south wilts grammar school late entry

[rclmum]

I am wanting to send my daughter ,who is currently in year 8, to complete the late entry test at SWGS so that she can attend in year 9 but we are not quite sure what the tests are quite like. We searched online and are using the papers on owltutors but papers can be so different. Some include a grammar section. Some don't. I was wondering if there are any past people who have prepared their children for the late entry test before. Especially, towards english and how we can prepare.Any advice?

I would think it would just cover whatever is on the national curriculum for that age.
The school website states (from last October) that there are no.places available & eight on the waiting list. Have you checked if there are any spaces available? (I didn't even know they had grammar schools in Wiltshire)

The school seems to run the test twice a year, whether or not there is a current vacancy in the relevant age group. As for content,

Testing Arrangements

For entry to years 8, 9 and 10 a girl will have to sit tests in Maths and English.

The child's performance in two written tests - an English paper, which comprises a comprehension test and an essay, and a Mathematics paper, based on the National Curriculum for the child's age group - provides the evidence of her ability.

KS3 NC English and Maths:

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/244215/SECONDARY_national_curriculum_-_English2.pdf

www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-mathematics-programmes-of-study/national-curriculum-in-england-mathematics-programmes-of-study#key-stage-3

My daughter sat the test 3 years ago. No special prep is needed if your daughter is keeping up with her studies as SWGS just test on the national curriculum.

Thank you for your replies. We applied and they said to attend the test so if she gets in, hopefully she will bee on the waiting list. Has anyone completed the test because i don't know how i can help her with English test. Is it just comprehension and a story?
Meery, what advice would your daughter give on completing the test?
Again thank you for all your help.

Okay thank you. I will try at look more into the national curriculum do you know what other resources we can use to revise.

As I remember the English test was a straight forward comprehension and an essay for which there were several choices as to what the topic could be. More akin to the type of entrance exam you would do for a GDST school than the SWGS 11+ which comprises multiple choice as you probably know. Our advice would be not to stress about it and just go and have a go, it was very straight forward. Not a stealth boast, but we only decided to try a couple of days before and my daughter still did ok with no prep.

Thank so much Meery. You've been a great help.

From where did you get practice papers?

We did not do any practice papers for the exam.
On the waiting list issue, as I recall the list is scrubbed at the end of the summer term, so anyone on the list would have to sit the exam to keep a place on it. If a space occurs before the end of term it will be offered to the extant list, if after the end of term it will go to the new list. So although the school was full with 3 waiting last October, this will be different come July. Also, your daughter may be better placed on the new list against the admission criteria than others applying. Definitely worth having a go.

Ok thx. It looks like it won't be too hard and we should just give it a go. Thanks for helping. The test is in exactly 3 weeks so yeah.

Absolutely. Nothing ventured and all that. Best of luck to your girl.

Hi. Did you have much success- we’re just about to try!

@1234Travellingmum My daughter is also going to be doing the test this year but I'm having trouble with her practising. Where do you live? We're not local at the moment but it would be great if she had someone else she knew doing it too! Feel free to PM me :)