place! Is he enjoying himself? Hope so. One of our close friend's sons has just left and gone up to Uni......she has nothing but praise for the place....

[KandyBarr]

Yes, he loves it. The work is demanding, they go very fast and there is a lot of homework. But we've been impressed by the emphasis on critical thinking - particularly in History and such subjects - and the way he's been encouraged to think for himself. I think he's also benefitted from being in a co-ed selective - it seems good for him to be in the same class as some v bright girls.

[gazzalw]

Yes, other people have said the same thing about critical thinking which can only be a good thing particularly in subjects like history!