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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

11 plus support thread 2022

623 replies

PalindromemordnilaP · 23/09/2022 20:35

Anyone else have a DC sitting 11+ this Autumn?

If so, would you like to chat on a support thread?

DD is sitting her exam tomorrow.

Anyone else? Waiting for the results will be nail-biting.

OP posts:
FebruaryWhining · 14/02/2023 20:14

Aethelfleda · 14/02/2023 20:00

two days til the Bucks Review results here!
(which is the big decider for us)

Though apparently someone in Bucks pressed “publish” early on the aggregate results, which I’ve not seen before. Means some of the lower scoring review appeals (where there is only 1 or 2 Reviews for that score) could work out in advance of results if they are through or not.
DS’s score (0.5 points off) had 139 reviews so we are still crossing everything, as it could go either way….

What's the website for the aggregate Bucks results please?

Good luck to you @Aethelfleda

Aethelfleda · 14/02/2023 20:27

@FebruaryWhining
It’s on the official Bucks CC website!
I didn’t find it, someone else on the elevenplus forum linked to it:

Bucks county council Review results table 2023

UsernameOfMine · 14/02/2023 20:39

It feels like it is dragging soooooooooooooo much 😖

DD asks everyday if we've found out yet, just in case they've sent the school places out early.

Aethelfleda · 14/02/2023 20:45

@UsernameOfMine we are just trying very hard to ignore it all now! At least it’s halfterm so we can throw ourselves into fun (distracting) things….

ElvenDreamer · 14/02/2023 23:15

It's crawling so slowly now, it's killing me! DS informed me the other day that he's prepared to sit on a waiting list if needed, I don't think my nerves can take that, I need this to be over on March 1st!

Fingers crossed for your review @Aethelfleda .

Aethelfleda · 15/02/2023 00:04

Yes @ElvenDreamer , I know what you mean about just wanting it all done and dusted.
Even though I am quite sure DS would be an ideal fit in the grammar, as his curiosity/personality is very much suited to that sort of approach, I think it would do him a disservice (and psychologically not be fair to either of us) to drag him through the whole appeals shebang if this doesn’t work. I know he’s capable, it’s just a bit excruciating how the system strings it all out. At least Bucks does have the review system: Slough doesn’t (the Slough grammars just don’t care if their intake come from miles away as long as they all get A*s to make the schools look fantastic in league tables, they are v oversubscribed so aren’t at all invested in local appeals)

Aethelfleda · 15/02/2023 13:38

Sooo nearly there! Hope you’re all having a good half term. mine have all got minor sniffles
but we’re trying to crack on and get a bit of a break…

starpatch · 15/02/2023 15:22

September is going to feel very close think once we have the school offers. Feels like a big step towards adulthood to be honest. Have had lovely winter sunshine here so was chance to get out with DS today.

UsernameOfMine · 15/02/2023 15:35

DD is so ready to leave primary school now. But she still seems so small to be going to secondary.

She keeps talking about "when I go to Ds school" not if, but when!!

I told DH that if she gets in then we can go to the open evening they usually have June/July time so she can look around again. She loved it last year but I was trying to downplay it and big up other schools too because she hasn't done the test yet. So would be great to look around and know that was where she is going.

starpatch · 15/02/2023 15:46

The school I am hoping for for my son does an opening evening then too- I missed it last year as just wasn't expecting it to be at that time , so will be good to take DS if all goes well.

UsernameOfMine · 16/02/2023 16:30

Aethelfleda · 14/02/2023 20:00

two days til the Bucks Review results here!
(which is the big decider for us)

Though apparently someone in Bucks pressed “publish” early on the aggregate results, which I’ve not seen before. Means some of the lower scoring review appeals (where there is only 1 or 2 Reviews for that score) could work out in advance of results if they are through or not.
DS’s score (0.5 points off) had 139 reviews so we are still crossing everything, as it could go either way….

Is it today you get the review results? Hoping it's gone ok for you x

Aethelfleda · 16/02/2023 18:51

Phew, Review was successful! We really couldn’t tell which way it would go, so this is just great for him. Obviously don’t have the place offer til 1st March but now he’s officially passed he should be okay for one as they have a sibling rule at this particular grammar. Good luck to anyone else waiting for results

LockInAtTheFeathers · 16/02/2023 19:31

Congratulations @Aethelfleda Flowers

Dynamix · 16/02/2023 19:59

Aethelfleda · 16/02/2023 18:51

Phew, Review was successful! We really couldn’t tell which way it would go, so this is just great for him. Obviously don’t have the place offer til 1st March but now he’s officially passed he should be okay for one as they have a sibling rule at this particular grammar. Good luck to anyone else waiting for results

Aw, congratulations! That's fantastic news and must be such a relief .

starpatch · 16/02/2023 20:11

Congratulations that's brilliant news

Aethelfleda · 16/02/2023 20:11

thanks! It’s been a long road this time, at least we know where we are now. DS very happy and I’m very happy we don’t have to do this again!

UsernameOfMine · 16/02/2023 20:42

Congratulations that's great news.

Less than 2 weeks til we get the school places offer. Even if we're almost certain DD will get the school she wants I just want the offer in black and white.

ElvenDreamer · 16/02/2023 22:52

Ah that's great news @Aethelfleda , fingers crossed for the rest of us now!

Maybetoofarsouth · 16/02/2023 23:27

Congratulations @Aethelfleda!! even though I don't understand any of your posts about the Bucks review

Pipsquiggle · 16/02/2023 23:45

@Aethelfleda great news!

Aethelfleda · 16/02/2023 23:57

@Maybetoofarsouth heh.
the TLDR is Bucks has a system you can appeal for a borderline result. that’s all.

thing47 · 17/02/2023 09:31

Just a very minor correction – you can actually appeal whatever your score was in Bucks, although the closer you are to the qualifying score the more likely your appeal is to be successful, generally speaking. Wouldn't want to put a parent off appealing because their DC scored, say, 116.

UsernameOfMine · 17/02/2023 12:12

I guess it's quite a good thing because some children may be feeling a bit "off" on the day of the exam, be it illness or nerves and won't perform to the best of their ability.

Aethelfleda · 17/02/2023 16:43

indeed @thing47 , Review can be sought for any child who had an unexpected underscoring, though the Bucks website states that it’s mainly meant to be for extenuating circumstances, it’s also meant to catch those children who were very high achieving and thoroughly expected to pass yet for some reason underperformed on the day. The pass-by-the-score table I linked to above shows that most successful reviews were those children who only just fell under, but sometimes even very low scores do get through here and there (presumably due to good reasons)

Aethelfleda · 17/02/2023 18:03

but just to correct something @thing47 , it’s
not technically an “appeal”, this process is a “Selection Review”. Appeals only happen after March 1st when a place has not been obtained.
Reviews aren’t to get a place in a specific school, they are to get a “pass” for the 11 plus exam itself (ie when the child’s mark is under the qualifying mark).

The thing about Reviews is when they work, your child goes into the “passed the 11 plus” stack, and so is considered for a place along with all the other applicants who passed.

If you Appeal it’s not until after March 1st, so the school has already made its 180 offers of places, so even if you get an Appeal you may not have a place for your DC. That’s why Review is such a useful option to have. (Slough and lots of other Grammars just don’t have Reviews at all, it’s work they choose not to do).