Hockerill Anglo European Collage - entry via aptitude test

[rosemaryc]

Just posting here too (put this on the main Education board a few days ago). Many thanks to anyone with any insight.

Hi, we are in the same county but a long way from the catchment area (1hr away). Anyone here's DC done this test, especially if applying from outside the catchment area? I know it's very competitive.
Thank you!

River - they never tell you. In fact they don't even tell if you have got a place via aptitude or one of the other entry routes although in some cases of course. Yes the scores required are high - not many places and perhaps 200-300 people trying but you never know....

I find it unbelievable that this school exists at all. The English school system is so unfair.

Hi HertsandEssex - ah just seen your DD got a place! So you don't get told if it's language or music? I suppose you can work it out from scores though - not that it matters so much if you have got in :-) Is it 200-300 sitting in one room?
thanks

No you don't get told if it is language or music. You don't even get told if it is an aptitude place or based on distance or staff or sibling etc. Although of course sometimes it is obvious. There are two sittings with at least 100+ in the hall each time. I think quite scary for some of the kids. Last year somebody was sick everywhere so less pressure the better from parents.

It is unfair. It is not unbelievable that it exists as much as unbelievable that there aren't more schools like it :)

River and HertsandEssex, my DD has got a place this year and I got told her scores on the aptitude test for language, music and a combined score and the minimum scores needed to get in for the past 2 years. She scored a couple of % above the minimum so I knew she stood a good chance. I think a few years ago they didn't used to tell you scores but they def do now.

HertsandEssex did your DD get in on sibling rule this year or aptitude test?

Not on sibling rule. Yes they tell you the scores and previous minimums but the minimums change each year (I have gone through it three times and always different) so you don't really know for sure what is the level in the current year. That said if you live miles away and have no siblings then it is pretty obvious :)

They have actually got all the facts and figures on their website this year under year 7 admissions page, I don't know if that's a new thing but I found them when trying to look for details on transition days! It says % for this year, number of siblings, max distance from school etc.

Oh yes just found that. I don't recall seeing anything as complete as that before although some snippets.

Has anyone got details of what kind of test this involves, is it the standard 60-question MAT test that can be found online?

Hi RogueApostrophe,
Someone may come along who did the tests in 2017 as my memory is a bit hazy but language had some similarities with something like this lltf.net/mlat-sample-items/ . Music harder to pin down and not like your standard Music aptitude test online (unlike H&E music test which was). Dd found it hard to describe but some questions were quite subjective eg which piece sounded better? Dd said the preparation she did for the standard music test at H&E wasn’t much use for the Hockerill one.

It's not like the standard mat that the other secondary schools in the area used - they make up their own questions.

It is also very competitive. My friends son got a music place for this September and he scored 97% (they only have 3 dedicated music places)