Anxiously awaiting grammar school results......

[HairySandwiches]

Bit of a pointless thread but I don't know what to do with myself and I cant sleep because I'm so nervous and anxious about the results tomorrow.

DS sat the 11+ back in September and we get the results tomorrow!!! I know I shouldn't be this nervous but I cant help myself. (DS doesn't know how nervous I am, as far as he's concerned ill be proud of him whatever happens and it just helps us decide on the best school for him, there was no pressure on him at all, I didn't see the point in making him all nervous about it and making a big deal about passing or failing).

I really hope he's passed so he doesn't have to go to one of the local schools (which are awful - unsatisfactory, poor results, two are merging and will be split across two sites for who even knows how long, lots of social problems and gangs and everyone I know with DC there wants out) and we have very little chance of getting into one the further away ones.

Hoping to get a place at KEVI Handsworth (his favorite), or KEVI camp hill (the closest and easiest to get to on the bus) or KEVI Aston (our catchment) if he does.

I have no idea how I'm going to cope in march if I'm feeling like this just because of number of an email!!!!

Same! I didn’t even realise they were coming today until this morning when I was reading my emails - don’t know how I missed the one updating us they were coming today rather than Friday

We’ve got the anxiety twice. DS did the Birmingham 11+ and first weekend of October did the one for Haberdasher Adams so we have the torture twice 😭

Don’t know when we’re meant to get the email finding out. Knowing our luck we will be the last people they email....

We’re in catchment for Five Ways so not looking at the others, and thankfully don’t seem to be in your situation. Sounds awful, we have a bad one near us but luckily we have other options that we will be able to go with if DS doesn’t pass. I don’t know how they allow some schools to be so bad. Good luck today!

Good luck to you both @Neim. Have you heard anything yet? We haven’t. The anxiousness is getting worse.....

Does anyone know if the Lincs consortium results are this week or next? They pushed the test dates back by a week - but the when we get a result is really ambiguous. Is it the 21/10?!

Fingers crossed for you all.

Good luck all, were waiting for them too! In catchment for camp Hill but will be putting Five Ways down if DD scores high. DD preferred Five Ways (we looked round last year in year 5. DH told me I was mad and to wait until next year like a sane person but I think he’s eating his words now) .

@Chronicallymothering have they said on their website any dates or sent an email out with definite dates? We got sent an email last week saying the results day had changed and it was updated on the Birmingham website as well. Sorry I can’t help more.

They’ve arrived! Just checked my emails while on break at work. They came at 2pm.

Happy to say that DS has passed and got over the priority score. He doesn’t know yet, he won’t know until I get home about 5. I’m so proud of him, didn’t think he would manage it with all the changes of mind he’s had this year about doing some prep for it. One down one to go! Hope you get the results you need @HairySandwiches and it’s not too long to wait now

Thanks @ShampooVsConditioner we've had some emails, some letters from the school but since then the dates for the tests were put back twice, and different schools have different dates on their websites. Some have updated theirs and others haven't. It's a bit of a mess, not helped by us sitting the test at one school but applying for another.

It's such a lot of uncertainty it'd just be nice to know when.

Ours are here too!
DD has passed as well! She got 236. I am over the moon . It wont be long until shes back from school. I can't wait to see her face when I tell her.
I don't know whether this will be good enough for Five Ways because they cut off in category 4 last year and we would be category 5, but should be good enough for Camp Hill because they cut off in category 5 and we are in category 4 for them.

Well done to your DS @Neim. He's done so well. Hope your other results are just as good, and hopefully (fingers crossed) we see you at Five Ways next year!
@HairySandwiches, hopefully not too long for you. Looks like they are coming through for everyone now. I've heard a few people have them.

@Chronicallymothering are you allowed to contact the school and confirm the date with them? The uncertainty is no good on top of all the worrying you are probably already doing.

THE EMAIL HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!!!! I have been put out of my misery and can stop being so anxious.
DS has only gone and done it!!!! He managed to get over the line. He's got 209! I know its not not a score to blow the world away but I'm just so proud of him. He's really done himself proud. This gives us some hope of a grammar school and avoiding the rubbish ones.
We applied for PP place and last year Handsworth and Aston offered all PP places so I'm so happy!!!!

Well done everyone. Your DC have done so well! looks like its been a good day all round!

@Chronicallymothering, I agree with ShampooVsConditoner, can you ask the school directly when you might know?

@ShampooVsConditioner, I bet it will be an absolute picture. DS was so happy, he's been celebrating for the past half hour and I've even allowed him to eat chocolate before dinner to celebrate. I know a place isn't guaranteed (start the anxious wait until march now....) but its still a big achievement!

Can I ask (probably the wrong place to do so) did you guys think about moving to a non-grammar area to avoid this situation/stress? I live and teach in a comprehensive county and this system feels very alien to me!

Good luck everyone. Ours takes the 11+ on Thursday. We're really lucky here in that the numerous grammars and non grammars around here are all very good and he'll be fine in any of them (but first choice super selective which he'll have to score around 90% for) I'll be so glad to get this whole thing over. Fourth time round for us and nerves are in tatters!

PS good luck/congrats to all. I'm genuinely interested in how the system works!

@MalorieSnooty I've thought about moving for years, and I have been trying to move us. Unfortunately we can't because of finances otherwise we would have moved long ago.

