Aptitude and School Preferences

[Adelphia1977]

Hello,

There is a brilliant school that I've seen, but we live too far from it. they do have a music aptitude test that DC could try for.

Does this mean that we don't list this school as one of our preferences? And fill it with the schools we would have normally put on there?

I know we won't get in on distance (different part of the borough). But I'm assuming that this is a different admission that the school chooses?

You do still need to apply for it on your application, yes.

You would need to read the admissions criteria for exactly how they select, but normally there would be an assessment and the applicants ranked. You then apply to the school under this criteria, and places are allocated by the school to the highest ranking applicants. It's essentially just another selection criteria, like siblings, or distance.

You would still need to put the school on your CAF, and you would only get one offer from one school.

To add, you may or may not be told the ranking after the test. WLS do, for example I think, not sure about others. So for WLS, you would know your chances of a place once you had the ranking, but you would still need to put it on your CAF.

Also note If you put a school higher on your CAF that you also qualified for, you would get that offer, not the music one.

If it’s a fair distance away, do you really want your dc to have a long journey there and back every day? How long would it take?
Also consider that if they make friends that live more locally to the school, it might be pain if you’re further out?

I see. Thanks for clarifying.

Not far...same borough, just really tight catchment, so didn't think it was even a chance, but very good point about putting it highest on the list. I didn't realise. Thank you.

My daughter has a music place at an out of catchment school. She went through an audition, composition and interview process and we got a letter about a week later informing us she was successful.

As well as confirming our acceptance with the school the offer was also conditional on ranking the school as first preference which we did. All in, though I did have a few feelings of guilt about putting her through quite a pressured process, it’s paid off. It’s a much better school than local options and she’s been happy there.

Go for it! I would ask though what commitment they’ll want from DC in terms of productions, choirs, orchestra etc. An out of catchment is inevitably a longer journey and with after school commitments and homework it can make for a long day from experience.

@SJaneS49 Do you mean that they wouldn't have made you the offer if you hadn't listed them first, or that they said you needed to to put them first to avoid missing out on the offer as you may have been offered a higher up school? I'm probably not asking myself very clear but it makes sense in my head!

As far as I understand (but prepared to be corrected by the admissions experts), a school cannot prioritise people for putting them first even for aptitude places- hypothetically, if someone had a higher score on the aptitude test but listed them second (and didn't get into their first preference school), they could not be turned down for someone with a lower score who listed them first. The equal preference system is law across England and has been for many years.

@ChildOfFriday is correct. The school cannot prefer or penalise a child dependent on their ranking on the CAF.

I suspect the school made it a condition in order to ensure that the children who were offered such spaces actually intended to take them up, and didn't have another school they actually preferred.

As above @ChildOfFriday & @PatriciaHolm, she was successful in the aptitude test and was offered one of five music places. This was shortly before the secondary application deadlineTo confirm acceptance, we were told to list the school first on preferences.

I’ve just checked their Admissions and for the coming year, it’s asking DC offered a Performing Arts place to list the school on preferences to confirm acceptance, so a change in the last 3 years. The school is many parents preferred back up option to grammars (as the best performing local alternative) so I imagine the request to first list had something to do with that.

The school is many parents preferred back up option to grammars (as the best performing local alternative) so I imagine the request to first list had something to do with that.

Yes - by putting them first, in this case, you are guaranteeing the place, as the place has essentially already be given to her, you just had to make sure you were not allocated something else you were deemed to prefer by putting an alternative higher. The school would not have wanted to go through the process of deliberating and allocating aptitude places just for someone to opt to go somewhere else.

If a parent had put a grammar as first choice and the child qualified for a place there, that is the offer they would have got, not the aptitude place. Hence the desire to get parents, in these circumstances, to put the school first, in order to ensure they are allocated it.

I would imagine they may also have had some parents misunderstand the process and assume that they could put the school anywhere on the CAF and another school top, and then get allocated 2 places and get to choose between them.

You've made lots of good points. I'll def put this as my first choice in any case.

I've never heard of a performing arts aptitude test. Sounds interesting.

I think it's good to be offering a chance to some children who won't necessarily get in on catchment.

Unless it is a private school, you have to put it on the list. Usually aptitude tests' results are in before you have to apply for schools, so you can list your preferences according to results. Check school's catchment area, it doesn't matter if it is in different borough.

@BoredWML

Unless it is a private school, you have to put it on the list. Usually aptitude tests' results are in before you have to apply for schools, so you can list your preferences according to results. Check school's catchment area, it doesn't matter if it is in different borough.

Good point on the results should be out before deadline. Thanks again

@Adelphia1977, I’ve used the word Performing Arts places but in actuality it’s broken down into 3 specialisms - 5 Music places, 5 dance and 5 drama. DDs music assessment did not involve either drama or dance. We had the result about a week before the application deadline for secondary places.

Do you know what the music assessment will consist of and what their expectations in terms of grades etc will be as i think it does vary a lot? We did look at another school offering music places and the aptitude testing was pretty intensive (and as the school wasn’t performing as highly as the one DD attends we decided not to pursue it). In our case, applicants had to perform a piece (DD sang), do a note exercise (identifying if they were higher or lower) create a composition on a xylophone from scratch and then do an interview. What they were essentially looking for is musicality and there were about 30 kids there on the music aptitude day.

Once you know what the assessment will consist of then it gives you time to help DC prepare. DD’s singing tutor helped her choose the best song she would feel comfortable singing and demonstrate her range and they practiced it loads.

DD sat around 8 music scholarship/aptitude tests 2 years ago.

There's a huge difference in what different schools ask you to do - and in what is on offer if you are successful.

The most basic one just asked for aural tests, clapping in time etc. Did not want any information at all about instruments/grades or anything like that. Gaining a music place just got you a school place.

The most comprehensive had a full written Musical Aptitude Test, aural tests, performance (two contrasting pieces on either one instrument or two) and an interview. Gaining the full scholarship and a top 15 ranking got you a guaranteed place at the school, free tuition on one instrument, free music theory lessons, masterclasses and concert trips.

The others all fell somewhere between the two.

There were several hundred sitting at 3 of the schools. (All London schools).

DD doesn't do exams, and choose to only go with voice for all (but offered to play the piano if they wanted). She would have been around G6 level at the time.

Feel free to PM me if you are interested in specific schools and if we sat theirs I'll give you the details from what I remember.

And yes, you definitely have to put it on the CAF. DD got a guaranteed place at the one she really wanted so we put that down as first choice... still didn't relax until I got the confirmation though! The schools were all very good at getting results back before forms had to be submitted.

My daughter's school gives places for music and sports aptitude. After having sat the test you receive a letter within a week informing you of their score and the lowest score to be offered a place under aptitude for the last 3 years. We knew we were fine as the minimum score for sport was 82% and my daughter scored 93% so we were as certain as we could be that she would get a place.

Hi, can we apply for both aptitude test and normal admission application if come in the catchment of the same secondary school?

@AquaHelper this thread is 2 years old and was started by someone else. If you have your own question it is best to start your own thread. You can do that by scrolling to the top of the page and choosing "Start a new thread" from the dropdown menu.

@AquaHelper As the previous poster says, you would be better off starting your own thread. However, your question suggests you don't fully understand how admissions work. You apply the normal way regardless of whether your child is going to take (or has taken) the aptitude test. If your child fails to get in via the aptitude test, they will be considered under the other admission criteria.