14+ admission exams

[Starlight003]

Hi all,

Can somebody explain what is 14+ admission exam? Is there a reason students choose to take this exam and change schools?

Do you mean for state schools like the UTCs which often only start and accept pupils age at 14 (Year 10)?
That’s why they take them - to go to those schools.

Which school are you considering?

We are relatively new to the school education system, so I don't know. My son's classmate asked him elwhether ye is going to sit the exam and my son is asking me. I googled, but got further confused.

We are in state secondary, my son has the perception that he can apply to grammar school by taking 14+ which I am not sure.

What is UTC?

Not considering at the moment, but trying to understand what it is.

All state grammar school have admissions tests. For year 7, the usual entry point, these are sat in the last year of primary and called an 11+.

You can apply to start grammar school in a different year though, but obviously a 14 year old sitting the 11+ would be unfair, so they will have exams for each year of entry based on how old the child is. So the test your child would sit would be called locally a 14+.

But most people don't have grammar schools - kids just go to their local comprehensive. Does your kid want to try for the grammar school? If he's happy where he is, and you're happy with the education he's getting, leave him.

UTCs are not common. They're also mostly quite poor. They're are supposed to be an alternative for non-academic kids to specialise in technical qualification. Often the reality is that the disruptive kids end up there as a last ditch attempt to keep them from truanting.

UTC are University Technology Colleges that start at age 14 (Year 10) and are a more specialist education usually based around STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths).
(You also get “Studio Schools” which are similar but smaller and based within an existing school rather than a completely different school).
I assume the “14+” may be a test to see if a UTC is appropriate.
There aren’t many UTCs so a 14+ test will not very common.
Or it used to be you could have a second chance at the Grammar School 11+ at age 13. It could be what the “14+” is referring to as age 14 is when GCSEs start so switching schools at 14 is quite common.
I don’t live where there are Grammar Schools so I don’t know.
Basically I would ask the classmate (or a teacher) what they actually mean. Because I have never heard of “14+” as an actual thing.

OP, you need to contact the grammar school and find out when the exam is being held, there won't be many places available. Try elevenplusexams.co.uk / forum section for more help too.