Missed entrance exam for grammar school advice

[Sillymum83]

Hi all,

We missed the entrance exam dates for high school, Urmston Grammar.

The website says we can do it after March next year which we will do but does anyone have any advice or experiences?

I am feeling like the shittest parent in the world right now. 😞

Make sure you've got a good backup school for next September.

Why did you miss it? Illness? Or you just forgot?
Had you prepared for the exams?

What other schools had you put down? Are you in the catchment for Urmston?

You need a back up plan - have you asked the school if there are likely to have an spaces available for late applications in March?

I live in GM but not in Trafford so not familiar with the other schools in the area, but the general opinion where I am is that Trafford had good state schools.

It’s not too late to consider private schools - would you be able to apply for a bursary? Is you child scholarship material?

The reason we missed it was because at the time I was full term pregnant then I had baby and was in hospital for a week after then had all the HV appointments and missed the deadline.

And I really wasn't aware of the applications being submitted while still in year 5 when all other schools seem to be doing it from now, even private one's.
It doesn't appear from looking at the website that they would take into account any late application reasons. If you're late applying then it's tough basically. I don't think they would reserve places for late applications after March.

We will be looking at private schools but haven't heard good things about the local one (bullying).

We have a couple of good back ups to put down. I'm just kicking myself about the Grammar school.

I know someone who missed it. The mum spent months feeling guilty/ angry with herself. In March her dc took the late test, got a place, and he dc has been happy at the school ever since. It was a tough few months for them though! Try not to give yourself a hard time. These things happen and hopefully it will work out in the end.

Thank you so much for giving me hope!

As you've missed the entrance exam you won't get a place when offers come out in March. You may get a place via the waiting list. However, if your child takes the test, passes and would have got a place had you not missed the deadline, I think you have a decent case for appeal. I will be happy to help you with this.

To outline the argument, the national closing date for applications for secondary schools is 31st October. There is no scope in the Admissions Code for admission authorities to set their own closing date, but that is, in effect, what Urmston has done. They accept applications from the beginning of June according to their admission arrangements (however, the timetable on their website suggests they actually accepted applications from 9th May) and set a closing date of 24th June (not mentioned in their admission arrangements), so the window for applications is quite short. Anyone applying after this date will not be allowed to sit the entrance test and will not, therefore, be able to get a place. So they are operating a closing date of 24th June - over 4 months before the national closing date. Given that the tests do not actually take place until 19th September, that seems ridiculously early. Further, it is clearly contrary to the national closing date.

Urmston may argue that they are required to inform parents of the outcome of the admission tests before the national closing date, but that is wrong. They are only required to make best efforts to do so, in order that parents whose child has not passed the test don't waste one of their preferences. There is nothing in the admissions code that prevents them from notifying parents of the result after the closing date if it was not possible to do so before.

Some other selective schools get this right. They run tests before the closing date but then run further tests after the closing date for those that missed the initial tests. That way, everyone who applies by the national closing date for offers gets tested and, if they pass, has a chance of getting a place.

In my view, Urmston's admission arrangements are contrary to the Admissions Code. I can't guarantee that an appeal panel would agree, but I will be happy to help you put the argument if you want to go down that path.

Hi.

Thank you ever so much, that is so kind of you.
I have submitted our secondary school selection to the local authority. We have listed Urmston as first choice still and outlined the reason's why we feel our child's eduction will benefit from attending. I am happy to go on a waiting list, anyone have any experience of waiting lists for grammar schools?

I too, feel it is unfair they can't test late applicants before the national cut off date of 31st October.

Shall I let you know the outcome of the entrance exam when it's done and we go from there? @prh47bridge

That's absolutely fine.

I have a child at one of the other Trafford grammars and places do come up on the waiting list. There have been a couple of new starters in my child's class later on in year 7. Have you made sure you have put your local school on your list so you're not without a school place come allocations day? And have you considered Stretford Grammar waiting list too as it's a lovely school and plenty of Urmston kids go there too. Might be worth being on waiting list for more than one of the grammars.

Hi, I know this is an old post but would you be willing to give more information on this? I think this may be my situation next year and any information in the appeal would be so useful. Thanks in advance 🙂