11+ waiting for results

[Mumoftwinsandanother]

Hi there

My twins have both taken the 11+ in Bucks today. Results come out on 13th October, I think. It could really go either way for both of them. My biggest fear is that one gets in and the other does not (really quite possible).
Saw that last year there was a thread from parents during the waiting period and I wondered if anyone wanted to take part in a hand holding thread this year (for any county). Obviously have to be very careful what I say to DTs so would be useful to vent here.

Anyone else in similar position?

That's lovely news Mumski!

Got everything crossed for tomorrow now. I had been pretty calm, but getting a little bit jittery now.

Oh, how can I have only just found this thread?
Waiting for Glos, results out Friday 12th.
dd1 and ds are already at the grammar, so it is a lot of pressure for dd2, especially as her 3 cousins are Kent and also all at grammar schools.

I visited our alternative with her last week, and while it is OK, I was much less enamoured of it than I had been with dd1. I just love dd1's school and think dd2 will thrive there, so really hoping she gets in.

Ah well done to your DS @mumski45! They weren’t successful but while I’m disappointed that they won’t be going to a smaller high school they are delighted that they’ll be going to the same school as their very tight group of friends, and we’re just delighted that I’ve got them Gerald durrell’s Corfu trilogy and a few other exciting books as a reward for their efforts!

Good luck to everyone waiting for results, I hope your kids get the places they want, or sent too upset if they don’t.

Sorry to hear your news @treezylover. It sounds like your DS's will be happy at the alternative. I think most big schools do make an effort to be less intimidating for the new starters so hopefully they will be able to put your mind at rest and enjoy being with their friends.

It’s Friday after school for us. They come out of class with an envelope containing the results. Then we have the walk home with it burning a hole in our pocket! I am really nervous - DS keeps mentioning it and is worried he hasn’t passed. The alternative school is not good so that doesn’t help with the stress.....

Sheba-wow, I’ve never heard of results coming like that before! Do the primary school get quite involved in the whole process?

Holiday yes, we’re in Bucks which is a fully selective system. The kids all do the test in their class at their primary school at the start of year 6. You can opt out if you want to though only 2 children in my DS’s class opted out. So the schools administer it but don’t teach it! It’s a system that causes a lot of stress.

mumski I thought all school places were allocated on March 1st, not on October? It's called national offer day. I understand that if your DC has a sibling there you can be sure of a place, but I'm sure no actual places are confirmed until next march? Or have I misunderstood your post above?

@furrycushion, as long as you put it as first choice they guarantee you’ve got a place if you pass the test, and inform the LA as such.

They don't know if you've put it first. Obviously if it is your first choice you should oyut it first, but the school won't know. And no places are officially offered until March 1st. I'm not being thick, I realise that you can be certain of a place but folks in other areas will wonder why some seem to be offered places in October & some in March.

@Furrycushion yes you are correct that we still have to apply using the CAF and allocation is on 1 March. However there are so few grammar places here in Lancashire that the system is able to work differently than in areas with more options. Most people who qualify will take up the place so the school can tell 150 boys in October that they can apply and as long as you put it first they guarantee a place. If you don't put it first you might get your first choice so that's why they can't guarantee a place if you put it further down the list.

There will be a waiting list of boys OOC who passed but did not have a high enough score to be guaranteed a place who may get an offer if any of the first 150 don't take up their place.

By the way having a sibling there gives us no advantage as each child has to qualify via the 11+ test.

That's very interesting, mumski, thank you. The people of the south east fighting over all those places will be very jealous!

I think the reason it works is because although there are so few places there is not as much competition for them as in some areas. I think there are about 450 ish applications for 150 places. We have the advantage that there are a lot of very good comprehensives which are genuine comps and not secondary moderns. There are also a lot of very good faith schools. The lack of grammar places and the distances needed to travel to access them combined with good alternatives mean that not as many people apply.

Every boy who passes and lives within the inner catchment gets a place with residual places OOC going in order of score achieved. Hence not every child who passes but lives OOC gets a place but they will be on the wait list. Virtually everyone who takes the test will want a place unlike applicants to London Grammars who may take the test for 4 or 5 schools including some private schools so the school don't know who the majority of their cohort will be until offers are accepted in early March.

Good luck to all those still waiting for results.

furry - in Glos, we get told if they have passed, and the rank, for the school they have done the test for.
So, the school we want has 150 places, she will either pass in top 150, and then there is no reason why she woudn't get a place. Or is ranked from 150-about 400, and you can make a good estimate as to whether or not they have a place. Eg last year the school took kids down to rank 365, so if you kid is no. 200, they will get in.

Obviously, until you get the letter on March 1st, nothing is set in stone, but really, for most people you know.
The difficulty is people in the grey zone, eg they dd ranked at 350.

Very Well done to your second DS Mumski.

Grammar school my DD at is the same as what Mumski describes. It is very different to oversubscribed schools down south.

No scores are released just met standard or not. If the child passes and lives in catchment then they know they definitely have a place in October as less pass than places. Last year 98 in catchment passed and there are 150 places. The top scoring OOC children are also told in October they have a place (OOC goes solely on score not distance so anyone can apply). Of course you still fill in the CAF but 1st march is a formality.

The wording on the pass letter in October is

I am delighted to inform you [name] reached the required standard in the tests and, in accordance with Lancashire County Council's Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme, we have informed the Local Education Authority (LEA) that we would be pleased to accept [name] as a student at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School from September. We understand that the LEA will allocate [name] a place here if your common Application states that you have put Clitheroe Royal Grammar School as your first preference.

Oh OP, I am going through the same thing as you!!

Waiting for the hertfordshire results which will be released on 17th October! Tbh, we live in the outer catchment for Watford Boys school, so not sure how likely it is that we'll get in anyway!

We have an oustanding faith school near us, though we are Muslims who do attend Mosque etc and have been for years, the critera for that is right at the bottom and not sure of my sons chances there! Oh this secondary school stuff is stressful! How do you know which school??? Though we are lucky that we have several good schools around us so I shouldn't be too worried...

I just received my email from Kent. So the results are out, all the best to you all. Thumbs up for everyone, working hard always pays. I have read the thread up until now and it has helped me cope.

Oh ! He's in.

Congratulations to your DS @hibeat you must be very proud of him.

Thanks @Dixiechickonhols

Congratulations @hibeat

Oh congrats hibeat (I did read your first post and though WAIT - What did the email say?? )

I am absolutely proud of him ! Thanks everyone !