Its a horrid horrid system that mostly favours those that can pay for private or tutoring. Fortunately the last 2 years the Birmingham grammar schools have offered 25% of their places as pupil premium places so the like of my family can actually have a chance of a place despite only being able to do some work at home and getting a lower score. I don't like the fact my DS is going to have to go through a system I really hate but sometimes you have to deal with the system you have. Ideally he would have gone to one of the comprehensives but they are really awful, if we lived in a different part of the city he wouldn't have even sat the 11+.

That's just my opinion but I'm sure someone will come along say its an amazing system.

@HairySandwiches I am genuinely delighted for your DS, that is wonderful news, and I'm sorry that you've had to 'fight' the system somewhat. I live somewhere with great comps and feel so lucky, but even then, the 'top' students are taken by private schools.

Thanks all have contacted school to ask.

By contrast @MalorieSnooty we're moving across the border back into Lincs for the grammar system out of a comprehensive area with an LEA with some of the worst secondary results in the country, with no school places/ oversubscription. I don't think a grammar school is better overall, but it is a better fit for our eldest son. Not sure about DS2 yet, but there is also a good non- grammar option locally which is much better than the options where we live now. Different strokes etc...

And congrats to all of your children and chocolate all round! Even before dinner

@Chronicallymothering DH went to grammar in Lincolnshire in the '80s, his mother went to grammar in Birmingham in the early '60s. She doesn't understand the comprehensive system and thinks I'm sending my DC to certain academic failure, despite my school sending students to Cambridge each year

Thanks to all for the congratulations. DD was very happy. She's been jumping around the living room and has rang all the grandparents to tell them the good news. I can't stop smiling from how happy its made her.

@HairySandwiches; I'm so pleased for you. I really really am. I was reading one of your posts from a while back (I though I recognised your name so went searching - sorry ) and I fully support the hassle you've gone through for your DS considering the schools that are around you.
I think you will definitely get a place at Handsworth or Aston and I really hope you do. Its families like yours that I'm really happy they changed the admissions for, at least it gives you a chance now, it was so unfair the way it was before (Although I do know some that complain about it because they see it as taking places away from their DC , I think its just leveling the playing field personally).

@AlwaysLatte; Good Luck for thursday, hope it goes well for you!

@MalorieSnooty; you are so lucky to be living in a fully comprehensive system. We deliberately chose to go with the grammars (you dont have to sit the 11+) because we can't afford independent at secondary level and we don't like out local comprehensives (although I wouldn't call them comprehensives, they are more like secondary moderns). We don't think our local comp will offer DD what she needs. She has always been bright and musical - this has been commented on in primary for years - so we decided grammar would be the best option for her. Plus the grammar schools offer so much, such as trips abroad, latin, separate sciences from the beginning, and choir, orchestra and string quartet which is what interests DD that the comprehensives just don't do. They also have a better ethos.

I neither like nor dislike the system, like the OP said, its just the system we have to deal with. I find it very unfair and we are some of the fortunate few who been able to help DD with preparing for the 11+.
I sometimes think, "wow, we are so luck to have grammar schools that can offer this education", then other times I think "I really don't like this system" because there are so many DC each year that miss out who don't deserve it just because they had a bad day in the exam room. And maybe if we didn't have this system then the comprehensives might be able to offer more because they are teaching the full ability range?

Hi @HairySandwiches
Congrats on the email and your DS on his success.. must be such a relief...
Can I ask how the score works? Is that an average score or combined raw score over 2 or 3 exams? My DS has his exam on Thursday... i am just trying to get my head around thr grammar system. Thank you

@ShampooVsConditioner thank you so much. I'm happy for your DD as well. She has done amazingly well! Hopefully you can get into Five Ways but with that score I suspect your definitely heading to Camp Hill whatever happens.

Thank you @EnolanotAlone. It is such a big relief. I can't describe how much of a relief it is. I'm actually able to breath again and stop worrying so much. Although it doesn't guarantee us a place, it just means we can apply for one and hope for the best in march. Hopefully based on last years admissions for the schools we are interested in we will get one.

The score is just a number which is averaged and adjusted for age. I don't fully understand how they calculate it but I do know it's not the raw score. DS had to do maths, english, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning on his tests. You get one overall score.
There is a qualifying score (205), which if you get over this score you can list one (or more) of the grammar schools as one of your choices and be considered for a place. Then there is a priority score (224), which if you get over this score you are higher up in the admissions criteria (although there are a lot of other factors in the admissions criteria like catchment, siblings, PP places etc.)

The scores might be different for your area and the way they do things might be slightly different as well so best to check the school/consortium website and admissions.

Well done to all your children! Mine are both at Birmingham grammars. @HairySandwiches ds is at Handsworth! We preferred it to Aston, which was a good job as it was the only offer he had! Hope your children will all be very happy wherever they end up.

My son passed!!!! And breathe.

Sorry to drag this old post back up again, but, I wanted to say,
@Chronicallymothering, @EnolanotAlone, @ShampooVsConditioner, @AlwaysLatte and @Neim, I hope you all got the schools you were hoping for and all the best for September.

@crazycrofter it looks like DS is joining your DS at handswoth next year! All the hard work and worry has paid off. We’re all so happy. Thank you for all the advice over the past year, not just from this post but from many others I’ve started or read. Very appreciated.