Getting him into a Voluntary Aided school

[MrsSnape]

I want my son to go to an all boys voluntary aided secondary school. It's an excellent school with a brilliant reputation, top grades in the city etc but its quite small so needless to say...difficult to get into.

I know they have to sit an interview which is apparantly a test of their attitude and then an actual exam. The exam is supposedly to ensure that the school accepts a mix of abilities into the school and not just "the best".

My son is pretty average in everything but he is excelently behaved, he has a very mature personality and he wants to do well.

Firstly, does anyone know what the interview will really be looking for and are they lying when they say the exam is not just a way of getting the best pupils?

Also, I have found their email address, my son is 9. Is it too early to start making enquiries?

State or fee-paying?

I'm not sure what it comes under officially but you don't pay for them to go...so does that make it a state school? It has seperate admittitance policies from the council run schools...

Sorry if I am stating the obvious but as a Voluntary Aided school you will presumably have to prove church attendance?. It is a state school by the way but will control its own admissions.

Its more military than church TBH...

This one...

www.hulltrinity.net/

It does mention Church services actually...I never realised that could be part of the admission requirements...

Mrs Snape I'm a bit confused. I just looked at the ofsted report for this school

school\118\s511811520051014.xmlof ofsted report

and it got a lot of grade 2 and 3's.

Also I've never heard of state pupils being interviewed and made to sit exams.

AND

The head wants you to put it as first preference.

If you contact your local authority (you should be able to do it online) you should be able to find out by how many pupils the school was undersubscribed for.

Something doesn't seem right here but I just can't put my finger on it.

Your ds sounds as though he'd do well wherever he goes.

On reading my post I'm worried now in case you think I'm being negative which I definately am not and am so sorry if it comes accross like that. It's just that I'm more puzzled than anything. I guess they must be taking the more intelligent boys if you say they have excellent grades but I thought only grammar schools were allowed to do this.

I'm confused now too - I thought the new admissions code expressly says schools are not allowed to know where they have been listed regarding preference. I also thought they had to have very good reasons to interview as this has been used as a way to 'select' by the back door. There are still grammar schools in some areas who get the children to sit an exam and do select but that is all 'above board'.

I loved the school website, particularly the bit about the oranges and the former headmaster called Zebedee.

I couldn't find any reference to an interview on either the school or the council's website - are you sure they haven't stopped doing that?

Thanks for the replies,

It looks like they might have stopped the interview now...that must have been a recent change though because I only read about it a few months ago.

Is it too early for me to make enquiries to the school?

I can't see a problem with you contacting the school. I think I'd leave it until nearer the time before taking your DS to look round though.

Good luck. (It looks from the admissions sections of the council's website and the school's as if admission to that school is pretty much down to luck - I can't see what you could do to influence the outcome).

I emailed the council and asked how many people applied this year and how many were successful.

They replied:

The total number of applications for September 2008 was 364 and the school's allocation is 56 and these have been allocated in accordance with the school's
published admissions criteria.

Does this mean that 364 applied and only 56 got in??

Sounds like it although intake at our VA one is 260 ! Maybe some places are taken with LA looked after children & SN so they only have 56 to allocate themselves. Bear in mind people will apply who don't meet even the basic criteria but you need to know exactly what these are,as it won't only be aptitude(proof of religious affiliations , siblings, catchment etc). Also these can chaneg year on year.

Having looked at the criteria, it does seem to be largely down to the luck of the draw. I think you'd better find an acceptable fall-back option.