Bishop Stortford area state schools

[MrsDThaskala]

Hello all,

Im in a bit of a funny spot in this area. In between Bishops Stortford and Ware. Of course I understand that this makes it very hard to get into schools as we are not clos or in a priority school/area. But am going to give it a go anyway.

Im after advice and experiences from any of these schools if you can help.
Herts and Essex girls
St Mary's Catholic school
Chauncy
Pressdales

And knowing its very hard to get into Hockerill.

Would appreciate any advise.

I can only comment of the BS schools (DD is at H & E). Is this for year 7 2022 entry or is it an in year admission?

As St Mary's is a Catholic school they take Catholic children from all over (there are daily buses from as far away as Enfield) so you would definitely have a chance from where you like (assume this is the Standon /Puckeridge area) if you are Catholic.

As for H & E I really think it will depend if its a standard entry point for year 7 or an in year admission. If its an in year admission, then there is always a chance - there is usually a waiting list and its just luck if a place comes up in the year group that you need. Sadly if its for yr 7 entry I think your only chance is via one of the 18 music or sports aptitude places as there are girls in Stortford at feeder schools living much closer than you who don't get in. The aptitude tests don't require hugely high scores to get in (85% will do it) so if your daughter is sporty she has a good chance. My daughter did the sports aptitude even though we live fairly close (as a back up) and scored very highly but the tests were all things she excels at (she is national team level in her sport) except the dance routine element so you have nothing to lose. The same could be said for the Hockeril aptitude tests for Music and language although they are very different (can't be tutored for) and require much higher scores (around 95%) - they have 12 places available.

I think you are a little closer to Ware so may have better luck with Chauncy or Presdales.

Worth trying St Mary's as annual intake gone up in recent years to 180 and it's not just Catholics who attend. Chauncey is very popular . I know there are lots of disappointed kids who didn't get into Presdales this year. It's worth joining Hertford and Ware mum's Facebook page for further views.

This is so helpful.
Yes Standon and Puckeridge area.
Yes to Y7 2022.

The aptitude tests were my next step. Can you really not practise for them? There must be something online?

H of E and St Mary's I liked a lot. Just from virtual tours mind you. How's your DD getting on there?

@MrsDThaskala

This is so helpful. Yes Standon and Puckeridge area. Yes to Y7 2022.

The aptitude tests were my next step. Can you really not practise for them? There must be something online?

H of E and St Mary's I liked a lot. Just from virtual tours mind you. How's your DD getting on there?

You can't practice for the Hockeril tests as they set their own exams and are unlike any other aptitude tests around (they often use a made up language for example and the music test is unlike the ones that H & E , boys high and Leventhorpe use). The H & E sports one consists of a number of stations which all consist of throwing, catching and shooting accuracy and speed, a bleep test and learning a dance routine.

DD is getting on well and predicted top grades across the board, she has a nice group of friends who (with one exception) all went up from her primary school. Its a shame that a lot of the extra curricular stuff that she loved doing has not been available to them as in yr 7 they were building the new sports centre (after already converting the old one to a 6th form block) and then yrs 8 and 9 have been affected by Covid. For a sporty girl she is a bit disappointed by the sporting opportunities. They really only care about Netball and Hockey and although she is in the A team for netball she would love to do more sport full stop - they don't timetable very much at all.

If your DD is baptised Catholic, there should be no problem getting into St Mary’s (given that you live in the catchment area). It was my DS’ back up place for this September if he didn’t get a grammar place and we were told that there shouldn’t be any issues getting a place. We are in Essex but St Mary’s is our catchment Catholic school.

Thanks. My daughter is also sporty so something to think about. I will def try for the aptitude test because proximity is not close enough.

There's a lot of middle schools around here. And as she'll be leaving in year 6 from her north London school it seems silly to move again in year 8.

I really like St. Mary's, not Catholic though. Christened, Eastern so I think that's 6th on the criteria.

Oh well, worth a go.

Still not sure about Chauncy.

Pressdales I have heard good things but doubt we'll get in. Waiting lists I suppose?

I would send an email to St Mary's and ask them for the distance of the person admitted last under the criteria that you will fall into to see if you have a chance. I think you probably have as they do usually get down and offer a very few places to non religious applicants so your chances might be high.

St Mary's is certainly more 'Catholic' than most Catholic schools (my husband is a supply teacher and has worked at all the Stortford schools including St Mary's and he was pretty surprised when sitting in the staff room one break having a cup of tea when a Nun walked in !) He says St Marks in Harlow was far less 'Catholic' than St Marys.

Hi could anyone tell me what the lowest percentage you have to get in the sports aptitude test to secure one of the 9 places to Herts and Essex school. Thanks.

H & E don't give you an absolute number each year. They just give you an average that would have been offered a place over the previous 3 years. My daughter got a place in 2018 and the average then was 82% but last year they said the average was only 66% so it has been going down but that does not mean it won't jump up again dramatically in any one year - it just depends on the quality of those who take the test.

Presdales is popular but a bit like marmite. Some love it some don’t. I don’t know anything about St Mary’s. We looked at the middle school in Puckeridge years ago and really liked it but we’d have been out of catchment for the high school in Buntingford so weren’t sure what would happen in y9. I think they are building a new school in Stortford - I think it’s called Avanti. We are no longer in the area though so I’m not the best to answer. Birchwood May also be an option.

The Avanti secondary school is now in its second academic year. Getting mixed reviews locally in the community. Most love it but they are inflexible on things like lunches (everyone has a school vegetarian lunch - no packed lunches) and they don't deal well with any SEN conditions so a few have removed their children and sent them to birchwood. Assuming though people are too far away from BS to get a regular place so they are considering aptitude places.

Does anyone have any recent experiences of Hockerill? Possible we could get in via aptitude score but I've heard mixed things. Ofsted was downgraded earlier this year and have heard that boarders and non-boarders may not mix well, which cuts down opportunities for friends. But have also heard it's a lovely community with excellent pastoral care. Can anyone share their own experiences of having children at the school as day students?